What's a good affordable GPS?

Don-Wi · May 11, 2009

Before my wife and I go on our vacation, I'd like to get a GPS unit for some of our travels.

Who's got one, and what's a good one to get? I see a Magellan roadmate 1200 and a Tom Tom One on craigslist. The Magellan is priced a little cheaper, and is claimed to be new in box. The Tom Tom is claimed to be used once, then the guy got an iphone so he doesn't need it anymore...

I'm not opposed to b uying new from Best Buy or anywhere else either, but I'm wondering if these are god deals and if they're worth it?

Donovan from Wisconsin

Old Roy · May 11, 2009

My friend has a Garmin it is somewhat accurate .

It took us to a place last weekend and was right on,but on the return trip as I was getting close to my driveway It wanted me to turn left. I needed a right and an immediate left into my driveway.

Rather than saying "You have arrived at your destination" like it should have It wanted a Left.
so just for Giggles I followed it and a half mile up the road I said Arriving at destination on right.

This was an accurate driveway to my neighbors house.

I checked with the Google map for my address and sure enough I live there instead of here ???

In questioning this they said that Google maps haven't been updated for a while .

They haven't changed the update for the newer 911 house numbers that has changed in the last 5 years. same goes for Map quest.

Only the Gov. can afford a good updated one . I guess.

casestudy · May 11, 2009

i have a tom tom one it's a good gps had no probs with it it just needs a map upgrade now that costs $50,i tried a garmin didn't like it, tried to type the name of a destination woundn't or couldn't give me the one i wanted, the tom tom is more staightforward,i have no experance of a magellan.hope this halps.

MarkB_MI · May 11, 2009

A while back a local store was selling refurbished Magellans for less than 100 bucks. A friend bought one and said it works great. But normally I wouldn't recommend buying a used unit unless it's a very recent model.

The Garmin Nuvii models 250 and up have turn-by-turn navigation, meaning the unit tells you exactly where to turn. A very useful feature, particularly in the city. I bought my wife a Nuvii 255W and we've been very happy with it.

Tom-Tom doesn't have as solid of a reputation as Garmin. Personally, I would not buy one of their units.

rustyfarmall · May 11, 2009

You can buy a Tom Tom directly from the Tom Tom website, and occasionally they do have some fantastic deals. You can also buy it from a number of different stores, but if you need warranty work or any other assistance, you will still have to go to the Tom Tom site, so you might as well cut out the middle man and deal directly.

caterpillarguy · May 11, 2009

I just use an atlas for 5.99 or less and don't buy one every year either.works for me and lots cheaper. I hear to many times they go to the wrong location like stated before. Or can't find the location.

omahagreg · May 11, 2009

We have the Magellan 1200. It works very well. If you had it plot a course for you, say along interstate, and you take an exit it did not plan, it tells you half way up the ramp. It has very accurate tracking. Greg

thurlow · May 11, 2009

We've had a Garmin (don't remember model, it's in wife's car) for 2 or 3 years; it works great. Before I buy anything on-line, I always check Amazon; they sometimes have fantastic deals, even bought a 60 inch zero-turn mower, they had by far the cheapest price, plus there was no shipping or sales tax..........

Rick(MN) · May 11, 2009

Couple years back, my wife bought me an I-way from Menard's for Christmas. Did a good job, but the screen was too small. Bought a Tom-Tom from Wal-Mart awhile back. It gets used almost every day in my Kenworth. Couple thoughts about my experience...if you buy one thinking they will solve every problem you will be sorely dissapointed. Used WITH and IN ADDITION to a good atlas they are a very helpful tool. I bought my Tom-Tom 6 months after the 35W bridge was rebuilt and open, but it still thought it was down. It also picks the best common sense route only about half the time. For example, when traveling between the Twin Cities and Sioux Falls,SD, it always routes I-35 and I-90 via Albert Lea adding 50 miles to the trip. The point I'm trying to make here is that one shouldnt put complete faith in them. That being said, they are a good tool especially when away from home. I never cease to be amazed at the amount of information they contain. Very interesting and entertaining to have one along on a long trip.

Gordy in Mn. · May 11, 2009

Retired two years ago and part of my bucket list was to drive a semi, after driving a couple of days in the beet feild, and a whole lot of rain, my boss sent me from Grand Forks to Winnepeg and then on local runs. Since then I have been to Florida many times so a GPS was nessesery. I have a 255W Garmin and love it, but does not get ride of the atlas. It has not let me down yet. It is not the best for trucks but was only a fraction of the cost. I like to buy local in case it has to be returned. Wal-Mart had the best deal at the time. Once you have one you will not believe what you did with out it. My two cents. Gordy in Mn.

Paul from MN · May 11, 2009

I have a Garmin Nuvi 200. I have had it for about 2 years and am very happy with it.

big fred · May 11, 2009

The Magellan 1200 is a good usable unit. Won't have all the bells and whistles, but it'll get you where you're going. Borrowed one from a co-worker to navigate around Queens, NY some time ago. I was driving from hotel to a test lab, and our supplier was driving a separate car and using a brand-new Garmin Nuvi. We ended up taking different routes, but got there within a minute of each other.

nw_bearcat · May 11, 2009

I really like my Garmin Nuvi 360. They're an older model, so some of the new highway bypasses may not be loaded, but you can buy updates for that every 2-3 years. From Amazon, the 360's are getting down there pretty good.

Goose · May 11, 2009

I have a Garmin Nuvi 200. It's a neat little unit and I use it a lot on the job as an insurance inspector running around to different real estate properties. They're less than $200, depending where you buy them.

I still, however, print out a Google or Yahoo map for each property I need to find.

krm · May 11, 2009

I don't always know the street address,just the town, of a place I am wanting to go to but the GPS system always wants the street address,is there a GPS system that only requires the town only or how do handle this problem?

RobMD · May 11, 2009

Currently I still guess roads.

jbp · May 11, 2009

Try entering intersecting highway numbers for the desired town as an address. It works for a Garmin nuvi 205w. Hope it works for you.

Larry NE IL · May 11, 2009

Don, Garmin and Magellin have been in the GPS business for a long time, as they were one of the first to offer sets for aviation. They also offer a varity of products in the navigation field for aircraft now.
I would not look anywhere else than these two companys.

Larry NE IL

greenbeanman in Kansas · May 11, 2009

It sounds like you will only be using one for road travel and the use of maps.

I find that quite limiting in their potential IF they have to stay in the vehicle and cannot be hand held and portable.

Geocaching can be fun. I have gone with a neighbor and as a result of a search we found the cache and also got to observe eagles from a short distance.

Link below and also at: http://www8.garmin.com/outdoor/geocaching/ and http://www.brillig.com/geocaching/ and http://www.wikihow.com/Go-Geocaching and the beginners guide at: http://factsfacts.com/geocacher.htm

In addition, if you or anyone of your relatives do genealogy it is wonderful to provide way points from GPS obtained readings for every cemetery headstone of interest. Saves many hours of wandering through and searching a cemetery for stones that you know is there. As an example this site shows the coordinates for some cemeteries in Tennessee but the links don't work to provide individual headstone coordinates. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnunion/Locations/otoy.htm

Have fun with the GPS when you get one but don't limit its use to vehicle use.
Geocaching

TomH in PA · May 11, 2009

You have a wife, you don't need a GPS. She'll give you directions. At least mine does, even if we've driven the road a hundred times...

Happ · May 11, 2009

I'm really pleased with my Garmin Nuvi 260. I think I got it for less than 200 on sale. Very simple and easy to use, and I am not a GPS guy, I like my maps, but after 11,000 miles across country and back it earned it's keep

Bill Tom · May 11, 2009

We got a Garmin Nuvi 350 for Christmas. Does a good job.On few occasions it won"t let you input a street name if there is already one that is spelled a lot like yours in the system.

Double Barrel · May 11, 2009

Have a Cobra 2100 for 2 years good reliable unit> In a 18 wheeler doing heavy haul into construction sites and mines all over USA Still keep atlas around. It has city only option and lotsa next closest food fuel truck stops etc

AcFarmr89 · May 11, 2009

i hate when it does that...

Steven f/AZ · May 12, 2009

I'm happy with my Garmin Nuvi 205W - paid around $150 for it on sale the day after Thanksgiving...

My wife loves it, she can drop me off somewhere and go shopping, then find her way back to me. For that reason, I really like it as well. No more having to tag along just because someone can't find their way around.

It was great when my parents visited as well - just set the favorites and give them the car, no need to play the chauffer morning, noon, and night.

Traveling it is awesome to find the nearest food, gas, or rest area - or even just to be able to give an accurate estimate of when we will get there. We even used it walking in Long Beach, CA to help us find attractions and our way back to the motel when we were done. Now that we have one, we wouldn't be without it!

Don't have a single complaint about my Garmin Nuvi 205w...

What's a good affordable GPS?

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