For those with a portable GPS unit in your NG900

[Turbyo]

which brand do you have, and do you have any issues with the cigarette lighter power adapter staying in the NG900's lighter slot?

I have an Ipod power adapter that doesn't stay in at all, but others that do.

I'm considering Garmin, Magellan or TomTom and want to know if I need to stay clear of any brand for the above reasons.

I have a couple of big trips coming up and am likely taking the GPS plunge.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Corona]

Well I don't have one myself, but my boss has a garmin and really likes it, get it all loaded up with the red light camera and speed camera warnings is nice. He's had one pinched and immediately bought the next model in the series, he likes it that much. I also have a friend's parents that had a tom-tom and didn't like it that much, apparently they thought it's routing engine was s**t, but that could just be them set in their ways (ie I know better than some gadget), so not sure.

Personally I've got an iphone, and am planning on building a dock into the cigarette butt drawer in dash (no smoking in my car) such that it can be my maps, and have it wired into radio for audio. I'm only half way through building a proper line-in though, although it's going well (hold down the radio button for a couple of seconds switches to line in plugs on back of radio).

Andrew

[Nixon]

Both of my parents have Garmins, as well as me and they are phenomenal. I've tried a Tom-tom on a 8 hour drive once and found that the maneuverability through the user interface was way to complicated, while Garmins UI is idiot proof.

[GaryG]

I have noticed that some of the AC adapter plugs don't want to stay in the socket too. It might be a case of the side contacts not supplying enough force. Try prying them out a little with a screwdriver.

[markap]

I've had no problems with my older Garmin 2610. Plug stays in well. But, usually I have the Sirius radio and Garmin plugged into a Y connector that goes into the lighter socket

[Jeremy R.]

I have a Sanyo NVM-4070. It's a great little unit, and you can find them for well below list price. A Tom-Tom I had couldn't even route me out of my neighborhood. Saab (and some other European) cigarette lighter plugs are bigger than normal. I have a couple of sleeves that Saab used to sell to make standard plugs large enough to stay put. I don't know if anyone still makes them, but they must be out there somewhere.

[stamonkey]

I have a Garmin Nuvi. My friends and I all went on a trip a few weeks ago, guided by my Garmin and my other friend's Tom-Tom, we arrived an hour an a half ahead of them. They also had to pay for a $24 ferry ride that we didn't have.

I would go for a Garmin, but the only real experience I have with GPS units is the one that I got for my birthday and my friends Tom-Tom.

Also, I have never had a problem with anything not staying in the cigarette lighter, I wonder if its just an ng900 thing.

[bkrell]

I don't think any unit has the corner on routing. I have a TomTom One 3rd Ed and it routes just fine most of the time. Whichever manufacturer you get, don't buy the low end model. It will just frustrate you. Buy one that has the bells and whistles. I like my TomTom but I could really like one of the higher end models! Now, for the US at least, I believe Garmin has a reputation for having the best points of interest database. But I find the TomTom interface intuitive.

As for the cigarette lighter, on both my saabs I've always had trouble with the socket itself staying in the recepticle.

[ragtopcav]

Interesting comment about the Tomtom; as I use mine a lot and I have never read the instructions I found it totally intuitive - Tomtom 1, base model does the job straight out of the box.

I have tested 4 different devices with work and Garmin/Tomtom were my favourites, I got used to the Blaupunkt Lucca [love the voice - slight Irish lilt to it] but the Magellan product .

I have never had any issues with the plug staying in the socket, but the gearstick does interfere in 1st gear in the Saabs I have.

[bkrell]

Originally Posted by ragtopcav

Interesting comment about the Tomtom; as I use mine a lot and I have never read the instructions I found it totally intuitive - Tomtom 1, base model does the job straight out of the box.

I have tested 4 different devices with work and Garmin/Tomtom were my favourites, I got used to the Blaupunkt Lucca [love the voice - slight Irish lilt to it] but the Magellan product .

I have never had any issues with the plug staying in the socket, but the gearstick does interfere in 1st gear in the Saabs I have.

Mine's great, too! My only regret in buying the 1 was the lack of route storage. But I've gotten along fine without it. It's just one of those things that sticks in my head, though...."What would I do if I could store a bunch of routes?" But for day to day use, I love my One.

[Jorge147]

I have the Garmin Nuvi 200W and love it....I had tried a Tom Tom before that and did not like it...The Garmin map was much more acurate!!!!

[ragtopcav]

I wonder if global location matters? Tomtom in the UK is really good and very accurate. I think my Tomtom one stores about 20 routes.

[Jeremy R.]

Definitely. TomTom uses TeleAtlas maps, which are supposed to be much better in Europe than in the US. Garmin and Magellan use Navteq maps, which are better in the US than in Europe.

[darjen]

Mio digiwalker love it and it was pretty cheap 140.00