Car GPS recommendation for the car not the bike

[cyclemed]

I have always had bike related GPS: GPS III plus, GPS V, SP2610, Zumo 550 and 665.

I want to buy my dad a Nuvi or similar for his car. Nothing real fancy. What have you all used that you are happy with as I suspect you are familiar with those mentioned above for the bike.

Thanks

 

[HotRodZilla]

We had a couple Nuvi 320W units, or something like that that worked fine for years. Car GPS units are way easier than MC units. Fine the one that looks pretty, and you're probably good to go. Unlike the bike, we don't need much more than navigation.

 

[Teehaml]

I just use my 660 and switch it to automobile mode and stick it on the windshield. Works great

 

[senecahome]

I have two Nuvis that both work fine. The reason I bought the newer 1350 is because it has lifetime map updates whereas for the old 265W Garmin wanted $99 to upgrade. The 1350 cost less than that. Just would suggest you get one with free map updates.

-Glen

 

[cyclemed]

I use my Zumo 550's and 665 in my cars wired through the aux inputs. For my dad, I don't need the mc functions or XM so a Nuvi is fine. I just don't know much about the Nuvis.

Thanks

 

[escapefjrtist]

I have two Nuvis that both work fine. The reason I bought the newer 1350 is because it has lifetime map updates whereas for the old 265W Garmin wanted $99 to upgrade. The 1350 cost less than that. Just would suggest you get one with free map updates.-Glen

This ^^^^ Find a under $100 wide screen Nuvi with life time maps. Been using them in the car [and bikes until recently] for years.

Happy hunting!

--G

 

[smithpa68]

I really like my 2597 Nuvi. Has all the features I need. I use it while traveling for work. Used in Europe with a SD card Euro map. I even mount it on my bike too. I would probably buy another one when this one breaks.

 

[DennisJ]

I have switched to using the WAZE app for most car trips in the suburban area. Can't create routes with it but it usually presents a couple of alternate routes with estimated times based on current traffic conditions. For getting around town or local travel in the Tacoma - Seatlte - Bellevue - Everett area it is pretty convenient. Runs on Android and probably on Apple also. Free which is always a plus. I like it better than Trafix.

 

[BkerChuck]

I picked up a Garmin Nuvi 2597LMT for use at my work. Price was reasonable, lifetime maps, bluetooth to phone. Real easy for our drivers to use.

I'd buy one for myself if I needed another GPS.

 

[FreakyFastFreddie]

Don't know your Dad's age but an old guy like me, I got the largest screen size I could get at the time. It's a NUVI but don't remember the model number. Love the bigger screen.

 

[lonerider]

I have a Garmin 1490T nuvi (5" screen) that I use in the cage and on the bike, been well satisfied with it. Other than map updating, the only other maintenance has been one battery replacement. Also got a good deal from gpscity on a re manufactured 2797 with the 7" screen. Both are much easier to update maps than my 550 zumo. If you're looking for a better mount than the suction cup or bean bag ones, Pro Clip https://www.proclipusa.com/ makes a line of easily installed semi permanent mounts that are more secure.

 

[rbentnail]

I have a nuvi 780 I've been using for yrs. I like it! And if it died I'd look for another on ebay, walmart.com, etc. All this time I've replaced the battery one time, took about 10 mins.

One of the features I really like is the FM transmitter. Really, you find an unused FM station in the city you're in and tell the 780 what the frequency is. Turn it on. Then the turn instructions come out over the vehicle speakers instead of the dinky GPS speaker, so I can crank up the volume so I can actually hear it. Very cool in the big city where folks like me generally turn off the radio anyway to remove the distraction form driving in obscene traffic.

 

[Larry33319]

I picked up a Garmin Nuvi 40LM at a Pawn Shop for 30 bucks. Works just fine for a car and has lifetime map upgrade. Best $30 I have spent in quite a while. I would seriously take a look into the local pawn shops, you may be surprised at what you find there.

 

[N4HHE]

Spring Hill, TN is is within fun riding distance to Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, AL. Way in the back they usually have at least one working lifetime map Garmin for $10. Laying around somewhere I have a spare 50LM from them. Disappointing compared to 760, 765, 1490, and 2595 I also have but I'm not afraid of losing it in the parking lot or on dirtbike in the woods.

Have driven more with the 1490 than any other. Its biggest problem is memory not big enough to hold the current default map of North America. If you put it on micro SD card then it is so slow to search that it will never find a restaurant on interstate before you pass by. Will search for hours and never find anything if you are moving. Mine tends to crash every 500-1000 miles. Once it told me to take an exit off interstate in Arkansas. Made no sense so I looked closer and found it was telling me to take the off-ramp and immediately the on-ramp right back to where I was. So another time the traffic function was apparently trying to route me around a 20 mile wreck and I ignored based on past bad advice. Now know better how to know it is reporting traffic but haven't seen anything useful since 2012.

Recommend buying as big as you can afford. 5" is a current sweet spot, perhaps 7" will be soon. Make sure you get lifetime map updates. I haven't used Garmin Bluetooth for anything, I have other Bluetooth hands-free solutions that work good enough not to bother with Garmin's.

I find Garmin's free traffic service to be almost useless but those I use receive data over FM broadcast sub channels. Never used one slaved to a cellphone. Waze is much better for traffic, but not as a general purpose GPS.