Automotive GPS Buying Guide
Wish you had known there wouldn't be another rest stop for 300 miles? Tired of getting lost on vacation? No idea where to make the deliveries? Tips in this automotive GPS Buying guide will help you decide.
Don't get lost...get GPS! Enjoy Great Deals on Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan GPS Systems!
All of these hazards, and more, can be avoided with a dedicated Automotive GPS Navigation system. Once used only by the military, civilian GPS has been widespread for the better part of the last decade. Precise location fixes and powerful trip computers are now standard with just about any GPS device. Manufacturers such as Garmin GPS, Magellan GPS, Lowrance, and TomTom GPS 
have expanded the capabilities of GPS from a simple readout of UTM coordinates to specific street-level directions for any address in North America. Automotive GPS models range from $300 on the low end to $1000 for top-of-the-line, fully functional complete navigation systems. So which one is right for you?
When picking a GPS, the most important question to ask is "What do I want to do with it?" Any automotive GPS unit that
BestGPSDevice.com carries will tell you where you are and where to go, without getting you lost.
The first factor to consider, price-wise, is whether or not you need a pre-loaded GPS system. Many systems come with road maps for the entire United States and Canada loaded onto a hard drive. This gives you the luxury to go anywhere without worrying about whether or not you loaded the proper maps; it also makes the device ready-to-roll, right out of the box. Pre-loaded maps for all of North America typically occupy about 2GB of memory; any excess memory is for additional map, music, or accessory storage.
Another important feature to look for is "text-to-speech." Most voice-prompting GPS units will give an audio command such as "Turn left in 300 feet" or "Take next exit." A unit with a text-to-speech function will speak not only the direction but the name of the street as well: "Turn left onto Mulberry Lane in 300 feet" or "Take Exit 23A." This is a huge help for many people, as they won't even have to glance at the screen to know where to go.
A new feature to consider is live traffic service. Available in larger cities, a subscription to a traffic service gives you real-time, up-to-the-minute updates on traffic and road conditions. Freeway's blocked from Exit 23 to Exit 29? Your GPS will notify you and offer an alternative route. After a free trial period, traffic service typically costs about $5/month. Some Garmin units also offer XM Radio services, so that you can get not only live traffic but XM Satellite Radio in your car, as well.
One of the newest additions to GPS systems is the integration of a Bluetooth chip. If both your cell phone and GPS unit are Bluetooth-enabled, you'll be able to pair them up for hands-free calling, dial-a-POI features, and more, making your automotive electronics suite completely integrated.
So which is the "best?" That depends entirely on your needs and your preferences. BestGPSDevice.com has enough models to choose from that will suit just about anyone's taste and needs.