Best GPS for a motorhome

[dmctlc]

Looking for inputs on what the best GPS for a motorhome would be good to have? I've looked at the Garmin RV660LMT which is highly rated and I think it has endless map up dates which is nice. But it only has a 6 inch screen and being old I'd like a little larger screen for my wife and I. Anyone with experience with some of the newer ones out there today?
Thxs to all.

[RVER]

The $50 GPS is up and running and doing fine really. IT was I and not the GPS. The format is different from what I was used to but for $50 it rocks. LOTS to it. I still have not tested it for low overpasses when you say you are in a Bus or Truck. I will and report back. $50 is incredible.

[cross21114]

I have an old Garmin 478. This unit is a marine/road unit. It's a back up in my boat. I love it and will never replace it. Hope it lasts forever.

[msmith1199]

Matt_Colie wrote:
I will not tell you what to buy as what I like most has been discontinued and there will be no replacement - ever.

I will tell you not to try to use anything web-dependent. Maybe (note maybe), if you never stray far from the interstates, you can get by. I won't try again. We tried one well published one as a replacement. I though that 3 & 4G coverage would be good enough that it would not matter.

Well, three different times in three different states we ended up having to go back to doing Lat/Long on the road atlas that we still carry. (And it is a good thing we did have it.)

Even if you print maps based on web-based data, they are only good as long as you can stay on the printed route for the entire excursion. In our case, that just can't happen, we are too adventurous for that.

If you try to go with web-based at all, carry a printer (we do) and plan on 2~3 hours each evening planing and plotting for the next day. And you have to do this every evening and sometimes at the mid-day break.

Matt

You know there are web based apps for your phones and tablets where you can down the maps you need? Then even if you don't have phone coverage your GPS still works.

[msmith1199]

I pulled out my old cassette/CD player/AM-FM radio and installed a new JVC stereo with Apple Car Play. Just plug in the iPhone and the navigation app from the phone appears on the display. And the radio was in the perfect place for viewing the GPS without having to put something on top of the dash or in front of other instruments. And I get iHeart radio so I can listen to my favorite hometown radio station regardless of where I travel.

[Jim]

@RVER

Hmm. Well, I know what you're talking about, and I solved that a while back and no longer recall the details exactly. There are some things I haven't figured out how to do either so we're in the same boat. I did use it for 440 miles between Beatty, NV and So. Lake Tahoe and it did fairly well, except I haven't figured out how to get it to give up on a route that it likes and take a different one. Soon though.

Anyway, onto your issue...somehow, find your way to the 'Navigation Menu'. Tap 'Destination'. Then tap, 'History'. Then tap the little trash can to delete that address it's going to.

Alternately, you can tap 'Route Options' and then tap 'Cancel route'. That should do it. That's how I usually do it.

But in general, everything you need to do can be adjusted from that first 'Navigation Menu' page. Then the nuts and bolts of the device are on the bottom of that page. The Erlenmeyer flask icon and the crossed screwdriver and wrench icon let you set up things to your liking.

Find that menu, and you'll be an expert in no time.

I do like the large colorful screen and the way they present upcoming turns, show the road I'm on, label POIs etc. I still think it was worth the $50 I spent for it.

[RVER]

JIM@HITEC I bought one of the $50 GPS BUT I put in an address to test it out and it found it VERY fast which is great. MY problem is that now when I tap Navigation, it wants to go to the address I put in to test it. I cannot figure out how to get that out and to put in a new address. I am at a total loss, I have tried everything I can think of so question is how do you delete the last address you did and ask it for a new address to go to. Confused and annoyed at this point. The booklet it came with is totally useless for this problem. I am sure it is something I am just missing.

[Triker33]

Mondooker wrote:
CoPilot is pretty hard to beat. You can buy the RV version for $45 bucks and I've not seen it drive me off a cliff or into one yet. And it has off line maps so it doesn't use your bandwidth to display your travel needs. If you purchase their just on time traffic updates it just sips at your bandwidth!

My CoPilot with RV version on my iPad Air and iPhone was less then $15.
I can use them both on the same $$ license. 😉

[JaxDad]

Mondooker wrote:
Hey VoodooMedicineMan,

The problem with Waze is they track your location even when you're not using it as a GPS. That's a non starter for me!

That's easily turned off in the settings.

[Jim]

FYI for Garmin users.

There is an open source mapping project where you can get free updated maps of any part of the world for any Garmin. For Windows systems and others. You just download the selected maps, burn them to an SD, and insert it into your Garmin. I use Linux and have to admit it was a bit complicated to get the maps downloaded and into my old time Garmin Nuvi 360NA with its 3.5" screen but I was able to upgrade the US and add Mexico maps.

Here's the link: Free worldwide Garmin maps...

[Mondooker]

Hey VoodooMedicineMan,

The problem with Waze is they track your location even when you're not using it as a GPS. That's a non starter for me!

[rgatijnet1]

I'm not sure that this applies to all manufacturers but with Garmin, I found out that THEY determine when your "Lifetime" updates will expire. I had two Garmin units that were working fine. When I went to update them, the website said that they no longer will support that particular device and that new updates were not available. I was given the opportunity to exchange my two older units for two smaller, units that sold for a lot less than the two that I had that were now becoming obsolete. Garmin also offered a 20% discount on any other unit that I wanted to purchase, which basically dropped their price down to what I could buy the same unit at a big box store.
Basically, all manufacturers update their products on a regular basis and the older units become obsolete and are no longer in production. When this happens, you may find that altho your GPS unit is working fine but that you can no longer get updates, even with your LIFETIME updates. Read the fine print on your LIFETIME agreement and you will see what I mean.
Basically you may want to purchase the most recent GPS product instead of a discounted GPS that may be near the end of it's production run.
On the Garmin products, the LIFETIME of your GPS is defined as follows:
The Garmin Lifetime program allows you to receive up to four updates per year during the useful life of that GPS product, or as long as Garmin receives map data from it's current third party supplier, whichever is SHORTER.

[bluwtr49]

Mondooker wrote:
CoPilot is pretty hard to beat. You can buy the RV version for $45 bucks and I've not seen it drive me off a cliff or into one yet. And it has off line maps so it doesn't use your bandwidth to display your travel needs. If you purchase their just on time traffic updates it just sips at your bandwidth!

I'm still finding the CoPilot interface it be real clunky compared to a Garmin but yesterday I downloaded Tom Tom Go Mobile and am giving it a go. So Far, it's much smoother than the CoPilot and easier to use. If I like it, I'll spring for the upgrade.

No charge to download it and give it a try. While I do like the 10" screen on the tablet a 7" Garmin that is easy to use is still on the table.

[RVER]

WE have Garmin 760 RV and like it a lot!!! Sometimes any GPS I have owned sends me around when I could have gone straight through but it gets me where I am going. We have two RVs, one big fifth wheel and truck and the other is a 36 ft Newmar Mountain Aire and is about 13 ft tall
I just bought the $50 GPS to see what that is like and so I do not have to remember the GPS and will leave one in my truck and the other in the Motor Home.

[Mondooker]

CoPilot is pretty hard to beat. You can buy the RV version for $45 bucks and I've not seen it drive me off a cliff or into one yet. And it has off line maps so it doesn't use your bandwidth to display your travel needs. If you purchase their just on time traffic updates it just sips at your bandwidth!