It is almost impossiable to get honest opions on web sites,what GPS units have worked best for you.I don't wanna spend $500. obviously unless it will drive for me I don't care if it has sat. radio or blue tooth.What units do you like and what units surprised you the most good or bad
Gps units
- Thread starter finbar73
- Start date
Garmin has the best routing and most accurate maps for North America, and Tom Tom is the leader in Europe. The difference between Garmin and Tom Tom, however, is largely personal preference, as they are both very good on either continent. All of the other brands of GPS units are trying to catch up to Garmin and Tom Tom.
As for which unit model number to buy, that depends on the number and types of bells and whistles you want to pay for. I've only owned Garmin units, but I'm familiar with several. Other than the least expensive Gamin units, the mapping and routing is going to be the same across the board. You just need to make sure the unit is one that comes pre-loaded with NT North America maps. (The cheapest ones won't have Canada, for example.) After that, it's bells and whilstles.
Read over in the Tech Forum for the GPS threads. They're coming out with new units all the time, so a bit of the stuff in the Tech Forum may be dated, but there are some comments about the various bells and whistles, to give you an idea of what they are and whether or not they are important to you. I'd stick to the newest units, as not only do they have more bells and whistes for the money, at all price ranges, but the electronics are better, as well.
As for which unit model number to buy, that depends on the number and types of bells and whistles you want to pay for. I've only owned Garmin units, but I'm familiar with several. Other than the least expensive Gamin units, the mapping and routing is going to be the same across the board. You just need to make sure the unit is one that comes pre-loaded with NT North America maps. (The cheapest ones won't have Canada, for example.) After that, it's bells and whilstles.
Read over in the Tech Forum for the GPS threads. They're coming out with new units all the time, so a bit of the stuff in the Tech Forum may be dated, but there are some comments about the various bells and whistles, to give you an idea of what they are and whether or not they are important to you. I'd stick to the newest units, as not only do they have more bells and whistes for the money, at all price ranges, but the electronics are better, as well.
scottanhelen
Seasoned Expediter
We first had a Garmin and now we have a Tom Tom. They both work well but I did like the Garmin better because it listed more of the POIs. We bought the Tom Tom because it came with CA. maps for the Garmin you had to buy it then pay extra to download the maps from there web sight.
The really cheap Garmins don't come with Canada maps. But, it was just a couple of years ago that about half the Garmins had the full North America maps and the other half you had to pay extra for it. Now it's just a very small number of units that don't come fully loaded, but it's something to be aware of before buying, especially if you're looking to go cheap.
scottanhelen
Seasoned Expediter
I am not sure of the models we were looking at but at least the ones we saw only came with the USA not CA.
Tempest
Seasoned Expediter
Someone posted this earlier. I cant wait to try it 
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/tech-shop/35534-garmin-nuvi-465t-gps-truckers.html
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/tech-shop/35534-garmin-nuvi-465t-gps-truckers.html
agreed the 465 is great but $500,a 260 with a perly truck map will do the same except with the perly you need to check if the garmin is taking you on any restricted roads,for what five mins.Its just frustrating when it seems that everything for a truck costs $400-$500 no matter what it is.The lane feature is great for new areas 'cause we have all done that move "oops there goes the on ramp one lane over"
just checked garmin.com go to onthe road and one of the options now is trucking
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=275
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=275
Yesteryear
Expert Expediter
Well I can tell you what one not to get. The Magellan. We paid over 600 dollar for ours. She has the satalite radio (we don't know how to use), she has the bluetooth also (we don't know how to use lol), she has features for putting photos on her (yep, you got it, don't know how to use it either), and as for the gps part, it is ok but if there is a tollway anywhere around you will be on it, this Magellan will take you 200 miles out of the way to put you on a tollway. Another thing I love about her is when your happily going down the interstate and she says "whenever possible make a legal u-turn", yea bambi, let me get right on that! lol Also, she is very one dimensional. Once she gets her direction it doesn't matter what you do, that is the way she is going to take you!
We started out with the best TomTom available in 2007. You could load pictures, mp3, bluetooth, download audio books, oh yeah it had pretty good maps as well.
My daughter, a senior in college took a fancy to it about a year ago when we were home. Being the soft touch that I am, I gave it to her. We wanted to try Garmin anyway. Got a Garmin, used it for two weeks then took it back. We like the format of a TomTom much
better.
We did get another TomTom the XL.It cost 159.00 ( thats 350.00 less than the one my
daughter snagged from us ) and it doesnt do mp3, download books or upload pictures.
It does have all the features we need for directions ( except for truck routing which no-one
had as of that purchase) to borrow a Davekc saying, "we are as happy as pigs in poop"
with the low end TomTom. It has the larger 4.5 screen, hooks up to the computer via usb to get updates ( some free ) the screen it clear , the voice very clear ( much better than
the Garmin ) and gives me street names and audibly warns me of turns, exits and merges.
IMO no need to spend over 200.00 for a gps no matter who makes it. Ultimately, you still
as the driver have to verify the route, watch the bridge signs and route restrictions.
My daughter, a senior in college took a fancy to it about a year ago when we were home. Being the soft touch that I am, I gave it to her. We wanted to try Garmin anyway. Got a Garmin, used it for two weeks then took it back. We like the format of a TomTom much
better.
We did get another TomTom the XL.It cost 159.00 ( thats 350.00 less than the one my
daughter snagged from us ) and it doesnt do mp3, download books or upload pictures.
It does have all the features we need for directions ( except for truck routing which no-one
had as of that purchase) to borrow a Davekc saying, "we are as happy as pigs in poop"
with the low end TomTom. It has the larger 4.5 screen, hooks up to the computer via usb to get updates ( some free ) the screen it clear , the voice very clear ( much better than
the Garmin ) and gives me street names and audibly warns me of turns, exits and merges.
IMO no need to spend over 200.00 for a gps no matter who makes it. Ultimately, you still
as the driver have to verify the route, watch the bridge signs and route restrictions.
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
Look on Ebay. I bought a refurbed C550 for $170 with the newest maps. Have had several Garmins and 1 TomTom. I decided real quick, I was a Garmin fan. Is Garmin perfect. Nope! But at 2 o'clock in the morning when she puts you at your drop next to the lake in South Haven, Mi. where even the police are in bed, you will love it.
I've still got my c550. I got it the day it it the stores, so I paid considerably more than the $170 refurbished unit, that's for sure. But it works very well. Not perfect, but no mapping tool is.
Like I said the differences in Tom Tom and Garmin are largely one of personal preferences, mainly in the interface. More than likely, whichever one you use first, and get used to, that's the one you'll like best. But as for functionality of mapping and routing, they are nearly identical.
Like I said the differences in Tom Tom and Garmin are largely one of personal preferences, mainly in the interface. More than likely, whichever one you use first, and get used to, that's the one you'll like best. But as for functionality of mapping and routing, they are nearly identical.
this was my first thread that I have started and thank you drivers,you have actually helped quite a bit.Iguess the pipe dream for drivers who use gps is the garmin465.The funny part is one retailer in ontario canada offerd it for $650 at that price I think I'll talk to the guy who knows a guy.Thanks for the help Finbar in Ontario
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
Ok,I'm one that thinks gps is just a toy,but let me say this.My co driver has a Garmin sitting in my trucks front window,and as posted before,my sprint phone also has a gps.In most cases my sprint gps is more accurate being closer to the truck routing.If you get in the habit of relying on the GPS,you start to loose your own ability of what roads to travel.When i change the route to stay in the truck lanes,the Garmin goes crazy with make u turn when available or reroute,the sprint gps will quit working and give you some silly reason,then when you start it over, will pick the route I planned on going.I will say,if it is for the local directions,once you get to the right city,GPS is fine,oh one other thing,the Garmin doesnt find as many cities as the gps in the sprint phone.Im on the simply everything plan,so the sprint gps is free