NAVIGATION DEVICES

[ace rothstein 81]

I've been considering purchasing a TOM TOM, so I wondered if anyone on this forum had one. If so, which model and how have you liked it? Also, does the Bluetooth capability on the higher end models affect or disrupt the Bluetooth on the SL models of the Versa? Finally, if TOM TOM is not your style, which brand/model would you recommend? Thanks.

[JoshH]

I have a garmin and absolutely love it. I believe it is the 200W version.

[BenzTech Gone Versa]

I have the garmin nuvi 680 and love it!!I dont have bluetooth installed in my versa sl but The garmin does.I use the aux cable for the stereo. the hands free phone,navi n mp3 player sounds great!

[Andrews Chalmers]

A GPS device is only as good as its map info service.... go with the Garmin NAVTEC systems.

[RetiredTexans]

I have used a Magellan 3100 for about a year. I love it, especially traveling in unfamiliar areas. I live in a high growth area in north Texas and it seems to take at least 1 year for new and changed roads to show in the navigators maps.

Beware though, as stated earlier, the map supplier (ie-NAVTEC) in that case the critical factor in enjoying a navigator. The next critical item is the frequency the manufacturer uses to update the unit's software and correct software bugs. You might try the unit's WEB site for insight into how up to date the model number software.

Magellan uses NAVTEC, or did. I think I read somewhere NAVTEC was bought out by one of the navigator makers. They allow users to input road changes into their database for future updates making one feel they are helping keep changes relatively current.

[habu]

I have owned two navigation devices and my only advice is to get one with that speaks the directions to you. I believe it is called "text to speech". It's worth the money when you don't have to look down at a screen while driving in traffic in an unfamiliar city. I have a Garmin C340 right now and would recommend it to you but it is a few years old and is no longer being manufactured.

My Garmin has worked perfectly since I purchased it and Garmin has continuously updated the maps.

[Vahagn23]

i Have tom tom One Go or something like that and im not happy with it at all, always takes me to routes that are longer and tries to avoid the Highways even if I put that it shouldnt. Its not a great device, maybe other models are, but this one isnt, and I can sync it with my phones via bluetooth for their online services.

[KKaWing]

I bought a $100 nav. unit from staples.ca, well a friend of mine did and ordered 2 to get free shipping >_>. Its supposedly has the same chip and maps as the Garmin Nuvi 500 series. Its treated me alright and has text to speech. No wrong turns, relatively quick recalculations. It does take a while for inputting street names. Oh, and the screen is not the greatest, its bright and readable everything is clear but sometimes has this sideways Z-looking fuzz to it.

Its an Omnitech GPS unit.

http://www.navsupport.net/gps/....html

For a hundred bucks its pretty good.

[jfanaselle]

I say hold out for the new Sony Nav-U units. Check them out:

http://www.sonystyle.com/webap...lsrch

[corpsecorps]

I say hold out for the new Sony Nav-U units. Check them out:

http://www.sonystyle.com/webap...lsrch

OUCH - it Starts at $350!

[longo]

It's good you are shopping for a Navi unit now because the maps have been upgraded recently and any 07 or 08 Garmin unit has the fresh info.

With big cities growing so quickly, you need fresh maps to find your way around the all the new ring roads, and overpasses being built.

We use a Garmin C330 between our Honda Odyssey and the Versa. I built a mount base for the Honda so that it sits in the ash try unit when it's pulled out. In the Versa it simply sits in the driver side cup holder in front of the transmission selector.

This put it down under the dashboard and it had trouble getting a good sattelight fix, so I installed a remote antenna on the dash close to the windshield and that gives it a great view of the sky for signals.

I can't count the times when we would have been lost without it, looking for addresses in Dallas Tx, and Albqurque NM.

If you click on the link below and use the "Slideshow" feature it will auto scroll and enlarge the photos of our Versa Album with the Navi unit.

http://picasaweb.google.com/longo3002/VersaPics

[MinisterofDOOM]

Tom Tom has always seemed very gimmicky and second-rate to me.

[kaze0]

I got a Garmin Street Pilot. I love it except for the lack of text to speech and lack of being able to detour easily. You can pick these up dirt cheap. No touch screen, but they have an excellent interface. And they wedge into the compartment above the radio perfectly if you dont like using the windshield mount on your windshield

[frankoV]

Off topic, but I just noticed your plate. There aren't too many 'Canes fans, are there? Are you lonely? Get to any games?

[signed]

Habs fan in Sens country

[alnvilma]

I use a Garmin Nuvi 260. Cost $200 w/ text-to-speechThe device and power cord fit in the compartment above the radio.I put a thin strip of Velcro on the edge of the door so when it is flipped up, I just stick the unit to it. No suction cup to deal with and super easy to put away and see from both front seats.

[longo]

There are some very good posts on this link about Navi units and the stand alone models that are being used when the manufacurer dosn't offer Navi as an OEM option. (Those units can cost over $3,000.) .

I now realize that my Garmin is very out of date in the fast moving stream of Hi-Tech inventions...here is what I found out today about our beloved "Carmen" (the name my grandaughter gave her because it rhymed with Garmin..

FYI..............................................................................................................

"GPS Central no longer stocks the StreetPilot c330 for the following reasons1) Maps included are of an older version and there are NO free updates2) The unit has insufficient internal memory for holding updates so if you do purchase an update you can only load one coverage area at a time (USA or CAN)

Try these alternatives for value, great functionality and compact size1) Nuvi 250 - You will gain portability, better GPS reciever inside, picture viewer, better screen, and the unit will hold North America even if you update it (free update if the maps are out of data at time of purchase).2) Nuvi 350 - MP3, Garmin Travel kit features, better GPS reception, easy to navigate map screen, pic viewer."

My C330 is obviously obsolete now, but after 4 years of steady use, and many thousands of miles over unknown Hiways and strange cities 'Carmen'' still gets us there and gets us home.


Modified by longo at 1:44 PM 1/31/2008