Magellan RoadMate 2000 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This GPS system is fairly cheap and does most of the things you would want a GPS unit to do - get you from point A to point B. Basically, that's all I really wanted when I bought this unit and I am happy to say that it has been pretty successful in doing that. I had a little trouble at the start because it wouldn't lock-in my route and always had "Proceed to Route" on the screen even though I was already on the road and moving to my destination.
Having said that, this machine has a few annoying issues. First, it sometimes just restarts automatically and could leave you hanging if you have to turn or something. Second, it gets lost when you are surrounded by tall buildings. Hence, you have to be sure that you know the turn-by-turn directions prior to entering business districts, etc. Finally, it's "shortest time" route may not be the optimal route every time. I went on a trip to Milwaukee to Chicago and the GPS took me through rural Northwestern Illinois, which increased the travel time home from 2 hours to 3 hours. I don't know what happened there, but be sure to check the route before you embark on a long trip (I learned this lesosn the hard way).
For city driving, I think this unit is fine. It has gotten me to most places without any real issues. It's also cheap, which is good for reluctant first-time buyers. After you get a GPS unit though, you will surely ask yourself why you didn't get one any sooner.

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Small, powerful and affordable, with a SIRF StarIII chipset for quick GPS signal acquisition, the Magellan RoadMate 2000 makes it easier than ever to get where you need to go. Simple touch-screen menus and 40 built-in, interactive maps of the contiguous United States let you select virtually any destination and enjoy voice and visual turn-by-turn directions as you drive. This advanced vehicle navigation system features a 3.5-inch color touch screen display that you can use to enter an address or select a point of interest. You'll instantly receive the best route using the shortest time, shortest distance, most freeways or least freeways-- it's all up to you. And nearly 1.3 million pre-programmed points of interest enable you to quickly find gas stations, airports, hotels, restaurants and much more.Convenient and easy to use, the RoadMate 2000 gives you one-touch access to detailed information about a destination, including phone numbers when available. Simply touch the icon on the screen, and you're ready to go. You can also save your own personal points of interest to quickly navigate to frequent destinations. When time is of the essence, take advantage of some of the RoadMate's advanced features, including helpful technology that routes you around sudden slow freeway traffic, a multi-destination routing option, QuickSpell software to quickly enter your destination, and a 3D "bird's-eye" view to clearly see your surroundings. You can even select up to 20 destinations in advance to plan out where you need to go.Great picture quality is a guarantee, thanks to the integrated ambient light sensor, which adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing. In case of an emergency, you'll never have to worry about being stranded; just one touch displays your exact location so you can quickly advise roadside assistance or emergency services.The RoadMate 2000 also comes with a high-impact plastic case that protects against marks and scratches while the built-in battery delivers continuous use for up to three hours. Easy to transfer between several different vehicles, with 4 GB capacity and optional SD card expansion, this system is ideal for business and personal travel.

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Magellan RoadMate 5045-LM 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps and Traffic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had really high hopes for this GPS. I shopped for quite awhile and owned a Garmin that was due to be updated but decided to replace the unit rather than pay to upgrade. After reading a lot of reviews of the Garmins with quality control issues I opted to give Magellan a try. I have owned the unit around 2 months. I took a trip from Indianapolis to Santa Fe, NM and used the unit the entire time. Last weekend I drove from Indy to Chicago and back again. I guess I have used it about 3000 miles and here is my impression.
First the bad points:
1. The unit will power down occasionally. It has happened to me 4 times so far.
2. The spoken directions ie.."Turn right" are crystal clear. The problem is when it says the street names. The street names are muffled. Usually I can understand what it says but other times I have to look at the screen to figure out what street it is talking about.
3. I put in a route to take me home from a casino near Chicago. It said there were roads that were closed in my route. A road closed icon even came up on the screen. I thought OK it will just route me around the closed road. Well I got up to where I could see the barricades and it told me to turn on the road it knew was closed. I went on past the closed road of course and it recalculated a different route it took a lot longer to go that way. It would have been quicker to go back the way I came in which would have been back tracking a little bit but the unit was not smart enough to realize this.
4. I was almost home the other night and knew what exit I needed to take on I-65. It was telling me to go 1.3 miles further then take that exit. I didn't even think there was an exit 1.3 miles further on the interstate so I took the exit that I knew was right and I checked when I got home and there wasn't another exit for around 10 miles. This makes me wonder how often it sends me on a wild goose chase in areas that I am not familiar with. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
5. Sometimes the auto zoom will zoom out so far it looks like a satellite view. And to top it off this happens when you are in a really congested areas where you really need a lot of detail. It happened to me once in Oklahoma City and Chicago.
6. When typing on the keyboard the unit pauses and hangs up causing you to have to press the same key a several times before it registers. This makes entering an address frustrating and time consuming.
7. Adds show up on the screen while you are driving. I understand that the Garmin adds only show up when you are stopped. I didn't find the traffic alerts helpful. It has an icon on the screen that turns red when there is trouble ahead. Instead of just automatically rerouting you it requires you to click on the icon and then it will give you alternate routes. You select the one you want and then it will take you on your new route. You have to do this while barreling down the interstate at 75mph. Kind of defeats the purpose if I kill myself in the process. I just wished it knew which route was the least congested and route you to that one automatically.

The only good point for me is the screen is big and easy to read.
I am going on another trip next week. I am going to take it to Las Vegas and drive to Tucson, AZ then to San Diego and then up to LA then back to Vegas. If it performs any better I will update my review.

All of the other reviews were so positive but I am really disappointed in it's performance. Perhaps the others just haven't used it as extensively as I have. I am probably going to replace it with a Garmin. Even my old Garmin is light years ahead of this unit.Update 11-16-10
Just got back from another long trip. I had my mother along and she is around 70 years old and not very tech savvy. By the end of the trip she was making fun of the GPS unit wondering how bad it was going to screw up every time I turned it on. This unit is not able to do basic routing about half of the time. I don't understand all of the positive reviews. The phrase I hear in my sleep at night is "When possible make a legal U turn." because that is what it says more often than anything else. I wish I could return to Amazon but its been too long. Save your money and buy something else. You have been warned.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 5045-LM 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps and Traffic


The RoadMate 5045-LM is a 5-inch GPS navigator perfect for any size vehicle. The huge 5-inch screen is 35% larger than a standard 4.3-inch screen.No need to worry about finding your way, since you get lifetime map updates included with the RoadMate 5045-LM.

Get free lifetime map updates! The RoadMate 5045-LM includes free map updates for the life of the navigator. Never again worry about finding the restaurant in a new part of town or locating the new parking garage.You will always have the latest available maps.

Premium features include lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, OneTouch favorites, highway exit POI, Built-in AAA TourBook and maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Magellan has partnered with the most trusted name in travel--AAA.Only Magellan products include the exclusive, built-in AAA TourBook with Diamond ratings and descriptions on AAA-approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.

Personalize your travel experience with the OneTouch menu of your favorite places and searches. Bookmark your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, gas station, or bank to find the nearest location, anywhere you travel!

Perfect for any size vehicle, the Magellan RoadMate 5045-LM is a premium navigator packed with features!

RoadMate 5045-LM Features
What's in the Box Magellan RoadMate 5045 GPS Receiver; Pre-Loaded Maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; Windshield Mount; Vehicle Power Adapter; USB Cable; User Manual

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Magellan RoadMate 5045 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had really high hopes for this GPS. I shopped for quite awhile and owned a Garmin that was due to be updated but decided to replace the unit rather than pay to upgrade. After reading a lot of reviews of the Garmins with quality control issues I opted to give Magellan a try. I have owned the unit around 2 months. I took a trip from Indianapolis to Santa Fe, NM and used the unit the entire time. Last weekend I drove from Indy to Chicago and back again. I guess I have used it about 3000 miles and here is my impression.
First the bad points:
1. The unit will power down occasionally. It has happened to me 4 times so far.
2. The spoken directions ie.."Turn right" are crystal clear. The problem is when it says the street names. The street names are muffled. Usually I can understand what it says but other times I have to look at the screen to figure out what street it is talking about.
3. I put in a route to take me home from a casino near Chicago. It said there were roads that were closed in my route. A road closed icon even came up on the screen. I thought OK it will just route me around the closed road. Well I got up to where I could see the barricades and it told me to turn on the road it knew was closed. I went on past the closed road of course and it recalculated a different route it took a lot longer to go that way. It would have been quicker to go back the way I came in which would have been back tracking a little bit but the unit was not smart enough to realize this.
4. I was almost home the other night and knew what exit I needed to take on I-65. It was telling me to go 1.3 miles further then take that exit. I didn't even think there was an exit 1.3 miles further on the interstate so I took the exit that I knew was right and I checked when I got home and there wasn't another exit for around 10 miles. This makes me wonder how often it sends me on a wild goose chase in areas that I am not familiar with. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
5. Sometimes the auto zoom will zoom out so far it looks like a satellite view. And to top it off this happens when you are in a really congested areas where you really need a lot of detail. It happened to me once in Oklahoma City and Chicago.
6. When typing on the keyboard the unit pauses and hangs up causing you to have to press the same key a several times before it registers. This makes entering an address frustrating and time consuming.
7. Adds show up on the screen while you are driving. I understand that the Garmin adds only show up when you are stopped. I didn't find the traffic alerts helpful. It has an icon on the screen that turns red when there is trouble ahead. Instead of just automatically rerouting you it requires you to click on the icon and then it will give you alternate routes. You select the one you want and then it will take you on your new route. You have to do this while barreling down the interstate at 75mph. Kind of defeats the purpose if I kill myself in the process. I just wished it knew which route was the least congested and route you to that one automatically.

The only good point for me is the screen is big and easy to read.
I am going on another trip next week. I am going to take it to Las Vegas and drive to Tucson, AZ then to San Diego and then up to LA then back to Vegas. If it performs any better I will update my review.

All of the other reviews were so positive but I am really disappointed in it's performance. Perhaps the others just haven't used it as extensively as I have. I am probably going to replace it with a Garmin. Even my old Garmin is light years ahead of this unit.Update 11-16-10
Just got back from another long trip. I had my mother along and she is around 70 years old and not very tech savvy. By the end of the trip she was making fun of the GPS unit wondering how bad it was going to screw up every time I turned it on. This unit is not able to do basic routing about half of the time. I don't understand all of the positive reviews. The phrase I hear in my sleep at night is "When possible make a legal U turn." because that is what it says more often than anything else. I wish I could return to Amazon but its been too long. Save your money and buy something else. You have been warned.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 5045 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic

The RoadMate 5045 is perfect for larger vehicles, including SUVs, RVs, and trucks. The large 5-inch screen is 35% larger than a standard 4.3-inch screen. You won't have to worry about finding your way with the RoadMate 5045.


The Magellan RoadMate 5045 premium features include lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, OneTouch favorites, highway exit POIs, and built-in AAA TourBook.

Magellan has partnered with the most trusted name in travel--AAA. Only Magellan products include the built-in AAA TourBook with Diamond ratings and descriptions on AAA-approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.

Personalize your travel experience with the OneTouch menu of your favorite places and searches. Bookmark your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, gas station, or bank to find the nearest location, anywhere you travel!

Enjoy subscription-free lifetime traffic alerts available at any time! Premium maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico make this perfect for travel across the country or everyday commuting.

Perfect for large or small vehicles, the Magellan RoadMate 5045 is a premium navigator packed with features!

Features

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Magellan RoadMate 1420 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Let me first say that I picked this up as a Deal of the Day for $79 and overall, I'm pleased. For what I paid, I think I received a comparable product. Once received I downloaded the content manager from Magellan, installed in on my PC and once it fired up, it told me I had a new software version and maps to install all for free! Very nice.

This thing is super thin, fast to pick-up satellites, and comes with everything you need right out of the box. The battery can last 2 hours on a full charge (which takes 4 to 6 hours). The large screen is very, very nice and the colors are vibrant. It's also very easy to read the street names as you drive by them. I was pleasantly surprised to see the names of lakes and parks on this unit as I drove by them.
Now for the not so good. The voice prompts can get kind of "warbled" at times. Hard to describe, but my family made fun of the voice on several occasions on a trip of about 140 miles recently. The maps while, vibrant, don't look very professional. The streets for turns have jagged lines, a circular turn is by no means circular according the the Magellan maps...more like a diagonal, then another diagonal etc. It looks odd, and not a huge deal, but it could be cleaner. No speed limits on interstates or freeways or highways. I didn't know this going in, even the Magellan product for my iPhone has speed limits and that only cost $49. So I assumed this would as well and once you have it, you really miss it. Also, this unit never picked up the correct time zone for me out of the box. I waited and waited and it never moved, so I had to manually go in and set the correct one. The manual says it gets it from the satellites, but it didn't get the right one :)
Perhaps the biggest let down on this unit is how far behind it lags in real time. I can be 2 even 3 seconds past a street and the unit will show me just crossing it. I understand it can't be exact real time, but 3 seconds seems to be a little much. I've made turns and it reports, take next right...that is annoying. I can be stopped at an intersection and this thing shows me fairly far back from it...even when I'm the the first one at the light. Are all GPS units like this, or does this seem to be just a Magellan thing?
All in all, for $79 I probably won't return it. It will get us where we want to go and while I'm no perfectionist, it could be a little more accurate. Only 3 stars since their iPhone version is actually better than this one and costs nearly $60 less than the retail listed here.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1420 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator


Navigate in style with the new, ultra-thin Magellan RoadMate 1420 GPS device with a large 4.3-inch color touch screen. Premium features include: OneTouch favorites menu, built-in AAA TourBook and Member Roadside Assistance, QuickSpell with SmartCity search, highway exit POI, spoken street name guidance, plus so many more!

With the features you need and the unique ability to make it your own, the Magellan RoadMate 1420 navigator delivers the powerful navigation experience that you've been wanting.

Features

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