gps which one is best,second best

[midnightsadie]

going to get a new gps opnion on which are best, would be sitting on the dash.

[Bill_Satellite]

Kober wrote:
Can Google Maps be configured to warn of low bridges and other RV hazards like switchbacks and steep grades?

No. If you are hoping to make travel plans blindly, no matter what you use will eventually let you down. You should know your route ahead of time and use the GPS to warn you of upcoming turns and traffic issues ahead.

[Kober]

Can Google Maps be configured to warn of low bridges and other RV hazards like switchbacks and steep grades?

[IsssomSkive]

I also use Garmin 760, it does the job for me.

[djsamuel]

mikestock wrote:
I didn't necessarily use my GPS on my cell phone when I'm well aware of the route I will be taking.

My last trip through Knoxville, TN, I learned my lesson. I noticed that about 70% of the traffic exited the interstate, toward Maryville, just south of Knoxville. I didn't think much about it and kept going. The traffic came to a sudden halt and the trip through Knoxville took about 2-1/2 hours. There was a major accident during early rush hour and the traffic that had exited went through Maryville probably saved at least 1-1/2 hour. I now use the Google or Waze mapping, even when I know the route like the back of my hand.

This is an important point. The Garmin I use has traffic and it works very well. However, when I was using my old GPS I never thought about that!

[pnichols]

cleo43 wrote:

My phone even holds Aerial Imagery, Quad Sheet, Topo, Digital Atlas, and Open Street maps of most of North America ... and I can update these as often as I need, and any/all of these map types can be overlaid on top of each other if desired. These map databases use the internal GPS capability - so no cell tower access is required.

You miss his point about traffic jams in real time.

Right you are!

It would be extremely rare to encounter traffic jams in places where there isn't any cellular system service.

[cleo43]

My phone even holds Aerial Imagery, Quad Sheet, Topo, Digital Atlas, and Open Street maps of most of North America ... and I can update these as often as I need, and any/all of these map types can be overlaid on top of each other if desired. These map databases use the internal GPS capability - so no cell tower access is required.

You miss his point about traffic jams in real time.

[pnichols]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Not sure why folks keep talking about not using a cell phone as a GPS due to concerns over losing mapping with no cell service.
A) If you know you are headed for such an extremely remote area where you will not have service for hours, you can download the maps before you leave on the trip.
B) Google Maps downloads a good portion of your trip as soon as you begin the trip and continues to do so as you travel. The phone always has many many miles ahead of you already downloaded so loss of cell signal for a little while is of no concern. If you are traveling the Interstate highway system it's unlikely you would ever be without a signal for any longer than it takes to top the hill ahead.
C) Using the phone gives you the only truly LIVE traffic info even out in the middle of nowhere as the phone collects speed information along your route and can warn you of major traffic issues giving you time to find and alternate route, take a break or just live with it knowing how far ahead the back up ends.
Google can now also let you know where there are lane closures, speed traps and other user reported issues. None of this is available via a stand alone GPS unless you tie it to your cell phone and that pretty much kills the argument of GPS and loss of cellular.
Lastly, while any GPS can have incorrect mapping information, the MOST up-to-date maps are available on Google Maps and WAZE. They can be be updated in real time on short notice like years long construction projects. These never show up on a Garmin type device but keep you on track with phone apps.

Or ..... the next time you replace your mobile phone you can buy one with a large enough internal storage capacity so as to just-in-case hold vast area maps all the time. That can make it just like the dedicated navigator units that internally store - for instance - all of North America. Both my Garmin navigator unit and phone internally hold all of North America.

My phone even holds Aerial Imagery, Quad Sheet, Topo, Digital Atlas, and Open Street maps of most of North America ... and I can update these as often as I need, and any/all of these map types can be overlaid on top of each other if desired. These map databases use the internal GPS capability - so no cell tower access is required.

[Bill_Satellite]

^^^^^^^^^^^^X2^^^^^^^^^^^

[mikestock]

I didn't necessarily use my GPS on my cell phone when I'm well aware of the route I will be taking.

My last trip through Knoxville, TN, I learned my lesson. I noticed that about 70% of the traffic exited the interstate, toward Maryville, just south of Knoxville. I didn't think much about it and kept going. The traffic came to a sudden halt and the trip through Knoxville took about 2-1/2 hours. There was a major accident during early rush hour and the traffic that had exited went through Maryville probably saved at least 1-1/2 hour. I now use the Google or Waze mapping, even when I know the route like the back of my hand.

[Bill_Satellite]

Not sure why folks keep talking about not using a cell phone as a GPS due to concerns over losing mapping with no cell service.
A) If you know you are headed for such an extremely remote area where you will not have service for hours, you can download the maps before you leave on the trip.
B) Google Maps downloads a good portion of your trip as soon as you begin the trip and continues to do so as you travel. The phone always has many many miles ahead of you already downloaded so loss of cell signal for a little while is of no concern. If you are traveling the Interstate highway system it's unlikely you would ever be without a signal for any longer than it takes to top the hill ahead.
C) Using the phone gives you the only truly LIVE traffic info even out in the middle of nowhere as the phone collects speed information along your route and can warn you of major traffic issues giving you time to find and alternate route, take a break or just live with it knowing how far ahead the back up ends.
Google can now also let you know where there are lane closures, speed traps and other user reported issues. None of this is available via a stand alone GPS unless you tie it to your cell phone and that pretty much kills the argument of GPS and loss of cellular.
Lastly, while any GPS can have incorrect mapping information, the MOST up-to-date maps are available on Google Maps and WAZE. They can be be updated in real time on short notice like years long construction projects. These never show up on a Garmin type device but keep you on track with phone apps.

[mileshuff]

2oldman wrote:
My Garmin absolutely sucks. I have to baby-sit it every time I'm in a city because it will take me on roundabout routes that make no sense. In some cases this could be due to having a 4 year old map

Many Garmins include lifetime free map updates. My Garmin is 6 years old and I can still update it free. That said I have had nearly any GPS, or any map phone app give bad directions at times. I tend to know about where I am going. I never blindly follow a GPS route.

[mileshuff]

corvettekent wrote:
I can tell you that two years ago I bought a Garmin 770RV GPS and I'm not very happy with it.

I still like using my I Phone with the Waze app.

I use my phone in cities. Garmin when on the road. Too many areas lack cell signal on the road or in remote areas. Garmin keeps right on working.

[2oldman]

My Garmin absolutely sucks. I have to baby-sit it every time I'm in a city because it will take me on roundabout routes that make no sense. In some cases this could be due to having a 4 year old map, but generally it doesn't even know where streets are that were there 40 years ago. And it doesn't do much better with businesses. I'm wondering if the maps are 50 years old.

Google/Verizon does that only occasionally.

[pnichols]

My preference is for a stand-alone Garmin unit so that we don't have to be concerned with cellular coverage being available.

However my new mobile phone has huge storage capacity (250GB), so I can store entire map databases in it (i.e. all of North America) ... and not to ever have to access cellular tower provided data anywhere in the U.S. for RV navigation.

I have several apps in it that can operate entirely off this locally stored map data in conjunction with the phone's built-in GPS system ... just like a Garmin navigation unit does.

We also bring along a satellite device that can be linked to the phone (via Bluetooth) so we can send and receive text and ERS messages without cellular tower access ... in addition to hitting an SOS button on the device for emergency help/evacuation.