Best Low Cost GPS Navigation?

[Busyman™]

I was looking at buying the Mio C520 for $230.

I've been reading about these and all of them have some flaws with them.

The Mio C520 has TTS and a 4.3" screen.

I've also seen that it is highly hackable/customizable.

Anyone recommend a GPS?

[Skiz]

I like my Mapsco tbh.

My sister loves her TomTom though. So much so that after someone broke in to her car and stole it, she bought another. Not sure the model.

[Chewie]

I've tried MioMap 3 and it doesn't compare to TomTom 5 or 6, let alone the latest version, whatever it's called.

[lynx]

I've got TomTom V5 on my phone.
Free apart from the Bluetooth GPS receiver.

Strange thing is, when planning a route it would be nice to have a larger screen (mine is 240x320), but in use I find I rarely look at the screen - the voice instructions are much more important.

Since I can't give advice about one's I haven't used, I suppose the thing I can say is you need to make sure that the verbal instructions are accurate, understandable and above all in plenty of time.

[Busyman™]

I've got TomTom V5 on my phone.
Free apart from the Bluetooth GPS receiver.

Strange thing is, when planning a route it would be nice to have a larger screen (mine is 240x320), but in use I find I rarely look at the screen - the voice instructions are much more important.

Since I can't give advice about one's I haven't used, I suppose the thing I can say is you need to make sure that the verbal instructions are accurate, understandable and above all in plenty of time.

Yeah I friend of mine has TomTom on his Palm phone. It's didn't have TTS but the turn by turn voice was quite pleasant.

I had the TomTom One XL and Mio C230 and took them back.

The XL didn't have TTS and the C230's screen was to small.

I understand both use Tele-atlas and not the superior NavTeq that Garmin uses.

[lightshow]

Does the tom tom or other GPS hardware just stick to the dash with a glue? Or do they use another solution to mount it?

[Peerzy]

I've got a Navman and it's been great so far, a few years out of date now and not the most advanced one but never not got me anywhere. I had a sales rep from Garmin come in a few weeks ago and I would get one of those now. All the other companies use AA maps for the roads but Garmin have a man in a van with a Laptop driving the roads so if it's on a Garmin sat nav is means it is possible to drive that way. Where as others it could be a really small bridge or something.

[lynx]

Does the tom tom or other GPS hardware just stick to the dash with a glue? Or do they use another solution to mount it?

A lot use a windscreen sucker mount. The problem is that it leaves a tell-tale ring which attracts thieves, because they assume you've just hidden the unit. Even if you take it with you they still break in looking for it.

A better idea is to use one that looks like a mobile phone mount. Since thieves don't assume that you would leave your phone behind it doesn't interest them.

I don't have that problem since mine IS in my phone, and my phone mount is fastened to the central air vents.