GPS Comparisons ?

[Old Timer]

Would appreciate if some drivers could take the time for some input on the latest GPS models, pros and cons for Garmin, Rand & McNally, Cobra, TomTom etc ?
Thanks In Advance

[One]

Well in my limited knowledge of the things i can say this about the Tomtom my Girlfriend has i bring along once in a while...it displays the wrong timezone- prolly greenland time, likes to run me in circles and tries to tell me te road im on doesnt exist! In this case it was hwy 74 in NC for about 10 miles from I95 west. This one is not a Truck model but i cant imagine there would be a difference in basic operation...Also this thing turns on by itself! imagine taking a nap and this thing comes on and wants to route you to the last destination and sais 'TURN LEFT' and u freak thinking u fell asleep behind the wheel! ROFL

[DieselBoss]

Would appreciate if some drivers could take the time for some input on the latest GPS models, pros and cons for Garmin, Rand & McNally, Cobra, TomTom etc ?
Thanks In Advance

I did a rather extensive comparison chart reviewing the Garmin, PCMiler, and Rand Mcnally testing that we have done. You can find it here: Truck GPS comparison review

[zrj2011]

DieselBoss--Really appreciate your input on the GPS units. Could you include the WorldNav 7400 in your comparison? I just got one. Thanks

[tbrown]

I'm not the driver but would like to get my husband a new commercial GPS before he heads out on the road. Aside from the different brands is there any advantage to using PC Miler? I'm asking this because my understanding is that some companies route drivers using PCM. Could someone weigh in on their opinions/knowledge/experience. I've seen the comparison chart that's posted, but as I'm not a driver I can't truly appreciate the differences.

Thanks.

[DieselBoss]

I'm not the driver but would like to get my husband a new commercial GPS before he heads out on the road. Aside from the different brands is there any advantage to using PC Miler? I'm asking this because my understanding is that some companies route drivers using PCM. Could someone weigh in on their opinions/knowledge/experience. I've seen the comparison chart that's posted, but as I'm not a driver I can't truly appreciate the differences.

Thanks.

If his company uses PC Miler and he has to use their routing to the letter, then there would be an advantage to using a PC Miler GPS.

[sidman82]

Anyone have the new Cobra 5550 Pro? Price is reasonable.

[freebrd]

JUNK PERIOD...
LISTEN GUYS!

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DONT FOOL WITH THE RAND MCNALLY!

IT S TRULY A PIECE OF SHEEIT!

ALSO THERE TECH SUPPORT IS NON EXISTANT.

I HAVE TALKED TO MARK ON HERE ALSO! NOTHIN BUT LIES!

HERES WHAT THEY WILL TELL YOU! SEND IT IN WILL SEND U A REPLACEMENT!

AND THEY WILL! IM ON MY THIRD ONE! THE LAST TWO SAID NO GPS! RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX! JUST GOT HOME AND ANOTHER GPS UNIT IS BY THE DOOR!

NOT GETTING MY HOPES UP ON THIS ONE EITHER! WELL, GUESS WHAT "NO GPS" ON THIS ONE EITHER.

MARK,

cc194217
Truck Forum Supporter

THIS GUY HERE TOLD ME OVER A MONTH AGO HE WAS SENDING ME A C-MODEL LATER VERSION, I HAD THE B! IN TWO DAYS!
WELL, THAT NEVER SHOWED UP!
I TRULY BELIEVE RAND NO"S THERE GPS IS JUNK!
THEY KEEP COMING OUT WITH "NEWER" UNITS TO SUCKER US IN! THEY HAVE SURE PUT A SPIN ON ME!
FELLOW TRUCKERS! WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A NEW FORM OF A PONZY SCHEME!
OBVIOUSLY! THEY HAVE NO PLANS OF STANDING BEHIND THERE PRODUCT!
3-UNITS BAD RIGHT OUT THE BOX! WHAT ABOUT QUALITY CONTROL?
ARENT THEY SUPPOSE TO MAKE SURE THE GPS WORKS? I PAID $499.00 FOR MY UNIT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLEO USE IT!
YES! ITS WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT! THATS HOW LONG IVE BEEN DEALING WITH RAND MCNALLY AND THERE HIGH DOLLAR PAPER WEIGHT.
IT NEVER CEASESTO AMAZE ME HOW PEOPLE CAN LIE SO EASY AND WITHOUT CONSIOUS!
WELL, IVE HAD ENOUGH! ILL GET EVEN WITH THEM! THEY ARE ALL OVER THE TRUCKSTOPS.. ATLEAST $500.00 DOLLARS WORTH..

[mitchno1]

i bought a chinese gps no name from our trade me (your e bay)$nz150 7"screen latest map ,blue tooth for phone use ,video for music etc,mp3,picture viewer and ebook,all navigation stuff you need works excelent and easy to see being big screen ,my 2 cents

[freebrd]

Nothing but troubles with rand mcnally! Unit and company! Have had 3 units shipped to my door all three inoperable! "no gps" out the box!! Pizzed at rand!

[tken106]

I've had the Rand 700 for a year and a half. Never had a minutes problem with it other than once in a while you have to set your load weight low to get a route.

[mgfg]

I've had the Rand 700 for a year and a half. Never had a minutes problem with it other than once in a while you have to set your load weight low to get a route.

Care to tell us why you would have to lie about your gross weight to get a routing?

[poorboy126]

I would like to find out more on the Cobra 7750 with the 7 inch screen, it looks really nice and has a lot of trucker specific features.

[firebird_1252]

i have the rand 510.. while i love it here is what i hate about it. lets say a stop is right off the interstate but there is a exit that'll get you there 20 miles before that exit.. you are taking back roads to the place where you coul dhave got right off the interstate. a lot of times it'll put you on roads trucks should not be on at all. other then that i love it.

[crb]

I had a garmin 465t and I hated it. I have a garmin 5000 I believe it isn't a truck specific GPS, but I love it. The garmin remembers the routes we take so if I put in an address again it will take me the way I went last time. I also have a pc miler 550 and it is good, although sometimes it can be difficult. I have never had the pc miler put me where I cant be though just sometimes it takes the long way. I only run terminal to terminal so I know the way to get into most of the terminals anyway, but the gps makes things easier.

[D17554]

Believe it or not I use two gps units, a Rand Mcnally 500 and a Sony Nav-u83T. I had the Sony back in 2005 when I started driving because it was all that I had at the time. I was aware that you had to actually map your route and make sure the gps was not routing you onto roads not favorable for big trucks. The biggest asset for the Sony was the lane guidance feature in big cities, ( The Best hands down ) Also it has the quickest rerouting time from 2 to 5 seconds and it's a very nice unit. I also just updated the map from the 2007a / 3.2 update to the 2009a / 5.0 update. I purchased the Rand Mcnally 500 after my Sony tried to take me on a 12 ton bridge route and on a foggy night in the mountains tried to route me on a winding road out to I81 from N.C. into Northern Va. that was not for big trucks. The Rand Mcnally which some call junk was an ok unit for me even though it will also try to send you down a bad road, or as one poster said, it will try to make you take a exit to early and take you around the long route to get you to a point, but had you stayed on the interstate to the next exit or two down you would be right at the fuel stop or intended point. ( That is where the Sony conflicts with the Rand M. and I go with the Sony and its usually right. ) The Rand M. has a very bad recalculating time and often it just gets confused and will just freeze up when you miss a turn. Again here comes the Sony to the Rescue ( BAMM ) with a IMMEDIATE route, while the Rand M. is still recalculating. (lol) It has saved me a lot of times in big cities with quick responses if I miss a turn or get in the wrong lane and can't get over and I need to get a new route to get me back on point. So why even bother with the Rand M ? Well it really has a lot of needed and useful truckers tools. The accuracy for routing and getting you to your correct destination is 90 %, it has my favorite which shows an actual speed limit sign on the display and keeps up with the posted speed limits, again the accuracy is about 90%. The speed limit display can be set to alert you if you exceed the posted speed, and you set how far over that limit you want to go before it will alert you. ( Lets say the posted speed is 55 but you want to be a speeder and want to go 60 but no more than 60. So you set it to go off at 5 miles over the posted speed. ) This is now set for all posted speeds, so if you go into a 35 mph zone then the alarm goes off at 40 mph and so on. This feature is so useful when going into these speed trap towns, because its voice calls out each drop in the posted speed as they happen. And you can set the distance that you want to be notified before the warning is issued, usually I set mine to a 1/2 mile which gives you plenty of time to decrease your speed. The Rand M. also has weigh station, toll roads, state border, country border and several other warning that you can set a specific distance to show your relationship to that point along with a screen warning and the voice. ( You can adjust voice volume or choose to only hear voice or just see the warning on the screen. ) The Rand M. can help you find every rest area and truck stop, cat scales, hotels and the list of places is extensive. ( I have to give it an A+ in that area. ) So these two gps units are like having to bird dogs, what one can't find the other is on point. And a back up is useful if the other happens to fail for what ever reason. If I had to choose just one it would be the Rand M. but the killer slow rerouting time would be to much for me to bear and I would purchase another gps, Sony if available just for the fast rerouting and off ramp direct route fueling points. I believe that all gps units have some faults and will get you off route occasionally, so always map your route before you start as if you didn't have a gps and use it as intended just another tool in your trucking arsenal.So If you are laying the road behind you and happen to glance over and see a fool with two units attached on the window give me a shout and don't rub it in to hard. As always Be SAFE and AiM HiGh.