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
Posts Tagged ‘Voice Instructions’
3 Things You Need to Know Before You Buy Your Next Auto GPS Unit
October 8th, 2009
If you’re in the market for an auto GPS unit, then there are three things you absolutely have to know and understand. In order to choose the right unit for your needs and budget, you need to know who the main manufacturers are, what features they offer, and how much various features are going to cost you.
Lets’ take a look at each of these three in order.
First off, there are three main manufacturers of GPS units.
Garmin is without doubt the industry leader in the United States. (Tom Tom leads the field in Europe.)
In the U. S., Garmin has 50% of the market share. And it’s no wonder. They have the broadest product line and price range. Garmin essentially dominates the high end of the marketplace.
The StreetPilots are Garmin’s older models, whereas the nuvis are the newer models. Garmin nuvis are compact, sleek, and pack a tremendous amount of features in a small package. Garmin’s entry level product, the nuvi 200 sells for under $150, whereas the nuvi 880 sells for almost $900!
What’s the difference between the two? The nuvi 200 is an excellent, basic GPS unit. It can do what all modern GPS’s can do–tell you where you are and how to get where you’re going with voice instructions.
If you’re looking for a top of the line auto GPS unit, then look no further than the 880. It does everything the nuvi 200 can do, and it has Bluetooth capability, FM transmission capability, and it can make multiple route calculations. These are just a few of the great features you can get with an 880.
Tom Tom is second in the U. S. market with almost 20% of the market share. Tom Tom is a more recent arrival on the GPS scene, but they’ve taken the U. S. market by storm by offering excellent products at prices that are lower than Garmin’s. The Tom Tom One, 3rd Edition, is a direct competitor of the nuvi 200. If you’re looking for a more expensive, fully-featured model, check out Tom Tom’s GO series. There you’ll find Bluetooth, a larger database of Points of Interest, and all of the features you’ll be looking for in a more expensive device.
Magellan is right behind Tom Tom in market share. But don’t underestimate them. Their Maestro line is one of my favorites. The Maestro 4250 was rated by Consumer Reports as one of the top GPS units on the market. Yet it only sells for around $350!
No 500 word article can tell you everything you might want to know when buying your first (or even next) GPS. What you need now is an informative website where you can browse particular models and also check out their current prices.
By: Rick Cole
