"what kind of GPS do you have and do you like it?" Topic

Looking for a new model during the upcoming holiday sales. We have a Garmin we've been more or less happy with for about 6 years but it is starting to flake out. The reviews for the new models don't impress me.

So I'm wondering what folks have, that they like, or what you've tried and hated, and why.

Tried many of the for work. Don't like any of them. Get a map.

Sorry if that sounds a bit snarky, but it is a true recommendation from someone with 30+ years of technology and computer experience (and far too much education in that area to be useful).

Our Garmin seems to be fine, though updates don't seem to really change anything. Once it "dies" we may not replace it (of course the car it is in is due replacement too)

Actually I use my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablet with a free GPS nav app.

Have a Galaxy S4 and use that when in the car with my wife. Have to be careful when in Devon/Cornwall though or it will send you down teeny tiny lanes and through tidal fords if you are not careful!

I just use my smartphone.

I had a Garmin Nuvi and a Tom Tom.
Both wore out the battery after a year and a half.
No real difference, and I haven't gotten a replacement.

We use Garmins for archaeological fieldwork, I'm looking at picking up a GPSMAP 62sc unit. There are newer but this one does what we need and is rugged for field use.

I use Google earth or Maps o locate where I want to go plot it on a map and go I have not been lost yet

A good map is all you need providing you know how to read

Go to CNET.com and check out their reviews.

<A good map is all you need providing you know how to read>

But a tad difficult to navigate by in the dark or at highway speeds.

I prefer maps on the whole. I find it much easier to work out a route across country.

SatNavs are best when in a strange city. It can be hard to stop to look at a map when you have to make a split-second decision about which lane you need to be in for a junction, for example!

As to which is best? They all seem to be quite similar these days…….

I have a Tom-Tom, have had no problems and very happy with it.

Went to site and down loaded France for a trip this summer, worked great.

I also have maps on hand, as I'm a bit old fashioned in that sense.

I'm on my second Honda with a built in dash GPS. I've never had a problem with either and love the convenience. I travel a LOT for my job and a GPS is invaluable in getting to the facilities of my clients in plenty of time (and it's a new place for every job, too).

I know how to us a map.

Maps are great – BUT, as Jana said, in the dark or at
speed, maybe not so much unless you have a skilled
navigator in the right-hand seat.

We've a Garmin, it's done well, but we won't replace it
since the tablet and cell-phones with apps suffice.

BTW, maps also won't tell you time remaining to get to
destination, time to next junction point, speed, etc.

Despite the initial complaints, the Maps app on the iPhone has worked well for me. It's terrible for searching (e.g. looking for supermarkets or petrol stations), but the navigation is fine, if in a funny voice.

I've also got an old Tomtom unit, that does the job fine. I'd quite like a newer one with traffic info, lane information, etc, but I'm too cheap to buy one.

The only issues I've had are unexpected dead ends or one-way streets, and notifications of motorway junctions coming up too soon. The Tomtom usually notifies me a couple of miles in advance, which is usually fine. Occasionally, though, the junctions are more closely spaced than that, and I get told to "take the next exit" when there's still one to go. The Apple app at least tells you to "take exit ## for the A umpty-something" which helps.

I've found them more useful for the local roads at the end of a journey rather than for the long-distance motorway driving in the middle. It's easy enough to remember "take the M74 then M6 to junction 8, then take the M5", but navigating side roads in some small town I've never been to is a pain in the arse, especially if it's busy. I do have a road atlas, but they only have small-scale maps for larger cities; a sat-nav is much more convenient and easy to operate than keeping a huge stack of OS maps in the car on the off-chance.