New Garmin RV 890

[PaulTNaples]

I bought a Garmin 890 just before leaving for Colorado last month. Performed flawlessly. Really liked the KOA and all campgrounds apps that are included. Just do a search, pick your campground and hit go. I also liked the info on the side bar. Upcoming cities and rest stops displayed with miles to go. All in all, highly recommend!!

[O Lloyd]

PaulTNaples:

Regarding the sidebar on the 890, can you configure it to show info that YOU would like (say, distance to next time point, time of day, direction of travel, ETA at destination etc.) or must you accept what Garmin decides to display there?

Thanks!
O LLOYD

[PaulTNaples]

Originally Posted by O Lloyd

PaulTNaples:



Regarding the sidebar on the 890, can you configure it to show info that YOU would like (say, distance to next time point, time of day, direction of travel, ETA at destination etc.) or must you accept what Garmin decides to display there?



Thanks!

O LLOYD

Time of day displayed at bottom. Time to destination is also displayed on the bottom. On the right up and down bar there is the next exit /town as well as rest stops. The exits also indicate fuel, food, sleep. It also has a 3-D function for the route. Shows the hills and terrain features. Cool feature.

[O Lloyd]

I think I would miss the "up and down bar" flexibility of showing what I wanted there, even though it appears you can select a couple of data pieces along the bottom.

I usually show (configurable)
- time of day
- direction of travel
- next Via point arrival time, since the destination arrival time shows along
the bottom of my RV760
Thanks for the info!

[OWV]

Originally Posted by Reelgator

Anyone bought / used one of these yet? My 760 has been quite reliable , wife dropped it last year and the screen is messed up so I am need of a replacement....cant find a single review on the 890 anywhere.TIA

I have read through the various posts and still not sure what the difference is between the 890 and say either the 760 or the 780. Our 760 has worked well, but lately it has trouble locating satellites or looses the satellite connection. Today, for example, it took nearly 30 miles before the unit found satellites and it was a beautiful, cloudless day. Assuming this is an indication that something serious is wrong I will be in the market to upgrade. Is the 890 worth it, or should I look for a refurbished 770 or 780? Since I have nothing to compare it to, our 760 seems to have everything we need, but I am sure the 770 or 780 has some new can't live without upgrades over the 760. And while I am sure the 890 also has some neat new things besides the screen size, if the 760 has met our needs why spend so much for a new 890 when a refurbished 770 or 780 should meet our needs just fine. Thoughts??


As always, thanks for taking the time to respond.


Regards,

[DKRITTER]

It's primarily features, we have a 780 RV and really like it. It's not perfect and I always proof my route before we take off. Sometimes it wants me to go a different route from A to B.
The 890 is the latest and greatest, it has the most features. like phones nowadays the more features, the more $.

[Waterview202]

I purchased the Garmin 890, And I agree it would not show the speed limit or the exits coming up period twice it took me off the interstate in residential areas and twice that got lost I returned it to sender

[rcharrette]

Hi all, I've been using Garmin GPS unit's on my bicycles for years but just purchased my first vehicle GPS. My RV 890 arrived yesterday. We are stationary in a RV park for another week but I used it running around in my Jeep today for a few errands. My experience so far.
The unit fired right up out of the box and seems pretty intuitive to navigate.
My unit needed a map update and some other updates as well. To run the updates over WIFI it has to essentially be a broadband / fiber type speed. This is according to Garmin. You can not use a mobile hotspot which is all we have! Luckily with all my other Garmin units I have Garmin Express which allows me to do it all through my computer. A few more steps but no big deal (I thought!).
Garmin express downloaded the update but as soon as it went to install it on my new RV 890 it said I needed an SD card which was not included of course. Out to the store I went and got an SD card. Got the SD card installed and the update kept getting hung. I tried everything I could think of, searched the Garmin site and even called them (not much help). Finally I removed the Garmin Express program from my computer and reinstalled it. After that the update loaded right up.
On the road I really liked the big screen and the voice commands "Hey Garmin directions to........"
I did have one issue. Driving down a fairly major Hwy it told me the Hwy was closed ahead and tried to route me off of it. It was not closed. This happened before my update so I'm holding out hope that was the issue? Regardless, I will be running Google maps on my phone along with this at all times and comparing.

[2Yung2 Quit]

Sale is on. $100 discount https://www.technorv.com/garmin-rv-8...869e3cfd4ff832

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by DKRITTER

The way Garmin keeps coming up with new stuff you might want to wait?

The big question is how long do you wait as they keep coming out with new models!

[whalepirot]

Originally Posted by OWV

Today, for example, it took nearly 30 miles before the unit found satellites and it was a beautiful, cloudless day. Assuming this is an indication that something serious is wrong I will be in the market to upgrade.

I have found NO GPS to be continuously flawless; the best being the factory 7 BMW unit. Sadly both cars quickly became a P.O.S.


I'd check if a factory reset might restore proper function to the 760. I've a Magellan unit that is partially age-disabled.


Garmin's update; speed is glacial and process cumbersome, IMO. Magellan's is worse. BMW's lived up to its initials, Break My Wallet!


I'd like a RV-dedicated replacement, but so far,none seem worth it.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

The big question is how long do you wait as they keep coming out with new models!

Their changes seem incremental for the most part. Maybe an extra database or something. The 760 seemed like a bigger jump.

I looked at the 770 versus the newer 780 and went with the 780. I wanted one with a built-in dashcam like their trucker unit, the dezlCam 785, but it was not available in the RV line. So I bought a separate DC66W dashcam.

Then with one week to go on the 780's return period to Amazon, the RV 785 with the built-in dashcam came out. I returned the 780, got the 785, and put the DC66W dashcam in the toad.

And I lived happily ever after.

Ray

[NXR]

Garmin's update; speed is glacial and process cumbersome, IMO.

The recent RV Garmin's have a Wi-Fi receiver built in. My RV 785 can connect to the motorhome's cellular hotspot and update both the maps and the software from the touchscreen.

Map updates can be upwards of 6 gigabytes and that is a very large download by any measure. I usually do those on my home Internet connection because it's a 100 M/bps download speed. The Garmin Express app on the laptop detects the GPS when it's plugged into the laptop and lets you know what updates are available. A few clicks, some waiting, and it's done.

Using the WI-Fi connection in the motorhome we can also get things like weather displayed on the map. I pair the RV 785 to my phone, which has the Garmin Drive app. That gives the GPS traffic updates even when there are no local radio stations broadcasting traffic information to the Garmin's traffic receiver power cord.

Since we have a motorhome, the RV 785's 7" display works well. I bought the Garmin "bean bag" mound and used Velcro to firmly secure it to the dash. That keeps the Garmin from bouncing around and also assures the built-in dashcam is always pointed straight ahead.

The off-angle viewing is very good with no discernable fading or washing out of the display for either the driver or passenger.

It's definitely not a high-end dashcam but with it sitting so far up and a bit forward it covers everything we'd like it to.

FWIW,

Ray

Ray

[Down South]

I bought the Garmin 890 about a month ago. So far, I like it. I don't have any other units to compare it with since I primarily used phone apps for navigation. That was until my favorite phone app took me into a campground in the mountains on a road that I should have not have been on with my MH towing a 20' car hauler. So I bought the latest Garmin had, the 890.