GPS Deal @ Target

[SkipP]

Found a pretty decent deal on a Magellan RoadMate 300 GPS this week. Regular price was $500 and the local Target had it marked down to $210! Sweet. It uses SD card memory (has 110mb internal) and you can get a free, preloaded 256mb card from Magellan for registering the product. In the package was the GPS unit, 12v car adapter, 110v adapter, mapping software and suction cup mount. This GPS is for in-vehicle use only because it doesn't have an internal battery to make it hand-holdable. The up-side of that is the unit is lightweight and more likely to stay attached!
 
http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/product.asp?PRODID=1038

[tlhdoc]

Wow Skip it sounds like a great deal.  Wish we had a Target in my area.

[tknick]

does sound like a great deal!  was this a close out or a sale?  I'm in the Raleigh, NC area.  was it around here or somewhere else in the state?

[SkipP]

does sound like a great deal! was this a close out or a sale? I'm in the Raleigh, NC area. was it around here or somewhere else in the state?

It was a clearance item from the Target in Wilmington...last one they had there. One of my co-workers is going to check the Jacksonville store today.
 
So far, I'm liking this thing! Loading maps onto the SD card is a little slow but otherwise, I think it's going to come in handy.

[tknick]

It was a clearance item from the Target in Wilmington...last one they had there. One of my co-workers is going to check the Jacksonville store today.
 
So far, I'm liking this thing! Loading maps onto the SD card is a little slow but otherwise, I think it's going to come in handy.

lived there for about 6 years and just recently moved back to Raleigh.  Darn my terrible timing!

[pinellasBUSdriver]

lived there for 8 years and just moved to Florida.  So far the only plus is the azaleas bloom earlier.

[dthurk]

Just curious.  How well do these things work?  

Let's say I'm driving down I95 around Washington, DC and encounter 5 mph traffic for miles.  I see an exit an pull off.  Will it help plot an alternate route around the traffic on the fly as you go, as the side roads do travel faster than the interstate at certain times?  Or am I dreaming of a perfect world?  

I remember also trying to get to Liberty Harbor RV Park in NJ, finding our exit closed with no warning and suddenly staring at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel...with a camper in tow.  (Can you imagine towing a camper on Manhattan, let alone propane in the tunnel?)  In a situation like that, would this thing help us find the campground from where we were, before tunneling to Manhattan?

[campingcop]

Just curious.  How well do these things work?  

Let's say I'm driving down I95 around Washington, DC and encounter 5 mph traffic for miles.  I see an exit an pull off.  Will it help plot an alternate route around the traffic on the fly as you go, as the side roads do travel faster than the interstate at certain times?  Or am I dreaming of a perfect world?  

I remember also trying to get to Liberty Harbor RV Park in NJ, finding our exit closed with no warning and suddenly staring at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel...with a camper in tow.  (Can you imagine towing a camper on Manhattan, let alone propane in the tunnel?)  In a situation like that, would this thing help us find the campground from where we were, before tunneling to Manhattan?

I have the Magellan 700 and to answer you question about pulling of the interstate, yesterday when we were coming back home via the I-94 (here in Mi)traffic was starting to slow down then coming to a slow stop.  My GPS started to tell exit to right in 1 mile then exit right in .5 mile etc. when I exited the freeway GPS tried to get on service road that would take me home via the shortest route, but I knew were I was and just shut it off as while in route home my DW had made other plans and we were not going home.

I believe the GPS will try to get you back to your original route after you get past the traffic jam or detour.

[tlhdoc]

Just curious. How well do these things work?
 
Let's say I'm driving down I95 around Washington, DC and encounter 5 mph traffic for miles. I see an exit an pull off. Will it help plot an alternate route around the traffic on the fly as you go, as the side roads do travel faster than the interstate at certain times? Or am I dreaming of a perfect world?
 
I remember also trying to get to Liberty Harbor RV Park in NJ, finding our exit closed with no warning and suddenly staring at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel...with a camper in tow. (Can you imagine towing a camper on Manhattan, let alone propane in the tunnel?) In a situation like that, would this thing help us find the campground from where we were, before tunneling to Manhattan?

It depends on your software.  I have 2 programs that use the gps for the laptop computer, but I have only used one on the road.  If you get off track it will reroute you to your destination.  I haven't played with it enough to know if you can block a section of roadway, but I think you can.

[SkipP]

Just curious. How well do these things work?
 
Let's say I'm driving down I95 around Washington, DC and encounter 5 mph traffic for miles. I see an exit an pull off. Will it help plot an alternate route around the traffic on the fly as you go, as the side roads do travel faster than the interstate at certain times? Or am I dreaming of a perfect world?
 
I remember also trying to get to Liberty Harbor RV Park in NJ, finding our exit closed with no warning and suddenly staring at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel...with a camper in tow. (Can you imagine towing a camper on Manhattan, let alone propane in the tunnel?) In a situation like that, would this thing help us find the campground from where we were, before tunneling to Manhattan?

As far as I know, most all of these units with mapping capability will "re-route" you if you run into these situations. You have a couple of options to do this, first..if you just know a better way or see a situation you want to avoid just take another route and the unit will automatically re-route you from your present location to the destination. Second, even though the Magellan 300 is fairly basic it will allow for re-routing by allowing you to go in and block a section of roadway and it will then route around it. You can also "bias" the router to avoid interstates, toll roads, quickest route or fastest route.

[Dee4j]

Just curious.  How well do these things work?  

everyone I know that has a GPS likes them and uses them....well except me..still haven't figured out how the darn thing works :banghead:  so it just sits on the counter collecting dust

[SkipP]

everyone I know that has a GPS likes them and uses them....well except me..still haven't figured out how the darn thing works :banghead: so it just sits on the counter collecting dust

Actually Dee, there is some wisdom to using a GPS. It means you never, ever have to take the heat for getting lost. Having a GPS doesn't mean you won't get lost, it just gives you a way to place blame! The voice on our old GPS was named "Lori" (I didn't name it, TomTom did!). There were several times when I was able to say (with a straight face even!); "Now you've really gotten us lost Lori"!:D

[Dee4j]

Actually Dee, there is some wisdom to using a GPS. It means you never, ever have to take the heat for getting lost. Having a GPS doesn't mean you won't get lost, it just gives you a way to place blame! The voice on our old GPS was named "Lori" (I didn't name it, TomTom did!). There were several times when I was able to say (with a straight face even!); "Now you've really gotten us lost Lori"!:D

well I'm camping a week with DK& 3kids and Dan is a gadget guru so hopefully he can show me how to use the darn thing..hoping it has a setting that says hey dumb:swear:  you're going the wrong way :J

[griffsmom]

hoping it has a setting that says hey dumb:swear: you're going the wrong way :J

No, that's what the DH is for

[Dee4j]

No, that's what the DH is for

that's funny...good one...ROTFLMAO!!! :J