GPS System

[MOKID]

I am looking at buying a GPS System. Any suggestions on which one is better than the other. Thanks

[mainah]

I have 2 hand held Garmin's (one gets beat to death on my snow mobile) and 3 mobile ones they have all been flawless. The do make an RV GPS that's geared towards large MH's and big 5th wheels can't remember who makes them not sure how much help it would be to camper towing. If I quire mine about camp grounds it has no problem pointing them out.

[Steve Collins]

I have two Garmins plus the built-in one in my wife's Grand Cherokee. They work fine, and can be supplemented with custom POI (Points of Interest) files. However, the main map data is updated every other year or so, and they want $80 or more for an update. Installing their software on my computers has been less than satisfactory as it wants to take over the computer in some ways. In this day and age, that's just not acceptable. So I am running around with slightly outdated data in my units.

It's more cost-effective, in my view, to just buy a new unit that has a very new map in it if you need absolutely current data for a long trip..

Other manufacturers may have similar issues.

[PTHutch]

Originally Posted by MOKID

I am looking at buying a GPS System. Any suggestions on which one is better than the other. Thanks

I have a Garmin nuvi Dezl 560LMT - it's a trucker's GPS System that provides an RV mode to configure height, length, etc. Though I think it may be obsolete now.
Garmin does have an RV specific GPS unit - RV 760LMT.

I use my nuvi Dezl 560LMT whenever towing - though I never trust it 100%, I always want to know the route I'm taking before hand. Following a GPS System blindly while towing can get you into predicaments that you would prefer not being int.

I have had and do have multiple Garmin units and like them.
Thought from what I've seen the Rand McNally RV GPS Systems look interesting.
The Rand McNally RV GPS Systems include RVND 7720 LM and RVND 7730.

Most GPS Systems now come with a Life Time Map update so you can keep your maps in the system current. Gamin typically provides map updates 2 - 4 times a year.

When you get a GPS System - the POI Factory is a great place to find and download Points of Interest (POI) files that can be loaded into your GPS System.

Good luck and hope this is of some help.

[JohnB]

I have had the Garmin Trucker 460 since it came out, approx 6 plus years now I think. It worked well up until about a 2 years ago. Seemed the windshield heat would affect it and the unit freeze up. It got to the point I could not trust it not to die after an hour or so driving. Cool it off and it worked again.

I replaced it with the updated Garmin RV660 LMT the start of this year. This is the 2nd gen RV one from Garmin. It has a 6" screen which is just about right. The 7" screen of the older Garmin RV 760 would seem to maybe be too big. Rand McNalley I think has a 7" RV unit.

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-RV-660...ords=rv+660lmt

This one has a lot of nice features to it. And most all of my prior Garmin know how from the 460 worked on the new unit. However they changed a few things like the auto recalculate message. The old 460 use to talk to me telling me it is recalculating. The RV 660 just does the auto recalculate but does not say anything. I keep waiting for it to talk to me.... I'll get use to it.

Like Hutch said, I never trust the GPS, I use it as a tool to help. Like when a turn off is approaching it counts down the distance which helps when towing and the points of interest use.

Free map updates came with the RV 660, On the trucker 460 from years ago I bought life time maps.

I gave this a lot of thought on if I get another GPS with all the smart phone mapping stuff. The GPS does offer some better signal strength being on satellite where the smart phone can have data issue every now and then. The RV or the Trucker GPS helps with steep grades and lane assist where the smart phones have not yet catch up that I know of.

So far I like the Garmin RV 660 expect for one feature it has that the 460 did not, for some reason in RV mode it will route me different when I get close to camp if it does not know that I can turn my camper around. I flip it in car mode and it will let me drive the way I want to. So it is for sure changing the route based on the length of my truck and camper or that I'm in RV mode. I have not yet figured out how to adjust that feature if it can be adjusted, yet anyway. It does allow a selection to not route down dirt roads, which I have "no dirt roads" selected but all the roads to camps are paved so that should not be the issue I would think.

I will say, the blue tooth hands free for my phone on the RV 660 is very good. In coming calls will come through the GPS great. I have an older truck with no blue tooth in it and for me, this is handy. The older 460 the blue tooth was not that great.

Hope this helps and good luck

John

[MOKID]

Thanks everyone, some very good input as always, decision time.