Portable GPS Units

[Steve 00RT/10]

Does anyone have experience with this type of GPS in a Viper? Tom/Toms/Garmin 660 Nuvi/ Magellan Roadmate ....to name a few.

Is the internal speaker loud enough? How about mounting locations?

Thanks--Steve

 

[FLX109]

Does anyone have experience with this type of GPS in a Viper? Tom/Toms/Garmin 660 Nuvi/ Magellan Roadmate ....to name a few.

Is the internal speaker loud enough? How about mounting locations?

Thanks--Steve

Steve,
I use the Garmin 330 and its great, I just use the suction cup window mount, I have side exhaust, high flow cats and a blower and I hear the voice anouncements just fine.


FLX109

 

[beckertb]

I have a TomTom and it has been fantastic. I use the suction cup to transfer from car to car. Best $ I've spent, I do believe. Plenty loud. Rear exit borla, no cats.


Ben

 

[GTSnake]

I prefer the Garmin more than Tomtom. The Toms look like they're really bulky.

 

[apun]

I have an older Tomtom 300 and it is a little bulky...looks like a mini tube TV. The newer ones are slimmer and a lot lighter though.

Alex

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Thanks for the replies. For those that mount them on the windshield........do you find it restricts visibility very much? I'm glad it seems the internal speaker works well enough. I am afflicted with Belanger rumble which I'm sure will challenge the lady in the box.

Steve

 

[Ron]

Because windshield mounting does limit visibility somewhat, I used my Garmin unit with an external antenna. Antenna sits on the rear bulkhead under the rear glass and the unit itself on the console with the sandbag mount. Works for me.

Side note: The Tom Tom I used was unviewable in direct sunlight while the Garmin was fine. NavTeq mapping software is also considered to be the best for the US market. Garmin uses them, while Tom Tom had (and might still) used a European supplier, Tele Atlas. In my experience, they're not at the level of Navteq.

 

[Randy]

I used a Garmin StreetPilot for many years in my '95 RT/10, and made a mount that snapped onto the center Tonneu cover snap (Gen I's have snaps across the top of the dash to hold the Tonneu cover), and held the Garmin slightly below the top of the dash level. It worked really well. When I got my Gen II, which doesn't have any snaps on the dash, I just installed an in-dash navigation system with slide-out 7" display (Pioneer AVIC-N1).

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

My brother uses the sand bag mount on his Garmin IQ3600 PDA/Nav device. It seems to work quite well. I'm leaning towards the Garmin Nuvi 680 with all the real time MSN Direct stuff. One feature it doesn't appear to have is the ability to program/save multiple destinations. Is this a big deal?

The in-dash way is probably the best, but we're looking at traveling in more than the Viper during the hibernation months.

Steve

 

[Camfab]

I bought the 660 for my wife this past Christmas. She really likes the blue tooth cell phone feature. My limited use with it was great, virtually no set up and super easy to use. She recently was complaing about a software glitch that somehow overloads the memory. I'm uncetain what she did to resolve the issue. In CA windshield mounts are illegal, so the unit comes with a sticky plate to adhere to the dash. The design blows, it eventually falls off the dash and will not hold.This is the real downfall of all these units. The only feature lacking on this unit is voice recognition. I purchased it from " The GPS Store" , they are online. Great service, very knowledgeable, good return policy and excellent pricing.

 

[Mopar488]

My brother uses the sand bag mount on his Garmin IQ3600 PDA/Nav device. It seems to work quite well. I'm leaning towards the Garmin Nuvi 680 with all the real time MSN Direct stuff. One feature it doesn't appear to have is the ability to program/save multiple destinations. Is this a big deal?

The in-dash way is probably the best, but we're looking at traveling in more than the Viper during the hibernation months.

Steve[/quote
I have the Garmin 3600 also and use it in my co car and take it traveling and use it in rentals cars. The bean bag mount is too big to use on a Viper dash, but it is a good unit. I would probably go for a suction mount if I had to but another one or possibly a suction/universal mount so I could mount it on my bike also.

 

[SNAKE BITE]

I have the Garmin Nuvi 660. It's the only one I've owned so I'm not really sure what to expect but I'm not impressed with the mapping features or how it calls some roads that have normal names by County Route 30 or whatever instead of their normal name like Riverside Blvd.

 

[TAXIMAN1]

I use a TomTom ONE... Very small/compact, and easy to use.

 

[JKVIPER]

I have the Garmin Nuvi and works very well.

I originally bought the roadmate, but it is very heavy and with the harsher ride of a car like a Viper the roadmate bounce up and down with the supplied windshield mount.

The Nuvi was around $700 bucks, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get a BR-1 and the Ipod adaptor.

Nothing like build it with no cables and windshield mount.

 

[jrkermode]

I use a Magellan RoadMate 550 or 700 (I have both). I have a vent mount for the Viper that sets quite securely in the center HVAC vent of my 2002 GTS. Antenna works fine, volume is fine.

 

[swissboy]

hi folks,

i have the garmin 510 deluxe, very basic but ok for a not daily driver. in my other toys i have the pioneer avic-hd1 Bt, i think in your place of the earth it has a different name...

last year i absolved a driving academy near chicago, we all received a garmin guest 2. a great pice of work but it has north america preinstaled and not enough space for europe left. so here it is... lying in the shelf....

any one interested? its like brand new! check on garmin.com, the quest 2 is waterproff! motorcycle or RT/10

greez from over the pond, patrick

 

[Neil - UK]

i've had a Tom Tom one for a couple of years i find it best in the viper mounted in the bottom right corner of the window screen over by the passenger, out of view really relying more on the voice commands.

I've used it all over Europe but brought it to the US last month and was disappointed it didnt take zip codes

 

[Dave Moore]

I use the garmin 660. It is great. With the top down, and at highway speeds, sometimes its hard to hear but it is easy to read the display. At a slower rate of speed, like in town, it's easy to here . It has the ability to store a bunch of destinations and the suction cut hasn't let go even with some very spirited driving. So far the directions are accurate and the shortest routes.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I use a Magellan RoadMate 550 or 700 (I have both). I have a vent mount for the Viper that sets quite securely in the center HVAC vent of my 2002 GTS. Antenna works fine, volume is fine.

Which vent mount did you get? I see several types out there. Seems like a good way to go.

I'm leaning heavily toward the Nuvi 660...or spring for the new 680 with MSN Direct. While the MSN service may not be the best for traffic right now---I can't imagine ol' Bill not continuing to add service to his product. $130 bucks buys it for life. I like the weather and gas price feature offered with the MSN.

Steve

 

[apun]

i've had a Tom Tom one for a couple of years i find it best in the viper mounted in the bottom right corner of the window screen over by the passenger, out of view really relying more on the voice commands.

I've used it all over Europe but brought it to the US last month and was disappointed it didnt take zip codes

Hi Neil,

There might be a s/w update for your TomTom. I have the older 300 and after I upgraded the s/w, I was able to input zip codes.

Alex

 

[Neil - UK]

Hi Neil,

There might be a s/w update for your TomTom. I have the older 300 and after I upgraded the s/w, I was able to input zip codes.

Alex

i have the latest software upgrade installed, maybe no zip as its a euro version, but still that shouldnt happen

 

[apun]

i have the latest software upgrade installed, maybe no zip as its a euro version, but still that shouldnt happen

Do you also have the latest maps installed? Maybe it was part of the map s/w. Or maybe you're right with the euro version?

Alex

 

[Neil - UK]

i only brought the FL map just 6 weeks ago, and had to update the operating system at the same time for the install to complete

 

[apun]

I bought the North America maps 3 months ago and now I can input zip code...maybe that's the difference?

Alex

 

[jrkermode]

Steve,

I use the Magellan vent mounts (I have one for each car). I've had them so long, I'm totally clueless what else may be available.

The Magellan vent mounts are basically little metal plates sliced to form 3 vinyl coated fingers. You bend up/down the fingers to grab hold of the vent.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Steve,

I use the Magellan vent mounts (I have one for each car). I've had them so long, I'm totally clueless what else may be available.

The Magellan vent mounts are basically little metal plates sliced to form 3 vinyl coated fingers. You bend up/down the fingers to grab hold of the vent.

Thanks. Looks like there's a bunch out there. Some look a little flimsy. I'll look at the Magellan site. I'm actually thinking of making a U shaped piece which would slide in on the top and bottom of the vent as opposed to holding onto the vanes of the vent. Mounting the unit to this piece could be as simple as Velcro.

I went whole hog and ordered the Garmin Nuvi 680

Steve

 

[Sandy G]

I have a Nuvi 360 bought online from Circuit City. It is under $600 and has bluetooth. You can put in on the consul and it get great reception. Also, if you buy from Radio sHACK AN fm TRANSMITTER ALL SOUND COMES OUT OF THE RADIO SPEAKERS, even the cell phone calls.........love mine! PS: Piece of cake to take it with you if you go out of town and do a car rental. Sandy G.

 

[AviP]

This article could provide some insight.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6057734.stm