Garmin?

[jmatta]

My wife has a TomTom One XL; purchased about a year and a half ago. Very easy to use (really a consideration for her), nice large clear screen, bluetooth, long lasting internal battery and DC power adapter, etc.

Easy to use internet interface with firmware and map downloads. My kids use it all the time to find friend's houses locally and to and from universities. Got it on sale at Best Buy for around $125...nice simple unit.

[Allen K. Littlefield]

Been looking at the new model 3750 which can be had for just under $300 including tax & shipping. Main recommended feature is glass screen rather than plastic and thin easy to read case. If the glass is so superior to the plastic I might be willing to spring for the extra bucks. Any opinions on this model?

AKL

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Allen K. Littlefield

Been looking at the new model 3750 which can be had for just under $300 including tax & shipping. Main recommended feature is glass screen rather than plastic and thin easy to read case. If the glass is so superior to the plastic I might be willing to spring for the extra bucks. Any opinions on this model?

AKL

The glass screen is a plus; the plastic tends to become marked over time. One major advantage I did not mention is the Garmin "Lane Assist" (which this model has), tells you what lane to be in before you have to be there and shows you a three dimensional image of a multi lane interchange (with signs) and what lane you need to use, well before you get there. Really helpful on interstates.

[Allen K. Littlefield]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

The glass screen is a plus; the plastic tends to become marked over time. One major advantage I did not mention is the Garmin "Lane Assist" (which this model has), tells you what lane to be in before you have to be there and shows you a three dimensional image of a multi lane interchange (with signs) and what lane you need to use, well before you get there. Really helpful on interstates.

Thanks again JFP, I really like the lane assist feature too. Also to have more of a heads up actual speed indicator. The 4 to5 mile error in the P-car digital readout way over in the left corner of the dash is tricky and hard to see. This Garmin might be a big help.

AKL

[JFP in PA]

You will also find that the Garmin has both the posted speed and your actual speed in the display for most major roadways, and your speed changes colors as you exceed the posted limit; also a nice feature.

[mikefocke]

are the both audio and visual lane assist...tells you what lane to be in well before the lanes merge or branch off, even tells you what the signs at an interstate exit will look like by flashing a picture of the sign. The reminder that I'm going over the speed limit would seem intrusive unless you could set it to tell you how much over to allow you...say 6 miles over to no more than 80 if those are the local thresholds for reckless driving. The tom tom has just a "don't exceed this speed limit or I'll give you a loud 'bong' feature that helps on an interstate.

Multiple options on how you want the screen portrayed...facts on the side to bottom, for example. Choose which facts you want displayed. Displays the name of the road you are on and the next one you will be turning onto as well as distance to that point.

I'm not sure I'd buy into this technology at the $300 price point, you may not like it. It took my wife about 2 years of my using it before she started to feel comfortable with the idea. You can get well more than basic for the $150 point if you watch the sales. And with all things, the about to be replaced models are the ones on sale.

One warning...if there is a new road that closes an old one, all of them can get totally confused until they can get their maps updated. They opened a bypass that went through the country and it really was insistent I turn around or turn into a corn field. Sometimes you are right and it is wrong.

Two warning...learn to listen and not look as you can get distracted and CRASH. I've seen it happen to people.

[JFP in PA]

Mike covered a lot of the more useful aspects of these units; but by far the most useful had been the Garmin's traffic alert system. I had just purchased the unit, and was coming up I 95 from our other home in SC, when the Garmin's automatic “traffic alert” triggered and directed me to get in the extreme right hand lane as quickly as possible. At the time, I was rolling at about 85 MPH in very light traffic, with nothing apparent ahead. I did as the Garmin suggested, and as we approached an exit ramp at the crest of hill, all I could see for miles was brake lights. We took the exit (again at the Garmin's insistence) and the unit took us on a 5 mile detour route around the traffic and back onto I 95, without any input from me. It has performed equivalent nearly miraculous detours numerous times since, which (to borrow a MasterCard quote) is "priceless"....

That said, any GPS system is only as accurate as its last database update, and is not a substitute for common sense. If the speed limit on the road you are on changed from 35 to 25 MPH, or the next intersection changed to “No left turns” 5 min. after the latest database update, no local authority is going to accept “My GPS told me to do it” as justification for breaking the law………….

[ChrisZang]

The one bad thing about TomTom is their customer support:
I had to call their support line and after 4 or 5 attempts where I have been in the queue for 30+ minutes each I simply gave up on the product and the company.