Car GPS navigation systems

[woodworkingboy]

Are those popular in the west? I don't recall anyone posting about it. Recently have been borrowing a truck that has one, and all I can say is, ultra cool! They take the guesswork out of finding places, especially in a country that doesn't have street names :roll: I believe the latest models are tied in with road conditions. When congested, they seek a different route. It takes all the fun out of getting lost, though

 

[SkwerI]

They are quickly gaining popularity here. All of the higher option level cars here have them and many more people have aftermarket units. You see them stuck to the windshields of a large percentage of cars in traffic. I've had one for a while and love it for finding unknown addresses or for road trips. For daily commuting though, they make too much noise and I don't find it helpful when I already know where I'm going.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Noise, you mean the voice that gives directions, and the beeps to tell you to make a turn, etc.? It does get to be a racket sometimes, especially when listening to tunes. I suspect that you can turn that feature off, but I haven't figured out how.

Love the put in a phone number and get the directions, feature. They don't allow for private residences though. I guess you can just put in the address in that case....

Over here they come as an option on just about any model car, pretty standard by now. After using one for awhile, I'd get one for sure, if purchasing some new wheels.

 

[lumberjack]

I'll be using my aftermarket unit to get me to Cali and back.

 

[woodworkingboy]

The one I've been using also has pretty decent memory for music.

 

[Paul B]

I love mine, it gets me around town in ways I didnt think of at times. I HATE the talking voice, it is MUTED from the get go, I mounted the suction cup thingie up near my rear view mirror, the least obtrusive place that doesnt block any sightlines.
Garmin Nuvi 660 widescreen, about $150 plus shipping on Ebay. It also has FM reciever so the traffic and construction gets updated constantly with reminders or detours suggested if your route is planned through known issues.

I find clients like it when they call you, give you their address and within about 15 seconds you can say 'I will be there in 34 minutes.' as opposed to flipping through a ratty mapbook and saying 'uhm, see you tomorrow." lol

for the music, there is a removable SD memory card, I have a 2Gig one that is plenty for a pile of pictures and songs. AND, its easy to take and setup on a picnic table to run tunes while you are working, if that is you are using quiet tools.

 

[Wagnaw]

As a note... I tried using one in a bucket truck, and the headache rack interfered with it's navigation. So, no go if you have a headache rack on your truck.

 

[woodworkingboy]

The one I'm using has the GPS sensor on a cord, so you can place the sensor anywhere inside the cab. It's on top of the dash now. Possibly that would get around the headache rack interference....or some kind of antennae?

I can ask my buddy, he installs them.

 

[Paul B]

I think I can mount an (optional extra charge of course) external antennae to mine as well. I do find in heavy cloud cover or between high rises the accuracy goes down a heap.

edit: I figured out with this unit, by reading the instructions, the little antennae flap has to be parallel to the ground to work best, I used to run it in the vertical position all the time.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Funny thing here is when certain buses use the GPS to find the route to Yosemite park. I am not sure which one does it. Tow truck drivers love it though. It tells the buses to go the back way in over the summit up a dirt road that was never meant for buses. They eventually give up and call for help as there are very few if any places to turn the bus around. I don't wanna see that bill

 

[SkwerI]

Most of the portable ones have a plug for an external antenna if you want to buy one. The ones built into the new cars have an external antenna mounted into the car.

 

[lumberjack]

Mine worked fine in my 1 ton last week.

 

[brendonv]

They are great, but you really have to look at a map before you go on a long trip. They tend to send you silly ways at times...on the way to NC with Erik, it sent us off the highway, to get back on the highway.

I always check the route first.

 

[NeTree]

As a note... I tried using one in a bucket truck, and the headache rack interfered with it's navigation. So, no go if you have a headache rack on your truck.

My TomTom One works just fine with the internal antenna. Sometimes it's slow to start up, and I unclip it and hang it out the window for a few seconds, but once it's dialed-in to the sats, it stays on them. This has been the case for three buckets with headache racks.

 

[NeTree]

They are great, but you really have to look at a map before you go on a long trip. They tend to send you silly ways at times...on the way to NC with Erik, it sent us off the highway, to get back on the highway.

I always check the route first.

And send you the wrong way down one-way streets from time to time.

 

[SkwerI]

That's what you get for buying a Tom-Tom instead of a Garmin.

 

[NeTree]

Screw Garmin.

 

[brendonv]

My Garmin sends me some funny places sometimes.

 

[Paul B]

stop asking it dumb questions! haha, my dad used to say that, aska a stupid question, get a stupid answer. I admit, my Garmin has taken a donkey trail or two.

 

[NeTree]

Does Garmin warn you about low overpasses?

 

[SkwerI]

Mine doesn't per se, but if I put it in 'truck/bus' mode then it avoids roads with truck restrictions. I'm sure the fancier models have more specific warnings.

 

[Paul B]

I travel with the passenger car/truck setting, you can set it to different vehicles which may accomodate for that.

 

[Newfie]

I like my Garmin, and I'm sure I don't know 90% of what it can do.