GPS units,what's good?

[russxr67]

would like some feedback on gps units please fella's.
I am in the market for one and before i lay down my hard earned would like to hear what's good and what's not so good.
cheers,russ

[n1ck]

i like the garmin gps units i find them easy to use and some of them have some pretty good functions you useraly get a free map update for the next year

[flappist]

TomTom,

Pros: good screen, reliable, easy to use
Cons: need to know suburb before street which is an absolute pain in the bum in rural and coastal areas, the speed limit updates are constantly VERY wrong

Navman,

Pros: cheap, easy to use, can find street without town/suburb
Cons: less reliable, take very strange routes sometimes

Garmin,

pros, easy to use, can find street without town, lots of local extra map support e.g. shonky maps.
cons, more expensive

All the others,

No idea, I have not owned any (except my aircraft ones which don't count)

[QualityCounts]

Get a Garmin or TomTom. Garmin is the most popular US brand and TomTom is the most popular European brand. I bought a Garmin Nuvi 660 more than two years ago and updated to a Nuvi 765 recently. IMO, Garmin GPS units has the most simple and intuitive interface of all the brands. Most important features in a GPS - widescreen, bluetooth, voice prompts with text-to-speech, custom POIs and lane assist.

[brenx]

I own a 660 Garmin.

The only issues I've had with it is;

- sometimes it doesn't think the street numbers exist. ie I'm looking for 28 but it'll give me the option to go to 23.

- Windscreen mounts don't like vibration (pin falls out) but I suspect the new 760 has been improved. Mine sits in a truck 8-12hrs per day being used then gets occasional use in my car. I suspect the pins wouldn't have vibrated loose if only used in a car.

- Car/truck charging cable wires don't like consistant use. The wires break internally. I replaced mine for $4.50 and got a better USB charger that I can use for other mobile devices too.

Maps are obtainable if you know where to look. Garmin, I think charges too much for maps.

Personally if I were in the market right now?? I'd look at a Garmin 760 or 765.

A mate of mine has a Tom tom thats given him nothing but grief. So far it's on it's 4th warranty return. I think my mate bought a lemon as it's only 4mths old. He's buying a Garmin to replace the Tom tom and flogging it off when it comes back from warranty.

[gregaust]

As mentioned ,pass on the Navman .Mine is going out the window one day ;) Tomtom or Garmin i found good .

[FPV GT40]

In spoke to a professional driver about this before I bought mine.

Mio moov is one of the best units around (I have been told) I have recently bought one and I am very happy with it, but I have nothing to compare it to though as I have never had any other brand, Cost me $250 a few weeks back.

Its the one most NSW Highway patrol drivers use, as it is one of the few that can keep up with them when they are driving fast on urgent jobs. This is what I have been told anyway by a Highway Patrol Cop. Tom Tom and others appearently will say turn left now, and the driver is already 30 metres past the turn off....

[brenx]

One reason I wouldn't buy a moov is no FM transmitter and poor batt life. Most later model GPS's will keep up with you. It's the cheaper one's you have to do your homework on.

[GUTLES]

I used to have a TomTom & now have a Navman, as has been said they take you on some strange routes, stick with a TomTom or Garmin, I only brought the Navman because I needed one straight away & its all Repco had..

[bodes-sh]

i have a fairly old now, navman. as above, only probs i have had is going weird routes, but i managed to get hold of the higher level firmware from someone so now it's modded to speak street names too. has done me fine for the couple of years i have had it

[Dazza XLT]

A few more threads here-
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11257861
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11226611

[Rodp]

Make sure which ever one you choose, you can select the street first before selecting the suburb. Particularly in Sydney, some streets can be borderline on suburbs and can be frustrating trying to find which suburb the GPS thinks it's in. My last GPS, I had to keep a street directory handy just to work out bordering suburbs.

I have a Navman, has a few nifty features and allows you to select street first. Decent unit, sometimes can take a goofy route and get narky with you if you don't follow its path precisely, asking you to do u-turns after you've gone several kilometers in a different direction.

[FPV GT40]

Originally Posted by brenx

One reason I wouldn't buy a moov is no FM transmitter and poor batt life. Most later model GPS's will keep up with you. It's the cheaper one's you have to do your homework on.

I am no techno buff, so I would not even know what an FM transmitter would be for, and did not even know it had a battery, the thing just seems to work. ie plug it in and away you go, and no strange routes, it seem pretty good that way.

[XR Lita]

I have a Navman, and have never had a drama with it. Works perfectly, clear screen and directions (when you follow them lol)...

[MAV50L]

I have no issues with my Navman. I love it.
My old mans TomTom actually tells you what lane to merge into coming up to turns and exits which is handy. Sure beats the Navman where it tells you to continue to the left when you are in the inside lane at 110 on the freeway!

[GUTLES]

Originally Posted by FPV GT40

I am no techno buff, so I would not even know what an FM transmitter would be for

They use FM signals to receive up to date Traffic Imformation, a really good feature.

[mickyyyy]

Navman only take strang routes becuz u have the routing settings wrong and that can happen with any brand name product.

Have them set up as motorways more often and route type fastest time and u will not have a problem with those settings.

Navman and Mio have a 2 yr warranty and TomTom and Garmin have 1 yr warranty

They are all good but navman has better support eg if ur unit is about 4 yrs old and the new maps are not compatible with ur unit Navman offer a trade in where u pay the price for a map upgrade and u send ur old unit in and get urself a brand new replacement current equvilant model in the box sealed with 2 yr manufactuer warranty. No other GPS of electrical company do that???

Navman and Mio are also offering a free map upgrade on all there products till 30th september this year

[Macca23]

Garmin is the best i've used! But I had a hema navigator, sold that for a mio. Its simple, easy and works great. And comes with 2009 maps free atm. Mio is the software designer for many brands including Navman!

[mickyyyy]

Mio and Navman both have the same engineers and are some of the best best in the world and are always up to speed with the latest stuff.

TomTom have had the same user intereface in the last 5 series of units and only changes are cosmetic and a couple features.

Garmin is pretty much in the same boat as TomTom but do have some other advantages like chinese languages pre loaded.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by mickyyyy, navman sales executive

Navman only take strang routes becuz u have the routing settings wrong and that can happen with any brand name product.

Have them set up as motorways more often and route type fastest time and u will not have a problem with those settings.

Navman and Mio have a 2 yr warranty and TomTom and Garmin have 1 yr warranty

They are all good but navman has better support eg if ur unit is about 4 yrs old and the new maps are not compatible with ur unit Navman offer a trade in where u pay the price for a map upgrade and u send ur old unit in and get urself a brand new replacement current equvilant model in the box sealed with 2 yr manufactuer warranty. No other GPS of electrical company do that???

Navman and Mio are also offering a free map upgrade on all there products till 30th september this year

Well funny about that mickyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. I was experimenting with my navman, tomtom and my incar denso and the on navman I had to actually block various dirt tracks and unformed roads to stop it directing me down them and I tried every permutation of settings to stop it before I retired it.
The unformed roads, while still appearing on whereis on-line, are not even on the denso or tomtom maps.

[ch33z1l]

I own a navman, and love it.

[FPV GT40]

Originally Posted by GUTLES

They use FM signals to receive up to date Traffic Imformation, a really good feature.

I see the MIO does all that including telling which lane you need to be in, as well as the traffic updates and blue tooth which works great in my mates mio, just depends which model you buy, I bought the base model 300 for $250 with the latest maps, I did not want any of that other stuff, as like I said I am no techno buff and my mobile does not have blue tooth anyway.

And I know which lane you need to be in as the mio tells you how far ahead and which way your next turn is, I also like the large screen. The person that recommended the mio to me had the others and said the mio was better; as even at high speed it telly which way to turn BEFORE you get past the turn.

His TomTom used to say turn left now about 20-40 meters past the street that he was supposed to turn down, same with the others. He has also tested the mio, comparing it to the calibrated speedo of the various highway patrol cars, and it reads spot on at any speed between walking pace and in excess of 200km/hr. I figured if it is good enough for highway patrol cops (and the preferred unit that most will be using in their car while on the job) it would be good enough to get me around at legal and comparetively sedate speeds.

The mio base model also has spoken street names, I have been told not all do.

[grandpa_spec_F6]

The major 3:

Garmin - Pros: Easy to use, solid build
Cons: Battery in some models needs replacing after only a year
Only had a few returned.

Navman - Pros: Heaps of features, not tooooo pricy compared to some
Cons: Have had a butt-load returned to my old work with software issues

TomTom: Pros: Easy to use, solid, reliable
Cons: Can be slightly more expensive than Navman depending on who you go
through. Only one returned the whole time I worked there due to a
customer not wanting it (gift or something)

Obviously not a comprehensive in's and out's list but from a retail point of view tom tom are good but navman sold the most due to the gimicky stuff they throw in as well as the brand name.

[blueoval]

I have a Tom Tom 730GO and have found it to be excellent. Easy to navigate, and very precise.

Downsides are it hates being around tall buildings. The software can be a PITA to update. (I dont bother updating at all)

Support for troubleshooting is via email only, but the TomTom forums are a huge plus should you get into trouble.

Another brand I have been told is good is Garmin.

[brenx]

Originally Posted by GUTLES

They use FM signals to receive up to date Traffic Imformation, a really good feature.

That's correct but thats the FM reciever. The FM transmitter is so you can listen to your MP3's through your car radio and also listen to GPS navigation via your car radio. It's an excellent feature as GPS speakers aren't very loud.

[GUTLES]

Originally Posted by brenx

That's correct but thats the FM reciever. The FM transmitter is so you can listen to your MP3's through your car radio and also listen to GPS navigation via your car radio. It's an excellent feature as GPS speakers aren't very loud.

Sweet, I've got the FM Receiver for my S45 Navman, I don't think I can use mine as a Transmitter, which would be quiet handy for Bluetooth with my Mobile, as you say the GPS Speaker can't be turned up loud enough..

[Pedro]

Info if you intend travelling overseas.

I've had a version one TomTom 1 for some time and prior to travelling to the USA last July I thought I'd buy and instal a USA map and take it with me. Cost of USA map online AUS$119.

I went onto the Walmart site and found that I could buy a version three TomTom 1 loaded with USA and Canada for AUS$149. So on my first day in the good old USA I marched into Walmart and bought one.

[GK]

I love my TomTom. The Mrs got it for me for our 10th anniversary last year. Been a great unit.

Never gone past a street. I'm given lots of warning before turns. I think it's a Go730.

GK

[[Tonko]]

TOMTOM - You pay for the name
-Dodgiest, crappist mounts out there.
-Need to know exact suburb
-Upgrades/other countries cost between $170 and $350
-Absolutely Horrid after sales service

Navman/MIO - same program, different casing and in mio's case, cheaper internals
-Maps are around $170
-Platinum series are hard to get used to but when you do, so, so easy and fast to put in a trip/destination
-Sometimes Routes defy logic
-Excellent mounts
-Navman returns are very very low.
Garmin
-$99 upgrades. Map-guarantee so you will be up to date when you buy it
-#1 for GPS worldwide
- Eco-routes for the hippies. km/ltr etc...
- After sales service is almost spot on
- TOPO maps by HEMA available.
- Constant free updates are available software/mapping/general new features
- Upfront cost is more, but you save $70 with your first upgrade so that makes up for it.

I would personally recommend the Garmin 265w. Its a mid-range unit that processes very fast and is very user-friendly.

This is just all in my opinion. and i have studied all of the main-brand units.

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by FPV GT40

Tom Tom and others appearently will say turn left now, and the driver is already 30 metres past the turn off....

I can agree with that ...I've had a Tom Tom One XL for 18 months now and the late turn advice is a pain in the butt. Although its only happens infrequently its enough to remove your trust in the darn thing.

Another issue is that it will often say you've arrived at your destination but youre about 10 houses away. For example, if you punch in 20 Station Street Cronulla, Tom Tom will say you're there when in fact you're probably 7 houses away outside number 4 ...Pain in the butt in unlit streets at night where home occupiers don't have numbers clearly marked on their letterbox/house

On one occasion when I punched in the address for Autobahn Arncliffe (say 1052 Princes Highway Arncliffe) Tom Tom wanted to take me to 1052 Princes Highway, Sylvania - some 15 kms away...

Many of the speed limits are either out of date or otherwise don't update in synch with the road signage

I still think the device overall is a good one...However if I was buying again I'd go for something else, possibly a Garmin....at least something that speaks the street names which i think all the recent models do

Some advice...Never leave these devices attached to your windscreen or leave the suction marks on the windscreen after removal...A thief magnet