Garmin V Rand McNally
I know I am treading on thin ice here as I am playing with favorites (like Ford V Chevy, Diesel V Gas, Garmin V Rand McNally). However, these are my thoughts on the new Garmin 770 RV GPS unit.
I have had two Rand McNally GPS units over the last several years. They seem to break around the 2 - 2.5 year mark and for this reason I chose to replace my latest broken GPS with the Garmin 770.
I used it on a trip last week. We went to Pine Island Fl (just in time for Alberto to hit!). The GPS worked flawlessly getting me there (including the weather picture!).
The issues I had with it however will cause me to return the unit and get another Rand McNally.
1. The unit will not stay on the dash. It has a suction device with lever that should keep the unit upright, but my GPS fell about 10-12 times. Garmin suggests sticking to windshield but my window is about 2 feet away from me making it hard to see and touch.
2. Doesn't come with a plug in the wall cord/adaptor so charging is done via cigarette lighter.
3. Requires my smart phone to be connected for weather and traffic. When I am not using my GPS - phone still has an active blue tooth link - burning my battery in the phone.
4. The manual is in the GPS and is limited as to what it has in it. I still do not know how to find RV campgrounds on my route.
5. It advertises "live Link" which is an app that allows friends to follow you. Never got it to work. I just keep getting the blue ring of death icon.
6. Very difficult to get the local time. It's there just buried in several panels back.
7. Does not present which lane to get in when coming to a major interstate intersection. This is a big deal when driving in a new city with traffic. A voice comes up and says -once - get in one of the left three lanes.
The Rand McNally is just more driver friendly. It has a second screen that has most of the metrics a driver would want and it fairly straight forward in getting to them.
The weather app on the Garmin is nicer (gives wind). The Rand McNally has a god awful touch screen system as sometimes you have to push a letter 2 or 3 times to get it to take.
Overall - for me - I will take the Rand McNally RV GPS unit over the GArmin.
I have had two Rand McNally GPS units over the last several years. They seem to break around the 2 - 2.5 year mark and for this reason I chose to replace my latest broken GPS with the Garmin 770.
I used it on a trip last week. We went to Pine Island Fl (just in time for Alberto to hit!). The GPS worked flawlessly getting me there (including the weather picture!).
The issues I had with it however will cause me to return the unit and get another Rand McNally.
1. The unit will not stay on the dash. It has a suction device with lever that should keep the unit upright, but my GPS fell about 10-12 times. Garmin suggests sticking to windshield but my window is about 2 feet away from me making it hard to see and touch.
2. Doesn't come with a plug in the wall cord/adaptor so charging is done via cigarette lighter.
3. Requires my smart phone to be connected for weather and traffic. When I am not using my GPS - phone still has an active blue tooth link - burning my battery in the phone.
4. The manual is in the GPS and is limited as to what it has in it. I still do not know how to find RV campgrounds on my route.
5. It advertises "live Link" which is an app that allows friends to follow you. Never got it to work. I just keep getting the blue ring of death icon.
6. Very difficult to get the local time. It's there just buried in several panels back.
7. Does not present which lane to get in when coming to a major interstate intersection. This is a big deal when driving in a new city with traffic. A voice comes up and says -once - get in one of the left three lanes.
The Rand McNally is just more driver friendly. It has a second screen that has most of the metrics a driver would want and it fairly straight forward in getting to them.
The weather app on the Garmin is nicer (gives wind). The Rand McNally has a god awful touch screen system as sometimes you have to push a letter 2 or 3 times to get it to take.
Overall - for me - I will take the Rand McNally RV GPS unit over the GArmin.
