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GPS Died replacement recommendations

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Evoex said:
Assuming you have a smart phone and data plan you don't mind tapping into, i'd just get a quality phone mount.
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That's what I do. GPS systems seem outdated. Phone with a good mount offers real time traffic, directions, Bluetooth radio etc.
 
Hmm so I plugged the GPS into my computer again... and well it works now. I hate intermittent stuff....
 
sburns said:
Hmm so I plugged the GPS into my computer again... and well it works now. I hate intermittent stuff....
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Bad solder in the usb my guess.Careful,don't let the smoke out!
 
Wingboy said:
Bad solder in the usb my guess.Careful,don't let the smoke out!
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Not sure yet, I've only started to do some research on it. Definately will look into the USB it once I know more and open it up.

But this overall issue seems like a common problem among Garmin's. Could be a battery issue as well.
If I can fix it, that would be great, but if not, I am having serious doubts about purchasing another Garmin if this is how unreliable they are.
 
Mad Mike said:
That comes with everything these days -- any phone or GPS will connect to my Cardo by bluetooth. I like both!
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+1

visuals are much handier, especially if on an interstate or highway, a modern GPS or Nav App on your phone will visibly show you the lane(s) you should be in for an exit.

Most of the time I actually turn off the voice recognition and just go with the visual. On a trip I generally check and see how long till the next turn so have an idea of when I should be looking as well, mixed with periodic glances as well has not had me miss a turn yet.
 
sburns said:
I am having serious doubts about purchasing another Garmin if this is how unreliable they are.
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I'm using a refurb Garmin LMT 2555 car gps on my bike. For $110 I got lifetime maps, traffic and ability to download custom routes from a variety of mapping programs.

One downside is that it is not waterproof and although it is fairly well protected from the rain by my windshield I do carry a few sandwich sized baggies to use when it is raining hard.

Other issue is that the power plug is not designed for use on a bike and over time there can be connection issues as described in various posts. Solution to that is to use an elastic that you stretch over the end of the unit and over the plug to keep tension on it. This keeps the plug fully seated and eliminates any movement that eventually loosens the plug or damages the board it attached to. The another thing is to use a second elastic, twist tie or zip tie to secure the power cord to your ram mount so the weight of the cord is not pulling on the plug.

Zumos may be waterproof and have more robust power connections but it seems most of the people I know who have paid anywhere between $600 - $1,000 for their units are never fully satisfied with their performance or durability + some models seem to have a 25 waypoint limit on routes meaning multiple files for a single trip.
 
My Zumo 595 can stream and control music from my iPhone, also has a Spotify player. Both are far from optimal, but they work and are there.
 
Wingboy said:
Bad solder in the usb my guess.Careful,don't let the smoke out!
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Hey @Wingboy is this what you are talking about:

Nabils Electronics Repair

we specialize in repairing small electronics gadgets like ipods, GPS, cell phones, etc. Let us fix your broken equipment and save you money.
www.nabilselectronics.com

SHARCNET-USA: Out-of-Warranty GPS & Digital Camera Repair

SHARCNET-USA: Out-of-Warranty GPS & Digital Camera Repair
www.sharc.net

Have you every attempted a repair like this? I haven't solder anything in a while.

FYI.. Damit just checked the receipt and I just past the 1 year warranty (by a month).... it figures.
 
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Is it not the case that phones work off cell towers so if you like to ride off road or in the country, you may not get great reception or any reception whereas the GPS works off the satellites so the signal should always be there. I use a Garmin car GPS with the elastic to provide tension to hold the cable in, works well. The great thing with the Zumo is that you can specify the type of roads you want to ride curves, hills etc to your destination. Cannot do that with the car GPS I have. Just my 2 cents. I am thinking about getting a Zumo.
 
MHY said:
Is it not the case that phones work off cell towers so if you like to ride off road or in the country, you may not get great reception or any reception whereas the GPS works off the satellites so the signal should always be there. I use a Garmin car GPS with the elastic to provide tension to hold the cable in, works well. The great thing with the Zumo is that you can specify the type of roads you want to ride curves, hills etc to your destination. Cannot do that with the car GPS I have. Just my 2 cents. I am thinking about getting a Zumo.
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Cell phones with GPS units work off satellites and in some (but not all) cases, can be used without data.
 
MHY said:
Is it not the case that phones work off cell towers so if you like to ride off road or in the country, you may not get great reception or any reception whereas the GPS works off the satellites so the signal should always be there. I use a Garmin car GPS with the elastic to provide tension to hold the cable in, works well. The great thing with the Zumo is that you can specify the type of roads you want to ride curves, hills etc to your destination. Cannot do that with the car GPS I have. Just my 2 cents. I am thinking about getting a Zumo.
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Well I ride a Harley... so securing the USB cable isn't going to do much when the bike itself is shaking :rolleyes:

Hopefully I can get this fixed and think about getting a GPS with a mount powered option instead of a cable.
 
Wingboy said:
Yes.The usb port is notorious.
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I opened it up last night, and couldn't see where the port was loose. Will take a second look.

It seems Radioworld has the same referbished model still on sale for $100. I might just go by another one and get this one fix in the meantime.
 
I have a powered Zumo mount that came with the bike but there's no way I'm paying $600 for a GPS. If a cheaper non-Zumo Garmin won't fit the mount then I may go with the old cellphone route.
 
Max527 said:
That's what I do. GPS systems seem outdated. Phone with a good mount offers real time traffic, directions, Bluetooth radio etc.
Click to expand...

I do that with my GPS, I get weather, traffic alerts, re-routing based on traffic jams, bluetooth streaming, use of my phone plus I have offline maps that I can plan with on my computers without needing an internet connection for those times on the road when I want to adjust my routes and am in a place with no wifi.
 
wonderings said:
I do that with my GPS, I get weather, traffic alerts, re-routing based on traffic jams, bluetooth streaming, use of my phone plus I have offline maps that I can plan with on my computers without needing an internet connection for those times on the road when I want to adjust my routes and am in a place with no wifi.
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But better than Google maps? I can't leave Google lol

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