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BrianLaws
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Location: KEP Temp Assignment
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| Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:22 am Post subject: I Own A Garmin and TomTom GPS Now |
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I recently bought a Garmin 855 GPS because of going to Kenosha and recently used it to go to Kansas City and back again. The churches should give these things away during weddings because they are a marriage saver! My wife and I would always fight the most during road trips, but thanks to the GPS unit our travel time was peaceful and stress free. There are a few things I want to share with you:
1. There is no brand or model of GPS with every feature you want.
2. Garmin is best in some areas and Tom Tom is best in other areas.
I found great how-to information for Garmin users with creating custom Points Of Interest or often called POI's.
Read here: http://brillharts.com/GarminAlerts/
Last edited by BrianLaws on Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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BrianLaws
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| Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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Since having a GPS, my wife and I have found it to be very useful to use for more than just long trips. You can easily save enough money in gas from wrong turns to pay for these things. My wife asked that I buy one for her to use since I will have one while in Kenosha WI. I wanted to try the TomTom brand since they have the exclusive MapShare feature. I found the TomTom model 130 on TigerDirect refurbished and shipped to the house for under $80. This is the same model that currently sells on sale at Target new for $150. I had read on the internet that TomTom does not allow you to download/update any refurbished units to the newest maps, but they allowed me. I'm not sure if they have changed that policy or what but all I can say it that when I tried, it worked for me.
Currently, I have to say that I like the TomTom better mostly because of the MapShare feature that allows me to:
1. Delete old points-of-interest (POI's) like the closed Cub Foods in Beloit Wisconsin.
2. Download free updates to the map (including road closings) from TomTom and other users using the MapShare feature.
3. Report errors in detail in my unit to be uploaded to TomTom next time I connect to the internet.
4. Correct any speed limit errors on any section of any road.
5. Correct the names of roads
It's the MapShare users and their continued timely FREE corrections to the maps for all TomTom users that make TomTom a leader in my book. The MapShare feature uses the same type of community share concept that made torrents the choice of users who download computer software/songs. Since TomTom owns the company that supplies their maps, they are able to have this MapShare feature. It's something I don't think Garmin can match anytime soon and I think in time it will be cause Garmins loss of market share.
Just my $.02 
Which GPS brand do you prefer and why?
Last edited by BrianLaws on Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:07 am; edited 4 times in total |
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BrianLaws
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Location: KEP Temp Assignment
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:45 am Post subject: |
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I also have noticed that the destination time on the TomTom seems to be more inaccurate than the Garmin. Side by side when told to go to the same place the TomTom can be off as much as 17 minutes from the start on a 1 hour road trip. If you like to be a "JUST-IN-TIME" kind of person, buy a Garmin. When I say that I mean the TomTom tells you that you will be later than you really will be. I guess that's not such a bad thing, kind of like setting your clock fast to ensure that you make it to place on time. Now using a Garmin, if the unit says you will get there at 5:30 and you need to be there no later than 5:30 and you wait to the last minute to leave your in trouble. Why? Well the Garmin is so accurate that your going to have to drive over 65mph to shave off your arrival time. With both unit next to each other from my house with the Kenosha engine plant address entered the TomTom shows me an arrival time 21 minutes longer than the Garmin and from what I can tell the routes are 100% the same. It's not a bad thing to have this built in 20 minute buffer in the TomTom unit.
I noticed too that many of the roads speed limits are missing with the TomTom maps, unlike the Garmin. Reading the forums online it seems to be common thing with all TomTom maps that only main roads have speed limits listed and even then it's spotty. Thankfully using TomTom if you care to enter the road speeds you can and using the MapShare feature you can receive and share them with other users.
Even after all of this, I still pick TomTom overall
For those that care, here is the link below to the deal I ordered from. Notice that Tiger Direct is from Illinois so they charge you state tax if your ordering from in the state like I did.
Here is what I paid:
Item number: T529-0054 RB
Net Product: $59.99
Illinois Sales Tax: $4.93
Shipping & Handling: $7.99
Total Cost: $72.91
Link to deal:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4392336&CatId=3421 |
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YourPonyDied
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Location: Johnson Controls
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:55 am Post subject: |
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Garmin is more top of the line and accurate. Garmin bought up a whole bunch of satellites from either the govt or from other gps users a few years ago. Friend of mine works at the store in chicago and is currently involved in mapping city streets so you can turn it to pedestrian mode and be able to go around. One annoyance I have with Garmin is the street naming
For example, Annie Glidden is a major road but after I updated the map system, it changed the name of Annie Glidden to CR-5 or 9 i forget. Same with Pulaski in Chicago. I knew my away around but figured i'd mess with it. It said turn right at crawford ave and im like "25 years and ive never heard of crawford!" When i got to it, it turns out it was Pulaski
Also on some off ramps it can get iffy. It will say turn right but unless you are paying attention, you may turn too soon and hit the off ramp before the one you need |
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BrianLaws
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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YourPonyDied - You know with TomTom you could correct those street names and refuse to share your corrections with others if you want. For example, maybe if you used a custom name like Beer Avenue. 
Once our Garmin told us to turn right and we would be at our destination but in fact it was on the left. The map showed it correctly but the voice command clearly said turn right. |
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BrianLaws
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Location: KEP Temp Assignment
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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Kristie
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| Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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| BrianLaws wrote: |
YourPonyDied - You know with TomTom you could correct those street names and refuse to share your corrections with others if you want. For example, maybe if you used a custom name like Beer Avenue.
Once our Garmin told us to turn right and we would be at our destination but in fact it was on the left. The map showed it correctly but the voice command clearly said turn right. |
My Garmin does this as well, I just make sure to look at the map first and it seems to always be correct there. Almost like getting directions from my sister - follow the way her finger points - don't listen to what her mouth says!  |
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