Recommendations for GPS

[frugal-one]

Interested in buying a GPS. Guess to have lifetime updates would be best. Not sure what else to look for?

[nswef]

We have a Magellan- about 5 years old and with the lifetime updates it has worked pretty well. I'm not always sure why she takes us where she does, but generally it is great. I was the map navigator and balked at having a machine...I still use the paper maps for long trips along with the gps, but I am pleased to have it. Especially when I am driving alone.

[herbgeek]

My recommendation is to get one that says the street names (perhaps they all do this now, but it didn't use to be this way). When I'm in an unfamiliar area, its better to hear "take a right onto Main Street" rather than just "take a right turn" for additional confirmation.

I've had a TomTom as well as a Garmin. The TomTom did not keep its charge for very long, so would need to be plugged into the accessory socket - which is where the satellite radio is normally plugged in.

[bae]

What do you want to use it for?

[frugal-one]

What do you want to use it for?

We travel often and are unfamiliar with the area. I understand some also tell traffic problems, etc. Also, I am not the best with directions so it may help me from getting lost. We just have a trac phone so a GPS seems the most conducive to our needs.

[simplelife4me]

Your smart phone can do most of it, even turn by turn with HERE app.

[bae]

I have been very happy with the recent generation of Garmin products for outdoor, nautical, and automotive use.

[iris lilies]

Your smart phone can do most of it, even turn by turn with HERE app.

but I don't think the
OP has a smart phone.

i was just talking to DH this week about getting a stand alone GPS system, probably buying someone's used system. I tire of turning around 3x each time I go to a new place. I am the queen of getting lost. Yet, I do not want to give up map skills.

and the comment about about GPS saying aloud the names of streets is gold. I can't imagine blindly following the disembodied voice to,turn right here, left there, etc. I would constantly want to be checking the street names.

[SteveinMN]

If you're not going to use a smartphone, get a Garmin. I have used my smartphone for years (Telenav on my Nokia; Scout on my old iPhone, and Apple Maps on my current iPhone). DW does not want a smartphone, so we got her a Garmin. The user interface just seems to work better than the TomTom we tried for a while.

The better GPSes speak the street names (though occasionally with odd results; apparently the St. Clair street we live near is Street Clair Street ). The even-better ones will tell you which lane you should get into to make the turn. Pretty cool..

Notes of caution on map updates: Some of them just are not cheap -- almost enough to make you want to purchase a new GPS, with its improved interface, for not much more money. And if you buy a used GPS that came with "lifetime maps", make sure the update service is transferrable to you as a new owner/computer user. Otherwise you just get stuck with old maps -- or a need to buy updates.

[freshstart]

I have had 2 Mios, they are rather large so that I can actually see the screens. Easy to use, I turn the voice off. They got me easily through a career of having to locate patient's homes. Now that I'm not driving, I use my iPhone app and tell people who drive me how to go, i like the interface but once I'm driving the phone will probably be too small to see.

I have found every Tom Tom a friend has to be counterintuitive and hard to follow, my Dad doesn't even use his.

I don't know if most Targets do this but when I was looking for one the last time, the salesman pulled a box of deeply discounted GPSs out from behind the counter and went through them with me to make sure I got what I wanted and knew how to use it. It was 60% off!