I ventured out on Black Friday (not to the Wal-Mart...I value my life too much) and came back with one of these GPS Navigation systems. It's a TomTom One 125 for $100. The more I think about it, the more I realize what an asset this is now that night comes early and you can't read a map on the way to hard-to-find gigs.

I haven't opened the box yet as I'm thinking of getting a more expensive one. What one do you folks who are using them recommend. Someone said to stick with a TomTom whatever I buy. Yes? Also, can you get along without the "text to speech" option for an extra $50-$100?

Lucky

Lucky,

I was among the first forum members to purchase a GPS for my car. I have been using a GPS on my boats ever since they became available and would not leave the dock without it.

I highly recommend the Lowrance I-Way GPS system for your car. And, I do not recommend using any GPS that does not have vocal commands. Looking at a screen, even if it's dash mounted, is very distracting and there have been many reported instances of accidents caused by those gazing at the GPS display instead of the road. Many GPS devices have a lock-out feature that does not allow you to use the device if the car is moving, which I believe is a great feature.

The prices have come down a lot since more manufacturers entered the market, and most are very reliable. I have a Lowrance I-Way 500, which was quite expensive at the time I purchased it, costing about $1,000. It has a 20-gig hard drive, 10 of which are used for mapping, and 10-gigs for mp3 music. Like the one on my boat, I will not leave home without it. The device has lots of great features, allows you to route yourself easily around traffic jams, and you can find places you have never been to before.

Hope this helps,

Gary

Lucky I've been one of the last hold outs to buy a GPS primarily because I have lived in the smallest state in the union for my entire life. As a former on the road sales rep I've worked every city and town in this tiny state, plus many cities and towns in nearby Ma. and CT. I could not justify buying one. Fast forward to about a month ago I went to Circuit City to buy a Mio Moov 200 for $109. I asked the sales rep did he think for $20 more the the Tom Tom 130 was worth it, he said yes. I purchased it and returned the next day since it did not have vocal commands. My understanding is that Tom Tom does not announce turn left head at let's say Kindermack Road. It simply says turn left. I prefer that a GPS call out the street name to turn on. I exchanged it for the Mio Moov 200 I originally went to purchase. I've only used it about 3 times since purchasing it once on recent trip to Manhattan and Weekhawken NJ. It worked very well for my needs.

I've been using a Garmin Nuvi250 I purchased for $299 last year and I really like it. It's small, I have it attached to my car's console because here in Ca. we are not allowed to attach to the front windshield. It has a touch screen and it announces in several different languages or voices that I choose. I also like that when I'm not looking for a specific address and just push view map, I can see the name of all the streets I'm driving on and which street is up ahead. I also bought one of my sons this unit and he uses it all the time and I bought his this year for $199.00! The same model is probably $149 by now!


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

Not to steer this thread off course, but ..., I'm STILL a hold out, and not just because I also live in the smallest state in the union (although for only 24 years) ...

I am a 'hold-out' because, as I discussed on our "state of the economy" thread, I feel it's just another 'toy' to spend $$$ on, when I've managed without it for so long, and just another item that when it no longer works will end up in the landfill ... I am sure that if I owned a boat I would own one, but for driving a car, there are other means to get me where I'm going - MapQuest, Google maps, Expedia, etc., not to mention old fashioned MAPS !!! ... AND, I am not one of those males who has a problem getting out of a car to ask directions !

For those of you who have a NEED, enjoy ...

t.

I've got to have street names announced, so I bought the Garmin 260 at Circuit City on sale for only $149 On Black Friday. I had a less expensive Nextar model that didn't announce street names, just when to turn but I returned it, mainly because the sound was poor too. I think if you are satisfied with audio turn directions only, you should be able to get a decent model for $125 or less. More than that and you should start comparing features. Best navigation maps are from Navteq, in most better machines.

We bought a TomTom 1 over a year ago and find it fun and good to use.
Occasionally the voice will send us wrong but young lady is too nice to shout at...Ha!!

I use the Nokia N95 with the GArmin XT SW for a voice GPS. ..Its a "Swiss Army Knife" phone and relieves the need for a 30FPS Video Camera,5mp still camera both auto upload to a site or sites of your choice , WiFi, Music player, external 8 GB USB drive, PDA calender, Contact Manager. I even keep songs and styles on it to plug into the Tyros.

I also have a Garmin Nuvi....Christmas present last year..

But I also use the Navigator on my Verizon wireless phone...it works surprisingly well...and I never leave home without it...

I have a Garmin 330,which they don't make anymore.does not say the street names.
So noe I got a Navigon 2100,says street names now.It cost 199.99
then on sale at $179.99.
I saw it on Black Fri. for $89.99,but I had mine for 4 months.I love it.Garmin it a better brand.You can join a forum and get free stuff,like POI,and Red light cameras,and speed cameras.My Navigon has a Forum but only speed cameras which we do not have here in the bay area,plus to join this forum for Navigon it's a one time life time fee,Garmin all Free.
The Navigon screen for my model is just a bit smaller than my Garmin,but Navigon says street names out loud,loud and clear,it never screwed up yet on directions,I don't look at the screen.Safer driving using a GPS.I used a map,and map quest,we won't go there,long story.
I use my Navigon for work 100% of the time,Road calls in the field,and travel,Safer to use,saves a lot of time to get some where,believe me.
Some guys at work called me Mr.GPS man.
Now the Co.issued the foremans with GPS's
I always bought my own because it goes home with me,and when I retire I hope.
Good luck.Any other question email me.
Ron C.

Thanks to you members for all your input here. I've actually been spending more time looking for a new GPS device than I am looking for a PA2X PRO. Thankfully, the GPS can be found in most stores.

I haven't had my TomTom more than a week, and it has already saved me from disaster. Last week I had a 5:30 pm start on a 90 minute job. It was 4:45 pm and in the middle of rush hour so I couldn't take my normal route. I didn't have time to look up a new route on the computer. I threw caution to the wind, set my destination on the GPS and let it take me to where I needed to go. Every time I made an unscheduled turn to avoid traffic, the GPS picked up where I was and revised it's directions. I glided in to the location with ample time to spare and as calm as could be. It feels like I have a personal trainer.

These things are incredible so much so that I'm going to return the TomTom and get a $300-$400 Garmin. They not only give you directions, they can direct you to your nearest police station or hospital, give you the phone #'s of these places, locate "points of interest" (libraries, movies, theaters, etc). I even take it out as a date on Saturday nights and spend the evening talking to the internal female voice!

Tony...I agree with you about "frivolous toys." I viewed these things as just that up to now. Once I got one, I'm not sure how I got along without it, particularly when going on a driving vacation. As I thought about it, I realize with the tremendous surge in heavy traffic, there is no more taking "alternate" routes. They're ALL backed up! Now I can go from one block to another as I need to and this thing will track me all the way. No more worrying about being late for a playing engagement due to traffic tie-ups or accidents blocking your path.

The heck with Blackberry's, laptops, Ipods, Bluetooth's, and the rest. All I need now is my cellphone and a GPS to get through the rest of my life!

Lucky

P.S. something important I learned in my researching from a web site:

"The simple fact in mapping is that Tele Atlas is not as good as NAVTEQ in North America...TomTom uses Tele Atlas maps and Garmin products use NAVTEQ maps."

Are these guys nuts? The only reason I haven't bought a GPS is because I don't know which one to buy. Look at the options on Garmin's website alone. How could it possibly get more confusing???

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134


[This message has been edited by chony (edited 12-11-2008).]

No.....we're not nuts! We simply found the "fountain of youth."