What do you use for navigation?

[ada09]

I heard that NZ has banned phone GPS for navigation. So I wonder what you guys use for navigation, phone GPS, GPS navigator or no GPS at all? Obviously Phone GPS is cheaper, but the screen is not so big as GPS navigator.

[House72]

My friend called Garmin...

[daleb]

Garmin 760

[DIRECTVMAN]

I've got a GARMIN nuvi 200W.

I've had it for a little over a year now, works great.

I wouldn't want a phone GPS with the dinky screen.

[admo]

I use a car unit, a MioC230. I'm looking to get a Garmin, probably the 255WT.

[J-Rod]

All the signs on the side of the road I'm on... those still work you know.

[daleb]

Originally Posted by J-Rod

All the signs on the side of the road I'm on... those still work you know.

yeah, they do!! Good one!

[junehhan]

Out of curiosity with us on the subject of navigation stuff, do we know yet how reliable these newer hard drive based navigation systems are going to be? I know that the previously used DVD nav systems were usually dead reliable, but I often wonder what the long term reliability of a hard drive is considering the kinds of conditions it will be subjected to in a car. Hard drives have a tendency to fail in my experience.

The plus side of these systems is that they often have extra space(usually 10gigs) to rip your CD's and MP3's for use as a jukebox which is so neat and definately beats the old CD changer audio systems.

[sjt1985]

Google maps, Rand McNally. I've borrowed a GPS, they are neat, but most of my driving is to work, home, and the grocery store, and I know where all those places are!

[daleb]

Originally Posted by junehhan

Out of curiosity with us on the subject of navigation stuff, do we know yet how reliable these newer hard drive based navigation systems are going to be? I know that the previously used DVD nav systems were usually dead reliable, but I often wonder what the long term reliability of a hard drive is considering the kinds of conditions it will be subjected to in a car. Hard drives have a tendency to fail in my experience.

The plus side of these systems is that they often have extra space(usually 10gigs) to rip your CD's and MP3's for use as a jukebox which is so neat and definately beats the old CD changer audio systems.

I don't think that will be an issue. Probably a million hard drives are road-tested everyday on ever kind of transportation imaginable.
I can't say I remember more than having one or two hard drives fail in decades of computer use. Luck of the draw I guess.
Hard drives have only got better IMO, and they can be 'hardened' for special environments. Like the ones used in the Panasonic Toughbooks'.

Solid state hard drives are already in use in NetBooks...they may also be a prime application for GPS systems.

[ada09]

It seems that most of you choose GPS navigators, so I guess such kind of law will have no effect on you even in the future. I prefer GPS navigtors, too. But if the phone has a big screen, it will work just as well as GPS navigators and at the same time saves you another carrier.

[daleb]

Originally Posted by ada09

It seems that most of you choose GPS navigators, so I guess such kind of law will have no effect on you even in the future. I prefer GPS navigtors, too. But if the phone has a big screen, it will work just as well as GPS navigators and at the same time saves you another carrier.

GPS systems do not require a paid subscription to a carrier. Probably why most of us do have them, beside the convenience.
The only exception are optional traffic monitoring services.

[junehhan]

Originally Posted by daleb

GPS systems do not require a paid subscription to a carrier. Probably why most of us do have them, beside the convenience.
The only exception are optional traffic monitoring services.

How well do those traffic monitoring services like the Sirius traffic monitor turn out? When my Ford Fusion Hybrid comes in this week, i'll have a 6 month trial subscription and wondered.

My biggest problem is that when you have a massive traffic backup, there is often NOWHERE to go as all of the side streets and local roads are backed up as well. Everytime the interstate gets shut down(an everyday occurrance lately due to retard drivers), there is little you can do as I know every road in my area, and pulling off into the local streets often turns into a bigger nightmare than waiting for the highway to reopen.

[daleb]

Originally Posted by junehhan

How well do those traffic monitoring services like the Sirius traffic monitor turn out? When my Ford Fusion Hybrid comes in this week, i'll have a 6 month trial subscription and wondered.

My biggest problem is that when you have a massive traffic backup, there is often NOWHERE to go as all of the side streets and local roads are backed up as well. Everytime the interstate gets shut down(an everyday occurrance lately due to retard drivers), there is little you can do as I know every road in my area, and pulling off into the local streets often turns into a bigger nightmare than waiting for the highway to reopen.

I never used them myself..even the 90 days Garmin gave me as a trial. I sold the traffic adapter on ebay.. LOL

I am sure their effectiveness depends on the readiness of various regions in country in providing the necessary information.
So for some it may work better than others.

Where I live there is always some road work going on, but it changes so rapidly I doubt any 'system' is tracking it with any real accuracy.
AM radio is probably just as useful.
Let us know how it works out for you.

[DIRECTVMAN]

Originally Posted by junehhan

Everytime the interstate gets shut down(an everyday occurrance lately due to retard drivers), there is little you can do as I know every road in my area, and pulling off into the local streets often turns into a bigger nightmare than waiting for the highway to reopen.

The highway in your area get's shut down everyday ?
That sucks.