GPS for RV

[Dr. Den]

OK, been trying to find some reviews of the new GPS units designed for RV'S. I have a Garmin for my personel car but am wondering if the GPS units for RV'S are worth the additional cost.

[Blag]

Originally Posted by Dr. Den

OK, been trying to find some reviews of the new GPS units designed for RV'S. I have a Garmin for my personel car but am wondering if the GPS units for RV'S are worth the additional cost.

Apart from the cost, what's the difference?

[wardy]

I would use the largest screen your dash set up could accommodate. A laptop running Microsoft Streets would be ideal. Having the bigger screen displaying more data is big help anticipating lane changes etc.

[OLYLEN]

Personal view because I'm 63' long is the lane assist and map up dates are the two biggies. Of course the bigger the screen the better. as to other item POI files can be loaded for everything from height to where to pottie for free so why pay for them. JMT

LEN

[dunk05]

Have a 3 yr old Garmin and use in car or MH. works just fine. Sometimes I argue with it and some times I win

[jfran304]

We have the Garmin 465T. It can be programmed for trucks or cars. No complaints so far.

Jon

[MerleP]

WE have the new Rand McNally w/7 inch display. Also separately have a Garmin and a custom unit built into our Acura. Love the Rand McNally features....hate the screen glare (they provided a separate shield which helps a lot). It has lifetime maps, the Woodall's directory built in, the Next Exit built in. You can tell it your unit parameters, weight, height, etc and it uses this to provide safe routing. Many customizable features and warning scenarios. Wouldn't be without it...the Garmin and the so-called customized unit don't compare.

[DKO]

Originally Posted by MerleP

WE have the new Rand McNally w/7 inch display. Also separately have a Garmin and a custom unit built into our Acura. Love the Rand McNally features....hate the screen glare (they provided a separate shield which helps a lot). It has lifetime maps, the Woodall's directory built in, the Next Exit built in. You can tell it your unit parameters, weight, height, etc and it uses this to provide safe routing. Many customizable features and warning scenarios. Wouldn't be without it...the Garmin and the so-called customized unit don't compare.

What is the model # on the Rand McNally you described?

DKO

[jablair]

Just started using the ALK Copilot Live. For $20 it loads on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. Has both an auto and RV mode. The RV mode only handles height and propane restrictions, which is all I care about. Has Live Traffic included for first year, something like $7.99 a year after that. Enhanced lane assist and clear view for complex interchanges.

[chiefneon]

[QUOTE=jablair;1317392]Just started using the ALK Copilot Live. For $20 it loads on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. Has both an auto and RV mode. The RV mode only handles height and propane restrictions, which is all I care about. Has Live Traffic included for first year, something like $7.99 a year after that. Enhanced lane assist and clear view for complex interchanges.[/QUOT

Howdy!

X2 on using Co-Pilot Live. I've use it on my Galaxy Tab for over a year now fultime RVing and the RV mode has worked great. I see no need to purchase another GPS if you own a smart phone or Tablet. If you don't already have one I personally would invest my money in a new Tablet or iPad with GPS before I would buy a stand alone GPS. You will get a larger screen and can use it for much much more.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

[JohnBoyToo]

Does the copilot need a full time data package to operate ? or is it tethered off your smartphone ?
We have two tablets with gps, 7" samsung galaxy and Motorola Xoom but not tried copilot yet..
We have two garmins with lifetime maps and updates...
We have two smartphones - one android based and one blackberry..
Both our vehicles have factory nav built in...

pros and cons I know of:
1) If you are buying your first unit ever... be sure and get lifetime maps as things change all the time where we go
2) the garmins have been great units, easiest to use, but neither are large load specific.
3) the tablets require a monthly fee and data package and gps usage can eat up the minimal 2 gig usage on many data plans
4) The factory units are woefully out of date when new, stupid functionality, hard to use, and very expensive to update
5) The factory units also usually require a service fee monthly if sirus or onstar based


friends of ours just got this one Rand McNally TripMaker RVND 7710 GPS with Lifetime Maps - Rand McNally 528005731 - GPS Units - Camping World
and love it...

Garmin lives (and dies) with their gps units, so they MUST offer good value and features... heard good things about the 465T, b ut have not tried it...

May research the copilot as my sisters Phaeton has copilot on the built in laptop in their dash - it's nice !

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

Johnboy, I don't us Sprint to connect to my Galaxty Tab (use WiFi only). The Co-Pilot maps are downloaded to the device so you don't need a data or WiFi connection. The maps are continuiously updated when I connect to WiFi data.

I have a Garmin and it served us well. I got tire of purchasing map up dates, and if I purchased a lifetime map update it was only good for that device. So I tried Co-Pilot the app was $4.99 when I purchased it over a year ago and have liked it and it works great. The other nice thing is if you get a new device (Tablet, iPad, smart phone etc. . .) you can transfer the app, you don't have to repurchase it.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

[Rom]

Purchased the RVND 7710 a few months ago and haven't really used it much but with the couple of times that I did, I'm not impressed. Trying to input a new destination or address, as soon as a you input the first few letters/numbers, it would bring you to their list where you'd have a hard time finding what you're trying to find. Even trying to use the "expand the search area" function, it still would not give you what you're looking for.

I don't how all those members that have owned this unit can ever be satisfied with this unit. I haven't tried the coordinates function yet since the places I'd like to input, I don't know what their coordinates are.

I also have a Garmin and a Magellan and they were both user friendly than the RM 7710. On the positive side, the screen is big so it's really visible from the MH dashboard to the driver. Still trying to experiment using it's capabilities.

[JohnBoyToo]

Thanks Chief !
I too have retired the garmins now - this copilot app seems like it will be great !