Garmin GPS - What do you recommend?

Author

What do you recommend?

John B

2006-03-14, 5:48 pm

Had a Garmin GPS-V for years - loved it. Then upgraded to Garmin Quest.

I like the Quest but I felt the mounting system was awkward and bulky
compared to the old GPS-V. I LOVED the ease of moving the GPS-V vehicle
to vehicle with the Garmin beanbag mount.

Anyway, I had the Quest in it's bulky car mount with the antenna opened
out and I dropped it. The Quest antenna broke off on one end. I can
hold the antenna to the base unit on the end that didn't break and the
Quest will work but the antenna needs a new case to mount securely as
original.

My question: What other Garmin GPS mounts more like the old GPS-V
(beanbag etc) but has the color screen, more memory and USB hook-up?

Or should I get the Quest repaired?

Thanks for any ideas or tips.

nathantw

2006-03-14, 5:48 pm

Get the Quest repaired. Why spend $450 - $500 on a 60Cx or 60CSx when
you can spend under $200 to get the Quest fixed?

After all my research I ended up with the 60CSx to replace my GPS V
mainly because of the mounting bracket that the Quest used. I wanted to
use the mount I already had on my dashboard. I found the 60-series, the
StreetPilot-series, and the Nuvi all use the mount that we're used to.

peter

2006-03-14, 5:48 pm

John B wrote:

> Anyway, I had the Quest in it's bulky car mount with the antenna opened
> out and I dropped it. The Quest antenna broke off on one end. I can
> hold the antenna to the base unit on the end that didn't break and the
> Quest will work but the antenna needs a new case to mount securely as
> original.

> Or should I get the Quest repaired?

Couldn't you use the Quest with an external antenna? The Gilsson ones
are less than $20 so it'd probably be cheaper than a repair.

Bob L

2006-03-14, 11:48 pm

"John B" < johnbtcb@REMOVETHISy
ahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ANwRf.25897$UZ5.3804@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
> Had a Garmin GPS-V for years - loved it. Then upgraded to Garmin Quest.
>
> I like the Quest but I felt the mounting system was awkward and bulky
> compared to the old GPS-V. I LOVED the ease of moving the GPS-V vehicle
> to vehicle with the Garmin beanbag mount.
>
> Anyway, I had the Quest in it's bulky car mount with the antenna opened
> out and I dropped it. The Quest antenna broke off on one end. I can hold
> the antenna to the base unit on the end that didn't break and the Quest
> will work but the antenna needs a new case to mount securely as original.
>
> My question: What other Garmin GPS mounts more like the old GPS-V
> (beanbag etc) but has the color screen, more memory and USB hook-up?
>
> Or should I get the Quest repaired?
>
> Thanks for any ideas or tips.

Get the Quest fixed and get a RAM Quest holder with a Non-Skid Base.

http://www.gpscity.com/gps/brados/2...ramholga15.html
http://www.gpscity.com/item-ram/rap279b.htm

You could also buy Garmin's equivalent for more money but it does includes a
new speaker/power plug so you don't have to transfer your old one over to
the RAM holder.

http://shop.garmin.com/accessory.js...503%2D00

When I got my Quest (upgrade from a GPS3+) I didn't care for the suction cup
mount either and planned to get a set-up like this. However, I found that
the Quest mounts nicely at the very top of my windshield just to left of the
rearview mirror. It's out of the line of sight and much closer to hand &
eye than on the dash. The flip-up antenna also has a good view of the sky
there.

I take my Quest out of the holder and fold the mount 90 degrees for travel.
Overall it's more compact than my old GPS3+ and mount.

Joel

2006-03-14, 11:48 pm

>Had a Garmin GPS-V for years - loved it. Then upgraded to Garmin Quest.
>
>I like the Quest but I felt the mounting system was awkward and bulky
>compared to the old GPS-V. I LOVED the ease of moving the GPS-V vehicle
>to vehicle with the Garmin beanbag mount.
>
>Anyway, I had the Quest in it's bulky car mount with the antenna opened
>out and I dropped it. The Quest antenna broke off on one end. I can
>hold the antenna to the base unit on the end that didn't break and the
>Quest will work but the antenna needs a new case to mount securely as
>original.
>
>My question: What other Garmin GPS mounts more like the old GPS-V
>(beanbag etc) but has the color screen, more memory and USB hook-up?
>
>Or should I get the Quest repaired?
>
>Thanks for any ideas or tips.

When I had my GPS III+ which is the same body as the V, I purchased a
RAM-Mount for it - suction cup, long arm, and holder (got it from
www.tvnav.com). Used it all the time - mounted it on the left side of
the windshield and the arm was long enough that I was able to position
it just behind and to the left of my steering wheel and was able to
operate it with my left hand without taking it off the wheel. And it
was easy to read. Only think akward was the adapter to the cigarette
lightler.

A few years back I purchased an iQue which I use with the standard
Garmin beanbag in the center but if I have to operate it for some
reason, I have to take it out of the adapter. Its Ok and except for
short stops, the bag has never moved - does cover up part of the
display of my Lexus RX 300 with the adapter going to the lighter.

A few weeks back I replaced my III+ with a Vista CX. While I
generally do not plan to use it in the car, I purchased the RAM-Mount
adapter for it (keeping the other parts). I have tried it in the car
and while its display is smaller than the III+, the rest is the same -
positioned to the left and behind the steering wheel. Easy to read
and generally easy to operate (buttons a bit hard to push relative to
the III+). As it has a pretty long battery life, I run it off
battery. As you can see, I am pretty happy with the RAM Mount
approach for the car (got the Garmin logoed holster for the Vista Cx
for hiking).

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