Why do you say Garmin, because you own it?

Look at the post a number of people think Tom Tom is better, please provide a reason why the Garmin Nuvi is better?

Go TomTom, I have had one for 4 month and I love it. Also you get free traffic infos, and unlike Garmin, you don't need a special kit for traffic infos since it will use your bluetooth phone to download them to your TomTom. Garmin is very good as well, but TomTom comes with bluetooth built-in, I like that feature.

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04 X5 4.4

Sounds like you just volunteered to set it up. Contact an e-tailer and see what kind of discount we can get.

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Since the TomTom 700 has been around for about a year, and TT is releasing a new series sometime this spring/summer (the 510,710,and 910 I believe) with mp3 support and an even more interactive display, perhaps some retailers wouldn't mind a GroupBuy on the 700 units. TigerGPS and a few other sites might be good places to start. Good luck-
Oh, here's some older shots of the TTG700 mounted in my X (with Alternative Mounting Kit) It can also be windshield mounted at either top or bottom where the X5 has bands of windshield that allow GPS/radar signals to pass- I tried a center install near the vents, but the signal was dismal- By the window, it picks up signal within 45 secs +/-.


I also mounted at the right vent b/c I wanted the mic for handsfree (in the little rotating base) to be close by for better sound- External mics can also be used- at the visor for example.
Mindfull

I compared the Garmin C330 and the TomTom Go 700. I drove various routes, input locations, searched for fuel, restaraunts, etc. I found the directions and services better on the C330. I then read reviews of both on various sites, including CNET, and concluded that the C330 met my needs better. I have been using it for 3 months now.
The one complaint I had was inregards to selecting waypoints, and it looks like the latest software update addresses that. (I got a notice via e-mail last night)

--Larry

I have had the Garmin 2720 for almost a year now. It works great. The user interface is very friendly and it'll probably last for another 4-6 years. You get a remote control too and it's fairly easy to use. It's also popular science's and pc magazine's choice.

http://www.garmin.com/products/sp2720/

I got it at sam's club for around $759 with tax and shipping. (You can return it if you're not happy with it)

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...=5&item=140844


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now if you want with all the bells and whistles then go for the 2730. I think it's only about $200 more: xm nav traffic, xm weather, xm satellite radio, a built in mp3 player with 20 gig hard drive -not sure about size. etc

That you can get at costco for $949.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...hse=BC&topnav=

All i can say is goodluck with your choice. I got help from the people on this forum when i was deciding on a portable GPS. No hijacking of thread intended. Just wanna say thanks again to everyone for the help and advice incase i forgot to thank you guys.

Tom Tom One is the one!

Okay, I've done some digging here are the choices that I have reduced it to, subject to change based on your advice.

The Tom Tom 700 is excellent, according to many users here. I can get the 700 for about $600 brand new. It is more than I want to spend and honestly, the BT feature is not that important to me. I like the ability to preview your route and I like the mounting system. For those who have used it, how is the BT feature on this?

I can get an older but good Garmin 2620 factory refurb for $485. It is a tried and true system and can be regarded as a performance standard. It is a little older and on the bulky side. It comes with a remote control which is a nice bonus. The mounting system is not very elegant. The price point is very attractive. It seems to me that Garmin will always have updated maps available for their devices so support should be there for some time to come.

The Garmin Nuvi 350 is going to be available at Costco.com in a couple of weeks. There is no price listed yet but they will be giving buyers a $150 gift card with the purchase. Since we spend at least that every week or two at Costco it's as good as cash to us. I'm guessing the price will be about $750 - $800 so it will be about $600 - $650 once the gift card is factored in. The little GPS is slick as goose sh!t but it does not have BT. I love it's compact size, its useability as a GPS while out of the car, and the text-to-speech capability is very cool too. I also have the comfort of the Costco purchase just in case it breaks or doesn't work as well as advertised.

What to do, what to do. Should I go with the Tom Tom or wait until for the Nuvi? I have kind of written off the 2620 because it is simply not as cool as the other two. It's an old model and while the price is very attractive, I'd rather pay more for something that I'll be happier with.

Advice?

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PNG -

It looks like you can't avoid the due diligence. Part of the fun of buying toys is doing the research and knowing you bought what you wanted.

If the Tom Tom 700 and Nuvi350 are within $50 of each other, you have to get the Nuvi. The fact that it fits in a shift pocket is a huge selling point for me. The deal at Costco.com sounds plenty attractive. BTW - Costco.com also has an ad for the Tom Tom 700, but it currently shows as unavailable. I don't know what the cost was.

Did you see the Costco.com ad for the Lowrance350C which comes with a 4GB HD? They show unavailable as of today, but they did have units in stock last week with a selling price of $399. I played with one at Circuit City. It doesn't stand up to the Tom Tom 700 or Nuvi, but it's better than anything else in its price range.

Somewhere down the line, I'm sure some new portable convergence device will incorporate the functions of my Treo 650, my iPod, and my PSP, and a Nuvi350 and it's probably not that far away...

Have fun.

Regards, Mike