Any standalone GPS users here still?

[ctrcbob]

I decided to charge the battery on my Garmin 1370 this morning as I have not used it since the pandemic started.

When traveling, I have no problems using my car built in Navi unit, however I still keep the 1370 on because the 1370 shows the altitude right on the Home Screen.
I like knowing my altitude plus knowing if I’m going up or down. On my built ins, I have to go to different menus to see the altitude.

(BTW; my buddy’s Chrysler 300’s built in Navi unit is a garmin with the car screen showing exactly like a Garmin including the altitude).

As for missing turns when using Navi/GPS, and because GPS/Navi units often send you through roads or streets that you don’t want to use, I always say; “you may use
a GPS, but you still need an MAP”.
IE, have a general knowledge of the roads and areas you want to use.

 

[Saabist]

I have a Magellan GPS that's probably about 8 or 9 years old that I still use if there's a need drive to an unfamiliar area. There have been no updates for it for a while but it's still good enough most of the time.

 

[joemo]

Garmin always works. Phones cut out right when you really need them.

 

[alarmguy]

Certainly nothing wrong with using a standalone GPS. Heck, they are certainly cheap enough and it keeps your phone free, consider it a luxury, you either want that "option" or not.
When driving a lot at work I always preferred the stand alone, had my hands full juggling between 2 cell phones and a connected Ipad while driving, the standalone GPS was on its own doing its thing which was great, now its rare that I need one but always have one at home for long trips.
Also I have a really great small screen Garmin on my motorcycle which I use many times a year on longish to long trips. While many bikers use their cell phones on a handle bar mount, I much prefer the standalone, last thing I want is being bothered by text messages, phone calls ect. Good god, we have no alone time with a cell phone leash attached to us ... *LOL* then many forced into mutli tasking between phones calls, texts, driving and trying to use the phone as a GPS!

So anyway, I look at the standalone GPS as a luxury anyone wishes to have can have and certainly worth it for longer trips. Set it and forget it, no B.S.

 

[MoneyJohn]

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-N1532-0C-Navigator-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B077H5M4LF/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Garmin+refurbished&qid=1606334899&s=electronics&sr=1-2

Was it this, if you don't mind me asking?

Its this one, Garmin Drivesmart 50 LMT, paid $60 before taxes on BuyDig

Whichever you buy, pls make sure it has LMT next to it, its lifetime maps, and traffic.

 

[Saabist]

You have to be a bit careful about guarantees of "lifetime" map updates. My old Magellan GPS came with that promise but the fine print defines "lifetime" to be what the manufacturer considers to be the usable lifetime of the device, and in this case Magellan defined that as 3 years. (To be fair they provided updates a lot longer than that, but it's been 2 or 3 years now that none have been available for it.)

 

[CharBaby]

We use a Tom Tom unit and/or my wife's cell phone. They're both fine for our travel use anywhere that we've gone from NY to FL or west to Chicago & north to Toronto.

 

[JC1]

We still use GPS especially when we drive to US, since data plans for roaming are limited and costly. Have an older Magellan with lifetime updates, but due to the Windows updates, it's almost impossible to update these GPS when trying to use the newer software app on Windows 10 with a GPS that was bought when Windows XP was the norm.

I bought a Junsun GPS from Amazon within the past 12 months. Screen is huge and they email you directly to tell you there are updates available. Little bit old school, but that works for me.

Car GPS Navigation 7 Inch Vehicle GPS Navigation Car System 8G Memory Portable Truck Navigator Touch Screen Multimedia Pre-Installed North America Lifetime Maps Free Update : Amazon.ca: Everything Else

Car GPS Navigation 7 Inch Vehicle GPS Navigation Car System 8G Memory Portable Truck Navigator Touch Screen Multimedia Pre-Installed North America Lifetime Maps Free Update : Amazon.ca: Everything Else

www.amazon.ca

 

[dubber09]

Two standalone Garmin GPS units here - one in each car since 2014, didn't need or want color touchscreen 'infotainment' systems in cars. Music is played either off radio, CD, USB stick or from phone over Bluetooth, factory stereo allows to control tracks played over BT.
Both Garmin units have live traffic updates, lane assist and lifetime maps updates that get issued 4x a year.
Here in BC Canada we are not allowed phones in 'visual' reach while behind the wheel (no handhelds) but GPS is ok.
New Garmin units may also include BlueTooth, speech recognition and built-in dash cam so check those out.

 

[DuckRyder]

I have a Garmin (actually I think i have 2, one is mine and ones the companies... wonder where theirs is at ... I digress)

They work fine, occasionally you'll have to get the phone out to find something, but by and large the updates cover things, some of them have traffic receivers as well (look for LMT in model number), but I haven't been overly thrilled with that information.

Mine is a DEZL because I was hoping it would be able to help with the height of my work truck. Some times if i'm listing to an audio book it hers something it thinks is a voice command, which is kind of irritating.

The lane selection directions and diagrams are generally better than the phone and it saying "turn left at the mc donalds" or turn "right at the light" is more help fun than "turn right in .8 miles"...

 

[Kamele0N]

Multiple Garmin devices user

Yes......I would always recommend standalone GPS.....

To the OP........if you are looking for refurbished units......(I will give you an advice for Garmin units because I know them)....look for models with:

1) LM or LMT (lifetime maps or lifetime maps + traffic suport)
2) model wich is "Garmin Smartphone link" capable.....if it has Smartphone link then you dont need T above (LM is enough)

That is a must......Smartphone link connects your garmin with your phone.....and that way you get traffic informations.....you can input new stop/destinations directly from your smartphone etc

Here is list of "Smartphone link" compatible devices: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/111441#devices

 

[Kamele0N]

Yes, Garmin from about 2016. It mostly works well. The way it often mispronounces or misreads names of streets and roads can be amusing or annoying. Hard to follow in congested areas with turns close together, because it tends to lag one turn behind, unless I drive very slowly. Sometimes makes less than optimal route choices.

Go into settings and choose non-TTS voice (TTS= text to speech).....
Regarding its lagg....conect it on PC......update it via Garmin express: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/software/express/windows/

AND MOST IMPORTANT!!! When connected to a PC.....open it in Windows explorer or whatever you are using......and go to lets say....

C:\Garmin\GPX
C:\Garmin\GPX\Archive

leave file "current.gpx" alone.......there are your favourites stored in!

 

[Kamele0N]

Know how....

3rd party maps for Garmin devices

Since there had been discussions regarding Garmin GPS devices before....maybe one woud find that topic interesting! http://www.gpsrchive.com/BaseCamp/Maps.html At the bottom you have free providers for maps for Garmin devices (wanted to post whole section....but than links become broken)

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[AutoMechanic]

We have a Garmin that mounts to the windshield we don’t use phones for navigation because we only get 16 gigabyte of data per month and we don’t have a stand for our phone so we couldn’t use the phone without holding it so we could get a ticket for holding it. We use to have a Tom Tom but could never find another one to replace it with. I miss the Tom Tom because it had the voice of Homer Simpson LOL.

 

[Kestas]

yes, mostly for international visitors when the data for cellphones is expensive for them.

Isn't there a way to use GPS on your phone without using data, like the old GPS units? I thought there was something you could turn off in your phone.

 

[Kamele0N]

Yes...this possibility exist....

But you have to be Android/internet/torrents "savvy"

 

[vavavroom]

Isn't there a way to use GPS on your phone without using data, like the old GPS units? I thought there was something you could turn off in your phone.

You can use the GPS feature on your phone while offline if you have downloaded maps for the area.

 

[UncleDave]

You can use the GPS feature on your phone while offline if you have downloaded maps.

We were discussing this elsewhere - sort of.

I cant get a map big enough into my phone to cover my trip.

 

[Wolf359]

We have a Garmin that mounts to the windshield we don’t use phones for navigation because we only get 16 gigabyte of data per month and we don’t have a stand for our phone so we couldn’t use the phone without holding it so we could get a ticket for holding it. We use to have a Tom Tom but could never find another one to replace it with. I miss the Tom Tom because it had the voice of Homer Simpson LOL.

Only 16gb of data? I use less than 2gb a month. You don't need to use data for GPS, it's basically for the traffic. If you look at data usage, GPS only uses a few megabytes of data for traffic. I do download the local maps so it can be used in offline mode.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Only 16gb of data? I use less than 2gb a month. You don't need to use data for GPS, it's basically for the traffic. If you look at data usage, GPS only uses a few megabytes of data for traffic. I do download the local maps so it can be used in offline mode.

Yeah 16gb isn’t a lot for us because my sister uses it 24/7 and runs us out by the middle of the month lol. We don’t have any type of navigation on our phone so we use Google Maps on the phones.