Tips on Buying the Best Auto GPS Units, Part II

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:49:02 +0000

In Part I of this series, we discussed how much you can spend on auto GPS units, and how much you want to spend. In this part, we’re going to discuss the manufacturers and what features you need to be on the look out for.

Buy the end of this article, you should know enough about auto GPS units to enter the marketplace with knowledge and confidence.

What manufacturer’s product should I buy?

Since I just mentioned the top manufacturers in the United States, let me just say a few words about each of them.

Garmin has the broadest and deepest product line. I like their nuvi line quite a lot! They’re sleek and really have a lot of features for such a small package.

Tom Tom has been fast catching up in the United States due to very aggressive pricing. If you want a more fully featured model than the One, 3rd Edition, then how about the GO 920T, which was listed by Consumer Reports recently as one of the best GPS’s to buy. Right now, it will cost you a little over $400.

Magellan is sort of the granddaddy of the field. They were one of the first companies to enter the auto GPS market. I like their Maestro line the best for about the same reasons I like Garmin’s nuvi line.

Also, Magellan has a great deal with AAA, where they have the Tour Book pre-programmed right in their device. I’m a AAA lover. So, for me that’s a great selling feature.

Sure, there are other manufacturers of these devices other than Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan, but since these three control almost 90% of the U. S. market, I can’t see any reason to buy anything else.

Now that we’ve talked about who makes auto GPS units, let’s talk about what features you should be considering.

What do I want my new GPS to do–besides tell me how to get places?

In addition to showing you where you are and telling how to get to places, all GPS units also have touch screens, a database of pre-programmed destinations (called Points of Interest, or POI’s), and pre-loaded maps, usually of at least the lower 48 United States.

Other features you might want are:

More maps Actually saying street names (instead of just “Turn Here!”) Real-time weather and traffic alerts right on your device Bluetooth, so you can make hands-free phone calls while driving Multiple point routing, so you can enter more than one destination in for the same trip Bigger screen (4.3-inches instead of 3.5-inches–measured along the diagonal)

You can get the extra maps, saying the street names, and the real-time weather and traffic alerts (with subscription) for only about $200! The Garmin nuvi 350 can do this just fine.

If you want Bluetooth, then you can get this and the wider screen for around $400. The multiple point routing will cost you another $50 to $100.

There are certainly more features, but these are the main ones. There’s a lot of competition under $400 in the auto GPS marketplace. Above $400, it’s mainly all Garmin. So, if you’re willing to spend more, you really need to look at their nuvi 700’s and their 800’s.

Hopefully, this will help you wrap your mind around the market for auto GPS units a little better!

At first buying a GPS seems a little confusing and overwhelming. It’s not really. There are just a few things you haven’t thought about.

Use this article as a guide to help you better understand the marketplace.

What you need now is an informative website where you can browse and check current prices.

By: Rick Cole

Tips on Buying the Best Auto GPS Units, Part I

admin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:43:05 +0000

If you’re in the market for a GPS, then a few tips on buying auto GPS units will be helpful.

There are so many makes and models to choose from! Without getting a masters degree in engineering, how do you decide what manufacturer to go with, or how much to spend?

Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered! With the tips I’m going to give you about buying auto GPS units, you can march confidently into the marketplace and spend your money, knowing you’re buying the best unit for you and your needs.

When you buy a GPS unit, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

How much do I want to spend? What manufacturer’s product should I buy? What do I want my new GPS to do–besides tell me how to get places?

Let’s look at each of these in turn.

How much do I want to spend?

Of course you can spend less than you’re budgeting. But to make sure you understand the answers to the next few questions on our list, you need to at least have a vague idea of your price range.

You can get a brand new GPS unit for $150! All the major manufacturers have an entry level model.

Garmin makes the nuvi 200. Tom Tom has the excellent One, 3rd Edition. Magellan has a great entry level model called the Maestro 3100.

All three of these units show you where you are on an electronic map and tell you how to get to your destination with voice instructions.

All three of these manufacturers make a great product. As a matter of fact, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan are the industry leaders (in that order, with Garmin controlling about 50% of the marker share).

If you want more bells and whistles (which we’ll discuss in a moment), you’ll be spending anywhere from $200 to $400.

If you want to shoot the moon and get the cutting edge of current automotive GPS technology, then it’s $900 for the Garmin nuvi 880.

So, anywhere from $150 to $900 is the price range, and you can get excellent devices at all the price points. Before you dive into the marketplace, however, you need to get a handle on how much you want to spend.

In Part II of this series of articles we’re going to talk about what products you should buy and what you want your new GPS to do.

Another good thing to do, as you’re educating yourself, is to find a good, informative website you can browse around in and check prices.

By: Rick Cole

Auto GPS » Marketplace

Tips on Buying the Best Auto GPS Units, Part II

Tips on Buying the Best Auto GPS Units, Part I