GPS & Mac

[Greynomad]

OK people,
Thanks for all the help.
I already have a Kindle Fire tablet-of-sorts (wifi only), so I can't justify to the Treasurer buying ANOTHER one for a GPS (unless I update my phone to an iPhone - and THAT is at least 6~12 months down the financial track).
The Garmin sounds OK.
The VMS I was conned into paying $700 for, because it was "the HEMA made by Hema's supplier as a 'home brand' version" was $h!t, and ended its days (after 3 mailings back to mfr for repairs) in a garbage bin after it karked it for a fourth time in 12 months.
The Navman MY60T was as good as most GPSs, occasionally leading us around the world for sixpence, but what we were NOT told when we bought it was that it was Windoze-ONLY!
It has karked it in a spectacular way... nothing but static on the screen. No point sending it back for repairs. It cost us under $200. Even if it WAS repaired, I still couldn't update the maps without hoping to meet someone on the road with a Windoze machine and a Navman.
Simpler to replace it with something that speaks Macintosh and start again.

[BruceS]

Ray this deal is good! It includes life updates as well in that price.
http://www.harveynorman.com.au/garmin-5 ... ation.html
Some go for the more expensive one but I honestly find mine does everything I need it to.
Standard SD card fits in it & a standard mini-USB cable is needed to connect to the computer.
You won't get much cheaper on Ebay & there are stores every where for returns or warranty. (if needed)
I bought a $2 soft tipped stylus & find it so much easier.

[Greynomad]

Bruce,
According to the Garmin website, that's a saving on the RRP of a whole $3!
Lifetime map updates are now a standard inclusion.

[Dot]

Can you put the truck / heavy vehicle routes on it as well Bruce, the one that has the heights and weights on it?
Ray try some haggling they might give a really good deal on a dash cam as well.

[BruceS]

OK, I thought it was a bargain... sorry.
Garmin sell many models but only the ones with "lm" have Lifetime Maps.
When I got mine I could buy the Nuvi50 or the Nuvi50lm.
Look at it this way........... with $6.00 you could buy a punnet of strawberries for the bride and you just never know what THAT may bring you!!

[BruceS]

Dot I don't think so.
You can choose between several choices of shortest, quickest, etc & then by bitumen, formed or dirt track etc.
I'm pretty sure you'd need to go up to a more expensive version for heavy vehicle routes.
I, like most others, have found out you really need to be on the ball with some directions these things give you.

[Dot]

Someone better tell Steve (Ozefueler) that but those misguided directions have led him to some neat places.. Thanks Bruce,, Where is Brian?

[Greynomad]

Can you put the truck / heavy vehicle routes on it as well Bruce, the one that has the heights and weights on it?
Ray try some haggling they might give a really good deal on a dash cam as well.

An idea, Dot...
Bought an el-cheapo 'Navig8r' ($79) dash-cam from the Post Office Shop in Capalaba (Bris outer suburb) a month or so ago.
Camera's fine. Windscreen mount fell apart! Considering modifying the mount from the deceased Navman with some carving & a bit of Velcro tape.
Also interested in the heavy vehicle routes/bridge clearance s/w.
Navman once took us to the local Tourist Info Centre via an underpass with 3.0m clearance. We're 3.65m.
Had to reverse 100m up the (narrow) street then drive the wrong way down a one-way street to extricate ourselves. (Fortunately, both streets were deserted at the time!)
No room to U-turn without unloading Jim from trailer & disconnecting trailer, to do a 16-point turn.
Imagine if someone had come up behind & wanted to drive past in the middle of it!

[Dot]

Brian has a great set up for the truck / heavy vehicle routes.. When he comes into range will ask him what etc

[BruceS]

Pretty sure the CMCA wiki has the list of low bridges and road weight limits in their list of POI's that can be uploaded to a GPS. You can then set the warning to your desired distance (500metres?)
If not you can get them here free.
http://www.gps-data-team.info/poi/austr ... portation/