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Tim Schwartz[_2_]

On 11/24/2011 11:25 AM, wrote:
I see advertisements for Garmin and TomTom GPS units, with lifetime
map updates and same size 5" screens for the same prices. Does anyone
have any experience with both units that can state a preference. Also,
I wonder how the companies behind the units are set financially, a
lifetime update is meaningless if the company goes out of business.

Good morning all,

I've got a Garmin 1490T (T= traffic report receiver) which I'm quite
happy with. That said, any of the 3 major brands (Garmin, TomTom or
Magellian) are likely to be just fine. I would have a look at the user
interface, and see which you like best.

I would consider any of these a 5-7 year device at best. At some point
the internal battery will die, or some other failure will occur, or
you'll just loose the darn thing. Or the new ones will be so much
better that you'll want one.

I've found the dedicated navigation unit far superior to ones on
phones, and much more economical than ones built into cars, especially
if you have several cars in your family.

As another point against built in units, Auto manufacturers charge
obscene amounts for updates. I had a friend whose dealer quoted $700
for the new DVD set for his 2005 car. Almost as offensive as charging
$500 for a USB interface, which likely cost them about $6.00. ($99
radios have them built in.)

Regards,
Tim Schwartz
Bristol Electronics