teamfossil
Phoenix
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Joined: 10/03/2006
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In order to preserve the peace while traveling with a "topographicly challanged" DW, we purchased a Garmin Nuvi 650. I used it a couple times around town so I could see how it works. I'm sure glad I was in my 30mpg car and not in my 7mpg MH! In no case did it take me the shortest or best route. In one case, had I turned left instead of right as the the GPS instructed me, I would have saved 22 miles and 40 minutes! On that same trip, it took me through the center of a town when 3 exits further on the freeway was the most direct route.
This happend almost everywhere we went using the Garmin. I know my way around Phoenix, but not Kansas City. I sure hope I'm missing something and I'll figure it out before we leave next summer. Any suggestions?
'00 Winnebago 37G Adventurer
'03 Suzuki V-Strom "Vroomhilda"
'86 Gold Wing SE small i
'05 Interstate enclosed trailer "MY garage!
Qoute from two great Americans, Jackie Gleason and George Thorogood:
"And awaaay we go!"
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big dave
Soldotna, Alaska, USA
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Joined: 12/15/2001
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It sounds like you have a preference set that you really don't want, or a combination of them. But even when you have everything set correctly, you don't want to follow it blindly. Read the signs and be ready to over rule. It's a great tool, but only a tool.
"Bus" will route you differently than "Truck" for example.
* This post was
edited 12/27/07 11:05am by big dave *
Dave & Rose C
90 Safari Ivory 34' DP
04 Saturn VUE V6
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wazone
Strongsville, OH
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Joined: 06/20/2001
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We have a Garmin Nuvi 650 also and haven't had any problems with it. I understand that all GPS units will sometime have a "brain freeze", I assume I'll see it also, but so far so good.
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RVJimofOregon
Central Oregon Coast
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Joined: 09/13/2003
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I have used a 350 for about a year and had very little trouble with it. Only one time did it foul up and wanted me to go on a logging road (private and locked) and not on the highway. When I changed my setting for a truck and not a bus it took me around towns. My big test is next month when we go south for 3 months.
Like what was said it is a tool and don't put 100% trust into it. That the way it is from the Oregon coast.
RV Jim of Oregon
Jim & Joyce
Central Oregon Coast
2000 Fleetwood Discovery 36T Diesel Pusher
2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
2007 Prius
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Ron & Shirley
Lake of the Ozarks Missouri / Donna Texas Winter
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Joined: 12/13/2004
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We have the same unit and had a few "glitches" which were frustrating. Everything was corrected after I hooked it up to the laptop and installed a number of "updates". I am sure yours also needs the updates installed.
Shirley
Ron & Shirley
2005 Itasca 37B Suncruiser W24 Workhorse Chassis
To Discover New Oceans We Must Lose Sight Of The Shore
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david_42
Oregon
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Joined: 04/08/2005
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I learned quickly to NEVER use shortest route with my Quest. Nothing like trying to drive an RV on the "lanes" around here.
Truck & Quickest are the way to go.
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msmith1199
Central, CA
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Joined: 10/07/2001
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I have had a couple of problems with my Garmin picking a bad route, but 90% of the time it does pretty good. The times when it has picked a bad route for me, it was really bad. One time it tried to take me over a dirt 4x4 road and I had the preferences set for bus.
2004 National Tropi-Cal T-350, Class A, Triple slide, 330 HP Cat DP.
2006 Dodge Dakota 4x4 or
2002 Harley FLSTF Fat Boy on a Trailer or
2004 Polaris Quad on the Trailer
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henw
Florida
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Joined: 06/07/2007
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I have the Garmin 680. It makes a few mistakes. But 98% of the time is right on. Helps if you scroll through the directions it will be giving ahead of time.
Tom
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Mike_5667
Southern Ohio
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Joined: 01/29/2005
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I have a Garmin Nuvi 650 and I love it. I have it set on "shortest time" and "Truck". I know that it can take you on some quirky routes, but in general it works very well. When we know the route, we are always critiquing the navigator for not going where we would have chosen, but the navigator will almost always get you there.
For me the true value of these tools are when you are in new areas. I recently took a 4,000 mile trip through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan into the “North Woods”; places I had never been. I’m sure a local in some of the areas we went would have shaken their head as to why the navigator did what it did, but it got us to where we wanted to go with very little stress. Like I said, I love this remarkable tool.
Happy Camping,
Mike
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Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
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Joined: 07/10/2002
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I think the options are Shortest Route or Fastest Time; or something like that.
When pulling our RV we set the GPS for Truck and Fastest Time.
It sounds like you didn't want to buy the unit and are looking for any reason to criticize it. I have had a Garmin for several years and in total have not had the troubles you stated. If you don't like what it does can you take it back and rely on paper maps or Yahoo/Google maps?
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2003 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two bikes (both Electric Schwinn's with motor assist)
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