What features if any are worth paying extra for vs the XRS9370 ? Do you give up any major function vs the $500 models other than GPS ?
50796
It does everything I want, and works well. I always have the detector on, and the laser function is great. The price and value is very good, and over time I give any detector about 2 and 1/2 years and then it's replacement time. They simply seems to lose effectiveness after that timeframe, so I would never spend a great deal of money for one.
50797
Honestly, i only turn the one i bought, on when i'm driving long distances or if it is really late at night, it only works when a cop has his radar on. I like that it can detect in front and behind. that's worth the money. Also the other features are just if you're prone to getting pulled over
2043415
This is kind of an odd request, in that only you can answer the "why?". What is it that YOU need or are looking for in a GPS? By reading the descriptions and a few reviews on each, you may get better information on the different feature set of each unit. A good place for professional reviews is gpsmagazine.com. FYI, all Garmin units will route you pretty much the same no matter the price.Good luck on your search.
1464037
I considered the 1490, but I don't need the bluetooth or traffic. I ended up buying the nuvi 865T and am happy with it. Some problems getting updates on the Garmin website. Also POI's were available for download on my old 265 e.g. Kauai, but none for the 800 series.
820808
Has anyone used the Dakota 20 for touring? Or any Garmin unit for that matter. I'd be interested in your experiences. I'm leaning towards the Dakota for a number of reasons (Battery type, battery life, price, features) I don't need a heart rate/cadence monitor(s) I just want directions but I also don't want to be directed on to a freeway on ramp by some piece of misguided software.
2252905
Thank you. Sounds good. Now I want to find it in combo with the NuMaps Lifetime. Nuvi combo have the NuMaps Lifetime for $50 extra, but I can't find this with a combo yet.----------------Garmin said the one with lifetime update for maps (3790LMT) would be out in September, keep checking their website. Said the cost was $499.99. I hate to spend that money, but am getting the voice activated one for safety reasons. Said it was shipped to Best Buy, but I can find it only in Canada...
9024
I'm surprised no one has given you a suggestion. On the off chance you are still looking, I'll add a comment or two. Obviously, any of the units you have listed "could" do the job very well (I've heard good and bad things about each of them). Multiple routing (which my unit doesn't have) would be very nice to have if it's implemented properly. I originally wanted the Magellan because I liked its features better than the others (especially the AAA feature), but didn't want to take a chance (their customer support is terrible). And any unit that allows you to exclude/avoid a road is a good one to get. The Nuvi 200 really is a basic unit and has no Text-to-Speech (which I prefer even though some names are butchered). The 200 also comes with only the lower 48 states (adding Canada can get very expensive), so I would suggest the 250 or 260 (the 260 has TTS). The newer 260W (wide-screen) is probably priced too high right now. As far as ease of use, they all work similarly, but Garmins are probably the easiest and most logical (with Magellan a close second). TomTom will give you many more customizable options, plus has Mapshare (a really great idea). No matter what you decide to get, I'm sure you will be pleased. Just remember that they all have various quirks (even the big, expensive models).
1801037
Garmin's website is still showing $60/year for the FM Traffic subscription. Are you sure about your info? I just bought the c580, so it's not really a concern for me, but if the price continues to drop I may replace my other c3xx series GPS (the c580 went to my wife) with a 550 or 580.
947744
Good Eveining,The GPS is normally the current maps of USA and CANADA. I would assume that they would be the up to date ones. For the updates you would probably have to speak with the manufacturer. Unfortunately the cost is your decision. There are pros and cons for GPS so i would just think about if it is worth it to you financially.Thank you.
710262
I bought a Polar RS800sd about a year ago after I got sick of my (2nd) Nike+ losing data after a run. The polar has been great. Simple to use, detailed info, and from what I've seen pretty accurate. I just bought a Garmin 405. Went to the REI garage sale and they had one for only $160. It was that low because someone returned it saying the band was broken. Check it out and it still looked fine, so I bought it just for the sake of getting a new toy. Just did my first run with it, and as of right now, I like the Polar better. I think I'm just used to that technology and am comfortable with it. The garmin doesn't come with any software. you need to download it all off the web, and it's not super simple to find. Polar came with some offline software which I like a lot. Now, I think once I get used to the forerunner, it may grow on me. There have been a LOT of reviews where people think the garmin is the best, and then there's 3rd party apps that let you map where you've ran. Plus, with the 405, I think you can use it for biking right out of the box. no need for a pod or anything.
1873963
Free Thinker - while I appreciated the details on the Droid, I find it totally unfair for you to pan Garmin and Seattle City Xplorer based on your comparing it with Droid and Google (Local Search, I'm assuming.) I don't know what Garmin unit you returned, and it's probably irrelevant - since Garmin is PRIMARILY for navigating while DRIVING. And, does this support the old adage 'You get what you pay for???' BIG difference in pricing - Garmin vs. Droid, and City Xplorer ($10 ONE TIME) vs. $70/mo. for 2 yrs (= $1680.) You're not comparing apples to apples.
193443
This really isn't a reply to your post but a question. I have been looking into getting a Garmin Nuvi 350. Does anyone know what the differences are with that one and the C550? I know there is a big difference in price and wondered if the Nuvi would be a good choice for basic GPS. I really want the voice with street names.
646556
Joyce, go for the 1300LM..and btw, this model has no traffic (the 1300LMT has). The free lifetime maps by itself is well worth getting this Garmin (which uses NAVTEQ versus the unreliable TELEATLAS of Tomtom).
1918109
WHAT, THEN, IS A BETTER ALTERNATIVE. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET A CLEAR ANSWER ON WHAT GPS ONE SHOULD BUY FOR THE CAR. ARE THERE ACTUALLY UNITS IN THIS PRICE RANGE THAT ARE RELIABLE? IF SO, WHAT ARE THEY?
1168411
Yes, gives you both.. GPS is actually quite good, didn't expect that. But I guess finding updated maps is not easy? If I ever run into anything that won't navigate then I just go to my Galaxy S4 with Waze or whatever... It works almost all the time for me. It's a very nice unit for the price.. I was a little skeptical on a PA system like this but the sound is very good, bluetooth works flawless (phone and streaming Pandora, Slacker, music player, etc), playing movies (AVI mostly).. Video quality is excellent. Most pro installers will charge you a lot to put this in because they are not use to it, plain and simple. It's not hard at all but I would recommend installing yourself. I had to cut a slightly larger hole where my old Pioneer Avic-1 was installed.
2008660
The difference between the two models, the XRS 9965 and the XRS 9970G is that the latter includes GPS and can detect "RED LIGHT" camera zones and other speed traps, the "AURA" database is free to update for the lifetime of the unit. It's definitely worth the extra few bucks.
148254
I got the TomTom 3 yrs ago and it still works well for me. The only reason I got it was the world maps. Compared to today's units, TomTom or Garmin, it's basically an antique. There are so many more features available now, you have to decide on what features are important to you.
1573115
I have a Garmin 255WT and TomTom 930. Two totaly different models. The 930 was or is their top unit. The 255 is more of an entry level. When traveling size can matter. A smaller unit can slip into your pocket if you decide to walk in a part of town instead of drive. The TomTom has more features (not difficult). I can view the route by text so if I lose satellite I can still read how to get there. The Garmin does not. The TomTom holds more destinations I have visited than the Garmin, which helps because I go back to some locations - but maybe not for a month or more. The lifetime traffic feature (that's why I bought that model) in the Garmin helps calculate delays. The Garmin is extremely accurate in arrival ETA but doesn't tell me how far I am from my destination, only time until I arrive. The Garmin has Bluetooth and when enabled I can get the address and phone number of POI's. The TomTom is not compatable with my mobile phone. In my area of Southern California I use the Garmin more because of ease of use and creation of Favorites. When I am travelling further from home or to a totally unfamiliar area I use the TomTom. I had to return the Garmin within a year because the battery did not hold a charge. Very good return process. Glad I had a spare. The TomTom battery went out after about a year and a half but again good return process. Both took about 10 days to get the replacement units back.