Garmin

[Moby T]

I have a Garmin 1300LM which has lifetime maps which I upgrade 4 times/year.  It's helpful finding gas, markets, etc.  Sometimes it will take you on a circuitous route but all in all it's very beneficial.

 

[SoulRaven]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 5000, which is not made anymore, but is still supported... They made these for truckers and RVers with a bigger screen, touch screen and is very easy to use... It has all the bells and whistles to include a search option for any business in any town, so new to town and wanna find a post office, bam takes ya right there... The good news is it is cheap to find GPS units on E-Bay, where I got mine used, and look for the used in great shape types... Some people today need the latest in tech gear and sell their new-old stuff off all the time at a cheap price...<br /><br />Shop around and research, you will do fine...<br /><br />

I did search, and see that several of you use Garmin for your GPS needs.&nbsp; I cannot afford a very fancy model, so I was wondering if there are specific recommendations for models that cover the basic needs, and if you can plot lat/long coordinates into them.&nbsp; Also, are there issues with them not working when you're in remote areas?&nbsp; Thank you, in advance!

 

[ttpadilla]

Thanks, Steve, I'll keep an eye out for one like that!

 

[ttpadilla]

I have a Garmin 1300LM which has lifetime maps which I upgrade 4 times/year. &nbsp;It's helpful finding gas, markets, etc. &nbsp;Sometimes it will take you on a circuitous route but all in all it's very beneficial.

<br /><br />Well, that sounds pretty good, except for the circuitous routes.&nbsp; Depending on what you're driving, that could be a disaster! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />&nbsp; I picture me trying to make a U-Turn on a tiny dirt road with an RV, and can't help but laugh!

 

[Moby T]

It will happen...

 

[ttpadilla]

Yep.&nbsp; It's happened before... <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[ttpadilla]

Had to drive out in the middle of nowhere, for a job interview at a post office today. It was only about an hour away, and I used TeleNav on my Android...&nbsp; It worked beautifully.&nbsp; Until the Android battery died, 15 miles from my destination...

 

[caseyc]

Tammi, you didn't have a car charger with you?&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/bawl.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[ttpadilla]

No!&nbsp; I didn't even own one.&nbsp; But after the interview, I went and bought one so I could charge it back up for the hour long drive home.&nbsp; Also topped at an RV Discount dealer in Yuba City, and Oh. Em. Gee.&nbsp; There are some rigs out there that are fancier than any house I've ever lived in!!! Fabulous!&nbsp; After I wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth, and the tear from the corner of my eye, I got the salesman's card, and left.

 

[caseyc]

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I own dozens and dozens of chargers of all sorts that are spread out in different places at home, work, and multiple vehicles. &nbsp;Pretty sick actually, almost a disease, haha!&nbsp;<br /><br />You might already know this, but using your GPS on your cell phone will drain your battery considerably faster than normal. That's why your cell phone should be on the charger while using the GPS function.<br /><br />I know what you mean about checking out RVs at RV stores. Some of those monster Class A RVs are extra luxurious and cost 1/4 million dollars easily. &nbsp;Ever sat in the driver seat of one of those monsters? There's so much room, it's amazing. &nbsp;I don't know how anyone can park or go in reverse in such monsters though!<br /><br />

 

[ttpadilla]

The Android apparently sucks up battery just be being on.&nbsp; And I turned it off for most of the morning, because when I'm working at the lab, it searches for signal all day, and is dead before I leave.&nbsp; Yeah, using GPS uses battery, but I've never had it go from nearly full to dead in less than an hour before.&nbsp; Anyway, now I have a car charger which is something i should have had a LONG time ago! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />These RVs I looked at, were actually 5th wheels and tow-behinds.&nbsp; Full living room, fireplace, bigger kitchen and bathroom than I have in my house.&nbsp; It was crazy, and only $70k.&nbsp; I mean, okay, $70k is about what my house is worth, but man, they were nice!<br /><br />At least with your dozens of chargers, you won't have to worry about having a dead battery!

 

[twokniveskatie]

Tara, thanks for the heads up. Gonna try it out!

 

[Stillwater]

I've used the map apps on my droid. They are good for getting you in the vicinity but seem to lack the accuracy - especially for real-time navigation - that a dedicated gps offers. Not too mention that sat signals come in whenever you've got open sky. Lots of places I'm at, no cell 3g/4g service. GPSs are relatively cheap and use less power than smart phones.<br /><br />I've had Tom Toms that I liked a lot. Very customizable. Sexy sounding female with an Irish accent never hurt either.<br /><br />Garmin. Had one, never again. It got me into trouble routinely in certain areas of metro areas trying to route a crazily circuitous route. It also took me up a seasonal fire road in the U.P. that was almost z-drag and shovel territory to get back out.<br /><br />Magellan. I have one now. My favorite so far.<br /><br />Most new ones are wide screen, they speak the road name and are less than $100. I had a great time in Hawaii winter of 2011 listening to mine try to pronounce road names with 15 vowels in each name.

 

[ttpadilla]

Lol!&nbsp; Wish I could take mine to Hawaii for a little fun!&nbsp; Looked at some units today at Best Buy, and I think I've decided on the Garmin Nuvi 50LM. 5" screen, easy to use features, and also allows you to enter coordinates instead of just an address, which i think might be important when looking for some of the free campsites that are listed by Lat/Long.&nbsp; The reviews for this particular model, were also very good, although other Garmin models did have complaints like yours above:&nbsp; circuitous routes, unnecessary turns, and complications.&nbsp; I also like the "speed limit" indicator as I never seem to know what the damn speed limits are when I drive.&nbsp; yesterday, I had to go out of town, and saw a sign that said "End Freeway" but no new speed limit sign.&nbsp; Drove for another 30 minutes and never saw one... Of course, everyone else was still driving like we were on the freeway, so I played along. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I bought a megallan handheld gps, and now wish I had got a garmin handheld.&nbsp; The map it comes with has pretty much a white background with major interstates on it, thats it. &nbsp;&nbsp; Although I already knew only the higher end handhelds do turn by turn, I thought I would at least have the street maps and some topos (which these devices are made for) available. Well sure, if you want to pay hundreds to megallan or their friends for them.&nbsp; Garmin charges you as well for the maps for handhelds, but they also are compatible with free maps people make online like the openmap stuff.&nbsp; Messed up part was fine print said i cant return it from the seller cause it was a refurbished model.&nbsp; Bummer, well at least i can use the compass for geocaching.

 

[offroad]

Am not recommending the garmin " handheld " units. Have been geocaching for ten years and they will be more pain than help<br /><br />Have a garmin nuvi with nationwide maps and gps coordinate inputs. Has speed limit tracking. Has traffic. This works very well for multiple purposes. Old model has a mini USB connector that is attached directly to the mother board. &nbsp;If you connect power, this will eventually break and make the GPS useless. &nbsp;Garmin redesigned this on the new NUVI devices and made a big difference. &nbsp;now power connects to the mount, not the garmin itself.<br /><br />

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I tried geocaching with an older nuvi and it was great getting me to the general area in the car but was useless when i got near the cache (just shows a big ass car on the waypoint, even at highest zoom level, and doesnt calculate distance anymore once it thinks i have 'arrived').&nbsp; Even in 'pedestrian mode'.&nbsp; I was worried about dropping it too.&nbsp; Are the newer nuvi any better with zeroing in once you are on foot?&nbsp; <br /><br />Ive seen good things about the etrex 20 garmin, which takes the user made maps and supposedly does turn by turn (no voice though).

 

[highdesertranger]

i use a garmin street pilot for finding an address or general navigation although i prefer maps i can't drive and read a map.&nbsp; i like the data screen tells mph, miles traveled,&nbsp; odometer, and some other stuff.&nbsp; when doing back country navigation&nbsp; i use an old garmin gps 48 works good for me. i can&nbsp;enter waypoints in camp and mark points in the field.&nbsp; the only time it gave me problems was in oregon in an old growth&nbsp;forest when you looked up you could not even see blue sky just trees. just whipped out the compass saved the day. &nbsp; technology is great but don't forget the old ways.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[joey]

<a href="http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...t-lm-gps-with-free-lifetime-map-updates/60950" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...t-lm-gps-with-free-lifetime-map-updates/60950</a>

 

[1977dodge]

Have used GPS for 15+ years both here and in Europe always bought a garmin I currently have a basic road and off road model bottom of the range <br>which works well .<br>I found that the vehicle models power does not last as long as the dedicated hiking models and i miss the electronic footprint feature <br>there are additional antennas and solar cell that will help but i think having a hiking unit is better for off road i dont have a smart phone just two Alcatel units one for international and one for USA calling<br>Roy