New Garmin Dezl 760

Got it figured out. Definitely not something I want to do while driving.

 

My report. I have owned a Rand 510 for over 2+ years now and still like it, it still works well. Over the last 30 days I gave the new Rand 720 and Dezl 760 a try. Right out of the box the Rand failed. It sent me to the right place but it took me on a guided tour. Not fun. The 760 was strait to the point but lacked the things I liked about Rand. With the POI Factory I was able to download all the truck stops, rest stops and more if I want. As far as I go, the Garmin 760 is the better GPS. Go and get the GPS of your choice from the Pilot or Flying J and run one for a week and then trade it for the next and see which one you like better. You have 30 days to play. I like that.

 

I think I'm finally leaning toward the 760 - haven't quite tipped over yet. I am one click away from ordering the Garmin dezl760 from Best Buy (on sale and free shipping) but remembered something that concerned me in the past. A while back some posters were complaining that the Garmins were routing truckers away from good routes, indicating it was a restricted road or bridge, when it was not. Has this issue been fully resolved?

Thanks again.

 

From what I see so far it is keeping me on the truck route. Like I said try it and see how it works, and if you don't like it then go to Rand. So far I'm happy with it. I'm sold on Garmin and am getting one for the Jeep.

 

Local routing is hit and miss, definitely not unique to Garmin. Where it struggles is prioritizing routes based on what it's database has for truck-friendliness. These are the general priorities from what I can gather:

1. Restriction from profile (weight, dimensions)
2. Trucks prohibited
3. Local delivery only
4. Designated truck route
5. Unknown

What gets you on a guided tour is a conflict between higher priority restrictions versus unknown side streets. For example, the GPS avoids a faster, but longer direct route into a local delivery only area in favor of a residential route (unknown truck status) that is more direct. Of course you discover, after it's too late, that route put you on a street a big truck really shouldn't be on. Or that you could have taken a more direct route and saved a lot of traffic and time.

The amount of data required for local truck routing is too enormous and changes too often to ever be perfect. Save yourself some grief and at least plan your local routes using other tools (atlas, Google maps, etc).

 

I used a RM 720 for two weeks and returned it for a full cash refund at Best Buy (did not buy from online store). It had a lot of very nice features and the menu functions went pretty deep. I found that it was just as likely as my old Garmin 465T to give me bad local routing and the biggest reason that I returned it was cost.

The RM requires a $90 optional receiver if you want traffic alerts plus a subscription fee.

I then bought a Garmin DEZL 560 for $199 with shipping included from Best Buy online. This a fully warranted refurbished unit. There is no way to tell that it is refurbished by looking at it and I like the way it works.

Also the traffic receiver is included with the Garmin.

Regardless of which GPS I use I still call ahead for local directions.

 

And when you do call ahead for directions, be absolutely sure you repeat this phrase at least three times to whoever answers:

"I am driving a full sized semi truck."

Can't count the number of times they gave me directions assuming I was in a passenger vehicle.

 

Normally I will not step in another thread not related to the TND, but it was pointed out prior to DsquareD, that the traffic receiver is $90 with no subscription fee, or you could go internet based with no traffic receiver but with a yearly subscription, simply Hot Spot off your phone/Mi-Fi.

Please do not post items about other models if you are unsure. This only leads to false impressions and they do get compounded bigger and bigger.

Thanks,
Mark

 

Wow some one got protective on post geeze. Sorry your RMD doesnt stack up against the Dezl.

 

Oh snap! The gauntlet just got thrown down!