My wife and I just purchased our first Class A motorhome (2015 Holiday Rambler Vacationer) and we’re eager to hit the road. I’m wondering what opinions you more experienced drivers might have about GPS alternatives. Is a stand-alone unit a must-have or can we get by well enough with an iPhone plus apps?

I prefer using a cell phone--but there are times when there is no cell signal--in mountains etc.

Either one can work fine. Do remember that neither one is anywhere near an infallible master; don't feel you should slavishly follow the routing, and don't rely on any sort of a navigation device to always alert you of things like low overhead clearances or bridges with low weight limits.I generally use a Magellan standalone GPS, but that may more be simply because it's what I'm used to. Google maps, and I suspect other cell phone navigation systems, has a way of downloading map data so you don't need to be in cell signal range to use the navigation (or consume data, assuming you download via Wi-Fi).

Steve, Either will work, but you have to get a mount and car cord for the cell phone. Then, set it up to not blank the screen and remember to download the maps for the days travel. I never use our phones for that because their routing sucks if you are away from the blue roads and if you did not get the maps loaded, you can end up driving off the end of the world.... I have never seen an app that does bridge clearance, weight limits and propane restrictions. The dedicated RV GPSs can do this.It all depends on where you are planning to go.Matt

Stand alone, or more correctly a dash mounted portable works everywhere. A smart phone only works when you have cell service. A portable, at least the right models can be customized for your vehicle. A cell based cannot. For me its a no brainer.

Garmin is having a sale right now. You can buy a stand alone GPS for $60 and have coverage everywhere. No reason not to.

Stand-alone GPS or smartphone? | Good Sam Community

pianotuna
Nomad III
May 27, 2019
JaxDad,

What program are you using on the ipad for GPS?
JaxDad
Explorer III
May 27, 2019
Bumpyroad wrote:
cadcoke5 wrote:

The other benefit of a stand-alone GPS unit, is that you don't have to mount your phone to use it. Continuous display will quickly drain a phone's battery, so you also have to plug it in.

-Joe

yep, a good reason for a stand alone.
bumpy

I don’t use my smartphone, I use an iPad mini (8” screen) on a mount, no power issues (plugged in), zero data usage, I still have the use of my phone and I can seamlessly drop data from my iPhone to my iPad. It also Bluetooth tethers to either my headset or chassis stereo to give audio directions as needed.

It is also super easy to transfer entire routes from either my phone or laptop.

It’s much cheaper than a standalone unit too.
drsteve
Explorer
May 27, 2019
We use Google Maps on the Android. But as others have said, whether you go with a phone or a standalone GPS, do not throw away your road atlas. Also do not ever think the GPS is infallible. The Google Gal has guided us to some rather unusual places that we were not expecting.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 27, 2019
cadcoke5 wrote:

The other benefit of a stand-alone GPS unit, is that you don't have to mount your phone to use it. Continuous display will quickly drain a phone's battery, so you also have to plug it in.

-Joe

yep, a good reason for a stand alone.
bumpy
cadcoke5
Explorer
May 27, 2019
When I 1st purchaed a smart phone, perhaps 15 years ago, I justified the extra expense thinking that I can take the money I would spend on a larger screen GPS unit, and put it towards the smart phone. I never regretted it.

I can browse the web on my smart phone, and then select an address, and then paste the address into my mapping software. I use a program on my Android phone called, "CoPilot GPS". However, it has one major flaw. When I select an address from my contacts in the phone, the address opens in CoPilot as my beginning point, instead of my destination. So, then I have to go back a screen and start to plan a trip again, and then select "recent addresses" to get it to be my destination.

I suspect that most modern GPS units are able to get your contacts in some way. But, just the ability to copy-paste an address is still an advantage. Also, you have the option of using Google Maps, which has some nice features, such as getting to see a road-view picture of where you are going.

The other benefit of a stand-alone GPS unit, is that you don't have to mount your phone to use it. Continuous display will quickly drain a phone's battery, so you also have to plug it in.

-Joe
pianotuna
Nomad III
May 17, 2019
I had occasion to use google maps on my cell phone today.

It did something "new". It told me there was a red light camera at the next intersection.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 17, 2019
Some Stand Alone GPS (As well as smart phone aps and computer programs) are designed for Truckers so they won't send you under the famous 11' high overpass (with a used to be 12'6" high motor home) That said. I just use Google Maps with a back up brain.. Actually most back road routes I take very carefully. Cell or not. and freeways.. Not may 11' overpasses.

But I've used all 3 (Comptuer (Microsoft S&T) Google on my phone and Garmin.

All have advantages.

One thing I really like about the phone based Google maps

I point the browser to WTWW.US Listen Transmitter 2 (HTML5) and plug my dash radio into the phone (AUX IN) when Lola (The GPS) (Name picked from the movie RV) wants to tell me something she mutes WTWW long enough to deliver than turns WTWW back up.. Very nice. and good music. The Greatest hits of all times.. Ads you may find a bit strange though :) (I don't. I shop those vendors).
Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 17, 2019
pianotuna wrote:
I loved MS streets and trips--but I don't think it runs under win 10. Win 7 now has some vulnerabilities.

I use MS S&T 13 on win 10 (IIRC)
bumpy
Fizz
Explorer
May 17, 2019
I still use S&T.
It's the first app I go to when planning a trip. Every place we've been to is marked with different coloured pins with attached notes. I can tack on links to web sites etc.
I have 100's of POI notes on various saved maps.

It's not my only map source but it's still the most useful one. I started way back with paper maps and AAA TripTic.
pinesman
Explorer
May 17, 2019
When I upgraded my computer from Windows 8 to Windows 10, my Streets and Trips program still worked but the GPS puck will no longer connect and I never tried to replace it. That was not a good thing to find out the morning starting a 7500 mile cross country trip. I had the trip all mapped out on the computer and just assumed the gps puck would still work.