Before You Buy Ask Yourself the Following Questions
Monday, 25 August 2008 10:29
fHow often and how far will I travel? If you tend to take short trips, repeat the same commute, and only occasionally need directions, buy a GPS device in the $200-to-$300 price range. As exciting as Sat Navs may seem in theory, you need to figure out whether you'll actually use it enough to justify the cost.
If you expect to use it daily (for sales calls, for example) and you have complicated travel itineraries, you'll find that a Sat Nav unit quickly becomes indispensable. In that case, buy the best one you can afford.
Where will I attach it in my vehicle? Though car-centric Sat Nav devices are meant for mounting in your vehicle, actually doing this may not be easy.
Most automobile-centric Sat Nav kits include a mounting bracket with a suction cup designed to stick to your windshield or a flat surface on your dash. The catch is that in some states in the USA, winshield mounts are illegal. Another problem: Not all dashboards are flat and many have pebbly surfaces that prevent suction cup mounts from adhering to them.
Some optional mounts fit into the air-vent grille in your dashboard. But these, too, can be problematic because the mount and the unit will block at least some of the airflow from the vent. Furthermore, light though most units are, they may be too heavy for a vent mount to support steadily.
Another approach is to hold the mount with weighted beanbags, but you'll need a flat, horizontal surface to place them on. Even so, beanbags and air-vent mounts may be your best options in states that prohibit windshield mounting.
How critical are frequent map updates? If you expect to use your Sat Nav device primarily to find convenient coffee shops during occasional travels--or retail outlets that you've never visited before--working with less-than-up-to-the-minute mapping data is probably okay. And you can always turn to MapQuest for more-recent information. On the other hand, if getting from one place to another on time is essential, you'll want to update your mapping data as often as possible, even if you have to pay for it.