Hi
Has anyone found any dont break the bank GPS systems for the "E"

A GPS attachment is available for many PDAs. If you have a good PDA already, you could go that route. I have a Dell Axim X5 and a Pharos Navigator GPS that attaches to the windshield and dash.

I think there are inherent limitations to this - for instance, I can only load in a map for my vicinity, not a Dallas to Houston road trip. (Which is not a complicated trip, but that's not the point.)

Someone had the little freestanding GPS that sits on the dash - StreetFinder? - and said it was sweet. But it costs.

[quote:c957e24614="stevenmuller"]Hi
Has anyone found any dont break the bank GPS systems for the "E"[/quote:c957e24614]

If you have a laptop, then get Delorme StreetAtlas with the Earthmate GPS. Works a treat.

If you can define what won't break your bank I can potentially give you some good recommendations.

I would say a maximum of $500... I see some in the 1500-2000 range
which must be great, but above my means

On that budget you can probably afford one of the on-dash Garmin Streetpilots (it may not be a color unit). Those are pretty nice - they look like this...

http://www.garmin.com/graphics/spllllfbig.jpg

You can also probably get a hendheld GPS which is especially useful in cities where you need to drive and then walk to your destination or in the country if you hike. They usually don't have street info however and look like this...

http://www.garmin.com/graphics/etrexPIC.jpg

They don't have the best (or worst) prices in the world but this store is a good place to start your search...

http://www.thegpsstore.ne

Also, if you type in streetpilot at eBay for under $500 you'll come up with this listing...

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&SortProperty=MetaHighestPriceSort&query=streetpilot&maxPrice=500&from=R7&ebaytag1=ebayreg&ht=1&combine=y&st=2

Hope this helps. :D

I've been using a Garmin Emap for about two years now. You can purchase them at gpscity.com for about $169. You would probably want to buy at least a 32 mb memory card and the usa metroguide software. They make a really neat auto mounting bracket that swivels and tilts in just about every possible direction. When you remove the mount from the base, all that is left on the dash is a very small footprint. You can buy more of these bases for your other cars. You can also get cigarette lighter adapters to save batteries and antennas for use on airplanes, etc...I have looked into a lot of these units and for the screen size, memory upgradability, and ease of operation, this one is by far the best. It comes in very handy. If you have any other questions let me know. I am not a salesman for Garmin either, however, at last count, seven of my friends own Emaps. I did some shopping for you and got the emap, power cable, pc cable, 64 mb memory card, auto mount, and latest software for 443.00 plus shipping.

I've owned a lot of GPSs over the years. When I travel to places I where rent cars, as well as motoring around the backwoods here in Minnesota, I use the Garmin StreetPilot III ColorMap. When using other methods, I use a garmin e-Map. Both use the same memory cards, the same maps.

One thing you gotta remember about GPS: The expensive part is maintaining up to date maps. But once you get over the sticker shock they're ... if not indespensible, well, pretty neat. In southern France 2 years ago it saved us a lot of hassle on renumbered highways.

Using your notebook computer and a GPS head with a serial or USB output, you CAN use your notebook computer with cheaper systems, like Delorme's Street Atlas (USA only). You can also scan your own maps, such as USGS maps, or get them on CD or DVD, then calibrate them and display them. Those lack useful zooming capability (being raster images). The Garmin and Delorme products zoom from 1000 miles to 500 feet. I've traced my way across the Atlantic and Pacific, at least until they started displaying GPS-driven maps on the movie screens.

About the cheapest, and very reliable, place I've found to buy Garmin equipment is from Daryl Goheen at http://www.tvnav.com/. I strongly recommend him.

I've been using an old Delorme antenae on my laptop for a while in my Element. Works great. 30 bucks for the Delorme, and 50 bucks for the laptop on ebay. They have a new one you can pick up for 100 bucks, with a USB cable. Hard to beat the price, and they work well, up to 1000 mph. hehehe, haven't tested that, though...

"If you have a laptop, then get Delorme StreetAtlas with the Earthmate GPS. Works a treat"

Thanks for the great idea. In my job, there are many days I spend with the map. (20% of the time, map doesn't even have the street or some other wrong pertinant info). Nobody in my office has GPS (yet we all have laptops and do a lot of driving). This will really be a valuable tool with a final cost of $150 est....

I'm going to utilize my IBM 600 mhz laptop. I'll get the Delorne III and the car/laptop mount from e-bay. To be continued....................

I've used the Delorme several times in the past and it does work great. It saved us a few times while on our trip to LA.

A wrong turn or exit in LA can be very hazardous to you and your family's health. You might end up in compton, watts or somewhere in East LA. :lol:

$100- $150, can't beat that. Only downside is having a big bulky laptop to have around in the car while driving. If you have a nice good laptop mount, that should fix that issue.

John