Car GPS navigation units?

[salsashark]

Heading back out to DC in a couple of weeks and was considering picking up a gps toy for the rental car. I've been poking around on different sites looking at Garmins and Magellans.

Curious to see if anyone has any comments on good/bad units?

Possibly getting one that I can later use on the bike (Dana... I'm looking in your direction)

[asp_125]

If you're planning for the bike, get one with bluetooth or a headphone jack. I have a TomTom but you can't hear the voice directions from the speaker while riding. If I'm just looking for maps I can get that from Google Map on my crackberry. You can get phones with GPS packages nowadays, without having to get a Garmin etc.

[Horsman]

Heading back out to DC in a couple of weeks and was considering picking up a gps toy for the rental car. I've been poking around on different sites looking at Garmins and Magellans.

Curious to see if anyone has any comments on good/bad units?

Possibly getting one that I can later use on the bike (Dana... I'm looking in your direction)

Let me know which one you get... I am looking to get one myself (not sure which one to get)... Leaning towards a Garmin. let me know...

[salsashark]

yeah... newegg has some good prices on Garmins, probably wander by Costco tonight/tomorrow to push some buttons...

ASP, which tomtom do you have because I haven't read a lot of good reviews about them (and I get that the dissatisfied are more vocal than the satisfied).

[Devaclis]

There was a GPS thread a couple of weeks ago.

I got the Garmin Streetpilot 2720. Stands up to the rain well, is large, touch screen, etc....

[salsashark]

I remember seeing you post about it, but I couldn't remember if it was it's own thread of a jacking of sorts.

Did a search, found the info, thanks...

[Devaclis]

there is a TON of good info on the ADV rider forum under the GPS section. TOO much information.

[= Buckeye Jess =]

I've spoken to a few folks that have had both Garmins and TomToms and every last one of 'em prefer the Garmins. Let us know what you end up doing though, I've been looking into one as well!

[asp_125]

ASP, which tomtom do you have because I haven't read a lot of good reviews about them (and I get that the dissatisfied are more vocal than the satisfied).

I got the TomTom One 130S a couple years ago. It was on sale at Best Buy and I needed it for a trip, so I didn't research it too much. It's basically what I needed to get from one place to another. It's simple and intuitive to use. In retrospect I would have spent more to get ones from Garmin (they know GPS from all their commercial and backcountry experience), and one with bike features like a headphone or bluetooth option.

[Devaclis]

Get the RAM mount and hardwire kit if you go with the 2720

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=garmin+2720&x=0&y=0

[= Buckeye Jess =]

If you are renting a car, Hertz has the Magellan GPS option as well. Dunno if that would be something you'd consider to just try it out and see how it goes?

[salsashark]

yeah, we have a corporate deal through Avis and they rent them as well. But, unless your going out of the country, the company won't reimburse for that. I'd rather take that money and put it towards something I can keep for more than a week.

[asp_125]

Hertz "neverlost" is clunky to use, and it does some wierd routing sometimes. In Houston there are these long frontage roads near the freeway and it could not distinguish between the frontage road and the lanes on the freeway.

[salsashark]

there is a TON of good info on the ADV rider forum under the GPS section. TOO much information.

just got there... 127 pages of God knows what?!

[Devaclis]

haha have fun :) Trust me tho, after months of research, the 2720 seemed to be the right option for me for dual sporting. The wife even like tthe features when we use it in the car :)

[Zach929rr]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 255. Works pretty good, but if I were to drop the moolah again, I would get a unit that shows you what lane to be in... that sort of stuff is helpful out of town and around downtown here.

[= Buckeye Jess =]

yeah, we have a corporate deal through Avis and they rent them as well. But, unless your going out of the country, the company won't reimburse for that. I'd rather take that money and put it towards something I can keep for more than a week.
Ah yes, understood!

Hertz "neverlost" is clunky to use, and it does some wierd routing sometimes. In Houston there are these long frontage roads near the freeway and it could not distinguish between the frontage road and the lanes on the freeway.
Doh! Good to know and I won't ever waste the money then. I was just thinking it'd be a neat idea for people entirely unsure on what kind of set up they want. I've been keeping my eye on the Garmins for a while now...

[asp_125]

Ah yes, understood!

Doh! Good to know and I won't ever waste the money then. I was just thinking it'd be a neat idea for people entirely unsure on what kind of set up they want. I've been keeping my eye on the Garmins for a while now...

Oh the fun of rental car GPS driving!!! ...strange city at night, crazy mad traffic, six lane superhighways, and having to get from the curb lane over to the left side for an exit! :shocked:

But to its credit "neverlost" never got me lost. Ok I was driving too quickly for it to catch up and thus missed the turnoff, and wound up circling on surface streets in the wrong part of town, it eventually got me back on the freeway to my destination.

[Ricky]

I love my Garmin. Free updates too...