GPS unit for automobile

[BigXIIHorns]

I am looking to get a GPS unit for my car. I think I like the Garmin Street Pilot 2620. Does anyone have experiance with either this unit or some other model? Any recomendations? Anything to avoid? Will this just end up being some toy or will I actually use it frequently?
Thanks for the help.

 

[X-Ray_Horn]

My new truck didn't have the OEM nav system, so I bought a TomTom GO about 3 weeks ago, and it works well.

Got it for a little over $600 shipped from Shipdog.com. I'll be getting $50 back in a rebate in a few weeks.

It looks like a mini-TV set, is operated by a touch screen and is attached by a suction-cup mount on my windshield.

Quite frankly, I'm not using it as much as I did the first week, because I usually know where I'm going (and I'm getting a bit tired of taking it off the mount and hiding it when I park), but it did allow me to enter the address of last week's Super Bowl party, and TomTom got me there perfectly. I'm also frequently amazed by how smart it is... it's a WAAS unit, so if it says you're somehwere, you're probably there... within 10 feet.

It has a lithuim ion battery with a 5 hour life, so I've never used the cigarette lighter power adaptor. I just recharge it most nights, treating it like my cell phone.

In March, Garmin is coming out with a new unit that looks almost exactly like the TomTom... whether that's in response to the success of the TomTom, I don't know. I considered the new Garmin, but didn't want to wait (especially after reading the positive reviews of the GO at places like cnet).

I got the base TomTom GO, not the "Plus". That means I did not get the pre-loaded SD card, and I can't tell you how happy I am that I didn't get the more expensive version: when I first got it, I loaded the "Texas/Oklahoma/Lousiana" maps and then when I started to search for addresses, I had to choose from cities not only in Texas, but in freakin' Oklahoma and Lousiana!

I quickly dumped the larger file and loaded only the Texas maps and the national highway system. If I ever travel out of state, I'll load that map... TomTom gives you 8 CDs with all the US maps.

I think that's the same difference between the Garmin 2620 and 2610: if you're willing to dump the files from the provided CDs onto your card, you'll save $200.

The biggest drawback is the TomTom LCD screen: it's hard to see in daylight, no matter how much you turn the screen. But you can see enough to make out the maps, arrows and instructions. I put a screen protector on it, but that didn't do anything for the glare. Plus, you have the audio prompts, so it gets me where I need to go.

I really like the "3D" option... Google TomTom Go, and you'll find out more.

 

[Lat22]

I've got the 2620 and love everything about it.

 

[zzzz]

TomTom in a Palm Zire 72, find a $15 Buy.com New Customer Coupon and it'll only cost you $322.
The Link

 

[Staley]

magellan roadmate


Coldn't have made the rose bowl trip without it.