GPS Info Needed

I'm not sure I'm in the right forum, but here goes.
I desperately need information on purchasing
a GPS for my car. I will be driving cross country
very soon and I need a GPS system to help me
get to the right place. I'm not looking for a fancy
one with all the bells and whistles, just one that
will talk to me and tell me what lane to be in and
when to turn. Thanks for any info you can give.

Do you have a cell phone?

No I do not have a cell phone. Why do you ask?

Garmin and TomTom are two names that should give you good results. Prices have plummeted in the last couple of years and quality is a lot better as well. You probably want to get one a week or more before your trip so you can get used to it. Sometimes two roads are so close together that you need to understand visual as well as audio cues to make the correct turn. Generally the GPS will either recalculate the next turn or tell you to turn around and go back to the missed turn.

Be careful of choosing the shortest route though - sometimes it can put you into non-existent roads (cow pastures or gravel roads). Use the fastest route generally.

I asked because many cell phones now have GPS with turn by turn navigation, some work incredibly well.

Any preference.... Garmin vs TomTom ?

My dad has an older Garmin...
wrong more than it was right ..

maybe the newer versions are better...

Vastly improved over older models. At least TomTom has improved over the course of 3 years so I would expect the same for Garmin.

On a business trip in Maryland - friends cell phone navigation system (I think she pays monthly for the service) was terrific -- it told us about a traffic accident on I-95 long before we could see back up traffic and routed us off the highway and right around it. Downside to the cell is that the screen is not easy to see when you are driving and it is hand held or perched somewhere as opposed to the Garmin or others where you can attach it on the windshield and see it easily.

My Garmin isn't able to route me around construction or accidents (unless I am not aware of that feature.) Other than that it is usually 'right on target' - the issue is that you have to update the software periodically to make sure all new roads are captured. We paid a small amount of money and have a lifetime upload ability so that we have the latest maps.

I agree the 'shortest' route choice isn't always the best - takes you off into the wilderness sometimes and then if something goes bump with the device --you are stuck off the beaten path with no way to figure out how to proceed.

You can get the Garmin at Costco and it is generally less than in other stores.

I got a PDA windshield suction cupped holder that works great for my phone..
It took getting used to NOT look at the screen, and just listening to the voice to tell me where and when to turn.

I've been resistant to buying a functional GPS app for my iPhone. The maps feature on iPhone is quite poor at best but beats nothing (at least you can look up locations but the locator is often off by miles). I would hate to use it as my GPS since it is so terrible.

My friend has a much smaller phone with a functional GPS on it. The screen is too small to use visually (at least it is for me) but he does use the voice commands like you (kind of like having a navigator in the passenger seat telling you when and where to turn). Now if it would mute the radio when it is telling you to turn would be a great feature.

hcmdole...

Try google maps... I have it on my andriod drone, and it's pretty awesome.. I had Verizon Navigator, and while it was helpful, it cost.. the google maps were free.

That is what is on iPhone.

If you get a google account, you can save locations, and the navigator from it oughta work.