directionally challenged, looking for a new GPS

[Shadow Catcher]

I will freely admit I am directionally challenged in the extreme and love having a GPS and no I do NOT trust it. It is a Garmin model which if you would buy that one today comes with life time map updates, which means an outlay of half the cost of a new one for a life time up date.

I am contemplating buying a new GPS but the problem is finding good reliable comparisons as to features and how well they works, or do I want to suck it up, pay for the update ($30), and live with this one.

There models that will access the OBD II connector and tune the ECM to I have no idea what.

So advice as to where to look for information?

[Verna]

I sympathize with the directionally challenged!!! Woe is me if the sun isn't shining

I've considered a Garmin, but I've been using the Navigon app on my iPhone 4 and I'm happy with it. It cost about $80 and comes with free updates. It has kept me on course in town, from here to the East Coast, to Florida, to Michigan, to the West Coast and back, and has been right about 99.9% of the time....but I still wouldn't take a dirt road if it told me to.

My brother has a Garmin Nuvi 285W that he bought for around $100. This model has been discontinued, but he bought a life-time update for a one-time fee of $70 when he bought it. He can update it 3 times a year. He would only buy another Garmin, not another name brand.

We bought a less expensive Garmin for our father, but there are no updates to it. The updates are well worth the money, if you travel out of town (Daddy, at 81 years old, just drives in town).

What are the best features that I like?
--Mine shows how many lanes are on the Interstates at exits. It tells me what lanes to get in.
--I do know the voice can be changed on the Garmin.....I have to put up with "Betty", I don't have a choice.
--Both the Garmin and Navigon give me enough warning to get into the correct lane.
--The Garmin does the audible "recalculating" thing...Navigon just recalculates and then tells me which way to go with the new direction I'm going.
--I can change the Navigon so it always has north at the top, or I can change and have the direction I'm going always at the top (I keep the direction I heading at the top). I do not know if Garmin has this feature.
--Both can show upcoming construction.

I hope these rambling thoughts help.

Oh yeah: "There models that will access the OBD II connector and tune the ECM to I have no idea what." I just looked both up on Wikipedia.....I still don't understand

Verna

[Moho]

There models that will access the OBD II connector and tune the ECM to I have no idea what.

ODB II is On Board Diagnostics and ECM is Engine Control Module.

Basically the OBD connector connects another device (your GPS) to the cars computer (ECM) and allows the GPS to monitor your engines performance. It has nothing to do with directions to a destination.

[Shadow Catcher]

Moaho I am well aware of what the OBD II does and the finding of a "tuner" that is also a GPS was interesting. My frustration is the attempt to find information that will let me make an informed decision and tells me what the difference is between models and are you paying for feacher bloat?

[Aaron Coffee]

I will be following this, as I have been thinking of a GPS, also. I currently use VZ Navigator on my cell phone, I would like something that will let me map out my route, as I sometimes (a majority of the time)like to take the road less traveled.

[Shadow Catcher]

Found one link which appears to be good with reviews http://gpstracklog.com

[Woodbutcher]

When I am in the market for anything electronic, I go here.

http://reviews.cnet.com/gps/?tag=review ... revCatWrap

[Wolffarmer]

When i start thinking of getting another electronic gizmo I just break a 2x4 over my head, take 3 ibuprofen and go to bed until it the thought goes away.



I have thought about a GPS but it would be something I use very rarely. I have driven a car a few times with one built in and until I get in a strange town find it is far more annoying than useful. What I would mostly use one for is Geochaching.

Randy

[zapj]

I use a Garmin 1300 series and since I have owned only one I can't give you a comparison. I can tell you for me the lane assist feature makes all the difference in the world. Coming from a person who hates heavy traffic on multi lane roads this unit has been a real blessing. Instead of the extra stress in making a right turn then trying to get across multiple lanes in a 1/4 mile to make a left turn the lane assist feature eliminates the unknown and makes it easy. The lane assist will show which are turn and which are straight allowing you to move maybe only one lane and not completely across all lanes.

[Moho]

The best GPS ever and the batteries last for about 300 years

[Wolffarmer]

Now you're talking Moho

[bobhenry]

REMOVED !

[Shadow Catcher]

Where we are in the mid west was planed off by the last glaciation and I can navigate just fine (mostly laid out in 1 mile squares). However I attended the WPATH conference in Atlanta, the hotel I was staying in from a previous conference was 8 miles from Emory University where WPATH was being held, and the traffic was insane. The route in a number of cases, cross four lanes of traffic to turn left in 1/4 mile, I would never have been able to find it and there was no place to pull over to read an atlas. One of the additional features I am looking at is local gas prices (may not be able to find in my price range) and points of interest as well as lane assist, which lane do I need to be in while towing CR to make the shift to what ever road I want to be on and how far is it to the what ever.

[Dale M.]

Get one that will recognize the symbol (No GPS) in this graphic....



S&R team has to go out 2-3 times a month around here to rescue some tourist who faithfully followed GPS and it got them lost or into serious trouble....

I live pretty close to Yosemite NP and there are now putting up some signs that have "NO GPS" symbol or "NO ACCESS TO YOSEMITE" (text) on a lot of the intersections of "back roads" to keep avid users of GPS out of harms way....

Dale

[Wolffarmer]

I did delete a nice long rant about GPS and things. But can resist the following


Turn on GPS. Turn off brain.

I got my GPS so I can talk on my cell phone more.