RV GPS Units / GPS Apps that ACTUALLY WORK???

[bowler1]

Hi,
Ever since I got a 41 foot 5th wheel I have been interested in an RV specific GPS or GPS app for my phone. I am a bit worried that my GPS will take me down a road with a low bridge or someplace that would not be optimal for a rig of this size.

I have read very mixed reviews of the phone apps so I decided against one.

I then just recently got a Garmin 770 and have been testing it driving it around town. It routed me down two different roads where I could not have taken my trailer--one of which had a railroad bridge with 10 feet of clearance.

So....I am not so confident in this purchase and will probably return it.

Anyone have any feedback to provide? Is there a GPS unit or GPS app that REALLY WORKS for RVs?

I would prefer an app since I have a perfectly good GPS system in my truck.

thanks for your help

Matt

[hondapro]

bowler1 wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for the replies. Yes, I did program the GPS with my RV specs and had it in RV mode. That is why i was really unhappy when it sent me on the route it did. I live in an area where there are several roads with low bridges and some truly unsuitable roads for RVs so it was the perfect area to test it. I realize that nothing will be fool-proof, but now I question whether the $300 was worth it if it is only marginally better than my car's GPS. Not sure.

Matt

I have the Garmin 760 RV. For me it is the worst piece of garbage I have bought. It has sent me on dirt roads,one way side streets and it will route you way out of your way.
I have updated it and have also called Garmin tech support nothing has made it any better.

It seems it works well for some but not for others, it may work better in different parts of the country.

Here in the northeast mine does not work well at all.

My Iphone does better.
I suggest you return it if you can.

[Crabbypatty]

I downloaded Rv Life to my I phone. I went through the trial period and forgot to cancel it. So I own it for a year. I also downloaded Truck Map for free. Just took a trip and had both apps working at the same time. You put in your specs and it did route me around with an "RV" route. The Truck map app verified everything the Rv Life map did.

We just returned from 6 days on the road out of state and it works and it calls out the directions. When you miss a turn it "recalculates" I feel comfortable with this instead of buying the garmin unit. Having one verify the other makes me feel comfortable. Rv Life app is $50/year and I had trouble with the install. Their support got me going.

Now driving a 37 ft fiver 13'2" tall.

[sayoung]

bowler1 wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for the replies. Yes, I did program the GPS with my RV specs and had it in RV mode. That is why i was really unhappy when it sent me on the route it did. I live in an area where there are several roads with low bridges and some truly unsuitable roads for RVs so it was the perfect area to test it. I realize that nothing will be fool-proof, but now I question whether the $300 was worth it if it is only marginally better than my car's GPS. Not sure.

Matt

I can't check as gps at the farm but on my 760 when in rv mode, the truck/trailer icon is on map & it changes when in automobile mode.

[hotbyte]

It must’ve known the 5’er wasn’t in tow...pretty darn smart of it .

On serious note, I review my route on Allstays Pro website before heading out. It has properly ID several low bridges on our trips from GA to NY.

[Second_Chance]

Johno02 wrote:
Remember that most GPS units and their software are made in Eastern Europe, by people that have no idea even where the US is, much less how high a bridge is. Keep that in mind as you blindlessly follow a GPS into unknown places.

Hmmm... of Garmin's eight bases of operation, only one is in Eastern Europe...

Rob

[fj12ryder]

This may help with low bridges. I've had it alert me to low bridges I'm near, but never actually on my route. I have no idea if it has all low bridges, but it does have a lot.

Low Clearances

[Johno02]

Remember that most GPS units and their software are made in Eastern Europe, by people that have no idea even where the US is, much less how high a bridge is. Keep that in mind as you blindlessly follow a GPS into unknown places.

[jplante4]

The Copilot RV app has kept me off roads I shouldn't have been on several times. I run it on a tablet. It does not need a cell signal to provide routing, but if you get Active Traffic it uses the cell data.

The DW uses a TomTom and backs it up with Google Maps on her phone. When thy differ (and they often do), we default to Copilot.

[bowler1]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. Yes, I did program the GPS with my RV specs and had it in RV mode. That is why i was really unhappy when it sent me on the route it did. I live in an area where there are several roads with low bridges and some truly unsuitable roads for RVs so it was the perfect area to test it. I realize that nothing will be fool-proof, but now I question whether the $300 was worth it if it is only marginally better than my car's GPS. Not sure.

Matt

[RobWNY]

Ditto what the others have suggested. Think of a GPS as just one tool in the toolbox. I use three tools to plan my route. My Garmin 760, RV Trip Wizard and Google Maps. I plan very thoroughly before I head out. Even then, I'm not 100% sure I won't run into a low bridge once I'm on secondary roads. It's very important to watch for the low clearance signs. I almost took the top off my 5th wheel this summer when I didn't take my own advice and only used Google maps on my phone. Fortunately, I was able to get stopped and took an alternative route but I got close enough to make my heart pound!

[sayoung]

Put the 770 in RV mode and put in your rv specs. On regular car mode it will send on some really non rv roads. I have the earlier 760 and it has never sent us down a non rv road, so far. Garmin makes some good stuff , just get it setup correctly. I went thru a learning curve too :B

[whjco]

I have to ask a simple question, did you program the Garmin with the profile of your RV and was the GPS set for this profile? I use the trucker version, a Garmin 785 LMT because I drive charter buses and I've been real happy with it. As a backup, I have Sygic Truck installed on my Samsung phone. Sygic installs the map database on the phone so that you're not dependent on a cellular connection to load maps. It save you from the frustration of losing navigation when you lose a cell signal and also saves on the data plan on your phone. Sygic Truck also uses the vehicle profile that you enter into the program.