Posted 2010-01-03 6:08 PM (#114815) Subject: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Veteran
Posts: 164 Location: Delaware
I looked into the Truckers GPS systems and they seem to make the most sense for hauling with a horsetrailer. I was wondering what everyone else is using and how do they like the routes they are given. I know you can pre-load most of the GPS systems with a route you acquired on Google or Mapquest but am concerned if detoured it would take me through a city like Wash, DC.
Posted 2010-01-03 7:23 PM (#114817 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Regular
Posts: 73 Location: MI
Are you asking about a built in system or a handheld? For general auto traveling I have a Garmin Nuvi 205 (I think) which you can keep pretty cheap nowadays. I don't think you can pre-load any routes on it, it does auto-routing for you. You can set the preferences for fastest time or shortest distance or give it preferences like avoid interstates or dirt roads. The auto-routing is actually a great function as you are going along and hit a detour it will start telling you how to get back to the best route. Sometimes it's annoying like telling you to make a U-turn but other times it adjusts quickly and quickly gives you fresh directions.
Posted 2010-01-03 7:36 PM (#114818 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Veteran
Posts: 164 Location: Delaware
The Garmin 465T. It is for truckers and have live road restrictions, tells you in advance what lane to be in, speed restrictions, etc. You program your weight and length and it will route accordingly. It won't take you down "Truck Restrictions" or across single lane bridges just to get you there faster. I haven't gotten a GPS yet but my neighbor has one and it directed her thru DC with her horsetrailer. A definate NO NO. It is just for car routes and since it is almost 2 years old it is not up to date on new road directions.
Posted 2010-01-04 5:12 AM (#114826 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Dayton, OHio
I've been using the Garmin nuvi205w. You still have to pre plan your drive and check it with a real map in advance, use your own mind, make your own routing decisions, so you don't get surprised. No one likes surprises when hauling horses! Last summer we did a gps search for 'rest stop' and ended up at "Herb's Rest Stop".... a mattress factory!Once you enter your destination, you can reprogram your route to your satisfaction, avoiding the things you want to avoid. It's a little tricky to reprogram the route with this gps as you have to plug in 'via points'. If you read the instruction manual, you can figure it out.Garmin sells a cable to hook the unit up a computer with internet to upgrade the maps, and a special antenna/power cable to receive realtime traffic. Each of these features cost extra $$$. For Christmas, I bought my wife the traffic and map upgrade features. How romantic.
Posted 2010-01-04 10:53 AM (#114845 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
I have a Tom Tom and I both love it and hate it. I dont like to use it for directions because it sends me ways I wouldnt go and if I ignore them it drives me nuts, so I have to turn the volumm down. What I do like is it will find local restaraunts and fuel stops and also will find hospitals, vets, repair garages, etc. and give me the phone number in an emergency. I like to get my map or road atlas, and then get MapQuest and Yahoomaps and plan my route and draw out my directions. Then I turn on my Tom Tom without planning a route. I can see the roads coming up on it so I know when my turns are coming up and can slow down. I carry a road atlas and state maps incase I need to detour. Once there was a wreck on a bridge and we had to find a way around as it was going to be blocked for hours. GPS's are good for directing you around and back to the usual route. I tend to like to travel cross country on secondary roads if I can as its easier to get off for fuel as opposed to interstate travel. Exits and on ramps sometimes confuse me. LOL I also have US Rider and you should have it if you travel with horses.
Posted 2010-01-09 7:23 PM (#115067 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Location: centrally located amongst the "NUTS"
My wife has a tom tom and I hate it. If she turns it on she has to drive. We drove to OKC and that thing sent her the wrong way.
My GPS is made by Rand McNally. I still have a 1997 edition Truckers atlas and am going to finally replace it this year. They only coast about $45 for the good spiral bound laminated editions and last for years. I never have to plug it in or re-program it.
When traveling, and I do that alot, I preplan my route by writing it down, and judge my fuel stops by watching for the billboards and road signs, figure out approximately my MPG and with a little math, the idiot light(low fuel) rarely comes on.
I know that this is old fashioned and probably in the minority, but this is what works for me.
Posted 2010-01-09 8:27 PM (#115071 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
We use the Garmin 76csx. Which ever one you get, you need a good mapping program. On the Garmin, it's the City Navigator. The topo is great for the trails, but for on the road traveling the mapping program is great.
Posted 2010-01-10 8:47 AM (#115081 - in reply to #115067) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Regular
Posts: 73 Location: MI
Originally written by Paracadista on 2010-01-09 8:23 PM
My wife has a tom tom and I hate it. If she turns it on she has to drive. We drove to OKC and that thing sent her the wrong way.
My GPS is made by Rand McNally. I still have a 1997 edition Truckers atlas and am going to finally replace it this year. They only coast about $45 for the good spiral bound laminated editions and last for years. I never have to plug it in or re-program it.
When traveling, and I do that alot, I preplan my route by writing it down, and judge my fuel stops by watching for the billboards and road signs, figure out approximately my MPG and with a little math, the idiot light(low fuel) rarely comes on.
I know that this is old fashioned and probably in the minority, but this is what works for me.
I also consider an atlas a must have for traveling as it is great way to idiot proof your travels and double check that you're not going on some two track non-existent forest service road. Where the GPS excels though is the pre-programed via points. Need to find a gas station (maybe even a particular brand) the GPS will tell you where. Have a hankering for a particular style of cuisine, the GPS will give you options. Need a drug store or an auto parts store, just look it up. The other great thing is the ETA that is constantly updated. Of course it's based on assumptions like maintaining your current speed, but it's very handy to know if you're going to arrive during daylight hours or not, if you have time to stop somewhere, etc.
Posted 2010-01-11 10:01 AM (#115119 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Yep GPS or not you should have a road atlas with you. Like others said, I like to preplan my route according to the roads I want to take. I then write out both written directions and a map with reverse directions on the back. For places I travel to each season for competitions, I have these in plastic sleeves in a folder in my truck, along with maps and the atlas. I can carry 85 gallons of fuel so stopping for that isnt a huge deal. I can pick and choose places easy to get in and out of better. For bathroom breaks I just find a good place I can pull over and use the one in the trailer. Its clean, and safe. I have drinks in the fridge. The only thing I really have to find a store pull over for is hot coffee. Traveling to competitions in Missouri from Texas last summer my friend had truck trouble and her GPS found her a Ford dealership, gave her the phone number and directed her to it. We actually used mine to get home yesterday after a hospital visitation trip in a nearby town. We were talking and missed an exit off Interstate. The next off ramp was a tiny town about 12 miles further. We knew there was a road from that town to route us to the main road to our town, but werent sure of the directions, so we turned on the GPS and hit HOME. It directed us to the main road to our town without having to backtrack the 12 miles to our normal exit.
Posted 2010-01-12 6:45 PM (#115172 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Location: Central Arkansas
Even Onstar will let you down. A friend coming to pick up a horse with a dually pulling a Sundowner 4H Slide was brought down 7 miles of a narrow curvy roadand thru a water crossing by Onstar. We had lived here 5 years and had no clue what road she was even on when she finally called to ask why I hadn't prepared her for the gravel road part. The shortcut saved her 1 mile and but added 30 mins to her drive time. The next day, I drove my SUV down the same road and was horrified Onstar had sent her that way!!!
My favorite GPS is the Pioneer AVIC Z2. We have one in the Sportchassis and one in the BMW 328 convertible. My Ford F450 has the factory Nav and I wished I would of not gotten that. I like the Pioneer system so much better plus it has a built in hard drive so you can do without the storing the CD's.
The Nav system on my iphone works better than alot of the GPS systems some of my friends have.
Posted 2010-02-06 10:33 PM (#116231 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
New User
Posts: 2
Location: twin falls, idaho
This is not about a GPS but is certainly travel related. I would strongly suggest a publication called "Exit Now". It provides info as to what businesses, and that is all businesses, that are located at each interstate exit in the US of A. Really a god send when you are traveling on the interstates and are hungry, want of find a Walmart, restaurant, potty stop etc. We never leave home without it !! Lee
Posted 2010-02-10 7:21 AM (#116349 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Regular
Posts: 69 Location: NW Florida
I had to add -I just bought the Exit NOW book. Seems pretty good - I have already used it first time out. Had to coordinate a meeting place (due to an unfortunate incident involving horse & rider, and needing another driver). This book enabled us to find the best place for several horse trailers convoying and to appropriately time things for the folks we were meeting. Hope it continues to be this useful, but not for the same reason!
Posted 2010-02-10 7:58 AM (#116353 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
No one mentioned it, but the Garmin City Navigator has business of all kinds in searchable form. Wish includes all businesses at the exits. If you need a tire repair store in an upcoming town, you can search for them.
Posted 2010-02-11 7:37 AM (#116414 - in reply to #114815) Subject: RE: Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
Nuvi 265....Love it, you do have to do periodic updates. You can program addresses and store them in your favorites, pull one up and hit go when you're ready. It tells you what lane to be in, the speed in that area, your speed, how far you are from your turn and the distance to your destination. It will look up gas stations, restaurants, airport etc. We have maps just as an extra......Oh, I don't keep it in my truck when not in use.
Best GPS for traveling with a trailer
