It always saves you money when you ask the right questions before making a purchase. A GPS's most important function is to navigate. A good GPS unit will take you from point A to point B safely and efficiently.
In that vain this discussion will focus of those features more than the secondary features such as MP3 players and JPEG viewers. If you use these questions you will be able to make a much safer purchase.
1. What is your budget? Reality says if you only have $100 then you have to work with what you have got.
2. Are you always on the road to unknown places?
3. Is your time valuable and you find yourself wasting it waiting in traffic jams?
4. What sort of software does the unit come with? What sort of updates do you receive and how often. Take a good look at this as it is a huge factor in determining how effective your unit will be in 6 months time!
5. How about the accessories? Are they easy to get? Chargers and mounts etc must be easy to replace.
6. How accurate is the satellite navigation. Yes it is a GPS I know but how accurate is accurate? Find out!
Once you have satisfied those guidelines then you will be much closer to choosing the right unit and can look at other features like:
Check for a lane change assist. This is very useful when traveling on highways a lot.
Hands free Bluetooth capability for phones is a fantastic feature. Most new models have this and it is a must have. You can listen to phone calls through your cars sound system and talk to the GPS microphone without your hands ever leaving the steering wheel.
These are some guidelines I would use to get the most out of your purchase. It always help to do a little leg work before hand because in the long run you will save yourself money for sure.
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The Best GPS For Your Car - The Short List Of What To Look For.....
The rapidly rising popularity of GPS systems has resulted in the market quickly becoming flooded with an array of models.
The best GPS for your car is one that offers a variety of features that greatly increases the usability of a GPS system, making it that much more value for your money.
Here are the features you should look for in a GPS for your car.
1. Plain language driving directions including street names.
A GPS with audible driving directions will tell you where to turn and what to do without you having to take your eyes off the road. This not only more convenient for you but safer too.
2. Color Maps with a variety of themes.
This is especially noticeable when there are many roads being displayed on the screen. Make sure you check out the night time display. Many models mute the colors at night resulting in a mushy display that's hard to read.
3. Millions of Points of Interest
On short trips, it's nice to be able to select your destination instead of having to type in the address every time. On long trips, you'll be happy you're able to ask for the nearest coffee shop and not find the next listed stop is the next state over.
4. Voice Commands
Control your GPS system by simply saying the commands out loud. The Garmin Nuvi 880, for example, allows you to access over 30 different functions using voice commands. You can control your GPS system without ever having to take your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road.
That's what we hear consumers asking for. Get that list of features and you're more likely to be happy with whatever model you choose.