Need a GPS for wife for Christmas...suggestions

[Dave Anderson NH]

My wife has requested a GPS for one of her Christmas presents. I'm looking for suggestion both on what to buy and what to avoid. She doesn't have a smart phone, iPad, or iPod so those are out. Teach me, I'm still an old fart with a penchant for paper maps.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dave - a little over a year ago I picked up one of these (Garmin 1450LT (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=95192)) GPS units to help me on a solo road trip. First time I ever used anything like it and was amazed at how accurate it is and how easy it is to use. I am sure there are newer models out now but this unit works and I highly recommend it. If you have any questions... let me know.

[Art Mulder]

I have a Garmin Nuvi, but it is over 2 yrs old, so I don't really know what is current in terms of models these days

- look for map updates - some models come with free updates
- look for country coverage if you ever drive into Canada -- I have known people who crossed the border and then discovered that their GPS had NO maps of Canada in it.
- look for traffic alerts-- my Garmin has an FM receiver that receives traffic updates (and I have no idea how) and will put up warnings on the display showing you traffic on your route. Twice the thing has actually spoken up, told us about drastic traffic, and routed us around it. (Startled us both times.)
- look for spoken street names. This may be more common now, but it was not when I bought my unit. It is far more helpful to have the GPS tell you "turn left at XYZ boulevard", then to have it tell you "Turn left now".

- you won't care about Bluetooth at all, since you have no smart phones or things like that
- I would suggest that you NOT get all excited about units that let you download novelty voices (ie: have Homer Simpson navigate)... I've done that on my garmin and it is cute for about 30 minutes. HOWEVER, the novelty voices do NOT work with speaking the street names (on my unit) which is a dealbreaker as far as I am concerned. When we used a novelty voice, it drops down to saying things like "turn left now", instead of speaking the street name.

[Art Mulder]

PS: watch out for the toll setting. We set our unit to avoid toll roads (as there is a toll highway near Toronto that we do NOT use, but the system keeps trying to send us that way.). However we then forgot about that setting, and the next time we headed for the border (which includes paying TOLL at the bridge...) our GPS lost it's mind and tried to send us 900 miles out of our way in the other direction, since it was trying to obey the "no toll" setting. Fortunately I know the way to the border and simply drove the right way while we tried to figure out what on earth was wrong with the GPS.


And another related thing... Our unit also has an "avoid unpaved roads" setting that you definitely need to be aware of. Sometimes you want it, sometimes you don't.

Of course, do NOT let the GPS override your common sense. You may have heard of the couple (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/05/11/nevada-chretien-search-rescue.html) who got lost in the mountains of Nevada due to following the GPS off the main roads. (Husband later found dead.) If the GPS seems to be sending you the wrong way, check your map. If the GPS seems to be sending you down roads that make you uncomfortable, then don't go --- when you don't make the turn it will figure it out and re-route you another way.

I can give a concrete example of this. About 2 yrs ago in December we used our GPS to go up to a hotel in the Haliburton cottage area of Ontario. There was lots of snow on the ground, and we did not know the way, but the roads were bare and dry. As we're getting within an hour of our destination the GPS tried to send us off the main road onto another road. As I turned I realized that it was a gravel road -- plowed, but still snow covered. We stopped, checked the map, and went back to the main (bare, dry, paved) road. The GPS was just doing it's job trying to cut a few KM off our journey by having us zigzag over a ways. But after we continued on the paved road for a bit, it recalculates and directed us the rest of the way.

They're great tools, but you need to still think for yourself!

[Myk Rian]

Garmin Nuvi with FREE map updates.
Any of the LMT models have free map updates. Just depends on what size screen you want.
We have this 1350LMT https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=87477

[Stephen Cherry]

Garmin from costco for maybe 180 bucks about a year ago. Works great.

[Matt Meiser]

We've got a Garmin that's about 4 years old and needs a relatively expensive map update but when we used it it works well. Getting one with free updates would be a lot better value I'd guess. Now we've got iPhones and they work just as well, assuming cell service is available, and we pay $0.99 cents for each day we use Verizon's navigation app--about $0.99/mo on average. I also bought custom brackets for both of our cars so the phones are in an easy to see spot when using navigation but I've also used it just sitting in the cup holder of a rental car and the voice prompts are good enough to get me there.

[Kevin Bourque]

I have a 3 year old Garmin Nuvi that works great., however they charge for map updates which is expensive. I would look for a model that offers free updates.

[Tim Boger]

Here's a simple view point .... now a days, less is more. For the first time user I think the entry level models will be more than you could hope for.

Reminds me of an average consumer buying an upper end point and shoot style of camera then only using the most basic of functions ... and being quite satisfied with that. That's how my introduction to GPS began, I sent the $300 unit back and spent about $100 and I'm pleased with that decision.

Take a look at this ... (http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-5-Inch-Portable-Navigator-Lifetime/dp/B0057OCDQS/ref=sr_1_1_m?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1354925657&sr=1-1&keywords=new+garmin+gps)

[Russ Revels]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 50 LM with 5" screen that I bought at Best Buy (at the time it was $130 on sale ) a few months ago. Works great. I also have the bean bag dash mount for it. Works very well and doesn't slip around. It is out of the way and removes quickly.

Russ

[Gordon Eyre]

I too have a Garmin Nuvi and it works great. The free map updates keep it current. I also have a built in one in my
Caddy but it is so complicated that my wife will not use it, instead when we go on a trip we put in the Garmin. Not only that but updates for the built in one are close to $200.00.

[Myk Rian]

Or, you could get a smartphone. Then you'll always have it with you.
I have a free navigator on my Samsung GS3 Android that works real well. I don't have to pay Verizon to use it.
The phone comes with navigation, but you pay for data to use that one.

http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad222/MykRian/misc/Screenshot_2012-12-07-21-26-14.png

[Dave Lehnert]

I have been very happy with My Tom Tom. It has to be 5 or 6 years old now. Just a basic unit. I never thought I was missing anything not having one speak street names. "Turn Left" or "Turn Right" is all I need.

[John C Lawson]

I bought my wife a Garmin Nuvi last year, and it has saved our bacon a few times. Be sure to look for a model labeled "LMT" (Lifetime Maps and Traffic). The only trouble we've had with it is it sometimes loses its mind recalculating when roads are closed, keep trying to get you back to the closed route. We just switch to map mode and figure it out ourselves. I'm not hesitant about saying "Nope, not going that way", so I won't be freezing to death on a dirt road any time soon.
A smart phone will do the same job, so if you want one, save the money and not get the GPS.

[Rick Potter]

I have a Magellan, from Costco. It works fine, except for the occasional hiccup, usually a one way street. Works well enough I got two more for different cars. A larger screen is great for old eyes. Mine are basic models with no fancy stuff. They spend most of their time in the glove compartment, but come in real handy for chasing down those craigs list deals.

Rick Potter

[Brian Libby]

I have a navigon, the company I drive truck for bought 4 garmins and my smart phone has tomtom for gps-all work very good, all work slightly different, all work good.

[Curt Harms]

=Art Mulder;2016007]

- you won't care about Bluetooth at all, since you have no smart phones or things like that


Au Contraire. I have a several years old Samsung flip phone. It not only isn't a smart phone, it isn't even that clever. It does however have bluetooth. I don't know about Canada but several states have enacted laws banning hand held cellphone use as well as texting while driving. I think some even make doing either a primary offense. A device with bluetooth and microphone/speaker qualify as a hands-free device. The wisdom of such legislation can be debated but it exists.

[John Coloccia]

Bluetooth++ It's like magic

Any Garmin with Bluetooth and traffic will do you just fine. I rarely, if ever, use a GPS, but we do have a couple that we got when a local store went under. IMHO, Garmin is really the only name worth considering for land based GPS, and almost the the only name worth considering for aviation.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Thank you all. Now it's time for me to steel myself to venture out into the pre holiday insanity of the retail world.

[Curt Harms]

Bluetooth++ It's like magic

Any Garmin with Bluetooth and traffic will do you just fine. I rarely, if ever, use a GPS, but we do have a couple that we got when a local store went under. IMHO, Garmin is really the only name worth considering for land based GPS, and almost the the only name worth considering for aviation.

Collins & Honeywell may take issue with that statement :). Though Garmin is equipping the newest iteration of the Citation X.

[John Coloccia]

Collins & Honeywell may take issue with that statement :). Though Garmin is equipping the newest iteration of the Citation X.

I did say "almost" :p

[Jim Becker]

For portable GPS, I'd favor Garmen Nuvi models with the larger screens.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dave.... We have a Garmin Nuvi we bought at Costco. It came with free lifetime software and map updates. It wasn't that expensive and.... it has built in bluetooth. What that means is we connect to it with our cell phones and make handsfree calls going down highway. The GPS can provide dialing and it provides a speaker for your cellphone. We can listen and drive without holding the cell phone. I wouldn't necessarily buy it for that particular function but......the maps have been excellent and the lifetime map updates came with it. At Costco they are a price range of $99-$199 including the lifetime map and software updates.

[Mike Null]

I've had a Garmin for several years. Never updated it but it has been very good and reliable.

The Garmin lady has had to re-calculate so often she now calls me Dummy.;)

[Andrew Pitonyak]

We've got a Garmin that's about 4 years old and needs a relatively expensive map update but when we used it it works well. Getting one with free updates would be a lot better value I'd guess. Now we've got iPhones and they work just as well, assuming cell service is available, and we pay $0.99 cents for each day we use Verizon's navigation app--about $0.99/mo on average. I also bought custom brackets for both of our cars so the phones are in an easy to see spot when using navigation but I've also used it just sitting in the cup holder of a rental car and the voice prompts are good enough to get me there.

I always buy the map with the "free for life" map updates. Cheaper in the long run.

My Android GPS has historically not worked nearly as well as my Garmin units. My unsubstantiated opinions are that:



The GPS in my phone is not nearly as good as the GPS in my Garmin, which is only designed to be a GPS.
My phone seems to not work well if I do not have the ability to shoot lots of data between the phone and the servers.


About 2 years ago, a friend drove to the eastern side of Michigan for his job. He said he did not need a GPS because he had his iPhone. When he came back from his business trip, he had a GPS because the phone failed him due to connection issues.

My latest Garmin has "lane assist", which is very nice for providing detailed instruction that is easy enough to see while driving. it makes it much easier to be in the correct lane while travelling through complicated exchanges and exits.

So, I will use my phone in a fix, and I have used the GPS capabilities many times, but it pales in comparison to the dedicated GPS in terms of ease of use and ability to obtain a usable signal.

The advantage goes to the phone in terms of keeping the maps up to date, however, because someone else takes care of it for you. If you go this route, consider a front window mount or a dash mount, to hold the phone where you can see it while driving. This will usually also keep it charged. Note also that new features can be added to the phone versions, do not usually see this in the dedicated GPS units.

[rogers kevin]

Garmin from costco for maybe 180 bucks about a year ago. Works great.
I also used it. Good experience.

[Rod Sheridan]

We have a couple Garmin Nuvii 550 models that work on the motorcycle or in the automobile.

One has the lifetime map option, the other doesn't, both work very well.

One thing I don't like about the Nuvii is that it doesn't have an on screen clock. Doesn't sound bad except the display while navigating tells you what your arrival time is, however I have no idea what the current time is. My old Garmin Quest gave me "time to destination" which gave me a good idea of how much longer the trip would be.

Regards, Rod.