Buying another Garmin GPS

[Gary 4,119]

Give it a try round the tunnel construction in Pattaya and see how that works out for you!

Road work is definitely a problem for GPS units. No possible way to keep up with the government tearing up sections of the roads. I don't know if all Garmins have a detour option but both of mine do. The detour option was really handy when the colored shirt assholes had many roads blocked.

[BigDUSA 71]

Give it a try round the tunnel construction in Pattaya and see how that works out for you!

I agree with Gary my Garmin has a detour button. Works well.

[jacko 8,822]

I agree with Gary my Garmin has a detour button. Works well.

You need to come and experience the idea of detours here, you just come face up to a row of concrete barriers.

[BigDUSA 71]

You need to come and experience the idea of detours here, you just come face up to a row of concrete barriers.

LOL. When I'm in Thailand, I pay for a car and driver to take me where I want to go. Here at home where I drive myself. Detour mode works well.

[MM 6,562]

LOL. When I'm in Thailand, I pay for a car and driver to take me where I want to go. Here at home where I drive myself. Detour mode works well.

 

Get yourself one of these

 

http://youtu.be/8CwU64Lvb_A

[Gonzo 419]

You need to come and experience the idea of detours here, you just come face up to a row of concrete barriers.

At the moment using a GPS in Pattaya would be confusing to the extreme. In any case, once one knows his way around Pattaya, there is no need for a GPS, especially now with all the traffic conversions. A GPS only has its uses driving any distance away from our city. I could not do so without a GPS. I needed the help of my GPS on my recent trip to Khao Kitchkut in Chantaburi, near the Cambodian border, for the wife's yearly pilgrimage up the mountain. It didn't matter that it was our 4th trip there.

[Gary 4,119]

For me, the GPS is often not a good thing. I have gotten dependent on the thing and no longer pay attention to where I am going. I blindly follow the directions it gives me. I normally take different routes because I hate to see the same scenery every trip. The Garmin makes it easy to vary the routes and add a number of different waypoints. Then by using shortest route, fastest route and avoidances, the routes can be and are usually different every trip. Without the GPS, I couldn't vary my routes to that extent each trip. Like everything else in life, there are good and bad things with technology.

[Gonzo 419]

For me, the GPS is often not a good thing. I have gotten dependent on the thing and no longer pay attention to where I am going. I blindly follow the directions it gives me. I normally take different routes because I hate to see the same scenery every trip. The Garmin makes it easy to vary the routes and add a number of different waypoints. Then by using shortest route, fastest route and avoidances, the routes can be and are usually different every trip. Without the GPS, I couldn't vary my routes to that extent each trip. Like everything else in life, there are good and bad things with technology.

I agree with you to some extent. The most useful function of my Garmin seems to be its ability to lock in a new location when find it, so I will be able to go there again with ease. should I desire to do so.. Another good function is, that I will always find my way back home, should I get lost. I always will remember the horror of driving to Bangkok without a GPS and getting hopelessly lost.

 

I miss the days when I was younger with a sharper brain, traveling the world with just an ordinary map and very rudimentary travel guides , like Lonely Planets 1972 edition of South Est Asia on a shoestring.. I might be an old fashioned cunt,, bur I think life was more enjoyable without the Internet, smart phones and the GPS..

[Gary 4,119]

Years ago here in Thailand, I enjoyed traveling around the country. I always tried to have the latest maps but many times I relied on a compass to get off the beaten path. I found that none of the roads go straight north, south, east or west. I have taken good paved roads and some ended up making a big circle with me ending up where I started. Because of many mountains, the roads couldn't go any further and went in a big circle passing through small villages. Using just the compass was not a good idea if you had a specific destination in mind. It was fun and an adventure. You would be surprised to find that many small villages have small resorts. I doubt that you could ever be so isolated that you couldn't find a place to get a meal and a room.

[Gary 4,119]

I agree with you to some extent. The most useful function of my Garmin seems to be its ability to lock in a new location when find it, so I will be able to go there again with ease. should I desire to do so.. Another good function is, that I will always find my way back home, should I get lost. I always will remember the horror of driving to Bangkok without a GPS and getting hopelessly lost.

 

I miss the days when I was younger with a sharper brain, traveling the world with just an ordinary map and very rudimentary travel guides , like Lonely Planets 1972 edition of South Est Asia on a shoestring.. I might be an old fashioned cunt,, bur I think life was more enjoyable without the Internet, smart phones and the GPS..

 

Years ago I when I lived in Bangkok, I wanted to go on a river dinner cruise. My then girlfriend told me that she knew where the river boat was. Off we went. I thought we were doing fine until I saw a sign the looked to me like buses only. Sure enough a cop pulled me over. He asked me where I was going. He did speak some English and told me that this road was for buses only. He was looking at me wanting some kind of an answer. I pointed at my girlfriend, he grinned and just shook his head. He told me to make a U turn and stopped the traffic so I could do it. He got on his motorcycle and waved for me to follow him. We crossed the bridge over the Mekong and he waved at me where to turn. He then just kept going. I was impressed. What a great guy.

[Gonzo 419]

Years ago here in Thailand, I enjoyed traveling around the country. I always tried to have the latest maps but many times I relied on a compass to get off the beaten path. I found that none of the roads go straight north, south, east or west. I have taken good paved roads and some ended up making a big circle with me ending up where I started. Because of many mountains, the roads couldn't go any further and went in a big circle passing through small villages. Using just the compass was not a good idea if you had a specific destination in mind. It was fun and an adventure. You would be surprised to find that many small villages have small resorts. I doubt that you could ever be so isolated that you couldn't find a place to get a meal and a room.

I enjoyed reading about your travel experiences. We could talk about our past travel experiences for a very long time. I think we have a lot in common, but I don't think talking about the old days would be appreciated by many of the board members. Maybe we could have a beer together one of these days in Jomtien Soi 9.

 

[Gary 4,119]

Sounds like a good plan. Can you PM your phone number? I'll give you a call the next time I am in Jomtien.

[4wheels 119]

Gonzo,Garmin has excellent support over the phone if you don't mind the 20-30 wait (god bless cheap Skype unlimited monthly subscription to US & Canada). I was going to suggest returning it to Garmin for repair. Usually the repair cost is reasonable and often times,they will replace your unit with a refub unit which is as good as new. They have a great reputation in the motorcycle riding arena and I would not hesitate to return another unit to them for repair. I can't imagine spending nearly $400 for a new unit when this option is available. I have returned 3 units in the past ~20 years without issue. I DO NOT know if they will ship to a 'ferrin address though. If so,it is a viable option.

[BigDUSA 71]

Gonzo,Garmin has excellent support over the phone if you don't mind the 20-30 wait (god bless cheap Skype unlimited monthly subscription to US & Canada). I was going to suggest returning it to Garmin for repair. Usually the repair cost is reasonable and often times,they will replace your unit with a refub unit which is as good as new. They have a great reputation in the motorcycle riding arena and I would not hesitate to return another unit to them for repair. I can't imagine spending nearly $400 for a new unit when this option is available. I have returned 3 units in the past ~20 years without issue. I DO NOT know if they will ship to a 'ferrin address though. If so,it is a viable option.

I've bought a few refurb Garmin over the years. Cheaper then new and worked well.

[Gary 4,119]

Yesterday I ordered a new GPS from Eagle GPS. I chose a Nuvi 55, 5 inch screen. It was 4,990B and is now reduced to 3,990B. They also added free lifetime map updates. I was bragging about my old Nuvi 750 and now it is freezing up. Both the 750 and the 855 are no longer to be trusted. They don't last forever.

 

Since the new Garmins no longer play my Audible books, I bought an iPod that will plug into my car stereo. I'm definitely NOT an Apple fanboy but here in Thailand the iPod is the only player I could find that is compatible with Audible Books.

 

Repair costs for those old Nuvi's are more than the units are worth. If you are looking for a Garmin GPS for use in Thailand, keep in mind that some features on US models are not compatible with the ESRI maps.