GPS

[Sawbonz]

I don't want a stick on the dash GPS, I want in dash as part of a head unit. Robin at Liberty suggests the KVT 696 and KNA G610. I can find for much less than they want, but the bigger issue is that this appears to be a regular automobile GPS.

I know there are GPS units for trucks and busses. What are you guys using?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Whatever you get it needs to be upgraded frequently so consider if you really want in in-dash unit. Roads are changing all the time. It is bad enough to have bitching betty send you down the wrong street when you are in a car. Now consider heading down the wrong street in a bus with a toad attached so you cannot back up. Whatever you decide make sure you can install updates.

Also I have found with electronics they are out of date about a week after you buy one, and if something goes wrong with it it is cheaper to puy a new one. If you doubt me pick any electronic device you have that is more than a year old and see if you can get it repaired. Then consider if you can get a drop-in replacement that perfectly fits the hole in your dash.

I'm using a Garmin that also gives traffic reports and it will alter the route automatically to take me around a traffic tie-up. I don't know the model number. Prior to that I was using a Garmin 396 which I could overlay XM radar weather over the route so I could anticipate weather. I used the 396 in the plane and it was neat having aviation weather capability in the bus.

[pwf252]

Garmin does make one that is for trucks. You can program in your length-width-height etc and it will for the most part keep you out of trouble. I have one and it does a pretty good job. You can also take it off truck mode to car mode which eliminates the restrictions. I believe its a 495T BUT AM NOT NEW THE BUS SO DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT MODEL #

[jack14r]

Most Garmin units can be programmed to a truck,bus or car I don't know about the ones you are looking at.I really like my Garmin 550 that has a suction mount that I mount to the side window,and when I un hook the toad I put it in there for navigation.

[phorner]

I have an in-dash Pioneer system that combines GPS navigation, audio/video output and rear view camera. It is a great system that has an internal hard drive that will hold hundreds, if not a thousand, songs that are copied from CD's. I use it connected to my iPod which holds every song on every CD I own.

That being said, I use a portable Garmin GPS Nuvi 465T which allows you to program your vehicle as a truck including length, width, gross weight and, I believe, axle loads. It keeps me on truck routes when in this mode.

Sometimes it's fun to use both and listen to the bickering back and forth between the two ....

[phorner]

I forgot to mention that the Pioneer unit has a split screen function that allows you to see both the GPS map and rear camera at the same time....

[Sawbonz]

Looks like the 465T is the thing to do. $2700 for an in-dash unit is a little much anyway. First to see if what is in there works and has satellite radio!

Thanks!