[mikefocke]

I waited to buy till prices dropped from $600 to below $200. Now the same unit might be less than $100. Used it in perhaps a dozen states, everywhere from very very rural (WY, UT, ID, etc) to very big city (Atlanta, DC, etc). Updated it perhaps 3 times with firmware updates, perhaps 4 times with maps. Used telephone support once...best I've had in 40+ years. There is a user contributed maps updates that is free in between perhaps quarterly updates. Updates were free for the first year IIRC, then cost in either one time update price or yearly subscriptions. I tend to update only if I know I'm taking a trip and going to be somewhere there is new construction.

Mine is one of the low end ones, without all the real time updates, gas prices, etc.. I haven't missed them, I figure they might be information overload. But the ability of the unit to let me detour around obvious traffic tie-ups has been invaluable. Find the nearest hospital in rural Idaho. Yes they are nice.

They have an easy enough interface so my wife, definitely interface challenged, can use it with no coaching and a little patience. I never send her anywhere new without it. Even if we don't turn it on, it is so nice to have. Shuttles between 3 cars.

Never used a Garmin. They have a good reputation.

I think your feeling towards these two brands might well depend on which you had experience with and which generation it was as they all catch up with each other in features on the next update.

Agree that any life time update might be worth lots. But how long these companies will be in business is questionable. Cell phone GPSs and in-car units have driven prices through the ground. They have to maintain their data bases of map info so their costs remain high. Higher costs plus lower prices means struggles.