Date:         Wed, 29 Jun 2005 11:14:18 -0700
Reply-To:     "phlogiston@ispwest.com" <phlogiston@ISPWEST.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "phlogiston@ispwest.com" <phlogiston@ISPWEST.COM>
Subject:      Re: Looking for a good GPS - Any recommendations
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

i have a garmin etrex legend (handheld model), which i purchased about 3 years ago.  and a friend of mine just got the same model, with the same 8mb of memory, so i know they are still making them.  i'm not sure if they have updated the hardware any, but mine had issues right away... the navigation "joystick" style button stopped working and i was getting random garbage on the display.  i sent it back for a warranty repair, which took over a month, and the same exact problems came back a couple weeks after the warranty expired!  so all in all, i'm not too happy with garmin, although i can't say that they haven't fixed these issues in the years since i bought mine.


if you think you will only need your gps receiver while driving, i wouldn't reccomend getting a handheld one; they are slower and have a smaller display and less memory.  also, the interface on mine can be quite difficult to use while driving (if you want to say, pan and zoom the map).  i imagine the dashmount ones have a slightly more driver-friendly interface.

garmin has 3 mapsets from which you can load up to 8mb of data onto the particular unit that i have; i'm sure you can put more data onto the newer ones.  however, you have to shell out another couple hundred bucks for the mapset data, unless you happen to have a friend willing to share a copy.  i have the "metro guide" mapset, which includes "attractions" such as resteraunts, gas stations, etc.  this has been helpful when i'm out in the middle of nowhere and need to seek out the closest gas!  unfortunately cd2 of my set got corrupted so now i only have data for the west coast (which is fortunately where i reside these days).  however you can install and run the software with just cd1, so pmail me if you get a garmin and need a copy.  does anyone have the "roads & recreation" or topo data sets?

good luck.

Ben.

----- Original Message -----
From: Doug in Calif [mailto:vanagon@ASTOUND.NET]
Sent: 6/29/2005 7:54:00 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Looking for a good GPS - Any recommendations

> Hi Volks,
> 
> I am new to the GPS market and in the search for one I can use in my westy and perhaps other vehicles as well. 
> I know many new cars are coming with them now. 
> There are so many models and features, help!
> 
> Anybody have some good recommendations on what they have and like?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Doug