Are there any people out there that use a portable car GPS unit? If so what would you recomend? I cant afford a fixed system and I like the option of using it in different cars.

 

Get the TomTom G0 system. It's real neat and not too expensive and you really get good value out of what you pay for. No need to get the more expensive system, the base system is good, just upgrade the SD memory card on your own.

Check Ebay for a good deal, I bought one for a friend and got to play around w/ it. Good thing about it is that it's small and easily removable from the car so you don't have to worry about someone breaking it and stealing it. Check it out.

http://www.tomtom.com/

 

Try the Lowrance iWay500c. not only does it do navi, it has 10Gigs of room for Mp3's as well. so you can play mp3's off a drive in your car while you use your navi system.

 

I have puchased and returned the Megellan 700 and TOM TOM go. Both are good units, but the TOM is way easier and has more features. I took the TOm back because the maps reall stink. I have roads in my town (major roads) that have been complete for tow to five years and are not on the map. great unit, but the most important feature, the map, was flawed.

I just bought a Garmin c330 (l lot like the Tom), and the maps are fantastic so far. I am still in trial mode, but intial trials are very good.

I have not tried the Iway, but you should check out the write up in Mobile PC before you jump at it.
I go on an out of town trip today to give the Garmin a good test.

Key features I found critical:

Battery power (for planes and in the hotel) Not on the Mgn 700
-The ability to search for Points of INterest while in a route.not on the Mgn700 (big problem)
-Acurate maps ...not on the tom (big problem)
-EASY use..TOM and C330
-3d view...TOM and C330
-Ability to sit in the nav cubby...all will sit, but the TOM sits best so far
-Screen visibility...Mgn 700 and C330 are both way better than the TOM
-Entire US...C330 and 700 have entire us in continuous access Tom has to select the region, although it is in the drive.
Options...TOm has alot of configuation options, the c330 is just the basics, but sufficient

I will let you know how my c330 trial goes. I have been purchasing at Comp USA, Circuit City, or Best buy with a 30 day return policy. This has let me try the units. At one point I had the TOm and megellan side by side on a trip. You really can't tell how well they work, until you get them inyour hands. The magazine reviews (except mobile PC) all tend to point out the "rosy" stuff.....most review like the TOM, C330 and Mgn700.

Good luck.

 

try checking out the new clarion portable gps nav. it is called N.I.C.E. it is a portable gps navigation. with aux input, touch screen, ipod input, aux output. should be out already. try checking you local stereo shop.

 

The problem with the N.I.C.E. is that you have to (as far as I can tell) use an FM transmitter for audio playback - that sucks!

 

I use the new Oncourse Navigator 4 (US version of navigon) on my ipaq w/. a bluetooth gps reciever when im not in a car with nav. works great. The rerouting is faster than any other product ive used on any platform - its really excellent.

Version 5 of tomtom for pocketpc is also due out soon.

- pink

 

glf35, how did your trials go with the garmin c330? Also has ne one out there tried the garmin 26xx series or the magellan 700? My research is leading me to those two.

 

I have tried the Magellan 300 and the Magellan 700... they both were very good... I would go for Magellan 300 if you are on budget...there arent much differences betweent the two if you do not mind having longer loading time and not having the whole north america map in it....but pluging in the computer storing the whole New England map wasnt too hard , and be able to update to newer firmware improved the interface abit....and most important its a lot cheaper...

I know both of them well coz my friends have them and we have went of road trips with them

 

The trial has gone great.

So far it is great in the map accuracy and ease of use. The unit is a bit smaller than the TOM, but the maps and Point of Interests are way better (although the Tom had customizable/ downloadable POI which was nice).

I am on the road a lot (in Cincinnati as we speak) and last night in needed a KINKOs. Typed it in and up pops the nearest, away I went. I then found a Sky Line chili, went to recent locations ( back to the hotel). Worked great. It even has built in phone numbers for all POI....

The C330 does not sit as well in the nav cubby. I currently have it mounted with the window (rental car....missing my G....). I think it would stay in the nav cubby with some Velcro, but I have not tried yet (still leaving the 30 day return option open).

I rate the c 330- 9 out of 10- works well, easy, acurate, good screen, phone numbers for the POI's (very useful)

TOM- a 6 out of 10- would be a 9+ if the maps were better (maybe I had an old unit???), screen is not as good, a little bigger, nice features, easy to use.

Magellan 700- 5 out of 10- nice screen, sits well, hides in the cubby (a little hard in and out), good accuracy, the biggest flaw (and it was big) was you had to exit your trip to change explore POI and other options (sort of a single tasking issure) in the tom and c330 I can run a trip, browse other places of interest, change options and the unit will still tell me directions as I go along (maybe not the safest practice, but useful).



Greg

 

i just looked at C300 - didn't know it existed... one thing it's missing that my StreetPilot 2610 has is the remote control...

 

Anyone here have pictures of their portable navigation system in their car (window or navi storage area)? I want to see how you guys wired it to the cigarette holder. I want to keep it clean.