EddieS'04
In Memoriam 1950-2022
Let me know what you think. Never owned one. Dont know what to look for.
Thanks
Thanks
Any thoughts on this gps
- Thread starter EddieS'04
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Eddie,
That's the same model I bought about 6-8 months ago. I paid a little more (about $79), but mine came with "Maps for Life". TomTom does map updates about every quarter and all I need to do is connect the GPS unit to my computer and download the new map updates. It's well worth it to look for a TomTom GPS with the "Maps for Life" since individual updates will cost you about $60+ each or you can pay for $9.99 for quarterly updates.
TomTom also has frequently added new features that they will update your GPS. One feature was the Speed Limit warning if you exceed the speed limit by more than 3 MPH... and they can warn you when you are approaching a traffic light with a camera.
You can also subscribe to a traffic service that will see traffic jams ahead and reroute you to your destination to avoid the traffic jam. Since I live in Waco, I don't subscribe, but anyone who lives or travels around a large city like Dallas, Austin, or Houston would probably benefit from this feature.
I have 3 TomTom's ...the oldest is about 5 years old now, and they all work fine. and have never failed...one was purchased as "Refurbished" at about half the original cost. If you buy a Refurbished unit, be aware that TomTom restores the units back to their original software and maps...so most will require a map update and that offsets the savings..unless you can get a refurbished unit with the "Maps for Life". New units will typically have a key code for you to down load a free new map update within 30 days of purchase.
If you have anymore questions, drop me a line here or at my email address in my profile.
...Rich
That's the same model I bought about 6-8 months ago. I paid a little more (about $79), but mine came with "Maps for Life". TomTom does map updates about every quarter and all I need to do is connect the GPS unit to my computer and download the new map updates. It's well worth it to look for a TomTom GPS with the "Maps for Life" since individual updates will cost you about $60+ each or you can pay for $9.99 for quarterly updates.
TomTom also has frequently added new features that they will update your GPS. One feature was the Speed Limit warning if you exceed the speed limit by more than 3 MPH... and they can warn you when you are approaching a traffic light with a camera.
You can also subscribe to a traffic service that will see traffic jams ahead and reroute you to your destination to avoid the traffic jam. Since I live in Waco, I don't subscribe, but anyone who lives or travels around a large city like Dallas, Austin, or Houston would probably benefit from this feature.
I have 3 TomTom's ...the oldest is about 5 years old now, and they all work fine. and have never failed...one was purchased as "Refurbished" at about half the original cost. If you buy a Refurbished unit, be aware that TomTom restores the units back to their original software and maps...so most will require a map update and that offsets the savings..unless you can get a refurbished unit with the "Maps for Life". New units will typically have a key code for you to down load a free new map update within 30 days of purchase.
If you have anymore questions, drop me a line here or at my email address in my profile.
...Rich
EddieS'04
In Memoriam 1950-2022
Thanks Rich. Looks like I need to dig deeper into this. From what you paid, appears this refurbished is not such a deal...
Andy Chase
Well-Known Member
I had a Tom Tom that eventually froze on me and would only get to the loading screen. Before I could bring it in it got stolen out of my wifes car (She left it unlocked). We bought a Magellan, but I didn't trust it it kept telling me to make a left turn where I couldnt' turn left near my house so I didn't know where else that would happen. We returned it to Sears and we bought a Garmin Nuvi with Lifetime Maps and traffice for $129.99.
We wanted to spend a little more to get the lifetime maps updates, If I rember right, their around $50 for each map update on a unit without the updates. So keep that in mind if you will want to update the maps every once in a while.
We wanted to spend a little more to get the lifetime maps updates, If I rember right, their around $50 for each map update on a unit without the updates. So keep that in mind if you will want to update the maps every once in a while.
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We bought a Magellan and we like it except it does tell us sometimes to do a "legal U-turn"...LOL! Usually when we go where we want to go and it is recalculating.
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Thomas Rogers
Well-Known Member
As far as value (which is a function of two major variables: cost and function) I personally rate Garmin ahead of Magellan, and Magellan ahead of TomTom when it comes to GPS.
But, that's just me. However, Garmin, then Magellan and TomTom last seems to be the preferred ratings I hear from others time and time again...
TJR
But, that's just me. However, Garmin, then Magellan and TomTom last seems to be the preferred ratings I hear from others time and time again...
TJR
TJR,
i have had all three brands of GPS and thought the Magellan was the worst of the bunch. I also had a Garmin iQue3600 which was a GPS build into an Palm Pilot PDA. Great GPS, great maps, very accurate, but the map updates were expensive and the device occasionally acted weird and would occassionaly show me somewhere else then my current location? I used to have reboot the GPS and let it find my location which often took several minutes...:angry:
For the money, I think TomTom gives you the most bang for your buck with the widest selection of GPS units to fit in everyone's price range. In fact I think Garmin and Magellan have started to make more economical GPS units to compete with TomTom.
A few years ago there was a comparison done on one of the TV news morning shows that had three drivers with three different GPS unit all depart the same NY city location and follow their GPS instructions to their destination across town. Each GPS gave a different route and yet all three drivers arrived at the same location within 1 minute of each other.
They that all three units would get you to your destination but the user preferences were often the key factor as to how you were routed, either the shortest route, the fastest route, etc, toll roads, freeways, etc... Often, the user's preferences made very little difference except on longer trips.
The bad part about my Garmin was that you had to send it to the factory if the battery went bad and there was a flat fee of $75 to change the battery??? Now you can buy a whole new GPS for what they want for just the battery replacement...:angry:
Also, in the past, Garmin and Magellan had much better mapping software than the early TomTom's, but then newer TomTom's have caught up and I think there are only two companies that provide mapping software for GPS and they are all about the same and the screen presentation is the only factor that differs between the brands.:grin:
I just added a few GPS units with prices from TigerDirect.com Some are new and some refurbished One is a link to a similar unit that you posted but it is new, with lifetime maps for only $99.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6498324&Sku=T529-0132
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=2372&name=GPS-Navigation
...Rich
i have had all three brands of GPS and thought the Magellan was the worst of the bunch. I also had a Garmin iQue3600 which was a GPS build into an Palm Pilot PDA. Great GPS, great maps, very accurate, but the map updates were expensive and the device occasionally acted weird and would occassionaly show me somewhere else then my current location? I used to have reboot the GPS and let it find my location which often took several minutes...:angry:
For the money, I think TomTom gives you the most bang for your buck with the widest selection of GPS units to fit in everyone's price range. In fact I think Garmin and Magellan have started to make more economical GPS units to compete with TomTom.
A few years ago there was a comparison done on one of the TV news morning shows that had three drivers with three different GPS unit all depart the same NY city location and follow their GPS instructions to their destination across town. Each GPS gave a different route and yet all three drivers arrived at the same location within 1 minute of each other.
They that all three units would get you to your destination but the user preferences were often the key factor as to how you were routed, either the shortest route, the fastest route, etc, toll roads, freeways, etc... Often, the user's preferences made very little difference except on longer trips.
The bad part about my Garmin was that you had to send it to the factory if the battery went bad and there was a flat fee of $75 to change the battery??? Now you can buy a whole new GPS for what they want for just the battery replacement...:angry:
Also, in the past, Garmin and Magellan had much better mapping software than the early TomTom's, but then newer TomTom's have caught up and I think there are only two companies that provide mapping software for GPS and they are all about the same and the screen presentation is the only factor that differs between the brands.:grin:
I just added a few GPS units with prices from TigerDirect.com Some are new and some refurbished One is a link to a similar unit that you posted but it is new, with lifetime maps for only $99.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6498324&Sku=T529-0132
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=2372&name=GPS-Navigation
...Rich
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gyates
Active Member
I have a Garmin Nuvi. Very pleased with it. I did a pay extra for lifetime map updates. So far the only mistake in directions it has given me was in Myrtle Beach, SC, where it kept wanting me to turn into the Atlantic Ocean via a vacant lot instead of the beach house we were staying in. lol!!
