JMSisko 0 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 Shopping for a gps looking at the Garmin RV 760LMT vs the Rand McNally RVND 7730 LM Anyone have experience with either. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 We have had the RV760 for a few months now and I really like it. I have had Garmins for years both at work and in my own vehicles. The few times I have tried other brands, I have gone back to Garmin. (Magellan, Tom Tom, etc) I don't have any personal experience with the Rand McNally, but when I did my research the Garmin was getting much higher marks from RV'ers. It has a great big screen with lots of options, the traffic warnings work well and the Garmin has a good database for RV use: Campgrounds, Rest Areas, truck stops, visitor centers, etc. It will also alert you if there is a possible hazard on your route. (Sometimes it works too well, it will ding everytime you use a road that it isn't sure is "safe" for RV's, including entrance roads to RV parks... LOL!) Having said that, due to long experience I don't trust any GPS completely. I always have a map handy, and eyes open for low bridge signs if off the interstates. One tip that helps me a lot is to have the RV760 zoomed in to show what is right in front of us for the next couple of miles and to have an older Garmin on the other side of the dashboard zoomed out to show the bigger picture: State lines, towns and cities, highways and their intersections. That way I can see at a glance if we are still on the best route for the area. If you search around, you can usually find the RV760 on sale for a better price than Amazon. I think we got ours from "The GPS Store" online IIRC. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
djsamuel 322 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 I've been looking at the RV 660LMT from Garmin. Do you find the RV specific features worth it? I noticed some of the Garmin Nuvi GPS systems they offer have all of the same features with the exception of the RV routing and RV related POIs. The price is about $100 cheaper (give or take) so I am wondering whether it is worth the difference. Both have things like voice command, blue tooth, traffic, proper lane alerts, etc. Do you find the RV specific features useful? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arthuruscg 34 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 If you don't need RV specific features (weight/height) I realy like Waze. The real time traffic rerouting is great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caveat lector 181 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 Interesting conversation. Once I migrated to smart phone, it never dawned on me that GPS dedicated units were still produced. Before my smart phone, I had a Garmin nuvi that never let me down. I rely on waze now. It's awesome. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 1 hour ago, djsamuel said: I've been looking at the RV 660LMT from Garmin. Do you find the RV specific features worth it? I noticed some of the Garmin Nuvi GPS systems they offer have all of the same features with the exception of the RV routing and RV related POIs. The price is about $100 cheaper (give or take) so I am wondering whether it is worth the difference. Both have things like voice command, blue tooth, traffic, proper lane alerts, etc. Do you find the RV specific features useful? I do like it, and I do use the RV features somewhat, but I mostly like the large screen, the ability to see what services are coming up, and the traffic alerts. All of those things you could get in a non-RV GPS, or even use a tablet or smart phone if you had the right app and data plan for it. I do still like having a dedicated GPS (in my case two of them) that I can leave in the RV. If I had to do it over again, I would still get the same one if it wasn't too much more than a same-sized screen Garmin. I don't think I would pay another 100 over. Looks like GPS City has both and the RV760 is 30 dollars or so more than the RV660. The 760 has a bigger screen, but the newer 660 has some features the 760 doesn't (at least until the next firmware upgrade) http://www.gpscity.com/compare/rv660lmt&rv760lmt on edit: Looks like they have refurbished 760's on sale for 279.00 or 50 less than new djsamuel 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 And I should have added that I also like the voice command and lane assist features on the 760. It works well, much better than their older units and it's very nice to not have to try and reach the right button while driving. And the lane assist is VERY handy when coming up to an unfamiliar intersection. Pretty sure both of those features come on some of the less expensive models too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cortezcapt (Derek) 156 Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 I like getting lost! One of the best trips my mom grandma and I took we got lost and ended up finding a really nice hotel that we stayed the night in, on the way home we went back the same way just to stay there again. That being said If I'm going somewhere I haven't been before I'll look it up on my phones GPS but then I shut it down. It there if I need to pull it up and check something but I can't stand those things yelling at me ever time I need gas, have to use the bathroom or decide to go another way. I'd prefer a map or good Ole triptiks from AAA. At least they didn't talk back. (I've had some choice words with my GPS and phone before. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMSisko 0 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 Interesting conversation. Once I migrated to smart phone, it never dawned on me that GPS dedicated units were still produced. Before my smart phone, I had a Garmin nuvi that never let me down. I rely on waze now. It's awesome. Waze is my go to app for local driving or when I'm in "developed" areas. I was looking for a dedicated gps so when cell service is unreliable I can modify or create a new route/destination. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMSisko 0 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 I do like it, and I do use the RV features somewhat, but I mostly like the large screen, the ability to see what services are coming up, and the traffic alerts. All of those things you could get in a non-RV GPS, or even use a tablet or smart phone if you had the right app and data plan for it. I do still like having a dedicated GPS (in my case two of them) that I can leave in the RV. If I had to do it over again, I would still get the same one if it wasn't too much more than a same-sized screen Garmin. I don't think I would pay another 100 over. Looks like GPS City has both and the RV760 is 30 dollars or so more than the RV660. The 760 has a bigger screen, but the newer 660 has some features the 760 doesn't (at least until the next firmware upgrade) http://www.gpscity.com/compare/rv660lmt&rv760lmt on edit: Looks like they have refurbished 760's on sale for 279.00 or 50 less than new Is the difference in features worth getting the 660 instead of the 760? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bhall 115 Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 Waze is awesome until it takes you down a narrow country road with a one lane covered bridge with a 9 foot clearance and you have to back up with the 5er. Don't ask me how I know. I own a Rand McNally 7715 but I didn't have it on that trip because the charger cable for it got broken a day or 2 before the trip. Avatab.... Steve 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caveat lector 181 Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 I still have an old road atlas behind the seat of my truck Avatab.... Steve and fladogfan aka Gretchen 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 1 hour ago, caveat lector said: I still have an old road atlas behind the seat of my truck Even with the Navigation built into my truck and Google maps on my phone, I still carry a paper road atlas Avatab.... Steve and fladogfan aka Gretchen 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 13 hours ago, JMSisko said: Is the difference in features worth getting the 660 instead of the 760? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Good question. If I was shopping right now for an RV GPS I would get the refurb deal at GPS City for the 760 because of the larger screen and it would actually be less than the 660 (new) There's also one on Amazon I just found for even less at 269.00 refurbished and it qualifies for Prime (no shipping, no tax): https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00CZ6WFXM/ref=dp_olp_refurbished?ie=UTF8&condition=refurbished You might be able to find an even better price for the 760 (I haven't seen any 660 refurbs yet) or maybe find a non-RV model with the same 7 inch screen but with similar features. It comes down to which features you need and what size screen you want. The 660 has a 6 inch screen, which wouldn't work as well for me since I have the 760 attached to the glass a good distance from me (If I stretch I can reach it, but not a good idea when driving ) The older one is a 5 inch screen and I have that velcroed to the instrument panel right in front of me so the smaller screen is fine there. I just switched to an AT&T unlimited data plan for my cell phone and they threw in a "free" 8 inch tablet also on the unlimited data, so I think I will see if I can mount that somewhere we can use it in the RV. Maybe have Google Maps running so we can switch to satellite view or street view as needed. If I'm not careful the Motorhome is going to start looking like an airliner cockpit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 12 hours ago, bhall said: Waze is awesome until it takes you down a narrow country road with a one lane covered bridge with a 9 foot clearance and you have to back up with the 5er. Don't ask me how I know. I own a Rand McNally 7715 but I didn't have it on that trip because the charger cable for it got broken a day or 2 before the trip. A couple of years ago we followed our older Garmin to the Bull Run Park CG outside Wash DC and wound up on a residential road that was a narrow, winding, hilly with blind spots. To avoid hitting trees on the sharp turns we had to be over in the middle of the other lane and several times I couldn't see if anyone was coming the other way. (We were towing our Jeep, and there was no where to even stop safely never mind turn around) So I just slowed way down and prayed every time we went around a corner or over a hill. It was a very tense few minutes.... When we got to the CG, they said "oh, we have a lot of people complain about going that way, you should have taken the other way in.." LOL Anyway, that's when I decided I wanted a GPS that knew we were in an RV. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fladogfan aka Gretchen 259 Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 On 9/20/2016 at 11:17 AM, Avatab.... Steve said: A couple of years ago we followed our older Garmin to the Bull Run Park CG outside Wash DC and wound up on a residential road that was a narrow, winding, hilly with blind spots. To avoid hitting trees on the sharp turns we had to be over in the middle of the other lane and several times I couldn't see if anyone was coming the other way. (We were towing our Jeep, and there was no where to even stop safely never mind turn around) So I just slowed way down and prayed every time we went around a corner or over a hill. It was a very tense few minutes.... When we got to the CG, they said "oh, we have a lot of people complain about going that way, you should have taken the other way in.." LOL Anyway, that's when I decided I wanted a GPS that knew we were in an RV. We had the same problem last year with our Garmin GPS to the same camp ground. Took us so far out of the direct way in, very annoying. Though we only had the small hybrid then, still annoying. You will be glad to know the roads were being paved this summer, both the quick way and the scenic route. Much nicer on the finished part. Hopefully all done by now. BTW Bull Run is a very nice camp ground. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMSisko 0 Posted October 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 I got a Garmin 760. The screen is really large, boder line too large for me as it can block a significant amount of the windshield. However, that size does make it really easy to see and read. Also, when I first got it connected to a computer it requested both a system update and map update, which was not surprising. However, it took approximately two hours to finish updating on my home internet connection (gigs of data) so don't plan to update on the road. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arthuruscg 34 Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 The nice thing about Waze is good quickly it can get updated. The editors were able to keep up with all of the published closures in South Carolina today. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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