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So I ve been thinking about getting one myself but not sure which brand is best. Anyone care to express their opinion on which GPS system is the best or best value? Tom-Tom, Garman,etc.........

I have been considering getting one too for my F150. I have Navigation built into my DVD player in my 65 Econo.

I also I'm interested in one , but with most of this tech stuff I'm a dinosaur

I've been using this model for over 5 years now.

It just plugs into your laptop and you sit on the dash so it can pick up satellites (at least 3 are required) it can be used with voice activation and all vut there is no subscription service and you get a disc with over 4 million points of interest. It's come in real handy when traveling cross country to the Nats. I've had to change routes because the interstate was closed due to fires. I was showing it to Wildave while waiting for Smiley to meet us on our way to the 35th Nats and he thought it was a kinda silly toy until he realized that he left his gas cap at the last gas station hundreds of miles back. I said "Okay find us an Auto parts store" and with in a few minutes we could choose one from the map.
I don't try to use it while driving it's to distracting but if you have a copilot they could entertain themselves with it.

I've had the basic Tom Tom for two years now. Wife got it for me for Christmas, and at first I thought I didn't even want it. Sort of prided myself at getting around in all sorts of areas with maps, etc.

BUT, within about 5 minutes I figured out how to use it without ever cracking the manual, and in the last two years I have used it oh, about a 1,000 times. I never would have thought it would become so useful. It gives you an extremely accurate speed reading (pretty helpful for ANY car, but especially these old vans with less than accurate speedos), and tells you when you will arrive (although I usually can get there a little sooner) which is very helpful for business. Also distance to destination and other useful tidbits of info.

I play in a band and I can't tell you how helpful it's been finding out of the way places we've been booked to play. Especially at night with poorly marked roads.

However, they aren't perfect, and sometimes an old road can show up that is no longer there, or a new one doesn't appear, but I'd have to say that happens less than 2% of the time, and even then I've been able to deal with it. It also sometimes doesn't take you the shortest route - distance wise it might be but time wise not necessarily so.

These are minor quibbles though. You won't want to live without it once you have it. And remember that's from someone that didn't even want it!

Garmin's seem to get the best reviews, but Tom Tom's aren't far behind and my experience is a definite thumbs up. They have dropped considerably in price, and although I haven't looked lately I'd be surprised if some of the basic models (like I have) don't start for well under $100. Of course you can always throw more money at bigger and better.

(Best new cool feature - you can now download Homer Simpson's voice - among many others! I have an Australian woman right now.)

I didn't know you could down load voices. Too cool

I've been using Garmin for better than 10 years. Wouldn't leave home without it!!! The biggest choice you need to make is if you want to go the way it tells you or if you want to tell it which way you want to go.

The one that I'm using now is a Garmin 2730. With the soft ware downloaded on the computer you can plan your route turn by turn then download the route to your unit(or you can do it on the unit itself but its easier on the bigger computer screen). With one like this you can tell the unit which way you would like to go or it will plan a point to point route (shortest or quickest) for you. With the most common types you don't have a choice other than the quickest or the shortest routes and the unit picks which roads.

I started using this type back in about '96. When we travel on the bike we like to take the two lane routes. That's almost impossible with the units that plan the route for you. They nearly always put you on the interstates.

I have the garmin200... one of the cheap ones but I love it...take a wrong turn and it'll get you right back on track. I don't travel without it!!!!! I took mine to LasVagas and the wife and I just drove where ever and got lost and discovered... when it was time to go back to the casino we just touched the destination and presto... right back to the parking garage we had preset. I think any of them are good...cheap or expensive...I have a cheap one and just love it!!!

I have an older Garmin Street Pilot c330.It's archaic looking,big and boxy compared to the newer ones.But to be honest,that thing saved my azz plenty of times in the big truck.The one feature I didn't like was the shortest route it 'tells' you to go 'through the woods' or 'through the 'hood'.We all know every town probably has an area you don't wanna be in.I saw on the news other day a family was sent through the woods by a GPS to save 40 miles.They stayed in the vehicle 12 hours stuck in Oregon.Don't get me wrong,its a great lil device,but if/when I upgrade,I'd like to have some control of my destination.
When all else fails....an atlas works just fine.I have seen many of wives holdin them while the hubby drives giving 'assistance'. haaaa !

Call me old school, but technology to me is the downfall and laziness of society (sorry to rant), so I use a MAP.... But I do love my PC to get onto this site

from the movie CARS:

Minnie: Oh, do you hear that Van? She has a map!
Van: I don't need a map... got the GPS... never need a map again!

I'd love to "hi-tech-tify" my early vans! Wanna do it sneaky though, try to keep original looks. Great topic, y'all!

Nightmoves, you hit the nail on the head with your thread!! I was on a Search and Rescue mission in 08' for the Kim family just outside my home area ( which made national news ).. Their GPS told them to take a backroad (which is suicide in the winter), and he ended up losing his life because of it...... Granted, he should have talked to some locals or gotten better info before going, but those GPS's don't know when weather may be an issue.... There is nothing like talking to locals first!!! GPS's can't do that....

I do drive for a living and am more mapsmart than most but I still think it would be nice to have one for areas Im not real familiar with. Its also nice to find an auto parts store in an emergency like when my wheel bearing went out in Pa. one time. Besides simple directions for myself theres lots of other valid reasons to have one,for instance, my wife and daughter who get lost locally all the time. If the wife had it in her car I wouldn't get so many "help me Im lost calls" from her and my daughter. Good info so far though. Thanks for all the input.

I'm a fan of Garmin as well, I've got an older Nuvi model and it basically teaches you how to use it as you go. after awhile it gets to where punching in a location is like dialing a telephone, you just let your fingers do the talking. If i were to go out and buy a new one today, i'd be sure to get one with maps that can be updated, or downloaded offline at least once a year.

I borrowed a friends Garmin a few years back and loved it, then last year for Christmas I got a basic level Tom Tom, like it too. I use the GPS for my speedo in my van and love traveling with it. I use it on most every trip I take, and it stays in my daily driver and is turned on every day. the clock, the speedo and the ETA all are handy information.