GPS for cheap

I found this
at http://www.woot.com for 90 bucks. Has a car mount, and im sure some of you could get this to work fine on your bikes, but dont want to drop too much cash.


Matt

I looked at this one when considering a GPS. Reviews aren't bad but I decided the Lowrance Iway100M was for me. $139 total thru Shipdog. I paid $24 for a 1 G SD card and another $30 for a cycle mount where I did NOT have to cut or deform anything on the scooter.

I'm liking it. I have yet to build a route. Loading everything up was pretty simple and I'mm a computer idiot. I use it in the car as well and the nice female voice (I call her Suzy) tells me where to go!

hmm, that iWay sounds interesting...

I was looking at a Garmin for use on/off the bike cause I can't afford both full turn-by-turn GPS and a handheld backpacking unit. but with the price on the iWay I could do both.

keep us updated on how you like that thing Chris.

Any feedback on the iWay, yet? My finger's on the mouse button, but I need a little push. It sure sounds like a good deal, even though the device seems to be out of production. Guess everyone wants color touchscreens.

tjbrandt50 said:

Any feedback on the iWay, yet? My finger's on the mouse button, but I need a little push. It sure sounds like a good deal, even though the device seems to be out of production. Guess everyone wants color touchscreens.

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I say go for it. How can you lose for $139? I've used mine mostly in car but 2X on the bike. It is reasonably accurate. It gave me a wrong turn but I was already at location. It has also taken me on an indirect route. This isn't all too uncommon - mess w/ settings. The only real negative is that it ate my rechargeables in 3 hours. I have it set for a continuous reading and if I changed that setting, I could probably do better.

The positives: price, takes SD card, full map of US and Canada, takes AA batteries, voice commands w/ supplied car charger/speaker (even has plug for ear bud), mounting it was cheap, well known brand. Also, Shipdog was w/o problems and got it to me in 3 days.

what type of mount did you buy? and where did you get it?

Gixxer Geezer said:

what type of mount did you buy? and where did you get it?

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checkout motorcyclelarry.com Just replace your clutch fluid resovior cover (2 crews) and then thread the ram mount on (use loctite) and your good to go. 5min to install if you are slow. I just like the fact that I don't have to permanantly modify something.

If your GPS has an option to turn the compass off (if equipped) try that to save on batteries.
I have a Garmin ETrex Vista that will run a looong time on batteries if I disable the compass.
With it on, I get about 6 hours or so.

Good place to get rechargeables:

http://www.nimhbattery.com/index.htm

I had one go bad on me, and they cross shipped me a good one to replace it when I sent it back. Very good company to deal with.

Just ordered mine.. hope i am smart enough to use it...

tjbrandt50 said:

Any feedback on the iWay, yet? My finger's on the mouse button, but I need a little push. It sure sounds like a good deal, even though the device seems to be out of production. Guess everyone wants color touchscreens.

Click to expand...

The garmin etrex cx series has a $50 rebate until the end of the year. THis puts the Venture cx color gps at $150 after rebate if you shop around.

It does autorouting with the right maps, can take up to 2gb microsd cards, etc.

Just bought one and it ROCKS. Current generation.

Looks like the etrex itself would be just the start. I'm not at all familiar with Garmin's products (only used MS Streets & Trips in a car so far), so I don't know what level of detail is included in the unit. Will I need to buy Mapsource Metroguide ($85)/Topo map (for hiking only?) ($80), USB adapter ($??), uSD card(s), cigarette lighter adapter ($25), etc. or does the unit itself have all I would need for backroads exploration, restaurant/gas station finding, ...? Are pre-programmed uSD cards something you can create yourself with CD-ROM and blank uSD or is there something special about them?

Lowrance still looks like a pretty good bargain, but etrex sounds like it has a brighter/more expandable future.

So many choices!!??

>... I don't know what level of detail is included in the unit.

The CX series come with a routable basemap, which show major features, roads, and highways. "better than nothing:
Basemap info at: http://www.garmin.com/include/basemaps/americas_recreational.html



>Will I need to buy Mapsource Metroguide ($85)/Topo map (for hiking only?) ($80),

Up to you. Used copies of MetroGuide go for about 1/2 price on ebay, and are unlocked. And see below for a neat autorouting hack.

>USB adapter ($??),

Some come with. My venture cx did not; I already had a cable.

>uSD card(s),

Some come with, but are so small as to be a joke (64mb). I just tgot a 512mb at frys for $20, no sale or rebate.

>cigarette lighter adapter ($25),

dunno, but battery life is very long on the cx models. Might not need one.


> does the unit itself have all I would need for backroads exploration,

Depends on what you need. The MetroGude stuff is find and shows county roads, aome dirt roads, etc.

You could get lost then get home again using just about any gps out there, including teh minimalist ones.



> restaurant/gas station finding, ...?

the Points of Interest stuff (which is what garmin calls it) comes with the maps, or in a seperate but near-useless database. I'd snag a previous-generation MetroGuide used off ebay and use that. Or ask for a current copy new for xmas.

You *could* buy the more $$$ CN/CS but they are irritatingly locked, and the MetroGuide *will* autoroute in the GPSr if you use sendmap instead of mapsource to upload them. There is something of a hit to indexing (finding arbitrary addresses) but I don't mind that.

>Are pre-programmed uSD cards something you can create yourself with CD-ROM and blank uSD or is

Normal retail microSD/transflash. Roll your own from the CDs. Or get crazy and make or hack your own mapsets. (much time and understanding wife required for the latter).

so what is the verdict on the garmin etrex venture CX. is it a good buy for the money? does it have enuff features for using in a car and offroad on a motorcycle? im thinking about getting one.

hond330 said:

so what is the verdict on the garmin etrex venture CX. is it a good buy for the money? does it have enuff features for using in a car and offroad on a motorcycle? im thinking about getting one.

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I love miny Venture CX.