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Navigation GPS Systems

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  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    You can also check this out for links to various licensed vendors: http://gpsinformation.us/main/vendors.htm

    Mark
  • rpacrpac Member Posts: 83
    I have heard that the Lexus RX350 about to be released in March will have what they call 'The Fifth Generation Navigation System'. Might I ask what they mean???
    I have been driving a Honda Accord with an Alpine Navigation system as standard equipment and it is fabulous in my estimation. Thank you.
  • mdchachimdchachi Member Posts: 275
    It's the latest generation of Lexus navigation systems. It was first released in the IS last fall. I don't recall everything that was new in this generation but a couple of things off the top of my head: expanded voice commands, support for Spanish and much improved graphics. It's my understanding that the Toyota version of Gen 5 is being rolled out in the 2007 Camry.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    Do you know if these are now programmable when moving?
  • golicgolic Member Posts: 714
    Has anyone compared tom tom to the Garmin nuvi350? I would like a quality GPS for my new vehicle and would appreciate your recommendations..

    Thanks,

    G-
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Took my portable to Orlando with us, worked very well. Got us from the rental car lot to the hotel, and then around town nicely.

    Had a funny problem with the cig. lighter/adaptor in our 15 passenger van - it never powers off! Even when you remove the key. So we had to power the GPS down manually each time.

    Otherwise it worked well, it even found a Budget rental car location that we simply could not locate with our eyes. We had to call the number on the POI database, and sure enough, it was hidden in a little store right around the corner.

    -juice
  • mdchachimdchachi Member Posts: 275
    You can't input a destination while moving from the touch screen (except by scrolling the map or using the presets) however you can input addresses by voice while moving. You say state, city, street, street number.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    "You say state, city, street, street number."

    Well, if it's accurate, that would work for me. My wife's 2004 RX330's NAV is nice to have, but it's a pain not being able to program it when moving (I know there is a work-around, but that's a pain too). I have an older model Garmin (GPS V) that you can of course program when moving, but it's a pain to program, and it's not safe for the driver to do that in any case.
  • rpacrpac Member Posts: 83
    I can understand your frustration with the navi in the lexus. I now drive a honda accord with an alpine navi that works at any time and is far more accurate. Anyway, I just picked the following up somewhere while I was surfing. Don't remember where though. You might try it and see if it helps. And by the way I have owned one 05 and 3 - 2006 RX330's that were all trashed due to mechanical problems, hence the honda. Good luck! (But after all this I just might take a look at the new RX350, which is supposed to solve a lot of problems)- Wish me luck!

    "First, you can do this with the engine running while stopped or while moving (if you do it with the ignition on but not started, it will be lost when you start the vehicle)

    1. Press the “MENU” button (below the screen)
    2. Press the “Volume” box on the screen (a new screen will appear)
    3. Press the “speaker” icon in the top left corner of the screen
    4. Press in the lower left corner about ½ inch from the bottom and ½ inch from the left side of the screen
    5. Repeat item 3
    6. Repeat item 4 (a new screen should then appear)
    7. Press and hold the “override box” until you hear a faint beep and the color of the border on the override box changes to orange (this takes a few seconds)
    8. Press the “back” icon (upper right hand corner of screen)
    9. Press “DEST” button (below the screen)

    You can now enter addresses, POIs or other destination information just the same as you could if the vehicle was stopped. Be careful, since you have just bypassed a safety feature."
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    rpac, thanks for the tip. I printed it and will put it in her glovebox, because there is no way I could ever remember all those steps, unless I were to spend a lot more time in the car than I do now. Too bad the procedure itself is just as dangerous as the programming (assuming it's the driver doing it).

    P.S. Too bad about your experiences with the RX330. We haven't had any problems at all with ours, and we ordered it only about a week after our dealer got their first ones in, back in the spring of '03.
  • agnostoagnosto Member Posts: 207
    Has anyone find Garmin GPS Nuvi 350 GPS Travel Assistant for less than $700.00 including taxes?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Have you looked at the bargain sites, like techbargains.com or bensbargains.com? Or Froogle or Pricewatch.com? Froogle shows one for $642 but I didn't look at shipping or taxes.

    Steve, Host
  • golicgolic Member Posts: 714
    Try cnet.com they have a where to buy section which will pull up a list of online retailers that you can sort by price and I think once you put your zip code in it will also calculate shipping and "if" they will charge you sales tax.

    I have done some research and it looks like the Garmin Nuvi is the best portable out there, It looks like the TomTom is a few hundred dollars cheaper but has some shortcomings.

    Does anyone have the TomTom and what has your experience been?
  • johndjrjohndjr Member Posts: 80
    A question for those of you who have a gps unit.
    Let's say that I get in the car, power up, enter my destination which is 600 miles away. Half way there, I stop for gas and food. Shut the car off, which cuts the power to the gps unit.
    When I start the car, does the gps start up with the destination as I had entered it before? Does the unit recall the total time since beginning the trip etc? Or do I have to renter the destination as I did at the beginning of the trip, as if this leg is a new trip. I realize that I could put in the destination and store it in a 'favorite', and just draw that up at each start, but my question is regardless of that feature.
    Thanks for any answer.
    If this is brand/model specific, I am narrowing down my purchase to a Garmin Street Pilot i5. :confuse:
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    All the Garmin units I've used keep the internals running - that is, they are using "flash" memory which stays (even if the batteries go dead - there is a second battery inside the unit or the flash keeps the data). If you are keeping "total trip time", when you stop for the night (or lunch) it records it as "stopped time" and adds it to the trip time. The trip remains active until you kill it (sometimes arriving at the destination will end the trip as well). Starting and stopping the car engine, and therefore power to the unit, is automatically taken care of. The only caveat is if you have a vehicle that keeps power to the cig. lighter you are plugged into even when the key is off - then you have to turn it off and back on.
  • golicgolic Member Posts: 714
    Hey Pathstar,

    Since it sounds you have experience with Garmins, what would unit would you recommend? Is the Nuvi worth the $800 price tag?

    How do Garmins compare to other units, like the TomTom?

    Anyone else, feel free to jump in.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    I may be the wrong person to ask, as I use my GPS as an extension of instruments, not to guide me (most of the time). So I tend to choose which one I buy based on size and ease of viewing the screen, how well it receives signals in poor reception areas, and most importantly, how many "parameters" I can display on the screen at a time. I like to see current speed, time, trip time, location (lat/long), altitude, and trip odometer most of the time. All on a moving map display (direction of travel up).

    You have to evaluate based on what you personally want it to do, and how many of the things you want each one does. Garmins' site allows you to compare their models feature by feature.

    I think the base requirements should include an internal battery, rechargable or throw-away, ease of portability, and easy to see display. This allows you to move the unit from vehicle to vehicle, and take it inside to learn how to use it and/or to program it before a trip. Safer than messing with it while driving! I like to attach my units to the top of the dash just to the right of the instrument cluster using velcro tape (velcro with double sided tape). Use the hook side on the dash and the loop side on the GPS - then it can be carried in a pocket without discomfort. ;) Never leave the unit visible on the dash when you park - it costs less than a side window, but some idiot may decide he wants it and will smash the window to get it.

    To answer your question directly, the Nuvi and the C320 both are getting rave reviews on this site. I'm building my own, using a PDA (Toshiba 630) and a CF GPS module, which I haven't purchased yet - the Garmin is looking good here due to features and price. This allows me to chose which software I get, and gives me a large VGA colour screen. I can also use the PDA for other things. I currently have two older Garmin models, a GPS III+ (which I like a LOT), and a Streetpilot III (which I dislike a LOT - not very sensitive and it's not very good at displaying parameters). After my Streetpilot experience I'm much more careful before buying. Once bitten twice shy!
  • johndjrjohndjr Member Posts: 80
    Pathstar1,
    Thanks for the info.
  • golicgolic Member Posts: 714
    Thanks Pathstar.

    I opted not to buy the Nav on my new Pilot for two reasons. 1) I am leasing the vehicle and 2) Why would I pay $1,800 - $2,000 for a something when I can get a top of the line GPS for 1/2 that price and is portable so I can use it in both cars.

    The few people I have talked with really enjoy thier units. I am being steared toward the Garmin since most things I read favor thier units.

    My main reasons for getting a GPS is for navigation while traveling and to help find/locate a nearest gas station or other emergency services.

    I found myself on country roads at night this past January in a Snowstorm and felt completely helpless and unsafe. I don't want to be in that position again.
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,396
    Not exactly correct. True, the flash memory doesn't clear when powering off, otherwise downloaded maps would be lost, but the routing info is lost. The C320, when plugged into a cig lighter which is controlled by the key, gives you an option screen when the car to turned off. It will say on the screen that power was lost and the unit will turn off in 30 seconds. There is another screen also on saying "continue on battery power?" If you don't touch this screen, it powers off automatically. If you continue on battery power, everything stays as it was since the unit wasn't turned off. If turned off, manually or automaticlly, you'll need to reinput the destination adress, either from scratch or from favorites or recent selections, AND the trip computer info will not be correct for the stop and driving time. The OWNERS Manual states to have accurate times to switch to battery power when stopping while on route. When the car is turned on and the unit reinstalled in the mount, the manual and common sense says to remove the unit from view when you are out of the vehicle, it automatically goes back to car power and recharges the battery.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If I do shut it off, I just go to Recent Selections, then hit Go again. No problemo.

    The battery lasts 8 hours so you could leave it on, but then it would grab the attention of thieves.

    Hey, I guess you could bring it in with you, to the restaurant. It might be hungry!

    -juice
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    Having the Garmin StreetPilot 2610, I can tell you that if you shut off the ignition, then turn the it back on, you will be in the same spot on the unit. I don't know the technicalities, but ti seems to keep it in memory so you can just start driving again without entering anything again.

    Mark
  • lmn908lmn908 Member Posts: 34
    Same with our Garmin quest. We've used it on numerous 400 - 500 mile trips. When we stop, it shuts itself off (and we usually put it out of sight). When restarting, it picks up where it left off, without any need to re-enter the destination.

    Larry
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,396
    I just put it in the glove box and lock it. To me main thing is to keep the unit out of sight. However, I do leave the mount attached to the windshield.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For my next car I'd like to put it in a fixed location. You can get a remote antennae, then hide the unit somewhere in the dash.

    The Forester has a storage bin at the top of the dash, it's meant for rally gauges (Impreza shares the interior) but apparently it will fit a c series Garmin Street Pilot. All you need is to make a face plate, the hood for the bin is an OE part.

    Then just plug it to the cigarette lighter, though I think I'd run the wiring behind the dash. It's easier than it sounds, I installed a CD changer and it would be a snap.

    I've seen c320s down to around $370, so I might actually buy a 2nd unit when I get my next new vehicle.

    -juice
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    Juice,

    Isn't the screen a bit dim on the C3XX series in high ambient light conditions, especially with polarized glasses?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    In some situations there is a bit of glare, for instance it did not work very well in my Miata with the top down. Then again, that lets all the sunlight in the world in.

    While I've noticed some glare in the Subaru, it's never been bad enough that I couldn't use the GPS. I don't use polarized glasses.

    Garmin does have a c550 for Europe that is supposed to have a better screen to address the glare issue, but there is no equivalent US model yet IIRC.

    Came in handy this weekend, I had to find Browns Lincoln in Fairfax to pick up a buddy whose Aviator stranded him, and he didn't have the address. The Garmin found it so I picked him up after he left it there for service.

    -juice
  • johndjrjohndjr Member Posts: 80
    golic,
    I made the decision and got a Garmin i5 for $355.49.
    It has worked well so far.
    The only thing that is not there, nor was it advertised as such, is an elapsed time, distance traveled, time of travel, etc.
    It gives the time of arrival at destination.
    One thing that is there that is not in the instructions is a total highway distance to destination.(if you put the dest. in Favor. the dist is as the crow flies) To get it, you have to be in navigation and have selected the review turns. After you have the way points on the screen, depress the rotary wheel and the distant from beginning is there for each way point. Rotate to destination and there is the total distance as well as the computed time of travel.
    I used it from home to Ft Worth and it worked like a charm. The turn points were within 25-50 feet of the actual road. Seems that for the past 36 years I have been making that trip as per Garmins recommendation. I did not have it up on the instr. panel hood, had it on the little ledge below the instrument panel. It still held a good lock on to the sats.
    And yes, it kept the trip in it when the power was off. Apparently it keeps it until you select Stop Navigation. Of course, it relocked on to the sats. for the existing location of the car.
    My wife loved the spoken directions. As she put it, those squiggly lines mean nothing to her, but she can follow the spoken words.
    Now if it will only assist me on my upcoming car trip to Fairbanks AK I'll be happy.
    As an old hand at aerial navigation, this thing is vastly superior to radio ranges, non-directional beacons, even better than LORAN.
    How do they get so much information in something that small? Develish cleaver these modern people!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Check out the Milepost too for that trip.

    Steve, Host
  • johndjrjohndjr Member Posts: 80
    Steve,
    Thanks for the input, I have one on order.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It's been three years since I've made that trip; I have one pic of the highway up on my imagepage. Looks like there are a few sites on the net now that give waypoints for various attractions along the way.

    Steve, Host
  • johndjrjohndjr Member Posts: 80
    Steve,
    Let me guess.
    The snow scene, the moose scene, or the turn out?
    I'm away with another old geezer like me. I've wanted to do this since I was 14 when a man I knew left to help build it. Never got around to it til now. Every one here asks me WHY? So I can have a drink in Fairbanks and then return home. That simple. I will have fulfilled one more of my dreams before it is too late.
    Now, If just the bears don't get us!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It's the "Driving the Subie South" pic under Current rides. I don't remember where the turnout photo was taken anymore - should have had a GPS and noted the lat/long. :blush:

    Steve, Host
  • 44394439 Member Posts: 21
    I plan on tinting my windows and my owners manual states no metallic tinting. Does anyone know where the GPS unit is located on the Avalon? I'm thinking if it's the windshield, which I'm not tinting, it shouldn't matter if I get metallic tinting on the other windows.

    Any info would be appreciated.
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    The location of your Navigation System antenna is no doubt spelled-out in your Owner's Manual, or a separate Navigation System manual that may have come with your vehicle.

    I'm not familiar with the Avalon's setup, but my 2004 Accord's Navigation System antenna is on the top forward edge of the dashboard at the base of the windshield. It's flush with the dash and about the size of a nickel.
  • mdchachimdchachi Member Posts: 275
    PC World has articles and reviews of current aftermarket GPS units.
    http://tech.msn.com/mobile/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23595
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Honda Offers Google Earth Navigation as Civic Option in Japan (Inside Line)

    Steve, Host
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Cool, I'll read them and then share my thoughts later...

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Cool, they rated it 2nd, not bad since it's the cheapest unit they tested. Plus, I can find it now for $370, and the price they quote is $460.

    I may actually buy a 2nd GPS, so the wife can keep the other one. We fight over it some times. :D

    Plus, I'd like to make it built-in on my next new car.

    Tom Tom Go 300 is the top-rated unit, with a base price of $600 that's not bad at all. I'll consider those as well. Bluetooth would be cool because I could link it to my BlackBerry to make calls and stuff.

    -juice
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    Juice,

    It would have been even more interesting if PC World had tested the next higher level of portable navigation systems. Before buying a second unit you might want to check those out too.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I wonder if the article is outdated?

    I read up a little yesterday on TigerGPS.com, who sells both and ought to be fairly neutral.

    Thing is, they say only the Tom Tom 700 model can do Bluetooth with your phone, the one upgrade I'd be interested in. Yet the comparo says the 300 model will do so. The price jumps from $500 to $650, pretty significant. Here is the text:

    Upgrade to the TomTom GO 700 and you can use your GO as a hands-free phone and data center!

    Yet the comparo totes BT as one of the primary advantages the go 300 has over the Garmin c330. Both are around $500 so they appear to be pretty equal all around.

    I might stick with the Garmin since I'm already familiar with it and there's no learning curve.

    -juice
  • golicgolic Member Posts: 714
    Garmin uses the Navtech technology, which I think is one of the best mapping sources available. From what I have been told by the "those in the industry" TomTom's mapping technology is not as good as Navtech.

    Garmin has so many choices I can't decide whether I want the Nuvi, C3 serises C5 or even the streetpilot 2720???

    I went to BestBuy hoping to see all the units and the young guy who helped me out recommended the TomTom, solely because you can download celebrity voices to talk to you.

    I have no problem dropping 800-1000 on a unit, I just need to figure out which is the one that fits my need.
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    Here's a good link:

    http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=161
  • msisengmsiseng Member Posts: 369
    Nextel already offers Navigation in their cellphones. Running on an Analog network, this brand will not last very long. Soon, all major carriers will offer cellphone navigation in the US. This will eliminate the need for bluetooth. While not as robust as an in-vehicle unit, these can be mounted on the dash and be transfered from vehicle to vehicle. We have just begun to see this trend.

    For now I am happy with the awesome navi unit in my '06 Accord. No cd/dvd and the maps are very accurate.

    I used to have the Garmin and the TomTom. The Garmin Navtech was far superior, but as the previous poster states, there are so many options to choose from!

    How did we ever live without navi?
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    See the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator demo here:

    http://www.bam.com/b2c/splash/turnbyturn.jsp

    I'll stick with my 2004 Accord's great OEM Navigation System and the pocketable Garmin nüvi 350 that my wife is using in her Subaru. It's mounted to her dashboard with an industrial strength velcro-like 3M material, the same stuff that is used to mount our EZPass toll transponders to our windshields. She slips the nüvi 350 into her pocketbook when she exits her car. Nothing visible for a thief to notice.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    have not been impresonated!

    I think that option is hilarious. I'd want Bugs Bunny giving me directions. The kids would get a kick out of it.

    "Maaaah, what's up Doc? We should have made a left at Albuquerque."

    :D

    Tom Tom says they'll start charging for those services in 2007.

    NAV will work on my BlackBerry but T-Mobile doesn't offer it yet. I'm not sure if my employer will pay for it, either, since it's a corporate account. So that may not be an option for me. Plus, you pay a monthly fee, and over time that'll cost you more than a stand-alone unit anyway.

    -juice
  • maxh1maxh1 Member Posts: 1
    I have searched the web for various manufactures specifications of assisted GPS (AGPS) acquisition times under best case, typical, and worst case conditions. I guess I have not used the right search names, as I have not found anything. Does anyone know of a site, papers/articles, (or know themselves) about such data (if it even exists). Do manufactures not publish this information because they don't want to give information to competitors?

    Max1
  • karel2006karel2006 Member Posts: 1
    maybe you should try nav4all. this is a free software which you can download from www.nav4all.com directly to you mobile.then you can use it directly. I have done it and it works really good, check it out for yourself I would suggest.
  • utterutter Member Posts: 79
    I don't know if they're really going to start charging for the celebrity voices though. Where'd you hear that? I looked on the TomTom website and at Clubtomtom.com and didn't see anything? Interesting.

    I like the celebrity voices and all, but I'm definately excited about the MP3 iPod capability. It would be nice to have that right on the dash without having to fumble with my iPod (invariable on the floor just out of reach or something)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, maybe I misread, they bundled a bunch of features together in one paragraph, then said they might begin to charge starting in 2007. Question is, which features were they referring to?

    -juice
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