Good Sam RV GPS

I'll be anxious to hear a full report,as the new Garmin RV didn't work out for me and so I went with the TomTom RV specific model.

 

WoodGlue

WoodGlue,

 

You bet - once we've used it a few times, we'll come back and let everyone know what we think of it.  We did some online research, and the customer reviews were favorable - in line with the other brands that are out there.

 

Don

WoodGlue

What was wrong with the Garmin?

 

Shchuck

Here is my post about the Garmin vs the TomTom:

 

Garmin vs TomTom

 

WoodGlue

We've been using the Good Sam GPS for over a month now.  Haven't used it yet for an RV trip (not before April of this year), but we did take it with us to Atlanta, GA over Christmas.  So far, we're very pleased with it.  We've been configuring it for the points of interest (gas stations, restaurants, etc.) we want it to display while we're on the road.  We've used the wi-fi feature to connect through my cell phone and get real-time weather reports and forecasts, which is nice.  We've also used the campground database to locate the full range of campgrounds in the vicinity of our destinations.  We've entered the full length, width, height, and weight dimensions of our rig when it's hooked up, so it will be interesting to see how it routes us on our cross-country RV trips.   

 

The larger 7 inch screen is terrific.  We use the windshield suction cup to hold the GPS in place, and let the GPS itself rest in the dashboard tray.  This has worked well so far.  We especially like the 3D display mode, and how it shows interstate exchanges in 3D, with the correct vehicle lane highlighted, and warnings on upcoming speed limit changes, curves, and turns - which can all be modified to the driver's comfort level.

 

We haven't yet used the extensive set of RV checklists, which can also be modified.  We may do that eventually. 

 

One thing we don't have is real-time traffic reports.  That requires purchase of an additional device, which we may do eventually.

 

We won't compare this GPS to other brands or models, because we haven't used others and therefore don't know enough about them to speak knowledgeably.  Other GPS devices may be just as good as this one. 

 

At this time, we give the Good Sam GPS a preliminary (after 1 month of use) 4 1/2 stars out of 5.  We'll adjust that, if need be, over time.

 

Don

This would be great in the discussion lounge, I surf all the sections but there are probably quite a few that don't look at the trailer section and would miss this "general" topic. 

Thanks - its a good suggestion.  I opened a discussion in the Discussion Lounge forum.

 

Don

 We bought the Garmin last year for our trip to Alaska. First time with GPS in the truck. We were very happy with it. Bought the new truck equipped with Navigation It is not as user friendly as the Garmin but we are getting more familiar with it. Any of them are IMHO worth their weight in gold. I have been using hand held gps for several years while hunting to keep getting back to camp before dinner. Good stuff, especially in a snow storm at 8k ft elevation.

Update:  After 9 months, we are really happy with the Good Sam GPS.  We recently subscribed to real time traffic reports, and it has performed even better.

 

Don

Great news DandV, thanks for the detailed report!

 

By the way, never drive through California (and I think Michigan) with the suction cup mounting on the GPS - it's against the law and I had a friend get dinged - I tried to warn him but he thought I was being silly LOL

 

WoodGlue

What are you saying...the suction cup mounting...do you mean stuck on the window ?

Is that illegal or what...please help this hick out !!!!

       
       

That's good to know.  With family in Monterey County, it's a virtual certainty that we'll bring our TT to CA eventually.
Don

Yes, it's illegal in California (and a bunch of other states) to suction cup mount anything to the right hand side of the drivers wheel.  It looks like California may have amended the law - they now allow you to mount something in the lower left corner of the windshield.  But what does "door to door operation" actually mean (see below)

 

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm

 

Google: "GPS mounting state laws" and find the info for your own state, and the states that you plan to visit!

 

WoodGlue

 

From the above website:

 

(12) A portable Global Positioning System (GPS), which may be mounted in a seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield farthest removed from the driver or in a five-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield nearest to the driver and outside of an airbag deployment zone, if the system is used only for door-to-door navigation while the motor vehicle is being operated

Last month we used our Good Sam/Rand McNally GPS for a cross-country trek - Colorado to Georgia, and return.  Unfortunately, we were traveling without the TT (staying with family). 

 

The GPS worked like a charm.  The main criticism I have is the speed limit it displays is often not accurate with the locally posted speed limit.  This is not just occasionally, but a regular occurrence.  I'm not sure why it's this way.  In all other respects, we're really happy with the GPS.

 

Don

We are on our second Garmin Nuvi. Have not had any problems with either. The battery on first one refused to take a charge after several years, so we replaced it last year with another Nuvi also with the lifetime maps. It allows us to find nearest rest area, restaurants, fuels, stores, alternate routes, traffic, etc., while traveling or after set-up. Tried 2 Tom Toms before buying our first Nuvi, both failed right out of the box. Didn't want to see if the third time was the charm.

We have a Garmin Nuvi in our SUV.  It does a great job, and wife loves it.  We bought the Good Sam/Rand McNally GPS specifically for towing.  We have it set up specifically for our rig, and for that purpose it's great.  I don't understand, however, why it often doesn't show the correct speed limits.

 

Don

We've used our Good Sam GPS (5" one) for almost a year now and it does a really nice job.  I have a question someone here may have an answer for: The free maps forever thing is nice, even if it is only once a year.  I recently hooked mine up to my computer through the "Dock" and it said a map update was available and I'd need a MicroSD card, 8 GB or better, to get it.

 

So I bought the card ($12.95), stuck it in the side when the dock software told me to, it downloaded files totalling over 4 GB, unpacked them and loaded them into my GPS.  My issue is that I can't see any results of my big download, though I haven't gone anywhere.  Firing up the unit and looking at where I am now doesn't look any different.  Does anyone know what happened?

Timsr,

 

I download updates every month.  I don't usually detect graphic changes.  There is a feature, however, in "Dock" where I can see a list of the files that were downloaded/updated.  I'm travelling on business right now so not able to look at our GPS directly.

 

Don

Don, I get road construction updates pretty often but the map only once a year and this was my first.  I was just surprised when the software said a map update was available and I'd need a chip, so I kind of expected - I don't know, more detailed graphics, additional detail, Keanu Reeves driving a bus, something.

 

I might see a difference when we go out again next month, I just turned it on once here at home.  Thanks for checking.

Tim,

 

I'll start looking closely when I download updates to see what I'm getting.  You've got me curious.  Overall, I really like the Good Sam GPS, other than the speed limits, which I've learned are not reliable.

 

Don

The memory in almost all GPS units "bite**  - You can buy a handheld 3 TB hard drive, yet they continue to put insufficient memory in these GPS units.  I can't speak to your specific problem Timsr, but there are some excellent forums available:

 

http://www.gpspower.net/

 

http://gpsinformation.org/forum/

 

WoodGlue

 

** my attempt at a bad pun!

Good one, WoodGlue!!

I also have a garmin nuvi (older one) I can't install any of the new map updates, at least not the complete maps anymore. I can only install regions it doesn't have enough memory.

Update - I downloaded a huge map update about a week ago.  The issue with speed limit accuracy seems to have been corrected.  Rand Mcnally also made a number of other software upgrades.  For instance, split screens at intersections, etc.

Today, we were in Pueblo, CO, and decided to check out potential camp grounds in the area.  We used the GPS database to locate some, and had it take us to them for future reference.

We're very pleased with the Good Sam GPS overall.

Don