Just wanted to relay some information to warn folks about putting too much trust in their GPS. Our Garmim Nuvi is a few years old and is NOT RV specific, so maybe some of the newer units are better. Anyway we set off on a trip yesterday on what was supposed to be a 110 mile trip to Franklin NC from our home in NE Georgia. I had programmed the address of the campground into the GPS and took off on the trip. As we were getting into Franklin the GPS took us into the middle of downtown and into a RESIDENTIAL area just north of town. We soon discovered that we were obviously in the wrong place but there was nowhere to turn around our 31 ft MH with toad attached. We wound up on a steep, narrow mountain road that took us 30 miles north of where we needed to be. It was not pleasant to say the least and we wasted gas and time to get to the proper location. Next time I will double check with maps and phone call to campground before taking off to unknown locations. When we finally got to the campground the lady in the office said "this happens all the time". A prior phone call on my part would have saved a lot of grief. I am now checking into an RV specific GPS but some of the reviews don't sound very promising. Sorry for the long post but check and double check before leaving. Any suggestions as to what type of GPSA to get?
Most if not all GPS can be programmed for a preferred route. Most have way to preview the route and see where it is taking you. Most have the ability to "AVOID" specific streets or hwy's.
It takes a little time to "tell it what you want, and then make it do it", if you don't, any GPS can take you on a wild ride.
They can be great tools, but YOU have to tell it what YOU want.
I re-program routes all the time and have very few surprises.
Since I travel alone now, I tried out a GPS to see if I liked it. I didn't. It's information is sometimes inaccurate in places I travel, the voice annoyed me no end and I found myself looking at the screen too often instead if the road. I've been a map person/navigator all my adult life and will stick to what works for me.
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Check your GPS settings. Many times there are options to "stick mostly to highways" etc. If you set it on "shortest distance" and not "quickest route", it will take you straight through neighborhoods and oddball streets to get you there. This is because some people walk/bike with GPS units as well.
You'll want the fastest driving route set, along with "stick to highways" in most cases when driving/rv'ing.
Also check for updates with Garmin.
4 whopping cylinders on Toyota RV's. Talk about great getting good MPG. Also I have a very light foot on the pedal. I followed some MPG advice on Livingpress.com and I now get 22 MPG! Not bad for a home on wheels.
There have been numerous reports of folks turning onto a nonexistent street and running into objects by following a GPS instruction instead of even believing their own eyes. It seems almost unbelievable but it's true. I programmed my Tomtom to take us to the "seven falls" area in Colorado Springs (it had been about 15 years since I had last visited the place). It took me up on the old stage coach road that runs just ABOVE the falls. Not the worst thing that could happen because we had the stage road on our schedule for another day anyway but just shows it pays to pay attention to all those signs telling you where to turn for the falls (which I did not).
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I have noticed that my TomTom is great about getting us close to our destination, but not EXACTLY to our destination. It might be a half mile off or so. When I can, I verify the exact location with google earth, then manually input my destination with coordinates on the TomTom. If an RV park knows that their park is not where the GPS units think it is, they might consider noting that on their website along with correct coordinates.
smkettner wrote: Was the address location wrong or did the GPS just try to take a short cut?
I think the problem happened because the address of the RV park(Riverbend) was very similar to the name of the residential street that the GPS took me to, which was a mobile home park. The park owner gave me the GPS co-ordinates, but this was AFTER I got to the park. As I said, a prior phone call on my part would have prevented the problem. Hard lesson learned.
Recalculating, Recalculating, Recalculating, Recalculating. I must say we also have the Our Garmim Nuvi and it is only a year old. Last year coming back from Helen GA, it tried to get me to turn right, in the middle of a 2 mile long bridge. Yes there was a road 30 foot below the bridge but no off ramp. Would have been a heck of a fall. Went to a wedding, I knew how to get there but used the Garmim, took me way around how I would have gone, but when I selected HOME it took me the short way that I would have gone. This last Friday went from Jacksonville to DeBary and it would not go the way I wanted (no matter how I set it) until I was 25 miles for the campground, it kept trying to send me back another way, MAKE A U-TURN AT, MAKE A U-TURN AT MAKE A U-TURN AT.. When we came home it routed me 28 miles longer than it need to.
I always do a Google Map search and plan the route I want then print it, that way I can double check the GPS and make sure I go were I want.
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