Im considering a GPS unit for my TJ but am on a budget and still don't know features would be best to have. ebay and harbor freight has deals for 100 bucks or less sometimes. Any advice on this one guys???

I have a garmin quest. It's nice because it's removable for when I go hiking and stuff. It does mapping and routing and you can load topo maps.

Of course, it's gonna run a little more than $100.

Depends on what you want to do with it. Basic Garmin ETrex is under $100. If you want to get into mapping - doing it right is going to cost you 4-5 times that.

I have the Garmin Vista. Pretty basic but does the job. You're more than welcome to check it out @ HDR.

We did a couple of low-end Garmin reviews here on the site (http://www.myjeeprocks.com/feature/index.php?s=garmin). If you're not going to go all "FishPOET" with it, hehe, I'd recommend the V. They're discontinued so they're cheap! I just did a quick ebay search and the first one I found was $150 w/free shipping.

I may wind up with a Garmin 378 this year (or rather my consulting company may "buy me" one).

I may wind up with a Garmin 478 this year (or rather my consulting company may "buy me" one).
Fancy pants! If you get it, be sure to let us know if it's worth the price. Personally, I don't want to have a heart attack every time the thing falls of the dash :D

Very popular unit for the boating crowd - may be more than I need for our massive 18.5' ski boat though. I'd love to be able to know my exact position at Nacimiento, Shasta or Powell without having to manually move it over to my paper map.

I like the big display on the 478 - I've winched more than a few folks out of ravines 'cause they were trying to follow the map on their GPS with a 2" screen :)

Very popular unit for the boating crowd - may be more than I need for our massive 18.5' ski boat though. I'd love to be able to know my exact position at Nacimiento, Shasta or Powell without having to manually move it over to my paper map.

I like the big display on the 478 - I've winched more than a few folks out of ravines 'cause they were trying to follow the map on their GPS with a 2" screen :)
I have a garmin V and a Garmin 2610. Both are great, the 2610 is color and has a removable disc. I put a 1 gig chip and it will hold everything I need.

We did a couple of low-end Garmin reviews here on the site (http://www.myjeeprocks.com/feature/index.php?s=garmin). If you're not going to go all "FishPOET" with it, hehe, I'd recommend the V. They're discontinued so they're cheap! I just did a quick ebay search and the first one I found was $150 w/free shipping.

I have that Garmin V that Sarah 'reviewed' in her link above. It's served me well, but I'd have to agree that the only real downfall with it that I've found is the size of the memory. I do have most of Orange County stored in it, as well as the Big Bear area, and I think even out to Calico. Someday I'll get one with larger memory and larger screen and COLOR screen and, and, and... ;)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/steelman_d/1998%20TJ%20Sport%20-%20Interior/13-TJ-GPSMounted.jpg

I'm using a Garmin GPS V. I bought it two years ago for $157 (it was a closeout) because at the time, it was the least expensive GPS unit with mapping capability and since it was my first GPS, I didn't want to commit too much money until I learned more about using one. I have since found it has been invaluable both in town and off road. The Garmin GPS V has many limitations 1) its black and white display is hard to see in daylight, 2) it has limited storage capacity; at any one time I can only load the maps for half of a high density area such as the Los Angeles basin or most of a low density area such as the Mojave desert, so I'm always loading and unloading maps before each trip. Each upload takes about 30 minutes because of the relatively slow serial port. On the plus side, Garmin has a large selection of maps, and there are many third party vendors who sell maps that will work with Garmin. Caution: I purchased the North American v8 upgrade CD, but I found that those maps were too large to fit in my GPS V memory. Now that I've learned to use a GPS, I'm thinking about upgrading to a color unit with more memory.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b53/UF92134/BBFF%202005/P1000311.jpg

Here you go Russ - I did the hard part for you :)

http://www.gpsnow.com/gmmap378.htm

Here you go Russ - I did the hard part for you :)

http://www.gpsnow.com/gmmap378.htm

Wow, only $1,000! :eek: :D

I see a theme here:

I have that Garmin V ... Someday I'll get one with larger memory and larger screen and COLOR screen and, and, and... ;)

I'm using a Garmin GPS V... Caution: I purchased the North American v8 upgrade CD, but I found that those maps were too large to fit in my GPS V memory. Now that I've learned to use a GPS, I'm thinking about upgrading to a color unit with more memory.




Which is why we upgraded to the Quest. (We sold our V to Sarah) We love it. It was totally worth the money:) My parents ended up buying one for their motorhome as well. We used a Garmin Nuvi while on our honeymoon, and we HATED it:P It also happens to be the one that Jeep uses for its GPS unit. (here's a link (http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/showpost.php?p=52867&postcount=11) to the side by side comparison of the two)

Its very frustating finding yourself out of the mapping area due to memory size.

Tam :)

Caution: I purchased the North American v8 upgrade CD, but I found that those maps were too large to fit in my GPS V memory. Now that I've learned to use a GPS, I'm thinking about upgrading to a color unit with more memory.
What do you mean by this? How much bigger are they? Do they not fit at all or? I just ordered my upgrade so I'm curious.

What do you mean by this? How much bigger are they? Do they not fit at all or? I just ordered my upgrade so I'm curious.With v.7, each map was 1 or 2 MB in size, so I could create a set of 8 to 10 maps that covered just the route that I was interested in, and load them in the 19MB of storage on the GPS V. With v.8, each map covers a larger area, but each map is 4 to 8 MB in size, so at most, I could load 2 or 3 maps, and they wouldn't necessarily cover the entire route that I wanted. For example, when I go to the Bay Area from Los Angeles, I load a set of v.7 maps that cover the entire route along I-5. But with the bigger v.8 maps, I could only load two of them, and those two only covered part of the route. I suppose the work around is to store the maps on a laptop, and download them as needed, but my laptop doesn't have a serial port, and the USB to serial converter that I have will only work at 9600 baud, so it would take six hours to download the maps from my laptop to the GPS V!

Thanks for the info Russ. Yep, this oughta be interesting.

Sarah,

Here is a comparison of the boundaries of each v7 and v8 map. The v7 maps are smaller, so I can fit enough of them in my GPS V to cover the entire route from Los Angeles to the Bay Area:
http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/gallery/files/1/3/2/6/image003.png


By comparison, the v8 maps cover a larger area, so the file size is larger. I can only fit two or three in my GPS V at a time so I cannot get the entire route from LA to the Bay Area in my GPS V at the same time:
http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/gallery/files/1/3/2/6/image006.png

Gotcha ... thanks for the info Russ, I did cancel my order for the update to v8. Considering the lengthy trips we have planned this year, I'll need my route to cover multiple states. I'd hate to say that I'm in the market for a new GPS just yet - I do truly LOVE this one - but fitting Socal to Colorado with the updated data looks pretty much impossible.

Amazon has Garmin eTrex Vista Handheld GPS Navigators for $159! (http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-Vista-Handheld-Navigator/dp/B000058BCR/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4926709-5785400?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1179880723&sr=8-1)

They also have the Garmin eTrex Vista CX Handheld GPS Navigator (color) for $237! (http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-Vista-Handheld-Navigator/dp/B000CSQNL0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-4926709-5785400?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1179880723&sr=8-2)

Has anyone used the Garmin® StreetPilot c340 with topo maps? Or should I get a GPSMAP 60CSx? The former is on sale for $349, the latter $399 on base. And how much should I expect to pay for topo maps?

Cheers! M2

If you're not going to go all "FishPOET" with it, hehe, I'd recommend the V.

Funny enough I still use my V every trip. I have a special set of SBNF trail maps loaded on it and they have saved me many wrong turns on unfamiliar trails.

We also use Tracy's GPSMap60 as well. It holds more maps and the color display is much easier to read than the V.

I have the Garmin 60CSx and installed the 1 gig chip.

Not a big screen but work well for what I bought it for.

Funny enough I still use my V every trip. I have a special set of SBNF trail maps loaded on it and they have saved me many wrong turns on unfamiliar trails.
Haha!! Sweet!!

After looking at the Magellan lineup, it seems you can pack a bigger punch for your money. Anyone ever use the button-based (not touch screen) Magellans?

Keep in mind this. Garmin is the largest GPS used. I have had lots of tracks sent to me from other Garmins and they all work on mine. Thats cool cause if your going someplace that someone else has their scan help you out.

Sarah,

Perhaps a section for GPS and sharing tracks?

edit:

Heres a google earth plus of some tracks going through...Ya Tijuana. It would be cool to have the ability to load other peoples tracks when your in an area your not comfy with. My tracks are in red....

http://britain.connectnet.com/Photography/Tijuana.jpg

Haha!! Sweet!!

After looking at the Magellan lineup, it seems you can pack a bigger punch for your money. Anyone ever use the button-based (not touch screen) Magellans?

Probably 10% of the third party and user base support with the Magellan :(

Keep in mind this. Garmin is the largest GPS used. I have had lots of tracks sent to me from other Garmins and they all work on mine. Thats cool cause if your going someplace that someone else has their scan help you out.

From my experience with it, if both parties don't have the same version of Garmin's software, you can't read the files. Different versions aren't compatible with each other, unless you've discovered otherwise, rendering the entire concept useless.

Probably 10% of the third party and user base support with the Magellan.

Based on my comment above, I don't receive support anyway! Hehehe

Perhaps a section for GPS and sharing tracks?
Do we have any other interest for this? A couple of years ago, when I launched the maps page (not the reports section), I went on a mission to find a "universal" track format. I ended up with nothing but a computer full of viruses, spyware, and my brother bitching at me :D

What am I missing?

Not sure about the Garmin software. I havent had problems with getting tracks from other garmin parties. Matt P gave me some JV stuff and I got some other from another person and some from yet another. All good.

Perhaps the Garmin Software is look down. Lower cant read the newer.

Any other views on this?

Do we have any other interest for this? A couple of years ago, when I launched the maps page (not the reports section), I went on a mission to find a "universal" track format. I ended up with nothing but a computer full of viruses, spyware, and my brother bitching at me :D

What am I missing?

Me ;-)

Oh yeah....EasyGPS from topografix.com has worked well for me.

It would be cool to have a source for tracks. But doesnt seem to be much interest.

I have most of the tracks to JV. Would be cool to get Big Bear's.

aston :P
what file format do you use?

Britain,
which software version are you running? I still have 5.

aston :P
what file format do you use?

Britain,
which software version are you running? I still have 5.

MapSource is version 6.12.2

Cool Title for thread could be

Track Trader

aston :P
what file format do you use?



Err...what's a file format? ;)

My GPS is a Magellan and I have successfully shared waypoint files with people who use Garmin units. We did it via easyGPS.

I also downloaded files from the internet and uploaded them to my GPS using EasyGPS.

Err...what's a file format? ;)

My GPS is a Magellan and I have successfully shared waypoint files with people who use Garmin units. We did it via easyGPS.

I also downloaded files from the internet and uploaded them to my GPS using EasyGPS.

Ooo!! Which Magellan? I'm thinkin' of stepping to your side of the fence :D

I've had good results converting files using gpsbabel. I use it to convert Magellan<->Garmin (both ways) and from those two to MacGPS, Delorme (via import) and OziExplorer.

I have a Magellan Meridian Gold which has been a great mapping GPS, but the B&W screen is hard to read.

My next receiver will be a Garmin C60x. Just waiting for the rebates to occur again.

I feel Magellan has the better maps than Garmin, but they are both GOOD ENOUGH.

Ooo!! Which Magellan? I'm thinkin' of stepping to your side of the fence :D

I have the Meridian Platinum. It works great and I am very pleased with it, however I have not used anything else so my opinion is worthless ;-)

The only thing I don't like is the B&W screen. I think I got the last B&W they made :poop:

I also have the MapSend topo map of the US. I like being able to take a section of map, load it onto an SD card and stick the card in the GPS. I can load topo data for ut, az, co and nm all in one shot. I can't load Ca 'cos I don't have a USB cable made from hemp.

Perhaps the thread should be broken down by GPS type.

Have a sticky showing converter files.

I made map of JV and layed it out like a golf course. Though the mapping making software I have I cannot export it for other to use. But it gets a lot of laughs when I'm out.

Got rock traps, rock falls and stuff in it over layed on a topo.

Welp, I see why Magellan is less expensive ... ALL of their customer support, technical support and sales people are in INDIA!!

:poop:

Ah tried to steer ya straight.....

I have a garmin ique 3600
pro's...
it's very cool, over 4 years old, and plays mp3's, records, uses palm software, has a color moving map with voice directions, takes SD cards (I have a 2 gig in it right now with everything west of the mississippi in it) all the cool stuff.

cons..
it's fragile. my brother inlaw spilled beer on one and it fried, another just plain croaked, and nother had the antennae stop working. all were replaced free o charge.
the screen is small, the battery sucks. they still seem to cost over $400

Anybody have this one? I like the fact that it will take TOPO and has expandable memory. Not into the touch-screen ones. Also, when I call Garmin, they are in the USA.

http://thegpsstore.com/Garmin-GPSMAP-60CSx-Color-Handheld-GPS-P875C0.aspx

Matt2001TJ, have we helped you make a decision!? :D

I have this one..
http://thegpsstore.com/Garmin-eTrex-Vista-Cx-Color-GPS-P878C78.aspx

Im thinking of the G nuvi 350 for my jeep,is it the one for my needs? Also can i do that geo cash stuff? I heard from a friend that you need long/latt meter thingy on it???

Im not sure you can input a waypoint on that. We have the Quest and LOVE it.

HTH

Tam

I have the Garmin 60Csx. In my house ( 2 story) bottom floor I pick up Sats. And get location.
Good unit.

Mounted in the Jeep
http://britain.connectnet.com/Photography/60Csx.jpg

Picture of Topo
http://britain.connectnet.com/Photography/GPSa-01.jpg

Google earth + Location ( Mexico Hwy 2) Topo Area on 60Csx

http://britain.connectnet.com/Photography/Hill.jpg

ActualPicture of Area ( G Kropp)

http://britain.connectnet.com/Photography/LaMilla/photos/photo33.jpg







Anybody have this one? I like the fact that it will take TOPO and has expandable memory. Not into the touch-screen ones. Also, when I call Garmin, they are in the USA.

http://thegpsstore.com/Garmin-GPSMAP-60CSx-Color-Handheld-GPS-P875C0.aspx

Matt2001TJ, have we helped you make a decision!? :D

Anybody have this one? I like the fact that it will take TOPO and has expandable memory. Not into the touch-screen ones. Also, when I call Garmin, they are in the USA.

http://thegpsstore.com/Garmin-GPSMAP-60CSx-Color-Handheld-GPS-P875C0.aspx

Matt2001TJ, have we helped you make a decision!? :DThis is all kinda educational and overwhelming both. I know nothing about these things but have learned quite a bit just from reading all this. I did not expect this much feed back on this topic but thats great as its giving me ideas of what to get and what to avoid for any price. I basicly want to get GPS to track where im going and where ive been in SBNF and Johnson Valley.

Anybody have this one? I like the fact that it will take TOPO and has expandable memory. Not into the touch-screen ones. Also, when I call Garmin, they are in the USA.

We have the Map60CS. It is a great unit.

Be aware though that Garmin units only use Garmin software. Garmin Topo does not have as many features when compared to National Geographic Topo or DeLorme Topo. Garmin City Navigator also has locks built in. You can only load the software to 2 GPS units and only upgrade once.

We have the Map60CS. It is a great unit.

Be aware though that Garmin units only use Garmin software. Garmin Topo does not have as many features when compared to National Geographic Topo or DeLorme Topo. Garmin City Navigator also has locks built in. You can only load the software to 2 GPS units and only upgrade once.

The Topo sort of sucks but I use it together with Google Earth + I can lay in the tracks.

Question, with National Geographic can you lay in tracks and transfer the tracks to the Garmin GPS?

Question, with National Geographic can you lay in tracks and transfer the tracks to the Garmin GPS?

Short answer is no.

The rumor mill has long been speculating that someone would crack the Garmin code and write a program to be able to use 3rd party software on the Garmin GPSrs.

I was given a beta program by one of the original map writers for Garmin that has all the Big Bear trails. I keep it loaded in my GPS V. The drawback is that it is the only set of maps that I can have loaded and it does not allow for auto routing.

Our GPS is:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/assets/images/products/010-00249-00/en/cf-lg.jpg

Marines bought it for me. Still figuring out all the doodads.

Short answer is no.

The rumor mill has long been speculating that someone would crack the Garmin code and write a program to be able to use 3rd party software on the Garmin GPSrs.

I was given a beta program by one of the original map writers for Garmin that has all the Big Bear trails. I keep it loaded in my GPS V. The drawback is that it is the only set of maps that I can have loaded and it does not allow for auto routing.

Someone is making maps , I have some for Baja which are not sold by Garmin and work with garmin.

I do have some programs which allow me to make maps to use on mine but its a PITA

Our GPS is:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/assets/images/products/010-00249-00/en/cf-lg.jpg

Marines bought it for me. Still figuring out all the doodads.

I have that same GPS, just the non map version

it must be kinda boring without the maps :D :P ;)

Some of us know our way around without them :omg:

My GPS is the best:

http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/webclass/images/logo.gif

My GPS is the best:

http://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/webclass/images/logo.gif

So if you go past where you're supposed to turn, do you just flip the post-it over? :D

The Topo sort of sucks but I use it together with Google Earth + I can lay in the tracks.

Question, with National Geographic can you lay in tracks and transfer the tracks to the Garmin GPS?You CAN transfer the waypoints, tracks and routes to a Garmin GPS. You CANNOT transfer the maps. It's not because of any secret code; it is because of the way the map data is written and stored. Here's an explanation from the LBMaps website (http://www.lbmaps.com/maptypes.htm):

Forms of Digital mapping

1. Raster maps:

This mapping is usually scanned from paper versions, and is called raster mapping. (Raster, because it is made up of collections of pixels, or is a bitmap).
Raster mapping has the advantage of reproducing exactly what we see on paper, including shading, coloring, features and contour lines. Raster maps are one scale only, you cannot decrease the scale without losing resolution, because the image becomes "pixilated".
This type of mapping is used by programs such as Trax, Fugawi, Oziexplorer, National Geographic, Maptech and most others, for use on a computer or PDA. Raster mapping cannot be loaded into any Garmin GPS, even the so-called map models. Many of these maps are described as "GPS compatible" because you can connect a GPS to your PC and transfer waypoints, tracks and routes between the PC and GPS. But you cannot load the map on the GPS.
You can however, load points and routes from the maps, into your GPS. You can do this manually, or by computer link, using Fugawi, Oziexplorer and most map programs.

2. Vector maps:

The other type of digital mapping is called vector mapping. This is because it is made up of simple instructions like a program. For example:
...........10. Join points 2 and 3 with a red line 2mm thick.
...........20. Join points 2 and 4 with a black line 0.5mm thick.
and so on.

Vector mapping has the advantage of being able to be searched for names, words and phrases. In effect, it is its own database, so is much more useful in a "find where" situation. It is also scalable, that is it remains in focus regardless of scale.
GPS, whether hand-held, marine, or in-car, is used mainly to guide you to a destination. Vector mapping is more effective in GPS, because it is searchable for names and places.
All the cartography, marine and land, supplied by Garmin, is in vector form for more effective "find" and guide functions. Vector mapping is released by Garmin worldwide under the MapSource brand for use on a computer, and for Garmin map type GPS.

You CANNOT transfer the maps. It's not because of any secret code; it is because of the way the map data is written and stored.

There are other mapping programs in vector format (including DeLorme) and they will not transfer on to Garmin GPSrs. Garmin has never shared their map writing source code. If LBMaps has maps that will install on to Garmin receivers then they have figured out Garmins code and written their mapping programs in the same code as Gamin's MapSource. From glancing at the LBMaps site their maps are $150.00 and they do not include auto routing and you must still own Gamin MapSource. $150 is more expensive than most Garmin mapping software.

Ya maps are good. But I have gone into BC only on tracks. This was to pick up some stuff that was left behind from a friend.

MAps are not acccurate in BC and LB Maps states that. Larry at LB has been at least for me very help full.

I'm tracking out my favorite places to eat. Those tasty taco stops to the higher end mouth stuffers.

Me get me a track I'll find it map or no map. Thats called adventure.

Tomorrow I will track from Mexicali to San Luis. I'll place a way point for the Bose assembly plant. Dang got rejected again.........San Luis...ya has some tasty eateries there also...Adventure!

Question, with National Geographic can you lay in tracks and transfer the tracks to the Garmin GPS?Vern,

As a test, Doug (FishPOET) sent me a file containing tracklogs from National Geographic (*.TPO). I used a freeware conversion program from GPSBabel http://www.gpsbabel.org to convert the file to a Garmin (*.GDB) file. I was able to open the file using Garmin MapSource and download the tracklogs to my GPS-V.

Russ,
Could you pm me a link to get the file fishpoet gave you to decoded. I would like to try this program and see how it works on my gps.

Thanks

Tracked out the road from Mexicali to San Luis. Lots of Yonkes along the road. Found one Yonke which was loaded with beat up F250s. Found 6 of them of the 4X4... some which already were stripped of the axels. Great D60 axel find. One ole CJ5 restored. May take a closer look at the one later. Placed some way points on those interesting finds.......

Vern, what is a Yonke?

Junk! As in Yard...

got it. i have never heard it called that :D

Im thinking of the G nuvi 350 for my jeep,is it the one for my needs? Also can i do that geo cash stuff? I heard from a friend that you need long/latt meter thingy on it???

I just ordered a Nuvi 350 after my bro-in-law visited for a week with his. Damn thing is really useful, even in a town where you think you know how to get around. It got us home from the Alamo on a route I have never taken, but which probably saved us 5-10 minutes over my usual route. Plus it not only tells you directions, but gives you the street names as well. That's a cool function.

I paid $377 for the Nuvi from Amazon. There goes my BB budget for a few months. Next month I will probably blow my BB budget on a Bulgarian AK-47. And I need a new set of tires and brakes on one of the motorcycles. Too many toys, not enough cash!

Anyhow, I also ordered Garmin's Topo 2008 DVD for about $80 from Amazon, it works on the Nuvi 350 but there are some functions that work on the City Navigator maps that won't work on the topos, but the maps are pretty good detail and about all I need for my light offroading.

My bro-in-law researches every electronic he buys to death, and GPS Magazine (http://www.gpsmagazine.com) rated it their #3 top GPS system (the Nuvi 680 was #1 and Nuvi 660 #2). There is also a lot of good info on buying GPS on that site, as well as some pretty extensive reviews. Be sure to read the What to look for in a new GPS (http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2007/05/what_to_look_for_in_a_new_gps.php) article.

I will let you know how I like the Nuvi 350, but from using it for the past week, I am sure it is going to be a glowing review...

Cheers! M2

Here's the guide...


Not sure what to look for in a new GPS? Check out this quick, easy guide on how to shop for a GPS like a pro.

SiRF – Make sure your new GPS uses SiRF’s high performance receiver (officially called SiRF StarIII). This new chip significantly enhances GPS signal performance, making it possible to get solid reception behind talk buildings, canyons, under tree cover – even indoors!

NAVTEQ Maps – It goes without saying that one of the most critical elements of a navigation system is the quality of the maps. The two main suppliers of mapping data are NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas. Both companies have made great strides in this area, but NAVTEQ is still the best choice for North America. As of this writing, NAVTEQ’s maps are more accurate and complete than Tele Atlas.

Number of POI’s – In GPS speak, a "Point of Interest" is a business address saved on the GPS. You can think of the POI database as a pre-loaded yellow pages. Most modern GPS devices come pre-loaded with a Points of Interest database, allowing you to find nearby businesses, such as restaurants, gas stations, hotels, and more. Some less expensive GPS units ship with as few as 750k POI’s, while more expensive units can have up to 8 or even 10 million.

Routing Quality – Even if two GPS units have identical maps installed, they may choose very different routes. That’s because there’s a lot of math and algorithms behind how GPS devices figure out the “best” route to your destination. Is a particular street closed after business hours? Will you arrive only to find your destination is on the left side of a busy street, and you have to make a U-turn or go around the block? Is a given highway known to be congested at this time of day? Is a slightly longer route actually a shorter drive time? These are all factors that GPS manufacturers must tackle, and some do a decidedly better job than others. This is the least well understood aspect of GPS devices, and not something advertised on the box. Be sure to check out our reviews and find out which GPS devices get this right. In general, Garmin does the best job routing, followed by Magellan, and then TomTom.

Ease of Use – How easy is the GPS to use? Could you loan it to a friend and have them use it without any help from you or the instructions? Before buying a GPS, test it out (or read our in-depth reviews on this site) and try to input a destination address, search for a POI (point of interest), and take a look at the map screen. These are the basic functions you’ll want to check out to test ease of use.

Mounting Hardware – It sounds like a minor issue, but all too frequently even the most promising GPS can turn into a lemon when the mounting hardware doesn’t work well. Beenbags, windshield mounts, flex-arms, and adhesive mounting discs are just some of the various methods companies use. Look for a mount that doesn’t vibrate while driving, stays connected to the windshield, and is easy to dock/undock the GPS.

Nice to Have’s – Depending on your budget, features you may want (but aren't critical for basic navigation) include:

Larger Screen - Many GPS manufacturers now sell 4-inch widescreen GPS units. Though not essential, the wider screen does make things easier to see. Those looking for more portable units that can easily be stowed in a shirt pocket may prefer the more standard 3.5" display size.

Text-to-Speech - TTS, or Text-to-Speech makes it possible for the GPS to announce actual street names. So instead of hearing "Turn Right Ahead", you'll hear "Turn Right on Main Street".

Bluetooth - Bluetooth enabled GPS units can be paired to a Bluetooth enabled cell phone for hands-free speakerphone.

Traffic - Real-time traffic data is available on some GPS units (requires an annual subscription fee of around $65) and allows the GPS to make routing decisions based on current traffic conditions, avoiding accidents and tie-ups. Note that traffic coverage is generally only available in metropolitan areas, so be sure to check the coverage map before subscribing if your GPS supports this feature.

FM Transmitter - GPS units that have an integrated FM transmitted can route the GPS' audio to your car's stereo speakers via the FM radio (similar to many iPod car adapters that do the same thing). Quality varies, and long trips will almost certainly require you to change channels a few times to find an unused frequency on the FM dial. If your GPS has an audio out jack, you're better off using a cassette adapter or auxiliary audio hookup.

Be sure to check out the GPSmagazine Buyer's Guide for a complete list of all GPS rankings and reviews before buying your next GPS.