Auto GPS recommendations?

I picked up a Garmin Nuvi 350 last spring and have had good success. I paid a bit more for the small size and touch screen, I think there's a newer version out now.

Still need to refresh the unit to get updated maps, but it came preloaded for all Canada and US and all the POI's I care about. So much easier to find a Chevron gas station when on the road, for instance.

I'm going to take a guess now that it's more about form factors than memory size. How big or small does it need to be - do you want a big honkin' screen, or something small to fit in your pocket when you're parked? Voice prompts is very useful, I wouldn't do without them myself.

One unintended downside to a GPS I wasn't expecting is the "maximum speed" display - I keep resetting mine just in case there's an unpleasant roadside conversation. Although one time it got confused and reported 660 km/h (~400 mph - take that 348 bashers ). It's become confused 2-3 times this past year, and only for a few seconds each. I use it a lot now, and can recommend it.

The Nuvi has an MP3 player and picture viewer in it - but I don't really find these all that useful.

When I was looking, it appeared Magellan (sp?) was having some quality control problems, and TomTom seemed to be more low end. Touch screens with voice prompts in a small size were quite rare - no longer. Not sure what the market's like now.

 

Garmin Nuvi hands down. Spend the extra money and get the good one. You might regret buying anything else.

 

If you have a treo cell phone either the 650 or 700, there is a great little package from tom tom that you can purchase for between 200 to 300 dollars. The card you put into the phone is pre-loaded with maps of the US
(Canadian maps are on the CD).
It has most, if not all of the bells and toys you find on a factory installed auto gps, including POIs and interchangable voices. There are added features you can purchase for a small monthly fee (traffic, weather). There is even a feature for use while on walking tours, when you are not in the car.

 

You may want to try the Pioneer Avic N3 as well. I just upgraded the software in mine from an N1 to the N3 and it's one of the better GPS systems I've used to date. I had it installed onto my wife's car since it didn't have one. She absolutely loves it. Price for the system and installation ran me about $1600.

 

I believe that your car has a Becker radio in it from the factory. If you want to keep the stock appearance and not have a GPS unit suctioned to your windshield, there is a Becker/Harman Kardon nav system called the Traffic Pro that you can install into the car for a stock look. I have it in my Mercedes and although the system is a couple of years old, the maps are decent, probably not as good as the Garmin units but on my last trip to VIR, acting as a One Lap of America support vehicle, the nav unit knew where we were at all times, even through the mountains. Attached to this reply is a pic of the Traffic Pro version 1, which I have. There is a version 2 which is supposed to me quite a bit more updated, etc....

The nav system gives you on screen directions (albeit somewhat cryptic) but does also talk to you and will automatically lower the radio or CD volume before it speaks the next direction to you. I have been more than pleased with it and for as little as I need a nav system, it's been more than adequate. Although I do recall that sometimes in big city downtown areas it does get confused and will send you off in a bunch of directions, so you do still need to be attentive towards road signs, etc...I think it goofed up on us when we were in Detroit last year for the auto show.

Do a Google search on either Becker Traffic Pro or Harman/Kardon Traffic Pro and you should find sources to purchase one through. Becker bought H/K so it will most likely be branded H/K at least in this country. Probably in Europe it is branded a Becker.

Cheers,
Aaron
'82 GTSi
'83 400iA
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