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COBRA GPS

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balootheboss

Seasoned Expediter
HI,

I am looking for information on the new Cobra GPS. I will appreciate if anyone who is using it or heard of some user reviews can help me decide. I am in the process of finalising on a GPS system. I read the earlier thread on the the The Tech Shop. It seems to get accurate directions with clearances and truck routing I may need to buy two or three different GPS( MS Streets & Trips, C9 or one of the smaller navigation systems).
I am personally not in favour of a laptop sitting in the cab which is already space starved.

I will appreciate any feedback on this

Baloo
 
LDB

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
If you want to be almost positive of not getting taken to a clearance problem your only option is Copilot. It is the only one that has true truck specific routing for clearance, hazmat, 53' etc. so you are stuck with it. They have a version that runs on an Ipaq but the large screen of the laptop is really nice.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
 
cheri1122

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Baloo makes an excellent point: a laptop isn't a good way to utilize GPS, unless there is a codriver holding it. It's too large to put on the dashboard, which means taking your eyes off the road to look at it, and it's fragile and expensive, not something you want to risk by leaving out all the time. Mine has saved me on a couple occasions, but it's not something I can use for every run. A smaller, dashmounted unit would be much more accessible, and safer, too, but for the time being, it's not in my budget. Wouldn't it make sense for a carrier to use their volume buying power to purchase small GPS units for resale to drivers? With a nominal surcharge for their trouble, of course, lol.
 
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balootheboss

Seasoned Expediter
I guess I am really stuck with C9. I would prefer a PDA or Pocket PC which can be mounted on the dash. Thanks anyway.

Baloo
 
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unorthodoxneon

Expert Expediter
Baloo if you wait about 2-3 weeks we plan on picking up the Cobra GPSM 4500 (www.newegg.com has the best price i seen) It has a large screen and talking with Cobra reps give it some very good reviews (of course they will but i've read independant reviews and most are 5out of 5 for rating.
 
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unorthodoxneon

Expert Expediter
Well i noticed that the GPSM 4500 is cheaper on ebay (they also say they are new on there too) And only about $500.

The reason i'm getting a GPS is for pretty much the following reasons. Estimated time of arrival feature, distance, help with the local directions. If i get a GPS i plan on staying with the directions panther gives me but sometimes it wants me to turn west on a road that runs north and south. "Or (i love this direction) go about 3 roads down and turn right there is no street signs but if you go past the freeway you went to far." GPS will atleast help me point which way i should turn, which direction i should be going to the shipper/con ect. I dont plan on getting one and follow it exactly how it says. Most GPS will re route you if you pass up their direction so if you cant go on the route and have to take another one it should still help you get to where you want to go.
 
highway star

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I got a Garmin c330 about a month ago and I like it so far. ETA feature is something I didn't realize I'd like as much as I do.

As far as routing, I still do my own. I was going through Ohio and made a turn that Garmin didn't want me to. After recalculating, it cut 30 minutes off the ETA.
 
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riverrat2000

Seasoned Expediter
and half the time it is wrong no problem once you are aware of it. I have talked to a cobra rep. and there is suppose to be an update coming out anytime now ,and sometime this year they are going to have a program specifically for truckers they wouldn't say when just sometime this year. Another thing is that when you do a search for a travel center it gives you all travel centers within at least a 100 mile radius which isn't all that useful and you kinda got to pick thru a bunch to find one you want and it doesn't list a lot of them. all and all I will never again be without gps, as far as cobra great screen graphics, once you play with it and get your settings right for you its a breeze to use,a bit pricey compared with some of the others. I am happy with it and look forward to the improvements that will come with the updates
 
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unorthodoxneon

Expert Expediter
Well i no i said that in a short while i was going to pick up a Cobra GPS system. Well that is on the back burner right now. I've read in the TA monthly mag that Cobra is in the works of making a GPS unit that is trucker friendly including Hazmat and Low Bridges and Non-Truck routes. So now i'm waiting to see when that comes out and when the price is. Glad to see a Trucker friendly GPS that doesnt involve a laptop.
 
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FAMILYEXPDT

Seasoned Expediter
we always use gps on a laptop ...every trip. The laptop sits in......the laptop stand! The big screen is awesome....also have cobra and still use laptop.....just like the size better.



-charlotte
 
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riverrat2000

Seasoned Expediter
no need to wait to buy one, i talked to cobra and yes they are coming out with trucker friendly software sometime this year but all you will have to do is update the reciever in order to get it or so they say of course the said they were going tocome out with a regular update in feburary but it still hasent bet released --yet
 
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Thornapple

Seasoned Expediter
Don't know if this is right on this thread, but...

Has anyone tried TelNav on a cell phone?

I was reading there web site and it looked good for the price.

I know they aren't specificly for trucks but they will get you around trafic.

t.
 
LDB

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I'm not so sure Cobra is going to have anything for us based on the following:

>>> Leo Bricker <[email protected]> 5/2/2007 11:00:48 AM >>>
You are rumored to have a GPS coming out specifically for truckers that will avoid low clearances, follow hazmat routes etc. required by the over 2 million of us in this industry. True? Details? Timetable?

And the reply:

Currently there is nothing available to add on for truck routes. If we will have something like this available, please check back in June, July. We may have some info on if this will be available or not.

Emily

Cobra Electronics
6500 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60707
773-889-3087


Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
 
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riverrat2000

Seasoned Expediter
talked to Cobra again this morning and was informed the latest update will be released within the month they have it and are working out some bugs, also they are working on a truckers version with the mapping company but don't know yet when it will be released. the update is real as they sent me a beta version but I don't want to install it because once installed I may not be able to install the final version
 
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unorthodoxneon

Expert Expediter
This is good news. A friend of mine gave me his GPS that you hook up to a laptop to use but i need to get a program like Streets and Trips or Dolorme (or what ever its called) to use with it.

But a dash unit is still in our future. Hopfuly the GPSM4500 will be with that program and be cheaper.
 
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