Looking to (at last) purchase a GPS - but the number of models available gets a bit mind boggling. Looking at Garmin, Navman and Tom Tom which would be the best for Aussie conditions, etc?

     

-- Edited by motorhomer on Tuesday 19th of January 2010 03:52:29 PM

I find they are all pretty good nowadays, I have the garmin nuvi wide760, I got it cheap as it is last years model, it is still up to date (reasonably) and I find I can place the camps 5 poi file onto it the dragon has the navman 65 or something and I find hers is a litle more accurate!

mmm thanks Davo   after doing a bit a research i starting thinking about a Garmin  now you tell me the dragons is better               maybe i just stick to my chinese one for a bit longer   lol

I recently purchased a Garmin Nuvi 765 which is just the current version of the 760 mentioned by Dave.  I'm still getting my head around all the functions and have yet to give it real workout on a big trip.

One suggestion is to buy a model that you can download additional POIs to.  (POI is techie talk for "points of Interest", aka "waypoints" or "marks")  There are many internet sites that have these files for download and have been mentioned in recent threads here and on the general forum.

Dave dont let me put you off the garmin, it is a very good unit but I do find that the dragons navman is more accurate in the city the garmin, I have found, is up to twenty feet off, doesnt sound like much and not really a problem you say but when you pass the corner and then it says "recalculating" in that demeaning voice, it gets a bit frustrating however I got used to mine and I now turn at the closest corner that naggin nancy tells me and I am not that far out as Jim says it has a lot of features including "waypoints" in other words you can plot a route using any number of places you wish to go through (jims being the later model probably has more features than mine has) it is tottally compatible with almost all POI files that I have come across including the POI that Gary put me onto which shows all sorts of attractions found here ......http://www.gps-data-team.com/gps-poi.php if you do buy the garmin let us know and we wiil point you in the direction of a couple of good POI file download sites the mount for the garmin is better than any other I have come across and the human interface is much simpler than a lot of others

Have a TomTom XL myself & we love it, it sometimes wants to lead us into a paddock but from what I've heard that happens with all the brands. Only other comment is to check the forums to do with GPS's on after sales service for the Navman as they are known to be terrible, it's what discouraged me from buying one & I have had no regrets, Garman seems not much better.
Here is a link to a good thread on GPS's:  http://117.53.171.171/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1128274.html

Cheers
Jon


-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 11:33:36 AM

-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 11:35:54 AM

I've had my tom tom go 500 gps for donks, but now use the tom tom iphone app and works just as good , but some times you do have to think where you are going etc, a couple times on our last SA trip we were off course a bit from it, going the long way round, even though we said fastest route...

Hi Guys, I have a top of the line Navman, only 12 months old. Fantastic around the cities but absolutely hopeless outside of city limits. I live in asmall country village and it doesn't recognise my home address. Hope this helps. Rusty

I've got the Hema Navigator. It has Offroad as well as normal maps. Bit exie though. Cheers, xina.

As mentioned above I've not long purchased my GPS.... When enqiring I spoke to some local (Newcastle) suppliers who weren't much help when I started asking "awkward" questions so I emailed a couple of specialist GPS stores and outlined my requirements and asked them to recommend a unit that would meet my specs. It was on this basis that I purchased my Garmin from GPSOZ http://www.gpsoz.com.au/

I considered the Hema unit but as I already had a Magellan Explorist XL for "bush" use I couldn't justify the extra expense as I had more important financial priorities (booze, wine, lunches etc)

PS: I think Topo maps are available for the Garmin


-- Edited by jimricho on Thursday 21st of January 2010 07:20:36 PM

Interesting that they didn't have Navman or Tom Tom listed?

thats what my research came up with as well Jim! thats why I bought the 760

Made the decison and bought a Garmin nuvi 1450T. Now to try it out.

don't be frightened to play with it Jim! thats the way we learn! I bought a new Chinese one a few years back now, my first, we went in to Adelaide and got lost, gps was sitting on the dashboard but I didn't know how to program it, I sat in a culdesac for ten minutes just out of sheer frustration until I worked it out, I was one street away from where I should have been it's a mongrel getting old!

dave06 wrote:

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it's a mongrel getting old!

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better than the alternative

 

HHHMMMMMMmmmmmm!!! sometimes I wonder! when it's freezing cold and I cant move my knees, my shoulders lock up and my neck wont turn, my fingers wont hold on to anything and I am unable to get to sleep for days on end because of the pain, I would choose the alternative quite readily! but then I look out on the view that I have today, temp mid thirties and climbing, sun shimmering off the gulf, the triple city's shining like a beacon for home, big gum trees swaying in the slight breeze, whistling kites circling above, marvelous family and friends waiting at home, job finished by maybe Wednesday then fishing for trout in a mountain stream in the wilds of Tassie and i think, HMMMmmmmm!!! maybe not today!

motorhomer wrote:

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Made the decision and bought a Garmin nuvi 1450T. Now to try it out.

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Looks like a good choice, you should be happy with your purchase.  Suggest you download the POI loader and Garmin Communicator software from their site if you haven't already done so.

My GPS is a Sylvia Missus type 1.Totally hopeless,maps upside down,State boundaries not where they should be,answers back in a pained tone,will not accept updates,gives directions like a Sergeant major, prone to sudden total silence.No on/off switch,volume not controlled.Bought from a garage sale at the Parramatta Home for Wayward Girls.Cheers.Ibbo.............ok back to the thread.lol.

If Syl sees this Martin.............guess where she will send you.............   

No,Mercy,pleasenot Gibralter with Raffie and Dastardly Duck.lol.Cheers.Ibbo.