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Northern Cat	Has anyone had any experience with GPS units in Cars.. I just ordered this unit Has anyone put one in there Kat..... ------------------
Paul	I own the original model in this Street Pilot Color not the III model. I love it and thank my wife regularly for getting for me as a present. I travel around the U. S. and use it to confirm upcoming turns and find my way in unknown territory. The portability is great for the frequent car rentals I use. I'm on the verge of adding memory to my unit to make it possible to download more detailed maps. It stinks that Garmin created a proprietary memory type for this rather than going with Compact Flash or SD card memory because they charge more than double the market price for more commonly used memory. Eventually, you'll want to add more detailed maps and that's only possible by adding their own memory cards. My only complaint is that the unit is heavy, a battery hog if used with 6 AA's, and pricey. It, however, works beautifully despite its drawbacks.
CJ	GPS John has it in his cat (obviously). RPL's job at DC involves selecting the GPS, video, audio, etc. for all the brands.
FL Phil	I have the Street Pilot III and have been very happy. Got them when they first came out and used it when we went to South Dakota for the Crazy Horse Cruise. Did you check out the maps because 2 years ago the mapping for at least the western part of Canada to Moose Jaw was the pits except for the major roads? I had the GPS mounted on the dash in front of the speedometer for a while but now use the bean bag mount and just leave it on top of the dash under the rear view mirror. John "GPS" has mounted his to the passenger Air duct and my wife objected to me mounting the GPS there. I have a dash cover and the bean bag mount doesn't slide around. It would on the vinyl dash. Good luck, great unit! This message has been edited by CA Phil on 09-30-2002 at 04:40 PM
Northern Cat	Thanks Phil, CJ and Paul..That the kind of information I needed..I checked for maps in my area..Ontario and talked to the guy at the online store, they have removed all the locks on the software and I got a great deal, I think from GPS Map Store http://www.1st-gps-map-store.com/auto_gps.html Here a great site if you want to compare any GPS unit http://joe.mehaffey.com/ I was looking for the best place to install the unit in the kat..So you think the Beanbag will work the best.. Anyone got pics of the unit installed in their Kat ------------------ This message has been edited by Northern Cat on 10-02-2002 at 10:01 PM
Northern Cat	Here a good article on the unit I bought http://www.gpsinformation.net/spiii/sp3review.htm Tells you what good and bad about the "Street Pilot III" by Garmin ------------------
Ron and Sue Clark	Ron and I have StreetPilot III - it is absolutely great. Have traveled with it many places. Ours is 1 yr. + a few months. Our maps to Myrtle Beach. S.C from our home in Pittsburgh, Pa. probably need updated already. I know that is available. There are some new roads, GPS continually tells us we're off track and reroutes us. Occassionally you just have to ignore her whining. Ron also uses it locally on evening estimates - locating a street or especially a house number on a highway, etc. Unfortunately our GPS isn't working right - the tech support answered my email within 24 hrs., will arrange a UPS pickup to return it for service. The cost is over $200 - pricy - but I understand when it returns, the newest updates will be installed also. I did see a "master reset" on the product review someone posted - may try that 1st. Nothing to lose. All in all - a very useful product, I'm sure we'll get ours working again.
Northern Cat	I payed $785.00 with all the maps included on the lastest Verison of the Street Pilot III ...other on line stores were over 1200.00...and this one rated the best for auto use.. http://www.1st-gps-map-store.com/auto_gps.html quote from online store The StreetPilot III Deluxe system includes the MapSource City Navigator Enhanced CD-ROM designed only for the StreetPilot III with coverage for the U.S. and Canada. (Alaska and Hawaii has limited road coverage). Now sold with total accessability to all regions. This software provides street level detail, built in address and business data base for major metropolitan areas. This new upgrade now includes rural coverage. Visit http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource and open the MapSource viewer to check out the road coverage available. Unlocks are no longer needed. I'm still looking for the best place to install the unit in the Prowler ------------------
FL Phil	I've been happy with the bean bag mount, I'll send you a picture over the week-end. If that was Canadian Dollars, you got a sensational price even in the US I think that too is excellent. I thought I got a good price and then paid ~$200 for the 128MG cartridge and a month or so ago $150 for the upgrade to 4.01 with all the unlocks. We've been very happy with ours and it is simple to upgrade the unit and sofware. I got mine at http://www.tvnav.com/navhome.html after shopping around. Enjoy!
Richard Jackson	I just use GPS ED, He's cheap and you get good directions and the scenic routes, with the no-roach cheap hotels, best burger joints and friendliest folks. lol Look out now he may raise rates and start to charge for upgrades.
Northern Cat	Finally got the unit install yesterday and with the maps downloaded into it..All I can say it "WOW" this thing is GREAT Don't need my Speedo anymore. It shows every street, your speed, but had to stick it down, the bean-bag kept landing in my lap, every time I went hard off the line...Its a must for every Techie that owns a kat ------------------ This message has been edited by Northern Cat on 10-06-2002 at 04:18 PM
Wayne Finch	Looks good Don. Can't wait for a demo
FL Phil	Don, That is the way I had mine installed initially. Be sure to check the mount every once and a while even though it is supposed to be a permanent mount you will discover it will start come loose. On the Crazyhorse Cruise I had to replace the mount once. Keep a spare permanent adhesion pad. Enjoy!
YellowFever	Looks good if you never need to know the speed you are going (or the guage to the right of it for that matter) Doesn't somebody make one that fits in with the radio and flips out to provide a screen?
Northern Cat	The Screen shows your speed ..so don't need the speedo just got back from a Week up north to Bear Trail Inn a great couple's resort and the Street Pilot III worked great...So far the mount is holding fine..but will keep an eye on it..... ------------------
Northern Cat	Update..Just ordered a flexible arm from a Camera Shop here in Bulington ...going to take apart the bean-bag mount and design it to fix the flexable arm...will post pics when I get it designed....This unit is really great.. tells you ever street before you get there..... ------------------
Northern Cat	Finally got the flex arm put together...Just have to find a 15mm wrench to remore one of the seats mounts and replace the washer with the arm..Check it out..made from camera gear Think this is going to be great for mounting GPS or whatever in your Kat and no drilling holes... This message has been edited by Northern Cat on 11-06-2002 at 11:40 PM
Wayne Finch	Looks good Don, I may have to get one of those toys
YellowFever	No offense but, I don't see the point of these in a car. In an off road vehicle, maybe (lost in the Yukon or something). I was debating as to whether to order our BMW X5 with one or not (only option I hadn't picked) and asked a buddy of mine who bought an X5 2 months earlier (and had the GPS) what he thought. He explained, it was a great novelty for about 2-3 weeks (till everyone has seen the vehicle) and that he rarely used it (if at all) now. I decided to forgo that $4K option and have never regretted it. I also have lived in this area my whole life so I really don't need to know what street I am on as I already know. I also don't see the point of a VHS or DVD in a prowler either though. Really not the kinda car to stretch out and watch a movie in. To each, their own....
Andy R	That flex arm is a great idea. I have the original street pilot (B&W). It is a lot of fun. How much is a flex arm like that? Where did you mount the other end in the car?
Northern Cat	Andy... the other end is mounted to one of the ancher bolts that ancher the passenger seat...no drilling I payed 35.00 canadian for the flex arm and 15.00 for the rubber mount...and YF with all the street signs cover in snow up here and the blowing snow...I really need this...and the newest hasn't woren off my little tiny pea brain yes..lol Like CJ says, "You get it or You don't" ------------------
Wayne Finch	Don, I picked up the SPIII. Awesome toy. Ordered from Calgary Thurs afternoon and had it Friday morning. I have put together a mount for the power outlet. Started with an outlet splitter that takes the single outlet to three (so I can mount and use other devices). Then a plastic arm which grips the power splitter on one end and a mounting ball on the other. Each of the three pieces are about $12 (Cdn) and I can keep all the wires tied up. Works good. (I also have plugs to cover the outlets which are not shown on pictures). ------------------ 99 Black Stock Plate PROWLERR 00 Woodward (#98 of 151 - Custom Interior, Plate PPROWLER, Matching Trailer (numbered & pinstriped) 2002 CANDY RED: Extensive modifications Plate PROWLLER 99 Supercharged Shelby Durango 02 Blue/Silver Viper GTS ACR #1 of 1 ***See Scrapbook for Pictures
Northern Cat	Very Nice....Where did you order that from?....got to get me one...Is the outlet that hooks to the GPS also supple power to it or do you plug it in to one of the remaining power outlets...I'm also looking for a way to hookup the voice output to something I can hear when the top in down.. but the out-put plug is like a small phono jack..want to check the spects before I play around with that....or does this GPS store sell them too...maybe head-phones...your going to love this toy... ------------------
Wayne Finch	You have to plug GPS into one of the outlets. I got the power splitter from Canadian Tire and the arm from GPScentral.ca (ram mount RAP-B-201 and base RAM-B-202). The dash mount base included with your GPS can then be attached to this base). Ram Mounts They don't have a speaker but headphones or an earbud will work. This message has been edited by Wayne Finch on 11-16-2002 at 11:06 PM
Andy R	Those are great Wayne. I found GPS City has the RAM mounts for USA also. It looks like you can put together any combo of pieces to fit your application. There was a piece to attach directly to the back of the Street Pilot.