Forum Discussion

ol__grouch's avatar
ol__grouch
Explorer
May 24, 2014

GPS replacement

I finally got a chance to hit the road in my B. I'm quite happy but I may keep an eye out for one that fits my physical size a little better. The shower isuseless for anyone over 4 feet tall (I'm 6 foot) and the bed was about 6 inches too short to fit me. I'm not in any hurry, just something to think about down the road.

I do know I need a better GPS system than my cheapie Tom Tom. It kept trying to send me down low overhead roads. It's several years old anyway so a new one is in order. Anybody got any suggestions?

By the way, I love my Hero3 camera. I had it mounted on the widnshield and had it running when a driver from a truck repair company decided to hold up that olde pharte in the motorhome. He cut me off and due to the weight of my unit, I nearly plowed into him. He then proceeded to hold me up for 3 miles before changing lanes and driving off. When I reviewed the video footage, I got the web address off his truck and sent a copy of the video to his company. Plate number, unit number and all the other information was quite clear.
Class B
  • 1775's avatar
    1775
    Explorer
    May 24, 2014
    If you have a smartphone - doesn't matter what type - try the Copilot GPS app. It has an RV mode - set to 12ft 6in or 13 ft (even with a lower height Class B this is better than nothing) and also propane tunnel avoidance routing. The free version is full featured for 14 days and then limited but still usable. The Premium US version is on sale until Monday for $7.99 (usually $10) and has every feature a regular GPS has plus the RV mode - unlimited maps, free traffic for one year and then $10 per year. It loads the maps into phone memory so no data connection is needed for routing or traveling. Traffic alerts do require data but Rand McNally RV GPS for $400 needs data for traffic also. You won't be put on any low over pass routes any more and that is the best part. Try it for free and buy it if you like it.

    Great catching that truck on video!
  • ol__grouch's avatar
    ol__grouch
    Explorer
    May 24, 2014
    I don't have a smart phone and see no need for one. I got away fromm multifunction items years ago. One part fails and you have to replace everything. My flip phone works just fine. I can talk to people with no trouble so what do I need anything else for. The height problems with it would countermand it anyway. Although I wasn't aware that there are tunnels restricting propane sources. I'll have to look into that.

    I'll look at Garmin and see what their offerings are like.
  • bob_nestor's avatar
    bob_nestor
    Explorer III
    May 24, 2014
    ol' grouch wrote:
    I don't have a smart phone and see no need for one. I got away fromm multifunction items years ago. One part fails and you have to replace everything. My flip phone works just fine. I can talk to people with no trouble so what do I need anything else for. The height problems with it would countermand it anyway. Although I wasn't aware that there are tunnels restricting propane sources. I'll have to look into that.

    I'll look at Garmin and see what their offerings are like.


    If you're looking at an in-dash unit the only thing I could find was Kenwood. I gave up on the crappy TomTom in-dash unit on my RV and replaced it with a Kenwood/Garmin DNX571HD. I'm pretty happy with it.
  • 1775's avatar
    1775
    Explorer
    May 25, 2014
    If you don't have a smartphone or want one then take a look at the Garmin RV GPS or the Garmin Dezl truck GPS with RV mode. Both will route you avoiding roads you cannot travel on. The 7" screen is $400. There is also 5" screen models for $300. No non-RV specific GPS - the usual car models - will avoid low overpass routes. They will take you right into them just like your Tom Tom does now. All of the RV specific GPS units are priced around the same.
  • ol__grouch's avatar
    ol__grouch
    Explorer
    May 25, 2014
    1775 wrote:
    If you don't have a smartphone or want one then take a look at the Garmin RV GPS or the Garmin Dezl truck GPS with RV mode. Both will route you avoiding roads you cannot travel on. The 7" screen is $400. There is also 5" screen models for $300. No non-RV specific GPS - the usual car models - will avoid low overpass routes. They will take you right into them just like your Tom Tom does now. All of the RV specific GPS units are priced around the same.



    Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know. Since I switch between vehicles often, I'll get a stick on unit to the windshield instead of built in. I work in logistics so I'll see what our fleet had available (when we had one) and maybe get a discount on something. (I'm not cheap, I'm thrifty.) The 5 inch screen will be just fine as I listen to the directions rather than watch the screen. Counting the tractor when I was a kid, I've been driving for 50+ years and am just not good enough to drive without watching the road.
  • SkiMore's avatar
    SkiMore
    Explorer
    May 25, 2014
    You can buy a 7" android tablet with GPS pretty cheap. The copilot app would run on it. Just make sure the tablet has GPS (some don't).

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