GPS units?

[Dan:]

I need some advice on portable dashboard GPS units. I want to get a unit that has lots of memory so that I can store a TON of Points of Interest. I also want a unit that will read street names to me out loud. Good maps and free updates are a must.

Anyone have any recommendations?

[RobbyZ5001]

First of all I would go with a garmin. In my opinion it is a much cleaner setup and the mapping system is very good. The only downfall of the garmin is that if you want to update the maps after 30 days of purchase you must pay the price of an SD card, CD, or direct download from their website. I don't suggest updating maps yearly. I suggest every 3 years or so. Most garmin units will hold 1000 favorites which is plenty. You said you wanted the unit to speak street names. Some other options would be lane assist, voice recognition, FM traffic reciever, bluetooth, and 3D buildings are the main features I can think of at the moment. I can list 50 units that have what you said which is spoken street  names and can hold a lot of info. Look for the sales. You can find good deals on many different garmins.

Don't go with sony (maps suck)

Don't go with magellan (when in route you need to cancel route to go to say a gas station or food)

Don't go with any other cheap brands.

Garmin or TomTom and I highly reccomend garmin.

[Dan:]

thanks Robby, that helps a lot.

[Steven Ladner]

Just purchased a Garmin nuvi 205 this morning from Best Buy. I also say Garmin or TomTom. But based on some of the reviews, Garmin is better.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

My wife bought us a TomTom this morning at the Wal-Mart Black Friday Sale for what seemed to be a good price.

[1inStripes]

You will see that Tom Tom ONE 125Se in a ton of cars because of the price it sold for this weekend.  I like TomTom, but I like Garmin a little better myself.  TomTom has probably 75% of the market share in GPS in Europe, and have been in the US market roughly 5 years. 

Garmin and Magellan have been the North American market leaders forever in car but it seems as though TomTom is cutting into it some.

[VolFan]

I have the TomTom XL for our personal car and the Garmin Nuvi 670 for work. I like the TomTom better navigationally.  The Garmin seems slow to load and readjust.  Another thing, reload the maps/update regularly if you're in any sort of an urban area.  It helps the unit connect to the satellites more efficiently.

[Rebel Angler]

Got a Gamrin for christmas last year an it broke in July. I left it up on the winshield of my truck an apparently the sun messed it up. Pretty sure it says something about not leavin em in the heat but I guess I forgot.  

[fish-fighting-illini]

Dan,

  I've had a Tom Tom for about a year and it is excellent. I've got spoken street names but not traffic alert stuff as I don't really need that in my area.

As far as POI's why all the fuss? Unless you will be creating your own my come built in and no need to save them. I'm sure it is not every POI but plenty. Unless you are traveling all over the country daily who cares about POI's that you will use maybe 3x a year?

We bought one for 2 of the kids from Wallyworld yesterday for $59 ea

[Dan:]

The reason why I want to be able to add a bunch of POIs is so that I can mark all the neighborhood ponds, lakes, and various launches I use for fishing. I have them compiled in a google map but I would like to have them in my car so I can get from one to the other if I don't know the area or remember how to get there.

[bass or bass ?]

My wife got me a Garmin in April. It's great!!!

[RobbyZ5001]

I am honestly suprised so many of you like TomTom's. They are good units, but the Garmins have such a cleaner look to them. Like I said earlier you will be happy with either you choose.

[Long Mike]

I have a Garmin Nuvi.  While it is OK most of the time it gets confused occasionally and will try to lead me down dead end roads.  That's a real pain when you are towing a boat.  A few weeks ago I was traveling down a four-lane, arrow-straight highway in Missouri, and the Nuvi suddenly decided that I needed to turn right.  My destination was still twenty miles away so I ignored it.  That was probably a good thing, because there was no place to turn right.

[Dan:]

I have a Garmin Nuvi. While it is OK most of the time it gets confused occasionally and will try to lead me down dead end roads. That's a real pain when you are towing a boat. A few weeks ago I was traveling down a four-lane, arrow-straight highway in Missouri, and the Nuvi suddenly decided that I needed to turn right. My destination was still twenty miles away so I ignored it. That was probably a good thing, because there was no place to turn right.

ahaha. That reminds me of the episode of "The Office" when Michael followed his GPS unit into a lake.  ;D

[Rebel Angler]

ahaha. That reminds me of the episode of "The Office" when Michael followed his GPS unit into a lake.   

That episode was hilarious, an hey at least it was a rental car  ;D

[RobbyZ5001]

I have a Garmin Nuvi. While it is OK most of the time it gets confused occasionally and will try to lead me down dead end roads. That's a real pain when you are towing a boat. A few weeks ago I was traveling down a four-lane, arrow-straight highway in Missouri, and the Nuvi suddenly decided that I needed to turn right. My destination was still twenty miles away so I ignored it. That was probably a good thing, because there was no place to turn right.

Yeh Mike that will happen occasionally. It will also take you on back roads which is also a bad thing while towing. Many times I will use mapquest and the GPS. No GPS is full proof a lot of times you need to work with it. They are amazing when you need to turn around on major highway systems, in the cities, and when your completely lost.

[fish-fighting-illini]

The reason why I want to be able to add a bunch of POIs is so that I can mark all the neighborhood ponds, lakes, and various launches I use for fishing. I have them compiled in a google map but I would like to have them in my car so I can get from one to the other if I don't know the area or remember how to get there.

Even as I was typing my last response I figured that was probably what it was. Fishing site, fisherman, GPS who would have thought? lol

The next level up one they had at Walyworld the other day ( XL330S ?) I think it had a place for a memory card. I would assume that is what it is for?

  I think it was on sale for $79 or $99? on fri only