What's the BEST GPS........ ? (outlet, laptop, website, display)

[ConeyIsBabe]

I'd like to purchase my first GPS for under $300. Can anyone recommend a very good brand & model - one easy to understand for a tech/challenged senior citizen Thanks for any recommendations!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by ConeyIsBabe

I'd like to purchase my first GPS for under $300. Can anyone recommend a very good brand & model - one easy to understand for a tech/challenged senior citizen Thanks for any recommendations!

I just pocked up a refurbushed Navigon 2000s from Best Buy for $69.95, and I think it's a wonderful GPS, but I'm not sure how easy it would be for a person who is nontechnical to use (I play with computers for a living, so I can't make that sort of judgement easily, and my wife is sufficiently disinterested in this new gadget that I can't really ask her).

(They call it a "Navigon - Factory-Refurbished 2200S Portable GPS", but it's really a 2000S (the 2200T is the same model but with lifetime traffic alerts included)).

I love the fact that it seems to know about the speed limits on the main roads around here, though. And most of the time it gets the limit right! And it also has something called "reality view" which does a pretty good job of showing the interstate signs for upcoming exits. It only works on the interstates, though, for the most part.

I would think that most Garmin or Tomtom models would be okay as well. I prefer the grey/orange color scheme of the Navigon units, though. You can see some pictures here:

Navigon 2000s - Google Image Search

[Antlered Chamataka]

Originally Posted by ConeyIsBabe

I'd like to purchase my first GPS for under $300. Can anyone recommend a very good brand & model - one easy to understand for a tech/challenged senior citizen Thanks for any recommendations!

GARMIN. You can pick anyone from 205W onwards. They are sort of the industry leaders in GPS devices.

Also, when you go to radioshack, just don't pop in, coz they'll slice 350$ off your purse.

Go to radioshack's website, and you will find the same item with 50$ or even 100$ less. You can take a note of the item# and then ask for it at the store.

The guys generally dismiss it, but when directed to their own website, they'll be like, "oh"

They'll make a few calls to their managers and then say it's not in stock right now.

Then you can ask them track which outlet in town has it, coz radioshack is present everywhere. They will grudgingly find one for you and you can get ahold of it.

Radioshack is just an example, the same holds for bestbuy and the rest.

There are other GPS devices like TomTom and Megallen which are also good and cheaper. But I have found them bizarrely frustrating. For some reason, GARMIN amuses me more. It's obviously neatly softwared and packaged.

[Arcticthaw]

After much research and a preference for Garmin (i have a handheld I use in the woods) I bought a Garmin nuivee 255. This is a little larger screen and gives several views along with voice directions. I have used it to drive from Maine down to New York City and on to Washington DC. Then drove with it back to Alaska. I am very please on how it handled the larger cities and remote country. this has all the bells and whistles you would like and don't need a users manual. Updating it requires connecting through a computer to the internet. I did this once at initial use, and once when I managed to errase the voice file. Very easy to use, check one out and look especially at the points of interest screen and play with that. I used that feature quite a bit to find things in towns I have never been to.

[Huckleberry3911948]

as one to another a basic garmin will do ya. can get a refurbished on ebay or amazon.com for 70 bucks.

[Tek_Freek]

We recently bought this:

Newegg.com - GARMIN nüvi 265WT 4.3" GPS with FM Live traffic

And love it. It can be a bit confusing so I recommend printing out the manual and going through with the Garmin in hand.

Keep in mind that you can come back here with any questions after you buy one and get help no matter what brand you buy.

This one got us through an unmarked detour in Saint Louis recently and directed us correctly around the I-80 mess over the Mississippi (sent us to I-280). Knows speed limits on all but smaller city streets, usually within about 100 feet of the speed limit signs. Has good graphics showing when and how to turn. It's fun when you go a different route than it gives. It says "Recalculating" then gives a new route.

[LesFex]

Try Garmin V, at 230 bucks on amazon it is a bargain and nothing comes close in that price segment. Or else can get the garmin c340 best value and has text to speech. You can find online for cheaper.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by LesFex

Try Garmin V, at 230 bucks on amazon it is a bargain and nothing comes close in that price segment. Or else can get the garmin c340 best value and has text to speech. You can find online for cheaper.

Just out of curiosity ... I'm not familiar with the Garmin V, or any Garmin or TomTom GPS for that matter, but what do they have that a refurb Navigon 2000s doesn't for $69.99? Or a new one for $100?

Besides a continued presence in the US, I guess? And perhaps a better POI database?

The 2000s has:

* A nice female TTS voice that reads street names quite clearly.
* Two different lane indication displays ("Reality View" and an alternative).
* Most road speed limits in its database and customizable speed limit alerts (I have it set to alert me if I exceed anything by 10mph).
* Day and night modes (the night mode is very nice ... very readable, but not a distraction in the dark).

and lots of other stuff. Read some reviews of the 2000s to get the full feature set. I absolutely love mine.

Navigon 2000S | GPS Tracklog
Navigon 2000S review -- NaviGadget
Review: Navigon 2000S GPS | Just Another Mobile Monday
Navigon 2000S - A Review of the Navigon 2000S GPS navigator