Garmin GPS - StreetPilot III

Author

StreetPilot III

Mortimer Schnerd, RN

2007-03-16, 7:33 am

I saw an ad for a used StreetPilot III for sale for $130 and pointed it out to
my aged father. It comes with up to date software (the same as my C330) and all
the usual accessories and manual. Is there any particular reason why he
shouldn't pursue this? I know Garmin is no longer making the model but my dad
has a trip to Washington coming up and might find this quite helpful if it's
worth having. Seems like a lot of bang for the buck. He just needs it for road
directions while he's in the car.

Your thoughts?

--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Jack Erbes

2007-03-16, 10:33 am

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

> I saw an ad for a used StreetPilot III for sale for $130 and pointed it out to
> my aged father. It comes with up to date software (the same as my C330) and all
> the usual accessories and manual. Is there any particular reason why he
> shouldn't pursue this? I know Garmin is no longer making the model but my dad
> has a trip to Washington coming up and might find this quite helpful if it's
> worth having. Seems like a lot of bang for the buck. He just needs it for road
> directions while he's in the car.
>
> Your thoughts?
>

The SP III uses the proprietary Garmin Data Cards for map storage and
came new with a 128mb card. Those cards are 512mb in the largest size,
quite expensive (about twice the cost of that GPS? or more?), and larger
sizes may not be compatible with some older Garmin models.

The 128 mb card will store City Navigator mapping for an area that is
about 200 to 400 miles in length and half that width. The area will
vary a lot depending on the area of the U.S. (the data density).

If you can get enough mapping stored on it it could be useful. Those
were good units in their day. Here is a review of the SP III and the
next model, the StreetPilot III Colormap:

http://gpsinformation.net/main/spilotbs.htm

That review probably addresses most of the considerations you'll
encounter in use and does address the memory limitations.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

Greybeard

2007-03-16, 3:33 pm

"Jack Erbes" <jackerbes@adelphia.net> wrote in message > The SP III uses the
proprietary Garmin Data Cards for map storage and
> came new with a 128mb card. Those cards are 512mb in the largest size,
> quite expensive (about twice the cost of that GPS? or more?), and larger
> sizes may not be compatible with some older Garmin models.
>
> The 128 mb card will store City Navigator mapping for an area that is
> about 200 to 400 miles in length and half that width. The area will vary
> a lot depending on the area of the U.S. (the data density).
>
> If you can get enough mapping stored on it it could be useful. Those were
> good units in their day. Here is a review of the SP III and the next
> model, the StreetPilot III Colormap:
>
> http://gpsinformation.net/main/spilotbs.htm
>
> That review probably addresses most of the considerations you'll encounter
> in use and does address the memory limitations.

My SP3 has outlived my now defunct (Utterly farking useless) Zumo 550.
The SP# has done about 6 maybe 7 years of sterling service and is now back
on the dashboard taking me to my numerous daily customers once again, in
it's faultless manner.
The 512 Datacard works fine in the old beast and holds most of the UK, not
too sure about how the states would fit on, but I'm sure that for most
journeys the 128 would do fine. I toured Texas a couple of years back on a
128 card with MG Ver 4( I think!) and it was faultless. Oh, I lie, (my
memory is not what it was!) when it was in direct sunlight on the handlebars
of the Harley Road King that was my chosen steed for the fortnight, and got
very hot, and I do mean Texas Hot! the screen would blank out and was nigh
impossible to see. As soon as it cooled down a bit, i.e. in the shade for a
few minutes, all was well again.
For $130 by UK prices of around 75UKP I'd say it's a fair deal if fitted
with a decent sized (128 min) datacard. TBH I'm not sure how prices match up
for these thing's US v UK.

New Zumo on the way. Should be in my grubby paws on Wednesday of next week.
The cheeky Baa-lambs accused me of abusing the thing by removing the battery
to fix yet another power on lock up that couldn't be reset by the +/pwr
trick.

--
Greybeard

FLHTCUI UK-07 96 cu-in (Written off after 3 days & 182 miles!) Courtesy of a
myopic female driver.
FLHTCUI UK-07 Mk II (100miles & counting)
Trumpet Trophy 1200 -96, (The Barge) for rainy days.
Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home!

ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk

Joel

2007-03-16, 3:33 pm

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com> wrote:

> I saw an ad for a used StreetPilot III for sale for $130 and pointed it=
out to=20

> my aged father. It comes with up to date software (the same as my =
C330) and all=20
> the usual accessories and manual. Is there any particular reason why =
he=20

> shouldn't pursue this? I know Garmin is no longer making the model but=
my dad=20
> has a trip to Washington coming up and might find this quite helpful if=
it's=20
> worth having. Seems like a lot of bang for the buck. He just needs it=
for road=20
> directions while he's in the car.
>=20
> Your thoughts?

I would suggest to go for discontinued StreetPilot 2610 which you may be
able to get from eBay for around $230-260 or so which is a much better
choice. I have Garmin IV, Garmin V, and Garmin StreetPilot III color =
which
serves me pretty well, except it's limited to 256GB memory card which
doesn't hold lot of map.

I have been thinking of upgrading my GPS for some years now, but because
of the way Garmin pumping so many different models every years making me
confused and nervous. I don't have problem with Garmin releasing many
models but I have some problem with the difference hardware supported and
many others I can't remember them all.

Joel

2007-03-16, 3:33 pm

Jack Erbes <jackerbes@adelphia.net> wrote:

> Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
>=20
it out to=20[color=darkred]

C330) and all=20[color=darkred
]
he=20[color=darkred]

but my dad=20[color=darkred
]
if it's=20[color=darkre
d]
it for road=20[color=darkre
d]
>=20
> The SP III uses the proprietary Garmin Data Cards for map storage and=20
> came new with a 128mb card. Those cards are 512mb in the largest size,=
=20
> quite expensive (about twice the cost of that GPS? or more?), and =
larger=20
> sizes may not be compatible with some older Garmin models.

You are right about 512MB is the largest Garmin Data Card, but it's a =
sad
story that StreetPilot III only support up to 256MB. Or very few units
works with 512MB card.

H5N1freechicken

2007-03-17, 4:33 am

On 16 Mar, 09:45, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com>
wrote:
> I saw an ad for a used StreetPilot III for sale for $130 and pointed it out to
> my aged father. It comes with up to date software (the same as my C330) and all
> the usual accessories and manual. Is there any particular reason why he
> shouldn't pursue this? I know Garmin is no longer making the model but my dad
> has a trip to Washington coming up and might find this quite helpful if it's
> worth having. Seems like a lot of bang for the buck. He just needs it for road
> directions while he's in the car.
>
> Your thoughts?
>
> --
> Mortimer Schnerd, RN
> mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

I purchased a refurbished SP3 with the software and it's great! You
say that the one you are considering is used but with new software.
Does the software come with the extra unlock code or has the seller
used it?
If you are also getting the second unlock code (which can be used on a
different garminunit) then the software alone is worth more than the
price of the unit, so well worth the price.

My SP3 takes the 512mb datacard. I also have a 128mb and a 32mb. The
512mb datacard cost me about 45 GBP, a compatable card from an Ebay
seller in Germany.

It's a good introductory model for anyone to have as a first GPS, so
well worth considering.

Raoul Watson

2007-03-17, 7:33 am

"Joel" <Joel@NoSpam.plz> wrote in message
news:94rlv2dij5sho52
8d1lc2chu4lmf95h9dd@
4ax.com...
"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com> wrote:

....<snip>
I have been thinking of upgrading my GPS for some years now, but because
of the way Garmin pumping so many different models every years making me
confused and nervous. I don't have problem with Garmin releasing many
models but I have some problem with the difference hardware supported and
many others I can't remember them all.

Completely agree. Lately Garmin's GPSs are like chinese lunch menu. I have a
huge problem with a company pumping "test units" to see which ones are
accepted the most by the customer and improve on this unit.

I got the Color SPIII many, many years ago but made almost $1000 investment
on it.
It certainly is distressing to see that the support for this unit was very
short-lived.

Joel

2007-03-17, 10:33 am

"Raoul Watson" < WatsonR@IntelligenCI
A.com> wrote:

> "Joel" <Joel@NoSpam.plz> wrote in message=20
> news:94rlv2dij5sho52
8d1lc2chu4lmf95h9dd@
4ax.com...
> "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com> wrote:
>=20
> ...<snip>
> I have been thinking of upgrading my GPS for some years now, but =
because
> of the way Garmin pumping so many different models every years making =
me
> confused and nervous. I don't have problem with Garmin releasing many
> models but I have some problem with the difference hardware supported =
and
> many others I can't remember them all.
>=20
> Completely agree. Lately Garmin's GPSs are like chinese lunch menu. I =
have a=20
> huge problem with a company pumping "test units" to see which ones are=20
> accepted the most by the customer and improve on this unit.
>=20
> I got the Color SPIII many, many years ago but made almost $1000 =
investment=20
> on it.
> It certainly is distressing to see that the support for this unit was =
very=20
> short-lived.=20

I have 3 Garmin GPS III, IV, and the StreetPilot III Deluxe, and I was
happier each time I upgraded to newer and better unit (yup! each cost
nearly a K). Now, I know that my StreetPilot is way behind, I can get =
the
discontinued or refurb model for around $250-300, but I just can't get
myself to upgrade (yet), and not because of the $$$ but Garmin.

I don't know, but to me it seems like Garmin is trying to go for =
preloaded
to force customers to buy a newer unit every few years (because of newer
MAP)???

Jim Beachy

2007-03-17, 3:33 pm

Just a little correction -- Jack Erbe's link below
(http://gpsinformation.net/main/spilotbs.htm) is NOT for a StreetPilot III
but for the original StreetPilot and its successor, the StreetPilot
Colormap. The StreetPilot III post-dated both those models, neither of
which performed autorouting and are very different in function from the
StreetPilot III. I used a StreetPilot III for a number of years on my
motorcycle and in my car/truck and found it to be exquisitely satisfactory
except for the memory card limitation, which caused me to always travel with
a laptop (or multiple cards) to load the areas of interest where I happened
to be.

Jim Beachy

"Jack Erbes" <jackerbes@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:Va2dnc_3D8CxB2f
YnZ2dnUVZ_tqnnZ2d@ad
elphia.com...
> Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
>
>
> The SP III uses the proprietary Garmin Data Cards for map storage and came
> new with a 128mb card. Those cards are 512mb in the largest size, quite
> expensive (about twice the cost of that GPS? or more?), and larger sizes
> may not be compatible with some older Garmin models.
>
> The 128 mb card will store City Navigator mapping for an area that is
> about 200 to 400 miles in length and half that width. The area will vary
> a lot depending on the area of the U.S. (the data density).
>
> If you can get enough mapping stored on it it could be useful. Those were
> good units in their day. Here is a review of the SP III and the next
> model, the StreetPilot III Colormap:
>
> http://gpsinformation.net/main/spilotbs.htm
>
> That review probably addresses most of the considerations you'll encounter
> in use and does address the memory limitations.
>
> Jack
>
> --
> Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
> (also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

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