Login Register

GPS for car...portable...any suggestions?

General discussion about Volvos, Volvo parts, your DIY skills, Volvo ownership, and more. Come on in, introduce yourself and say hi! List Volvo events here. Have a nice Volvo? Show it off here. Do you have a question or comment about how MVS works? Ask here.
Post Reply
AlanS
Posts: 648
Joined: 12 August 2006
Year and Model:
Location:
Been thanked: 2 times

GPS for car...portable...any suggestions?

Post by AlanS »

Didn't know where to put this question...so here goes:
Holiday approaching... I failed to get my wife what I wanted to get her last year (GPS), so I will do it this year. As with all electronics, the units change daily. I want to spend under $200 (she really doesn't travel that much), and have a reliable unit.
Any suggestions? I hear that the top two companies are Garmin and Magellen. There are just SOOOOOO many models.

User avatar
matthew1
Site Admin
Posts: 14502
Joined: 14 September 2002
Year and Model: 850 T5, 1997
Location: Denver, Colorado, US
Has thanked: 2662 times
Been thanked: 1256 times
Contact:

Post by matthew1 »

$200 would cover all of, or a substantial portion of, a switch in phone/service provider to an Android phone (google it) or iPhone. Then buy an app that does turn-by-turn navigation and GPS duties.

In stock form, my last-generation iPhone does very good showing GPS maps, routes, and traffic, but I'd need an app to get it to "speak" like many GPS units do. For Android, this app by Google is free -> http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/

This is assuming your wife already has a mobile phone, that you're already budgeting for her phone service, and that a switch wouldn't be technically or financially too difficult.

I love having one device, that's why I suggest using a phone to do GPS.

Having a phone to do GPS also cuts down on the problem of theft. Big gadgets on or near the dash attract thieves. I just had my $40 (cheap) radar detector stolen from my V70 R. As luck would have it, I left it unlocked, so they didn't smash the window.

Downsides: the screen isn't as big, and you have to fiddle to get it to do GPS rather than "just doing it" with a "dedicated" device.
Help keep MVS on the web -> click sponsors' links here on MVS when you buy from them.

Also -> Amazon link
. Click that when you go to buy something on Amazon and MVS gets a cut!

1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

How to Thank someone for their post

Image

jblackburn
MVS Moderator
Posts: 14043
Joined: 8 June 2008
Year and Model: 1998 S70 T5
Location: Alexandria, VA
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 19 times

Post by jblackburn »

I have a Garmin Nuvi 255W I bought last year during Black Friday. I got it for like $120, and it reads street names and everything to you. The benefit for me is I can actually mount it on the windshield and see upcoming turns - important when you're in a big city you don't know anything about. They also have lots of nearby attractions and things programmed in, restaurants, etc. My dad has a similar model he's had for a year longer. I suppose an iPhone/Blackberry can be made to do most of the same things, but my garbage EnV Touch doesn't really do anything useful with the Internet function.

The only major annoyance with the Garmins is how long they take to "locate satellites".
'98 S70 T5
2016 Chevy Cruze Premier


A learning experience is one of those things that says, "You know that thing you just did? Don't do that."

mercuic: Long live the tractor motor!

Post Reply