How to Choose Your Next (or First) GPS

Posted by JD on May 15, 2009

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It hasn’t taken very long for GPS units to become standard equipment in most vehicles. The technology itself and the satellite network that makes it work are not that new. But until a few years ago, GPS units were pretty much limited to use by hobbyists, hikers and military commanders. Now you can’t sling a dead PDA without hitting something that has GPS capabilities. From cars to phones, everything is geared to helping you find things or enabling others to find you.

As I mentioned, most new cars come with a GPS built right in to the dash, or at least an option for one. But what if you are like me-still driving vehicles that were built before the GPS explosion? How can you decide which GPS to purchase out of the dizzying array of models that are available? You’ll need to ask yourself a couple of questions. The two most important are how often are you going to use it and where will you be using it most?

How often do you think you plan to use your new GPS? I know that’s a difficult question to answer since you’re not using one at all right now. But the frequency with which you plan to use your new GPS makes a big difference in what you choose. For example, if you normally drive to and from work every day and only rarely take road trips or travel to new destinations, you would probably be perfectly happy with a low end model that mounts with a suction cup and plugs into your lighter. When you’re not using it, you can just toss it into the center console or dashboard. But if you are an outside salesperson going to new addresses every day, then you might want a higher-end, more permanent solution.

Do you live in the heart of an urban area, or are you located well away from the city in a rural area? If you’re a city dweller, then you should consider purchasing a GPS that includes traffic data. Traffic information is usually available on a subscription basis. Your traffic-enabled GPS can query the system regarding local slowdowns or road closures and route you around those trouble spots. But if you live, work and travel in rural areas, there’s really no point in buying this capability because the information won’t be available for your area anyway.