Best GPS system for class A

[Mike Canter]

You mean the I-95 trench through the Bronx with that 11' overpass. I went under that with my 12.6' mh and didn't hit it because I was in the middle of its arch. It scared me too death. That is also the roughest stretch of Interstate in the whole USA plus New Yorkers will not willing let you change lanes.

[Schoolsout2]

Copilot on my iPad is good. Also use google maps, paper maps and others to plan routes. A GPS designed for cars is going to cause you problems.

[HD4Mark]

The navigation app that came with my Android phone works good enough for what we need. I use it mostly on trips where we have already been and know the route but it gives us the time and distance to go. I have noticed it sometimes has you do U turns that don't work well in a 40' MH with a toad. It also assumes some roads are divided highway when they are not so it does the U turn thing when you can turn right into your destination.

[sellhomz]

Hi I have the Magellan RoadMate RV9165T-LM 7-Inch RV GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps and lifetime free traffic. You set it for your specks for your rig and it will only take you where you can fit. The rv/ car can easily be switched back on forth if you use it in your towed also. Only question I have with it is it has a nice feature of giving you the speed limit sign in car mode but the Speed limit sigh disappears in rv mode. Both modes will set off an alarm if you go over the speed by what ever you set it to. Mine is set at 10 which is great if off the interstate it knows where almost all speed changes are. Do if you don't see a 45 from 55 it lets you know immediately if you are traveling 56 or higher

[CampDaven]

Garmin. Moves from moho to toad. Moho is only 11.5 foot high so height has not been an issue, but I do watch the signs.
Best wishes and Merry Christmas.

[Brits on the road]

Hello ladies and gentlemen

Thank you so much for all your answers on the GPS systems. You all brought up so very good points. We will be hitting the road next January. [ moderator edit ]

[Libero]

We have 2 dedicated stand alone GPS, plus a built in GPS in each of our two non toad vehicles, 4 smart phones, 3 Tablets and carry 2 notebook computers in the RV. Suffice to say we are not short on resources.

But if I was resource limited to one device I would chose a Large screen Smart Phone or a 7in tablet with built-in GPS. You have this all-in one device that does everything well. I use google maps often including satellite and street view. But in addition to those capabilities, it is best to download a NAV app that has downloaded Maps when no cell service is required for use or you are concerned about data plan charges. Several posters have given GPS app options. Some are better than others. I have Navigon and have had no problems with it.

Using an integrated device has many benefits whereby you can use contacts, other apps such as: allstays, yellow pages to aid in getting addresses plus play music and if a phone, even make calls, text, email and surf the web.

I use a dedicated TomTom and use a 7in galaxy tab on a mount in my RV for Navigation. My DW handles the work on the tablet and phone, email and texting as we go, and I focus on driving (may as well put the talking baggage to use - thank goodness my wife does not follow this site) but I do set the TomTom while I am stopped only. I like to have two different ystems to crosscheck routes.

The reason for the 7in is because it is great for Navigation viewing by myself and the Navigator and my dash real estate will not accept another gizmo larger than that. I already have a second 7in camera monitor plus a phone mount and TPMS monitor there.

Good luck on your search for a device. There are so many options and all are better than no GPS.

[BOB & TRISHA]

Originally Posted by emutrikes

Hello ladies and gentlemen

Thank you so much for all your answers on the GPS systems. You all brought up so very good points. We will be hitting the road next January. We will be using this for our business. And we are heading down to Florida. We have our own company called American scooter Company. We sell electric trikes and sell them to rv owners. Please check out our website www.emutrikes.com. I love this site already great information and will be using this a lot I'm sure as we know nothing about motor homes lol

Just a bit of information on the Rand McNally and others'... If you are using for a work environment and need to make more than 10 stops it will NOT give directions for more than 10 stops. It will store the address's, but not include in directions.
We thru the 7710 away for that reason. For people who make many stops, the MicroSoft Streets and Trips loaded on your Notebook is far superior. I purchased a exterior GPS and feed the Sound from my notebook thru the vehicle radio... no problems hearing, and the screen size is superior.
I use this now only as my RV and Jeep GPS, and will also use my phone for fill in....

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by jzick

I have a Garmin 560, Copilot on an android phone, MS Streets and Trips with GPS on laptops, an older Tom Tom, and a Rand 7710, and have used the Google voice directions on the phone. I kind of collect GPS units like some guys collect guns, tools, golf clubs or other toys. I personally prefer the 7710 right now and have had none of the problems others have reported. The truth is, however, all the units except the Tom Tom seem to be ok. I do not, however, drive many places where low bridges or weak bridges are a big issue, nor use the GPS much for POIs.

IMO, if you can go somewhere displaying a lot of the GPS units together, you can play with them and get an idea of which has the features you want.

I am of the same mindset. I have had several Tom Toms, Most of my cars have the in dash GPS and I use a Rand Mcnally 7710 for my RV. Keep in mind if you are not familiar with using GPS that all of them have map errors. We have a Road Atlas that every so often my wife has to pull out and check the route. The RM is good about getting you there with the most direct route. When I was in California it seemed to feel that routeing me through 2 lane roads with high elevation was preferable to having me take a parralel interstate in a flatter elevation for 50 more miles then turning into the mountains to get to the campground with my reservation. Those are the type of instances where we use the Road Atlas. I have to fly quite a bit on buisness trips and I put My Rand Mcnally in my suitcase for use in the rental car. On my last trip I was heading through the airport to the car return and I got the a low overhead obstruction warning. It was for the walkway going from the upper floor of the airport across the street to the parking area. This is the first time I have had that warning appear but it makes me a lot more comfortable knowing it even had the parking lot walkway in the map section. The negatives about it are the same that others talk about hard to see in bright light. In the motorhome where I have it that has not been a problem.

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by Libero

We have 2 dedicated stand alone GPS, plus a built in GPS in each of our two non toad vehicles, 4 smart phones, 3 Tablets and carry 2 notebook computers in the RV. Suffice to say we are not short on resources.

But if I was resource limited to one device I would chose a Large screen Smart Phone or a 7in tablet with built-in GPS. You have this all-in one device that does everything well. I use google maps often including satellite and street view. But in addition to those capabilities, it is best to download a NAV app that has downloaded Maps when no cell service is required for use or you are concerned about data plan charges. Several posters have given GPS app options. Some are better than others. I have Navigon and have had no problems with it.

Using an integrated device has many benefits whereby you can use contacts, other apps such as: allstays, yellow pages to aid in getting addresses plus play music and if a phone, even make calls, text, email and surf the web.

I use a dedicated TomTom and use a 7in galaxy tab on a mount in my RV for Navigation. My DW handles the work on the tablet and phone, email and texting as we go, and I focus on driving (may as well put the talking baggage to use - thank goodness my wife does not follow this site) but I do set the TomTom while I am stopped only. I like to have two different ystems to crosscheck routes.

The reason for the 7in is because it is great for Navigation viewing by myself and the Navigator and my dash real estate will not accept another gizmo larger than that. I already have a second 7in camera monitor plus a phone mount and TPMS monitor there.

Good luck on your search for a device. There are so many options and all are better than no GPS.

which navigation program do you use for the 7 inch tablet. and does it have a way to download low bridge items.

[Oscar Mike]

I'm getting a Rand McNally 7720 for Christmas... I bought the sandbag dash mount as I have about three and a quarter acres of dash on my 2010 Fleetwood Bounder 33U. This temporary mount will work until we find its permanent home and then we'll have it hard-wired.

[Libero]

Gemino5362

I use Google Maps Nav sometimes with Satellite or street view when we want to see the buildings. The other app is Navigon (With downloaded North America Maps) which does not have height info. I understand there are other apps out there that have this feature.

We downsized to a B+ after having 2. 40' DP'S for 10 years and never worry about height or weight much now. But if I was, I would have an app that provided that info. My B+ is under 10'.

A nice thing about having bought an app, you can install on many devices for no extra charge. I use a Galaxy S2 phone on a mount on my Smarty Toad, (About to be upgraded to a galaxy S3) I have external 32gb SD cards on all devices so memory space is not problem for maps, music etc.

[Blacknchrome]

Originally Posted by Clayobx

We have the Rand McNally 7710, others have expressed lighting issues. I guess we have the proper mounting area as this is no concern! Personally we would not be comfortable without this system.

Where did you mount yours? I bought a used one from someone on this page and plan to mount it up on the drivers side window..or make another place so sun is not an issue. We have Navman GPS for our entire HVAC service fleet I manage but screen is to small for an RV...it does have Blue Tooth though..

[Libero]

While I don't have a GPS APP, or a dedicated unit that gives weight and height details, it is no doubt a valuable tool. Notwithstanding this is a good feature as found on some specific RV GPS units/Apps, there is still one important component to remember. Don't think any device or App has Tree Info (How could they). Most of us have encountered problems with trees. I carried a chain saw and a long handled tree trimmer when I had my Class A's but don't with my B+ - my cargo space is much more limited now. Oh yes, I have "adjusted" the tree profile as required when I was in a Jam and that was the only way out of the mess. (Did not like the option of taking air out of tires and dumping air bags - besides with dumped air bags the air brakes would be locked on so tree cutting was not only better for me it was faster and my only practical option. Backing up and turning around would have been too difficult, besides I helped others who might come behind me.)

Unfortunately, not all height signs are accurate. I pulled into a Walmart Parking lot one time that had an overhead bar that indicated 13' 4" clearance. Well my coach needed 13' and I went through and I heard a loud noise coming from my roof. Thank goodness the clearance bar was suspended so it was able to bounce over my Satellite dome and only dented it and I was able to push the dent back out and the dish was not damaged. I told WM management about it and thanked me for the info. Don't recall where it was now nor do I know the actual height of the bar, but, I know it hit about 6" down on my Dome and it scrapped my AC's which were 12' 8". I took a different exit when I left the Lot. The manager did not know why the bar was there at all but he did say trucks were to enter at a different point so he thought it might be to deter trucks from turning in there.

I guess the mark 1 eyeball is still needed. I wondered if there is a device such as a laser could be remotely activated as required that will tell you in advance if the clearance is OK and I presume anyone would creep up to suspected problem low clearance situations. One could put a device above the coach that would rub first and alert you to stop before any real damage occured.