RV GPS

For previous posts try searching this Forum for `1605M'.

Dick_B wrote:
For previous posts try searching this Forum for `1605M'.

Yes, there are plenty of them and it's an easy search.

2oldman wrote:

Dick_B wrote:
For previous posts try searching this Forum for `1605M'.

Yes, there are plenty of them and it's an easy search.

With the latest one with any info 9 months old. :)

I tried to get info about it also but finally gave up. There must not be many of them out there or they work so well the people are not on here complaining about them on an almost daily basis like the RM or GS units.

Your best bet would be reviews on Amazon if that gps is for sale there.

Ron3rd wrote:
Your best bet would be reviews on Amazon if that gps is for sale there.

I looked at that but their reviews are tied to that 1600 series and not the RV specific unit.
There was one guy on here that said he liked his. Otherwise I found nothing.TomTom sure did a poor marketing job with it. :)
I found that the RV specific units seem to be more hype than real world need. Blindly following, even the most expensive RV specific GPS, will eventually get you into a situation you don't want to be in.

I have a 1605 TM RV unit and it's no better than the GO 720. As a matter of fact the 720 has some features that have been stripped out of the 1605. One flaw in my 1605 is it will not retain a programmed destination overnight if turned off. The RV routing doesn't seem to be any different than the car routing and I have not had occasion to test the RV low clearance setting. Also TOMTOM doesn't tell you that when you go to update the map version it will not fit in the 1605 memory without purchasing a micro SD card to increase the memory size.

I'm shopping for a new RV GPS. The bells and whistle are great, but my main concern is accurate routing. What GPS, are you happy with and would buy again.

Thanks
Lillyputz

Whenever you get a new GPS, I strongly recommend picking a route of 30-40 miles that you know well.

Drive the route with the GPS set for various options. LEARN what it will and will not do, how the various options/ settings work and how they impact the routing.

Low clearance avoidance only works if the highway department data is current and correct. The GPS companies do not compile their own data, they work from data made publicly available by the various state highway departments.

One fault I've found with all brands of GPS about low clearance is there is no consideration of the approach road.

i.e. I know of some low railroad underpass which are marked at 12'6" in my area. However because the height is marked as the height at center of the underpass, and the road dips to get that clearance, a trailer 11'7" tall with TV rear axles and trailer axles 22' apart will hit the bottom of the underpass.

The I-5 bridge in Washington which was knocked down a couple years ago was because the load had clearance until the TV went off the bridge and the road dropped a couple feet. That raised the rear of the load almost 18 inches higher, taking out several bridge supports.

Always remember a GPS is advisory, not ever to be taken as totally accurate. (And I have my rig specs in my RV GPS set to 14" taller than my TT really is.)