Mike, I dont really go beyond the sight of land. I have had two boats over 10 years with no GPS. That said, there are some real advantages, even for us inland types. And when I upgrade to a 25 or 27 footer, I will probably ventrue further out and the dedicated GPS will be a must.

 

I have the Garmin 2620 and I have the Honda/Acura navi built into my Si. The built in unit is better, works better and so far has never lost satelite reception. Actually, it may have but the built in units have dead reconing. Some of the portables have that capability but it requires extra work and isn't portable.

That said, if you must get a portable unit as opposed to a built in, get the Garmin 2720 or whatever the current model is. It is arguably the best on the market, and has many valuable features not found in some of the cheaper units. It has the capability to store 50 (I think) routes, has a remote control (yes you will actually use it instead of reaching across the dash) and has new software.

When you buy it, buy the antenna as well. Garmin sells it for $99 but I got mine on e-Bay for $29. It makes quite a difference, especially on tree lined roads and cities.

 

The Garmin Nuvi. Great unit! I have tried Magellen's and other Garmins with hard drives. I question how well they will hold up to vibration or small drops. The Nuvi has a great screen. The unit is small with a self contained battery if you don't want to use the 12V plug. I have used it for 6 hours without the plug, it didn't die. It's great for packing and traveling. It's loaded with every street I have asked for. I have yet to find out it doesn't do what the others do. Let's face it the S doesn't have that much room inside. With cell phones, radar detectors and GPS you don't need to take up more room. They are all pretty good, the choice is yours!

 

for this thread since I'm in the market for a GPS unit (tired of getting lost driving around DC) and the prices are pretty good right now...

How about the Garmin Nuvi 350 vs. 360? Any deals that you know of? I know Amazon.com has a better price than even Costco right now...

 

I wish I could take the one out of my Lexus dashboard. It's simple to program and operate even while driving, plus I like that woman's voice. I have a waterproof Garmin I use on the boat and on bike trips, but the screen is too small and it eats batteries when not hard wired.

 

when i bought my boat it had a gps linked to the auto pilot.

I thought it was a pretty unnecessary toy..

after using it I was a believer. When the original garmin 76 got broken I replaced it with the Garmin Legend..

When I bought for the S I got the Garmin 320 portable. I like it just fine for the directions, although i've gotten lost still a couple of times..

One time I plugged in a State park and it took me to a different state park, about
25 miles away..

My wife and I were so mad we almost threw it out the window...

But, if you have a distinct address to go to it seems to work fine..

Willinathen

 

I recently received the Garmin Nuvi as a gift, from some VERY nice folks.

We've yet to give it an extended road test, but we like what we've seen so far. Program where you want to go, program it to avoid highways, U turns or whatever you like, and it will come up with a route.

If you have a particular route in mind, or want to skip a turn to take an alternate route, once you take a turn that is not programmed, it will automatically recalculate the route to the programed destination.

For a long trip, I think we'd take a look at a road map first to see which routes we prefer, then work from there with the Nuvi.

I think it's a great gadget!

 

I agree. The Navi in my Si is the best I've ever seen, and I like the voice of the Japanese girl (its a Honda after all) who lives inside of it.

I also have a Garmin 2620, and while not quite as good as the Si navi, it is quite good. I've heard the the Nuvi is every bit as good as the 2620 only a little smaller. Either way you can't go wrong.

It is far better to have any of these than to not have a GPS. With the GPS you'll always find your destination and you'll always find your way home.

 

TOTALLY!!! On the recommendation of Ralper, I bought a Garmin, although I bought the Garmin Streetpilot c330 since I'm somewhat electronically challenged and the c330 seemed easier to operate. I also liked the size of the screen because it sits up a little higher and is large enough for me to see it easily. I love the Garmin product that I have and would recommend it to anyone. Prices seem to be moving downward as the market expands, but I relied on the experience of those who'd used them a great deal before I chose the one I have. I like having the portable since I can move it from car to car and have no cars that came pre-equipped.

 

Do all of these attached to the windshield with suction cups? Any problems keeping them in place?