A good GPS unit?

[mptjelgin]

Our Garmin RV760LMT can be used in RV mode or Auto mode. The routing is considerably more conservative in RV mode, and sometimes leads to the "go around the block" scenario when just turning right would have worked. I wonder if the Trucker GPS is doing the same thing. 

So while they are not 100% perfect, ours has made our travels so much easier and enjoyable. My wife likes not having to try to decipher the maps while I'm going a little nuts after missing an exit!!

[beemergary]

I still use maps. Wife may turn on her phone to warn of an upcomming exit. Frequent trucker forums and real truckers still use maps and use google maps and satelite views. Lots of newbie truckers ask this question.

 More than one trucker got himself in trouble. Captain Scully who landed the plane in the Hudson River in the first chapter of his   book said. YOU GOTTA KNOW WHERE YOUR GOING  I will google routes for exits and have a little truckers book for fuel stops and size of parking lots and do a satelite view of parking lots.

[sandsys]

20 minutes ago, beemergary said:

Captain Scully who landed the plane in the Hudson River in the first chapter of his   book said. YOU GOTTA KNOW WHERE YOUR GOING 

"Scully" was one of the best movies we've seen. If you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend doing so.

Linda

[Lou Schneider]

Sully, not Scully.   Captain Chesley Sullenberger.

[Lance A Lott]

If I had a point it was a gps, map or what you were told by someone is only a guide, maybe a very good one, but still only a guide. As the driver you have to be prepared for directions that are wrong. I use a gps, Google maps and paper maps and I ask advice from others. I put all that together and end up where I want to be, usually. 

As for my comment on self driving cars that's just something that scares me. If a professional trucker can follow a truck gps onto two dirt tracks with grass between then what can go wrong if the computer is relying on the gps to keep it on the road. I realize that was not what the OP asked about and I probably should not have commented. I will need a new gps in a year or two and am actually very interested in what people are using and what they like. I understand some now have voice typing and are much easier to understand. Both of those features would interest me. Being able to set waypoints would be nice as well. 

[sandsys]

4 hours ago, Lou Schneider said:

Sully, not Scully.   Captain Chesley Sullenberger.

Right, I knew that. Sorry for the typo. It's still a good movie if you search for the right spelling.

Linda

[RV_]

I loved my three Garmins but they were too much of a pain even with free updates. We were very active while RVing back before there were smart phones and the Garmin car GPS we had since would not last more than an hour unplugged for hiking.

Our phones have large screens and three day batteries, one day if using Maps continuously. I have seen GPS/compass apps and backtrack apps for Android phones I would try today.

Here is a 2018 review of a bunch of Android GPS apps as well as Google maps and how to use it and others offline for going in where there is spotty to no cell service.

https://www.androidpit.com/best-offline-gps-apps-for-android

If you want to check out the accuracy of your GPS on any Android tablet or phone this app will do that:

https://mashtips.com/android-offline-paid-and-free-maps/

On common sense:

I have heard of towns repaving a road with 4-6 inches of paving material and not updating the bridge signs and/or the map people.

If it looked close I had my wife swap with me and drive and I get out and go up front to spot her through to the A/C or vent covers whichever were tallest. That only happened once in town when we were trying a new route.

Most important tip is to air up the tires on your motor home, fifth wheel, or travel trailer, then go to a flat parking lot, and with a tape measure and  get your exact height of the tallest item. My rain proof vent covers on my last RV were the tallest. On this one, the A/C.

If you don't know your exact height air up maybe 5 pounds over recommended just to measure the height. Then let the air out back down to recommended before you drive anywhere. If you lose any small amount of pressure your are lower than what you measured.

Safe Travels!

[Dmitche4]

My camper is approximately, 36' long, two 30# propane cylinders and 13'2" tall.  For travel we use Magellen with lifetime maps, set up with that info to get around.  For Height I use a truck book (the name escapes me at this time) that my son got for me that has "(almost)" every bridge height.  I keep this in my truck with the interstate exit guide.

David

[hemsteadc]

On 9/30/2018 at 4:26 PM, Lou Schneider said:

Sully, not Scully.   Captain Chesley Sullenberger.

Also upcoming, satellite and you're.
 

[Sehc]

I just bought and tested a Garmin Drive Smart 61. What a sorry excuse for a GPS. It is going back to Amazon on Monday morning. The worse of it's many faults, the screen display of the map doesn't scroll with the vehicle indicator and I see where I was, not am. Lane guidance is on a different screen and is static. The voice command only works when she wants.

[whj469]

I enjoy my RM Good Sam GPS and I keep it updated. Both of the units, RM and Garmin have their good and bad points. They are not perfect however, example, last May while in MI my RM was telling me to exit at an exit that I knew was incorrect. It was about 12 miles south of were I needed to exit for the RV park that I was headed to. I knew exactly were the park was because I have been there a few times before. My BH was telling me to follow the GPS and I knew better and didn't. Twelve miles up the road I got off and it then told me to turn left when I could see the park one block to the right. All the while my better half is telling me that it may be taking us a different way? I said for sure, the wrong way! It can happen. Good Luck 

PS: I always consult the motor carriers map book just to check the route for heights.

[nwtraveler]

I had the best ever misdirection yesterday. GPS had me take a bridge over a river, then

turn right and then "navigate offroad", with dotted lines showing the proposed route,

back across the river, but no road or bridge.