Ive recently bought a good used Garmin nuvi 1300 for my job .I have a few questions for those out their using their smartphones for GPS ,is it a good matchup to a GPS standalone?If you use the GPS option are you using alot of data time monthly ?An interesting point I found upon after researching ,for or against a standalone, is that some companies are requiring it for employees to have it on their company smartphones ,a tracker app can be implemented to keep a look at your location at all times,A Brave new world.

I use Waze, blows the old fashion GPS out of the water.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The smartphones are taking the marketplace with flashy devices but do they really matchup in this GPS MARKET ,Im finding they dont. If you get the GPS app already appllied to your new smartphone you still have to pay for the usage with minutes .I like the fact that no bill is waiting for me at the end of the month ,onced purchased the GPS is truely standalone from any other charges ,the only exception would be for mapping upgrades you might want to add as newer streets are built.

I have a Garmin thing and a free app on a smartphone. I use Navmii (used to be called navfree).

The Garmin on the whole is slightly better in my opinion but not really that much better that it is worth paying for it!

The Navmii app also has a walking mode which is kind of OK but because it is all done through cell phone towers you can be 15-20 meters away from your turning and it isn't clear which you are meant to take.

If you were to have a decent dedicated "really gets its GPS information from satellites" it would piss over all of these telephone based systems.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I use Waze for any driving directions I need, but have a standalone GPS that I use for backpacking/hiking.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Most smartphones have built in GPS antennas and circuits like a Garmin, so the GPS side of the function does not use data. What does use data is the downloading of maps, but most heavy data usage is when keeping the GPS function on during long drives where you likely don't need an updated view of Highway 80, etc. If you're worried about data usage on a smartphone GPS, use the GPS function 1) only when you're relatively close or 2) accessing wi-fi (stop at a Starbucks or McDonalds) and then cache the maps into memory.

I use my phone (HTC One) for GPS. Since I do field service work, I'm looking for new places all the time. Despite this, I have never had a problem using cell data and I don't have a huge data allowance on my contract.

I used to use a dedicated GPS but the Google maps on the phone is great. It even tells me the exact lane to be in to make exits and turns. Also, the verbal directions are so good that I rarely look at the screen, I just listen to it. I have bluetooth integration to the car stereo and the music pauses when it's giving a direction and then resumes.

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

For land based navigation I have found a good smartphone to be the best. That Garmin will work, I used to have one years ago, but...it doesn't have voice command, real time traffic, radar trap info, constant updates from Google, satellite photo based maps, and it won't help you with walking directions either. It also lacks a 3D option which is nice for cities.

Now if you have no cell signal? Of course GPS only units are still the best.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The GPS in modern Mercedes' Comand are pretty weak. A three year old Garmin can run rings around it and then there's the DVD upgrade costs.

True, but I'm spoiled by marine electronics they just blow the land based ones out of the water like the cheap basic units they are.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I still have a 15 year old big Garmin that I would put into a vintage car that didn't have one built in. It has some unique features, like a speedometer display, max speed, two trip odometers, graphics of what satellites it sees, and latitude and longitude. Also the speaker is LOUD.
My minivans both have built in nav systems, so I haven't used the Garmin in a long time, but it was nice in the SD.

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Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

+1 on the Waze app.

I have a 1G data limit, and as long as I conciously limit my data use, Waze doesnt cause me to blow that.
If you are concerned, IIRC the Android OS has a screen where it tracks data useage...(settings....data usage). Put waze or GOogle maps on your phone and use it once.
There is a way to cache maps ahead of time with google maps, you need to to it in 50M increments, but I've done it and it works - that'll save a bunch of data use.
Waze and google maps will update around construction zones much faster than a standalone gps. The apps can also detect traffic, and Waze even has a method where people can report 'police activity' (ie: cops hiding and trying to bust people..) These features alone make a smartphone app superior to a standalone GPS.
Side benefit - I always plug my phone into a charger when using Waze, so I arrive at my destination with the phone fully charged...

If data use is a concern - track it for a few trips - get a feel. I have an app ("Data Enabler") that allows me to turn cell data on and off easily.
another widget called "Power control" lets me turn bluetooth/GPS/screen brightness and wifi on and off easily - These allow you to regulate your data and power use much easier.

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

For all my travel needs, I always carry my trusty Garmin with me. No reception problems, roaming charges, and easily programmable for any country in the world. Used it all of Central America, Spain, Germany, and now in the Emirates.

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[GONE] - 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel - 130k miles - Smoke Silver (702) over Mushroom leather (265) - Bladder blasting, coast-to-coast work machine.

Well that was an expensive one - or did you pay a lot for extra maps?

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I just returned from the South Carolina flood area where I spent two weeks as an American Red Cross damage assessor. I took my Garmin and my smart phone.

Started off using the Garmin and within a few days, used the phone exclusively to find my way around the affected areas.

The phone allows voice programming, a time saver.
The phone provided more precise directions by updating position more often.
The phone assisted in finding routing around road and bridge closures (Waze). There were many as you may imagine.
Of course, I haven't received my bill yet so that may change my opinion.

All that said, I took the Garmin to Italy a couple of years ago. Bought the chip for it and all I can say is that it probably saved our marriage.