GPS

[wannabervin]

I'm planning on buying an RV-oriented GPS. I currently have a standard Garmin and am happy with it, but it doesn't provide low clearance warnings etc. like an RV gps. What brand is best? I tow a travel trailer.

[bob_nestor]

Gjac wrote:
From what I have read the downloaded POI's for bridges for example only warn you before you get to the bridge they will not route you around the low bridge like the Garmin 760( pick a route without the low bridge). Is this your experience?

That is correct. The POI mechanism supplied by Garmin allows you to set warnings on an upcoming POI (like a speed zone), but there is no way to use them as avoidances. At least that's the case with all the Garmin's that I own.

The Garmin I use in my RV is an in-dash Kenwood radio that comes with the maps for North America. (I replaced the crappy TomTom that the RV came with.) The Kenwood does have the ability to load POIs so I've extended it with campgrounds, dump stations, and other things of interest to me. The one thing I was initially disappointed with is the maps are only updated once a year by Kenwood, not four times a year like Garmin does and Garmin updates won't work. However I've found a way to install Garmin maps and user customized maps using the Garmin utilities. Customized maps would be useful for things like offroading when I put the same unit in my Jeep Wrangler.

The only remaining drawback of the Kenwood/Garmin is that it does not appear to be supported by the Garmin Road Trip Planner application, at least I haven't gotten it to work yet.

[pnichols]

I pay a small annual fee for my Garmin's professional low bridge POI files. I get updates continuously throughout the year as new bridges are added. I can set the bridge height that I want to be warned about.

The file warns ahead of time (by my setting in the Garmin of how many miles ahead of pre-warnings) when a low bridge appears in our RV route. I would have to manually press the detour function icon for another route around the bridge - it's not automatic ... but then again my Garmin is not the model marketed specifically as being for RVs.

I wonder if the Garmin RV model includes the fully detailed U.S. and Canadian database so it can be used for boondock camping to - like we use ours for on occasion?

[Gjac]

pnichols wrote:
My standard Garmin is no longer standard because I have maybe over 800,000 POI's in it over and above what Garmin supplies. This includes POIs such as thousands of bridge clearances (with active warnings), commercial campgrounds, free public camping areas on public lands, and just about every body of water in the U.S. whether they have water in them full time or only part time from winter rains.

I keep both it's Garmin-supplied and POI databases current. We travel all over with it - across the U.S. and into obscure off-highway boondocking areas. A standard Garmin (with enough memory) can be made way more powerful than how it's deliverd, but it takes some effort.

From what I have read the downloaded POI's for bridges for example only warn you before you get to the bridge they will not route you around the low bridge like the Garmin 760( pick a route without the low bridge). Is this your experience?

[bob_nestor]

e.menoche wrote:
I'm planning on buying an RV-oriented GPS. I currently have a standard Garmin and am happy with it, but it doesn't provide low clearance warnings etc. like an RV gps. What brand is best? I tow a travel trailer.

Discovery Owners web site has a very extensive list of Points Of Interest related to RVing that can be downloaded into most GPS units. They have a couple of file sets for low clearance. You can use them to set up warnings in just about any Garmin GPS. Getting it to create routes around these sites is a totally different issue though.

Discover Owners POI files

[pnichols]

My standard Garmin is no longer standard because I have maybe over 800,000 POI's in it over and above what Garmin supplies. This includes POIs such as thousands of bridge clearances (with active warnings), commercial campgrounds, free public camping areas on public lands, and just about every body of water in the U.S. whether they have water in them full time or only part time from winter rains.

I keep both it's Garmin-supplied and POI databases current. We travel all over with it - across the U.S. and into obscure off-highway boondocking areas. A standard Garmin (with enough memory) can be made way more powerful than how it's deliverd, but it takes some effort.

[denverhank]

MTPockets1 wrote:
We had the Rand McNally, functions were OK but unit quality was horrible. Locking up, screen brightness, short battery life, and after the 2nd unit (camping world replaced first unit) Rand phone service was terrible... We now have the Garmin RV760, great unit, quality, and American made with American service. As far as the RV features vs driving without the trailer, simply switch it to car mode and it will ignore the RV settings. I recommend the Garmin .

I recommend the Garmin too. However, it is made in Taiwan which doesn't quite qualify as American built 🙂

[ncrowley]

I have the Garmin RV Model and I recommend it. I love the bog screen. You put in your RV's weight and height. However, no matter what GPS I get, I never rely on it alone. I always plan the trip out and check before I go fro clearance and weight issues. I then put the route in the Garmin and it makes the trip easier. I have used it to find RV parks and it has a pretty thorough list.

[wannabervin]

The variety of opinions on the same or similar device is amazing! One person says it's the greatest thing and the next says it's the worst. Found a similar situation on internet reviews. Oh well…guess I'll just roll the dice.

[Oakman]

I have the Rand McNally RV GPS and it is the worst GPS I've ever owned. Go with the Garmin.

[MichiganTravele]

We have the Good Sam Rand McNally GPS and I am happy with it. You should check it out.

[MTPockets1]

We had the Rand McNally, functions were OK but unit quality was horrible. Locking up, screen brightness, short battery life, and after the 2nd unit (camping world replaced first unit) Rand phone service was terrible... We now have the Garmin RV760, great unit, quality, and American made with American service. As far as the RV features vs driving without the trailer, simply switch it to car mode and it will ignore the RV settings. I recommend the Garmin .

[JW_of_Opechee_S]

We have the Rand McNally and really like it. The only drawback that I found was that it notified a little too late on low clearance. Don't think there are any travel trailers that will have clearance problems. In the end, you are responsible for knowing your height.

[PenMan]

The Garmin works fine as long as you stay on highways. If you leave the highway for city streets it always tells me it does not know about RV accessibility. I live 1/2 mile from I-40 with nice wide city streets and no underpasses etc. and I always get that message when I'm heading home. The only thing I like better about the new Garmin RV GPS is it is a nice monitor for the back-up camera.

[Oasisbob]

Know your rig heigth at it's tallest point and never cut it too close. I met a really nice couple in Canada who had their AC and part of the roof removed by an over pass. Felt so bad for them. Ruined their summer and finances.