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Inkblotz
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Georgia
Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo
Posts: 3186
| GPS
Am looking into purchasing a GPS system for my G. Any recomendations or favorites? Magellen, Garvin, Cobra???
thanks
Mark |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: GPS
Inkblotz - 5/11/2006 7:32 AM
Am looking into purchasing a GPS system for my G. Any recomendations or favorites? Magellen, Garvin, Cobra???
thanks
Mark
I have the Garmin Street Pilot III (discontinued), as does at least one other member of our group. I am very pleased with it. Map upgrades are a bit pricey, but they're pretty good.
The MapSource North America City Navigator (not the Topo) street software even got me through a bunch of very confusing Forest Service roads on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon so that I could take a back door route out to Point Sublime (It is, btw!).
It easily moves from one vehicle to another. It either sits on a small sand bag mount on the dash or on a stick on bracket (best for 4WD). |
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Inkblotz
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Georgia
Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo
Posts: 3186
| Re: GPS
Is it battery only or does it have 12 volt plug in capabilities?
Mark |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: GPS
Inkblotz - 5/11/2006 8:47 AM
Is it battery only or does it have 12 volt plug in capabilities?
Mark
Both. 6 AA and a 12 volt cig lighter cord. Auto fall back to the batteries when power is lost on the 12 volt cord. |
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fernweh
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Calabasas, CA - Centenario, BCS - Luebeck, Germany
Vehicle(s): Few Mercedes-Benz, a Toyota Amphibious and a Vespa
| Re: GPS
Hi,
Garmin is a good company, I have the StreetPilot 2610 for the G wagen and the motorcycles, 12V or 120V only, the maps are a bit pricy as Dutch said earlier, but I got street maps for Europe - works very well!
I also have a PC-card GPS unit for the laptop, real nice for topo maps, you can run a lots of different map software, big display , need a small 12V to 120V inverter - everything can get a bit bulky, but real nice if you go off the beaten tracks....
My work truck has a Pioneer Avic-N2, a car stereo with built-in, flip-up screen for dvd & GPS with nice address book - pricy but not bad as a compact in dash GPS when needed.
BTW the new small handheld Garmin GPS are very powerful and good, palm size - you might want to check them out too.
Karl |
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Inkblotz
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Georgia
Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo
Posts: 3186
| RE: GPS
The only thing that I am finding with the Garvin system is that they do not support Mac's. So downloading new maps would be a problem. Otherwise I am with you guys as to what would work the best.
Mark |
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James_Van_Thach
Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: New York, USA
Vehicle(s): BRABUS G36 & G320 LWB
Posts: 298
| Magellan RoadMate 700 North America
Inkblotz - 5/11/2006 3:32 PM
Am looking into purchasing a GPS system for my G. Any recomendations or favorites? Magellen, Garvin, Cobra???
thanks
Mark
Mark,
For my G320 Cabrio I bought a Magellan RoadMate 700 North America and I have not had any problems with it and it uses a 12V plug.
Here is the link: http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/product.asp?PRODID=955
Good luck in your search,
James Van Thach |
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G350DT
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: GPS
The thing I have found with most of the GPS systems out there is the screen is so friggin small.
I have one that I can plug into my laptop. I am lucky to have an HP Rugged tablet that mounts in the car but still if you have a laptop there are a few out there that plug into them for about $100 that is a lot cheeper then the magellans |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| Re: GPS
230G - 5/11/2006 10:28 AM
... have an HP Rugged tablet that mounts in the car ...
I'm using a HP tablet too, at least for the topographical maps. I just have it propped up on a knapsack on the passenger seat when I'm driving. That doesn't work too well. What kind of mount do you use? |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Another
Another big advantage of the Garmn type unit is that it sits up on the dash within easy view without having to take your eye too far off the road.
I used to use DeLorme software and a GPS unit in my laptop, but having it on the seat next to me took my eyes way too far off the road for safety. In my opinion, the same is true to a lesser extent with the factory unit in the newer G's. It's too low in the dash. |
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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| RE: GPS
i use the garmin iq3600 for at least 3+ years now, which is a bit old now, but i still really like it. Warranttee service is really good, or should i say out of warranttee service is good since i've never paid for any. It has a little trouble in tall cities and heavily forested areas, but still gets the job done. It's a hand held "palm pilot" style device so i like that i can look up places directly out of my contacts. The screen is a little bigger than many dash mount systems, but still not that big. I'll likely be upgrading to the Ique M4 soon which has a much better antenae and is a little more navi based in so far as the user layout. Both come with all the features like points of interest. The M5 is nice but a little more business based but has user replaceable batteries but the same old antenae. |
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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| Re: GPS
I am currently running the Garmin 176C for both the truck and my boat. I will be upgrading to the Garmin GPSMAP 478 as soon as I can.
Edited by Braingears 5/12/2006 12:20 AM
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cball
Member
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Vehicle(s): '86 280GE
Posts: 44
| RE: GPS
I have a Garmin 276C ( pic that I really like but perhaps it would be more useful to ask a few questions: 1.) Budget? - The range is from $100 bucks for somthing that plugs into a pda or laptop to over a couple grand for the fancy VDO units or a large screen marine chartplotter that will work on land. 2.) Do you want to make off road tracks? - Most of the new generation car gps's (streetpilot, some magellans, ique...) do not have the ability to create a track (breadcrumb trail of where you went). It is understandable since if you are only using it on road and you can ask it where the gas station is, there is hardly any reason to have the device tell you how you managed to get there. - This feature is hugely useful if you are in the backcountry where the road information is sparse. After all it is really making a map of where you went. 3.) Assuming Yes to question 2.), how much memory does it have? - The more the better because if you have lots, you can just turn it on and forget about it until the end of the trip. One quirk of the Garmin units (maybe others) is that even if you can plug in a flash card, you don't really get to use that storage for your track logs directly. You can save a track to the flash card but they are compressed and the number of points in the track is reduced along with some information being thrown away (altitude).
4.) Do you want road routing? - Pretty much a given once you are over $750 or so and increasingly hard to find on cheaper units. - Really nice in general use but you do pay for it. There are probably lots more subtle questions but this give a good base to start from. Chris. |
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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| RE: GPS
The 176C & 276C (which came out after I purchased mine) have alot of GREAT features. I really like the fact that it is a full featured hand held GPS, and not just a car guidance system. This GPS works great when you are off road and looking for true destinations. The road warriors are worthless once you leave the road. Not very ideal for G-Wagon use  . The Garmin can mark and read locations anywhere. They have excellent built in maps. and are even waterproof... Take a look at their web site and look over the features there... |
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03-Gwagen
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Western Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s): CLK63 Black Series, 2018 G63, 2016 GLE300d
Posts: 888
| RE: GPS
If you own a PDA, TomTom Navigator 5 is fantastic.
Only costs $225.
On a recent 4k trip, I used both the oem G nav and TomTom.
G Nav was good, but the TomTom was more up to date with much more places of interest. For example, gas stations and restaurants.
Plus it is bluetooth and completely portable.
If you don't own a PDA, the TomTom Nav option might help justify the purchase of a pda
The PDA and the TomTom software would run under $600. That is cheaper than most stand alone units.
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Inkblotz
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Georgia
Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo
Posts: 3186
| Re: GPS
Thanks for all the feedback guys.
I will use it on and off road (thought around town to varios unknown locations will be my primary). Maybe I do not understand the technology well enough. Is the a CD/DVD based model and a purely GPS based model? If someone could clarify I would appreciate it. That may answer my Mac upgradability problem.
I have not limitied my budget but obviously less expensive is always better.
I don't need alot of bells and whistles like MP3 capabilities and Blutooth phone stuff
I do need it to talk to me giving me verbal turn commands.
Upgradability is an issue as I am on a Mac (since 87) if need to upgrade maps and what not. I do have Virtual PC so I could probably get around that issue.
Thanks for your help
Mark |
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