Can anyone recommend a good GPS unit?

[impulse]

I do agree that the search facility on 'Maps' is good ...better than the in car unit.

Probably, and I use the 3 together GPS, smartphone and laptop. I do all my searching on my laptop or smartphone, then program the coordinates (not the place name here in Thailand because of inconsistent spelling) into my Garmin- before I turn the key on the vehicle.

When I get home, I dump the trail of my travels from the Garmin into Google Earth on the laptop for a record of where I've been, and any placemarks I may have noted into the Garmin along the way.

Dedicated GPS's are great at one thing. Navigation. They're mediocre at best for searching and wanderlust.

[JAS21]

Thanks ... I hadn't thought of dumping Garmin POI's into Google Earth.

Yes I pick my GPS coordinates off maps.google and then input to whatever I'm going to use. But the dangling wires and holders just spoil the look of the cabin somewhat.

The unit in the early New D-Max is really good ... I haven't tried the unit in later models ... maybe they use the same system

[baneko]

Lots of apps for your phone.

[JAS21]

Lots of apps for your phone.

Have you actually read much of this thread?

It would be very much appreciated if you could supply your experiences. Indicate which app/apps and were they installed on an android phone.

As a few posts back I'm not too impressed at present with the 'Maps' app on my Note4 .... thanks

[baneko]

I use google maps as I have found it good. Its in English and Thai. I beleive the poster does not like maps so it would be best to try an alternative.

I am extremely sorry for any offence I caused you JAS21. Glad we have people like you on the forum to keep everybody correct and up to speed. Many thanks.

[Gary A]

I haven't taken delivery of the new Isuzu yet but during a test drive, I did notice that the small streets in my village did not show on the in dash GPS. I took that as a bad sign. The "Here" map on my Samsung S5 show them and the Garmin Nuvi 55 show them. I may be pleasantly surprised but I doubt it. Everyone I have talked to has been disappointed with the in dash units regardless of which vehicle they have. I did not want the in dash GPS but it was part of the package. Time will tell.

[giddyup]

I haven't taken delivery of the new Isuzu yet but during a test drive, I did notice that the small streets in my village did not show on the in dash GPS. I took that as a bad sign. The "Here" map on my Samsung S5 show them and the Garmin Nuvi 55 show them. I may be pleasantly surprised but I doubt it. Everyone I have talked to has been disappointed with the in dash units regardless of which vehicle they have. I did not want the in dash GPS but it was part of the package. Time will tell.

Can't say I'm that impressed with the one in my Triton either. A couple of times it literally had me going in circles and on another occasion it asked me to perform a U turn when that would have had me going in the opposite direction to where I wanted to go. So I really can't trust it.

[IMHO]

In my experience, the Sygic navigation app is by far the best. Good maps, works offline, very smooth to use.

http://www.sygic.com/

Edited September 15, 2015 by IMHO

[Sakeopete]

I have two Garmin (one for the wife) but prefer Google Maps. Finding businesses is much easier and I seem to get better satellite connections plus it is constantly updating. I don't know why but my Garmin has a hard time tracking satellites and gets confused while in downtown Bangkok. My Sony phone connects even sitting on the passenger seat and works while in tunnels or under the sky train rails. I think the smart phones use 3G to assist in navigation.

[RichardinHuaHin]

Okay I bought a new Garmin Nuvi 55. I just registered it online and updated the software. Now every time I turn it on I have to change the language to English from Thai. I emailed Garmin and they said when you choose your locale it which is Thailand of course, it will default to Thai language. I guess they think only Thai people use it. Anyone have this problem or a solution?

[kaorop]

My experience is not quite the same. I really like the unit in my v-cross ...it's very much like Garmin.

Yesterday we drove back from Kanchanaburi and had that running and 'Maps' on my Note 4. Maps was inaccurate ...frequently 40-50 metres out at junctions and instructions not anywhere near as clear as the in car unit.

It looks like when I eventually get my EV it will be back to a stand alone Garmin .....

drove from rayong to kanachanburi, garmin nuvi 2575 would not find satellites, the WHOLE fookin way

fully charged, aerial out, reset off and on numerous times.

tried to use my edge 810, it locked up 3 or 4 times, directed me onto stupid roads, etc etc.

both units have been about 50% reliable, which is hardly acceptable when you are in unfamiliar places.

i cannot stress enough how poor any garbagemin product is, just go to the garmin forum and see the litany of crashes, buggy s/w, slow or no bug fixes and shocking support.

DO NOT BUY

Edited September 25, 2015 by kaorop

[JAS21]

kaorop, on 25 Sept 2015 - 22:25, said:kaorop, on 25 Sept 2015 - 22:25, said:

JAS21, on 15 Sept 2015 - 07:28, said:JAS21, on 15 Sept 2015 - 07:28, said:

My experience is not quite the same. I really like the unit in my v-cross ...it's very much like Garmin.

Yesterday we drove back from Kanchanaburi and had that running and 'Maps' on my Note 4. Maps was inaccurate ...frequently 40-50 metres out at junctions and instructions not anywhere near as clear as the in car unit.

It looks like when I eventually get my EV it will be back to a stand alone Garmin .....

drove from rayong to kanachanburi, garmin nuvi 2575 would not find satellites, the WHOLE fookin way

fully charged, aerial out, reset off and on numerous times.

tried to use my edge 810, it locked up 3 or 4 times, directed me onto stupid roads, etc etc.

both units have been about 50% reliable, which is hardly acceptable when you are in unfamiliar places.

i cannot stress enough how poor any garbagemin product is, just go to the garmin forum and see the litany of crashes, buggy s/w, slow or no bug fixes and shocking support.

DO NOT BUY

Have you got window film? Most films block/reduce the GPS signal ... and many also prevent your 'EasyPass' from working. If you enquire at a window film shop they will advise which films are okay with GPS. eg Lamina L75 Special Series is okay, that's why I had it fitted to my PU.

Edited September 25, 2015 by JAS21

[kaorop]

kaorop, on 25 Sept 2015 - 22:25, said:kaorop, on 25 Sept 2015 - 22:25, said:

JAS21, on 15 Sept 2015 - 07:28, said:JAS21, on 15 Sept 2015 - 07:28, said:

My experience is not quite the same. I really like the unit in my v-cross ...it's very much like Garmin.

Yesterday we drove back from Kanchanaburi and had that running and 'Maps' on my Note 4. Maps was inaccurate ...frequently 40-50 metres out at junctions and instructions not anywhere near as clear as the in car unit.

It looks like when I eventually get my EV it will be back to a stand alone Garmin .....

drove from rayong to kanachanburi, garmin nuvi 2575 would not find satellites, the WHOLE fookin way

fully charged, aerial out, reset off and on numerous times.

tried to use my edge 810, it locked up 3 or 4 times, directed me onto stupid roads, etc etc.

both units have been about 50% reliable, which is hardly acceptable when you are in unfamiliar places.

i cannot stress enough how poor any garbagemin product is, just go to the garmin forum and see the litany of crashes, buggy s/w, slow or no bug fixes and shocking support.

DO NOT BUY

Have you got window film? Most films block/reduce the GPS signal ... and many also prevent your 'EasyPass' from working. If you enquire at a window film shop they will advise which films are okay with GPS. eg Lamina L75 Special Series is okay, that's why I had it fitted to my PU.

Nah wish it was that simple, worked fine in the same position, same everything (except destination) a few days before.

And thats the way its been since i bought it/them, one day great the next, <deleted>

You simply cannot rely on them, I want them for on and off road, going somewhere new, exploring places unknown, or just trying to get out of Bkk at 4 pm from an unfamiliar place.

They often suck.

( my posts like this are my only recourse, and a warning to others)

[Gary A]

Okay I bought a new Garmin Nuvi 55. I just registered it online and updated the software. Now every time I turn it on I have to change the language to English from Thai. I emailed Garmin and they said when you choose your locale it which is Thailand of course, it will default to Thai language. I guess they think only Thai people use it. Anyone have this problem or a solution?

I don't have that problem with my cheap Nuvi 55. It always comes on in English. I also updated the map via the Internet. I'd have to study the thing on how to even change languages. Garmin has very poor customer support. Morris from Eagle GPS helped me overcome a problem in one of my old Nuvi units. I bought the Nuvi 55 from Eagle GPS, so his previous support gained him a customer.

[VocalNeal]

May I join in?

Are there any GPS units that can be remotely programmed, like say jet fighter mission planning. I'd like to input the destinations for my workers trucks from my PC onto some memory stick or.. and not have to sit in each vehicle and piddle around with little screens.

Maybe i am over thinking though. Can units be demounted from the trucks and bought to the office? Then if it a simple process of inputing 13.xxxxx 100.yyyyy I could do that and then hand them their respective units.

[RichardinHuaHin]

Okay I bought a new Garmin Nuvi 55. I just registered it online and updated the software. Now every time I turn it on I have to change the language to English from Thai. I emailed Garmin and they said when you choose your locale it which is Thailand of course, it will default to Thai language. I guess they think only Thai people use it. Anyone have this problem or a solution?

I don't have that problem with my cheap Nuvi 55. It always comes on in English. I also updated the map via the Internet. I'd have to study the thing on how to even change languages. Garmin has very poor customer support. Morris from Eagle GPS helped me overcome a problem in one of my old Nuvi units. I bought the Nuvi 55 from Eagle GPS, so his previous support gained him a customer.

Do you have Thai and English available on the unit? The guy at the store pointed out on a typed piece of paper inside the box that says if you download an update from Garmin that is English only then the Thai will be wiped out and cannot be brought back. Strange because Garmin has a program to download to the computer for updates. I don't get to choose anything just updates it automatically.

[ThaiBob]

Recently ran Google maps simultaneously using iPhone and Android with friends against my Garmin. Garvin clear winner as the others lagged and were somewhat confusing. I also like junction view. My Garmin did let me down once when it lost satellite reception at a critical time in Bangkok.

[impulse]

My Garmin did let me down once when it lost satellite reception at a critical time in Bangkok.

I have the same problem using my smartphone to walk around Bangkok. Sometimes it loses the signal in the concrete and steel canyons. And it appears that sometimes, I'm 50-100 meters off because the signal bounces off reflective buildings (my theory, anyway) Then it's interesting to watch the little icon scurry across those 50-100 meters when I step out into the sunlight.

Like you, I also appreciate the great (and usually seamless) junction views on the Garmin so I know exactly which lane I need to be in for the next turn.

Give me the Garmin for driving, and the smartphone for walking.

Edit: One of the reasons I don't like the smartphone for driving is that it will show a location even if it's miles away from where I really am. Sometimes, it's based on where I was last time it had a fix, sometimes it seems to be based on wifi and/or cell towers, and sometimes, it's not even in the right city. I do get that "circle" of accuracy, but sometimes it covers the whole screen. And when I'm driving I don't want to be staring at my GPS to figure out if I'm really where it says I am. The Garmin only shows a valid icon if it has a good fix, and that's what I want when my focus needs to be on driving the car. Give me a correct location, or give me none at all.

Edited September 26, 2015 by impulse

[IMHO]

If you've tried navigation on your smartphone and weren't impressed, or still rate a Garmin higher, it's only because you didn't try Sygic

[ThaiBob]

I will give sygic a try. If a like it, I guess that means I have to buy an iPhone 6 plus to come close to the size of my garmin(smiling).

[IMHO]

I will give sygic a try. If a like it, I guess that means I have to buy an iPhone 6 plus to come close to the size of my garmin(smiling).

Or if your car's infotainment system supports MirrorLink, use an Android phone and just make it display on the car's screen.

[Gary A]

Okay I bought a new Garmin Nuvi 55. I just registered it online and updated the software. Now every time I turn it on I have to change the language to English from Thai. I emailed Garmin and they said when you choose your locale it which is Thailand of course, it will default to Thai language. I guess they think only Thai people use it. Anyone have this problem or a solution?

I don't have that problem with my cheap Nuvi 55. It always comes on in English. I also updated the map via the Internet. I'd have to study the thing on how to even change languages. Garmin has very poor customer support. Morris from Eagle GPS helped me overcome a problem in one of my old Nuvi units. I bought the Nuvi 55 from Eagle GPS, so his previous support gained him a customer.

Do you have Thai and English available on the unit? The guy at the store pointed out on a typed piece of paper inside the box that says if you download an update from Garmin that is English only then the Thai will be wiped out and cannot be brought back. Strange because Garmin has a program to download to the computer for updates. I don't get to choose anything just updates it automatically.

I don't remember now but if there was an English option, that would be what I chose for the update. I just took a look and I don't see any option for a Thai map. You can change the voice, keyboard and text to Thai but no option for the map.

Added - I updated the map from the Thai Garmin site. My unit came with free lifetime map updates.

Edited September 26, 2015 by Gary A

[ThaiBob]

I will give sygic a try. If a like it, I guess that means I have to buy an iPhone 6 plus to come close to the size of my garmin(smiling).

Or if your car's infotainment system supports MirrorLink, use an Android phone and just make it display on the car's screen.

Downloaded sygic with no problems and I will play around with it during my 7 day "free" period. My cars do not support Mirrorlink.

[JaseTheBass]

We bought an aftermarket unit for my old Ranger after being nagged by the wife. It was so crap we never used it and would've put the old Ford stereo back in if we hadn't sold the truck last week. If I have to use a navi system my Windows phone works as well as any other system I have tried and I just follow the spoken directions.

Edited September 27, 2015 by JaseTheBass

[Gary A]

I still say that if you have ever used a Thai Garmin, you will never go back to a phone. I have a Samsung S5 with offline "Here" (Nokia) Thailand map and it is quite good. Even though it is good, I would never use it for a long trip.

[IMHO]

I still say that if you have ever used a Thai Garmin, you will never go back to a phone.

And yet, Here's me going from a Thai Garmin to a phone

[Gary A]

If you are using a foreign bought Garmin with the Garmin US Thailand map, I can easily see why you would want to throw it out the window. It cost me a hundred dollars to discover that. I find the ESRI Thailand map very good. I wouldn't travel out of my normal range without it. The search function is not that good but I use thee Garmin Base Camp program to find where I want to go and then put the coordinates in the GPS. Base Camp uses your GPS map so there is no confusion with different maps. If you don't want to use Base Camp, there are plenty of points of interest within the GPS such as hotels, etc that will get you very close to where you want to go.

The Thai Garmins are now priced much lower than in the past. I thought the larger screen Nuvi 55 at 3,990 baht including lifetime map updates was a bargain. It uses a new format from the older units and I had to get used to that. I liked the old format better.

[ThaiBob]

Sygic apparently uses tomtom maps. I had tomtom in USA and was disappointed and converted to Garmin and have always been happy since. I like the ESRI Thai maps that garmin uses although still experimenting the new tomtom Thai maps look good and I like the poi search function. I keep an open mind and will continue to play with sygic on my phone.

[Gary A]

I know nothing about the in dash GPS units in vehicles, EXCEPT the one in my new Isuzu. I would advise anyone buying a new Isuzu to save their money. The map stinks, I think it is the IGO map and Tom Tom is mentioned. They have so much crap in that unit that the entire thing is confusing. I can get it to work but what a hassle. I also cannot get my iPod to work. It has a selection for iPod video but that doesn't work either. Nothing user friendly about it. I will have my trusty, friendly Garmin on the dash the next trip I go on. The dealer better be able to get my iPod to work or I'll throw a fit.

[JAS21]

Gary A, on 02 Oct 2015 - 19:59, said:Gary A, on 02 Oct 2015 - 19:59, said:

I know nothing about the in dash GPS units in vehicles, EXCEPT the one in my new Isuzu. I would advise anyone buying a new Isuzu to save their money. The map stinks, I think it is the IGO map and Tom Tom is mentioned. They have so much crap in that unit that the entire thing is confusing. I can get it to work but what a hassle. I also cannot get my iPod to work. It has a selection for iPod video but that doesn't work either. Nothing user friendly about it. I will have my trusty, friendly Garmin on the dash the next trip I go on. The dealer better be able to get my iPod to work or I'll throw a fit.

There should be a separate English Manual in the Black Bag. I have the older Kenwood unit and think it's really good but it did take a bit of understanding. Hopefully your problem is just set-up. I don't know where you are, but In Bangkok you can have a 'teach-in', but need to book it through Tri-Petch. Maybe your dealer can help ... don't give up ... Yet

We have just done a nearly 1000Km 'jaunt' using both the in car Kenwood and Maps ... I prefer the Kenwood Unit but find the extra flexibility of Maps very useful.

The Kenwood Unit GPS works just like Garmin ... guess that the ones in the newer D-Max don't work like Garmin ... a backward step then.

Edited October 3, 2015 by JAS21