TomTom Rider 2 GPS Navigator for Motorcycles and Scooters

• Tomtom Rider Is One Of The Smartest Navigation Solutions For Motorcycles.
• Rugged Waterproof Device
• Anti-Glare Screen
• Integrated Sun Visor, And Gloves-On Operation
• Navigation Instructions Are Spoken Via In-Helmet Cardo Scala-Rider

I received this unit for Christmas primarily for my bike, but once I purchase the car mount adapter it will be used in the car as well.

This is an excellent unit, to say the least. One reviewer mentioned that it's too difficult to turn the unit onI say "hogwash". The pushbutton is stiff, yes, but that's done to keep the unit from turning on accidentally while in your jacket pocket or carry bag (and with a touch screen, you can well imagine how much mischief one could accidentally create if it turned on without your knowledge). Ditto with the Scala Rider headsetyou don't want the thing accidentally turning on, running the battery down, do you?

Another reviewer mentioned that it doesn't have a "speedometer" or trip meter functionit most certainly does have a speedometer, and what I assume is the "trip meter"but since TomTom set the unit from the factory to eliminate as much extraneous information as possible, you have to activate it in the menus. Once that has been activated, it'll be there until you turn that feature off. In fact, there are a great number of features you can turn on and off in the menus.

I found the documentation to be adequate, and to the point. The printed documentation is to get you up to speed until you charge the units and turn them onit's easy sailing after that. The unit is very easy to use, and it has tutorials right on the unit, so in my opinion further paper documentation is rather redundantactually, I think it's pretty smart on TomTom's part to include tutorials on the unit itself rather than supply a printed bookthat way I don't have to carry around the book, as all of the information is already on the unit! They really don't say much about the bike power cable, but I can certainly understand whyit's not possible to provide information about every bike out there, and if you aren't familiar enough with your bike, or can't figure out how to install it, it's probably best to get someone who is (like your bike dealer) to do the installation.

I've got a Motorolla Razr phone, and the TomTom easily hooked up to my phone via Bluetooth, and it painlessly downloaded all of my phone numbers I have stored on the phone (thank you for providing this helpful feature!).

I do wish that it gave the street name when it gives you instructions to turn, but I soon got used to how it worksnot only does the display give you very clear instructions on where to turn, it also gives you the street name. Once you get used to it, it's easy. But I would like the option of hearing the street name (my PDA does, but the map display isn't as easy to see as the TomTom). While playing with the unit as my father-in-law drove the car, I discovered one potential issue with having the street name spoken to youwhat happens when the street name is changed, but your maps haven't been updated? If you rely on the spoken street name, you might miss itit's best to take a glance at the screen to make sure you're taking the correct turn (I found one such roadthe name has recently been changed, but the map showed the old name instead). Still, I'd prefer to have it spoken, and visually double-check the map.

Overall, I give the TomTom an A-. TomTom, if you're reading this, I'll give you an A+ if you guys update the software so that it'll give you the street name by voicethen you'll have the best bike GPS available! However, I'd still buy the unit as is. It would just increase the functionality by including this feature.

Buy TomTom Rider 2 GPS Navigator for Motorcycles and Scooters Now

My wife gave me this unit for Christmas. She's a doll and I love her very much, but she was not very versed about what to shop for or expect from a GPS unit. I've now used the unit several hours during trips, utilizing the blue tooth connectivity with my cell phone and the included headset within my helmet. Ive also used it in the car a lot. They said this unit was designed by motorcyclists, but obviously the bikers TomTom consulted knew very little about the minimum expectations for features required in a decent GPS unit...especially one costing this much.

I am going to break-down my review into two parts....what it has that is good...and what it lacks that makes it a non-competitive GPS unit in the US. I've used GPS technology at work and at play for years. Most of my background with consumer-grade GPS units is with the Garmin brand. So it is to that brand that I will make most of my comparisons because Garmin, for the most part, has it right and does it right! (imho)I have no financial or personal relationship with Garmin, whatsoever.

OK..first for the positive...it's water resistant/proof (don't really know about the proof part cause I havent had it in the pouring rain yet)...Fast processor and fast acquisition of the GPS constellation...good screen graphics and brightness...decent battery life...sensitive touch screen technology....blue tooth capable...can download your Outlook contact database....decent internal memory...heavy duty Ram mounting hardware for your bikes handle bars....USB connectivity to your computer for map downloads, etc....and if you are into directions from the unit, it has a few male and female voices from which to choose.

Now for the features it should have but does not:

-Should have a trip computer with trip parameters such as max speed, average moving speed, time moving, time sitting still, odometer, trip odometer, vertical and horizontal elevation, etc. None of this exists on the tomtom rider.

-Should leave a track, or a bread crumb trail, as you ride along. Not available on the TTRider. This is a real disappointment.

-Should have larger fonts for speed, arrival time, etc. Way too small to have to deal with on a motorcycle...even when set to the largest font.

-Should not "snap" to the nearest road to fool you into thinking their base map is accurate...because it is not that accurate in reality.

-Should come with a cig lighter plug for powering, but it does not.

-Does not allow any preference setting while in motion. You must stop before you can do anything with this unit outside of a few limited functions. Excuse: a safety feature

-Cannot make a call while moving. You can only recieve calls while moving. What's that about???? (yea I know, safety)

Has annoying icons on the screen when the phone and headset are not connected and there is no way to get them off the screen!!

-Gives you no options as far as screen orientation relating to your travel direction...always points you up. Thats ok most of the time, but we deserve to have a choice in this price class.

-Can fall off the ball mount and, if not tethered to the bike or mounting base, it will hit the ground and will be lost.

No elevation available...for those of us that ride in mountains and are use to seeing this on gps units, it's certainly an oversight by the TTRider. GPS derived elevation is not that accurate in the first place, but readings are relative and give a pretty good indication of elevation changes as you ride.

Direct sunlight makes the screen totally INVISIBLE.

If I could send it back to Amazon I would. I plan to give it to by wife for her car and purchase a gps unit that more closely fits my needs as a touring motorcyclist and as a consumer that refuses to settle for inadequate and poorly designed products.

Read Best Reviews of TomTom Rider 2 GPS Navigator for Motorcycles and Scooters Here

1. I have owned a Rider for more than 18 months.

2. The first one I had, the dock broke in Texas while I was riding Route 66.

3. I called TomTom from Texas (I live in Calif) and asked them to FedEx a new one.

They said no can do.

4. Once home, TomTom sent me a new Dock, but... it took them 1 month to get it to me.

5. After a while I started to notice that the Rider was not charging while in the dock and on my bike.

6. They asked me to send them my Rider back with all the accessories.

7. Then after 4 weeks, they sent me a new Rider, with no charger and no accessories.

8. The asked me to send it back.

8. After another 4 weeks, they sent me another.... new Rider... with all the accessories.

9. The dock didn't charge.

10. After another week, they sent me a new dock. It works.

There are known issues with the docks and charging, but TomTom won't admit it.

It's manufacturering issue. I'll let you guess where they are made.

The Tom Tom rider is good, easy to use. But if anything goes wrong, you'll be waiting many weeks for a replacement.

Ad of course the wait time on the phone, plan on an hour with each call.

I probably would NOT buy another one.

Want TomTom Rider 2 GPS Navigator for Motorcycles and Scooters Discount?

I bought this product from Amazon and received it 4-days ago. In the last 4-days, I have been in contact with TomTom by phone and email trying not only to get detailed information about the product, but also trying to get help with it. This is by far the worst motorcycle GPS on the market.

The Pro's: (there is only one)

1) They have upgraded the headset to the Cardo Scala Q2.

The Con's:

1) The screen is unreadable outside either in the sunlight or on overcast days. It looks completely white washed. There are no settings to resolve this on the unit.

2) The documentation included is for the original Rider, not the Rider 2nd Edition.

3) The screen is unreadable outside

4) There is no documentation available from TomTom or from RAM-Mount for the motorcycle mount that is included.

5) The screen is unreadable outside

6) TomTom's 30-day map guarantee only works if you call and harass them about it. Then you must fax or email proof of purchase before they will comply with there own guarantee.

7) The screen is unreadable outside

8) The power button is ridiculously hard to operate

9) The screen is unreadable outside

10) THE SCREEN IS UNREADABLE OUTSIDE!!!!!!!

So, in my opinion I can only believe that people who rate this highly either ride only at dusk, or during the nighttime. Either that, or they want everyone to make the same mistake they did, so they don't feel like they are the only one's that were taken for their money.

Oh, and did you get it yet?

THE SCREEN IS UNREADABLE OUTSIDE!

The whole purpose of the unit is to use it outside on a motorcycle!

I have owned a TomTom GO910 for a few years, and was actually very pleased with it except for the cost. But I will NEVER purchase another TomTom device after dealing with the company over the last 4-days.

My recommendations would be to please do your research online in advance. The TomTom Rider and the TomTom Rider 2nd Edition are pure crap, because there SCREENS ARE NOT READABLE OUTSIDE! Which itself is ridiculous as they were specifically designed for motorcycles!

Do yourself a huge favor, buy the Garmin Nuvi 550 instead! It's waterproof with an 8-hour rechargeable and replaceable lithium battery! Plus, its only half the price of the all too overpriced Zumo model! Wanna save even more money, buy the Garmin Nuvi 500. Again, waterproof with an 8-hour rechargeable and replaceable lithium battery. The only difference between it and the Nuvi 550 are the maps. The lower 48 vs. all of North America.

I bought the Rider 2 GPS last summer, to tour the south of France, from Paris. I'd travelled before with maps, sometimes missing offramps out of confusion (freeway signs here are only really good if you're a local, in which case you don't need them in the first place!!). After having used a TomTom GPS in a rental car to go to Italy, I decided to get one for my Speed Triple, for the pleasure of being guided from "above". The decision was made a week before my departure, so I didn't really have time to investigate the market. I discovered only Garmin & TomTom have bike-specific models, and that both were incredibly expensive compared to car units. Being used to, and pleased with the TomTom interface, I decided to buy TT. The first Rider 2 I bought would not connect to my Motorola Razr V3i, despite the help from the sales reps, and would refuse to turn on, even fully charged. After 3 (THREE!!) trade-ins, I had to leave for my 1 1/2 month vacation with my current unit, picked up the same morning.

My first beef was to find that not only would it start trying connecting to my V3i, then fail, but I'd also have to use the cellular connection to obtain the updates, and 1 month trial of various options I'D PAID FOR!! This is totally stupid. If you're going to have to use a PC to save your SD card, let the PC handle further downloads and updates!!! It doesn't take being a racket science wiz to understand a DSL connection is more reliable than a cellular. Also, the fact you have to pay for updates, and options that should be standard, is preposterous.

My second problem, is the fact that as long as you're moving, you cannot access/change routing information. That's totally stupid too. Even at walking speeds, the unit will accept no change of route, or any other modification. When you're on the freeway, or on city streets with no place to stop, this is really aggravating. I know it's supposedly for security reasons, but changing your destination to a favorite isn't going to put you in danger in most cases, stopping and starting on a road close to heavy traffic will. In any case, you can tap all you want on a car unit, so security obviously isn't a valid reason. In any case, I hate when an appliance is set to restrain my use of it, and not let me decide for myself when/if what I do is safe.

3rd beef: sometimes, maps are obsolete from the start. When driving through Italy, I was directed to turn right on a freeway, in the middle of... fields!!! There was an offramp on my screen, miles from any actual offramps. Only corn fields, which had obviously been there for years, and weren't going to disappear in favor of a new road overnight. Really scary when you're on a schedule..

Maybe I should have listed first the On/Off button. I have very strong arms & fingers, but the time & pressure (and numerous attempts) it takes to turn it on hurts my fingers each time. Needless to even think of asking my girlfriend to do it...

The last unnicety I can think of right now, is the fact, if you're typing an address, the streets that pop up aren't entirely legible on the screen. It appears there's no way to view further past the first letters. This is really a bummer in France, where streets precede their name. Example: if you're looking for an address on Boulevard du General De Gaulle, all that appears on the screen is "Boulevard du Genera", so you have to type each and every letter in the name, or you'll get directed to another general's name, and, as there's no "back" function, you'll have to go through the whole itinerary planning procedure again to try to get it right. Total lack of user-friendliness, for a unit that's supposed to be usable by bikers, with gloves on.

On the upside, missing an exit leads the unit to recalculate another itinerary very quickly, the reason exactly I'd bought a GPS. Arrival times are incredibly accurate, even on long trips. Screen maps are legible. The RAM fixing system is great, and solid, but props there go to RAM, not TomTom. The Scala system works fine, and is reasonably audible, although the choice of a higher pitched female voice, on full volume is a must, if you're going to be riding over 100 mph.

If I'd had more time to choose, I'd have bought the Garmin Zumo instead. The price is too high for a GPS that's so poorly engineered. It does work nicely when it's all set up correctly, but not being able to take phone calls, use paid for updates, or use your PC to download data is unacceptable.

Schumacher XC6 SpeedCharge 6 Amp Battery Charger

Picked one of these up last weekend as I had a rather large dead car battery in a vehicle that hadn't been driven in a few months.

The manual covers several different models but shouldn't confuse most anyone.

A red light comes on at the battery connection symbol to show you have it connected correctly

A yellow charging (lightning bolt) light comes on once you select a charge rate (turtle/rabbit symbols).

A green battery level light comes on once the battery is fully charged. It won't light up until it is finished charging.

I let the battery charge overnight and it indicated a full charge the next day. Battery has been working fine in vehicle for a week since charging.

It has a built-in fan that kicks on while charging. Not loud, but does make audible sound.

I picked this model due to good reviews of the Schumacher brand, and the fact that it has temperature sensor and will go to a trickle charge when the battery is full thanks to the microprocessor control. I certainly didn't want to boil out what was probably still a good battery with an old style "dumb" charger. Automatically desulfates the battery which is good too.

I hope to get many years of occasional use out of the device.

I'd recommend it.

All my battery chargers were lent to son-in-laws who never returned them. This time I was glad. I lucked out and got this one for $21 at Walmart. Supposedly if you put the clips on the wrong terminal nothing will happen or it you touch the clips together. Well I am not brave or stupid enough to try it so I do not know.

If the clips are on the right post you will get an idiot light telling you so. It is only when the clips are on properly that it will start supply juice to the battery. The charger does the usual charge and shut off when done or maintain the battery. You can select between different batteries by pushing the button. I charged a lawn tractor battery. It shows red when it is dead, and green when it is good to go. It is pretty idiot proof for this idiot.

Buy Schumacher XC6 SpeedCharge 6 Amp Battery Charger Now

so far it has worked very well i keep one of my vehicles on it non stop during cold weather it seems to be working flawlessly. i have also used it to charge to of my group 31 batteries for my plow truck took a little longer then i had hoped but did the job well.ask me in a year if i am still happy with it. the one it replaced was 12 years old.made it 6 months before it died and it never really fully charged batteries was able to keep them alive in the cold

Read Best Reviews of Schumacher XC6 SpeedCharge 6 Amp Battery Charger Here

I've been using this product for about 6 months and it has performed each time I used it. I do quite a bit of fishing and the batteries I use need to be recharged as close as possible after their use to keep them in peak shape. The charger has 2 modes, a slow and a fast charge. I use both modes and each perform as I need them to. I would recommend this product to those RV'ers, boaters and the like.

Want Schumacher XC6 SpeedCharge 6 Amp Battery Charger Discount?

Early AM two coughs and no start. That night after two great Jake's Wayback cheeseburgers, went to buy battery at 10pm at an open Walmart, lowest was over $80 dollars.

Saw this Schumacher XC6 on the shelf there for under $30.00, and they have a 90 day return policy.

In the morning, saturday, connected it to my battery. My neighbor does lots of work on his car, and told me I could safely leave the battery fully connected to the regular wires in the car, while charger is attached. It's the original battery on the 1993 BMW that has 230,000 miles on it already. The manual of the charger said it would take 3 to 4 hours on the speediest setting, which I used since I figured I might have to have the car towed to mechanic, or such. Checked it after just 90 minutes. Wow, all done!

Everything was just fine, the charger lights showed power on, and that the battery was ALREADY done charging, with the green done indicator. I unplugged all, put the key in and turned the ignition. The battery cranked loud and fast and the car started up beautifully.

Don't think twice, buy it, enjoy it. This thing is cool. Thank you Schumacher for making this great, and affordable. Thank you Walmart for stocking it and staying open late. Walmart owners give almost nothing in charity compared to great owners like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, and Mayor Bloomberg who works for $1 a year and gives millions and millions to worthy charities. Walmart owners should wake up and give back to the US.

Go to your library for DVD: WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price , buy it on Amazon)

That's it. The XC6 is truely a great car battery recharging charger.

Save 26% Off

PowerUp Car Power Supply Charger DC Adapter Fits HP DM1-3000, DM1-4010, DM1-4010CA, DM1-4010US, DM1

The power up car power source was exactly as described and worked up to and above all expectations. I recommend it for anyone who needs to power up their laptop in a car.

TYC 2-07776 Ford Crown Victoria Replacement Alternator

Although it's marked as for "Crown Victoria", this brand-new TYC Alternator is a perfect replacement alternator for many years, makes, and models of FORD vehicles with V-8 engines -from the Lincoln Town Car to the F-150 Harley-Davidson Lightning, and 140 vehicles altogether !! Check before ordering.

With a strong 130-Amp, 2100-Watt rating, there's a plenty of power to keep your battery fully charged and provide ample capacity to run all the new lights, horns, bells, whistles, and cameras that we seem to need more of every day. This is the exact replacement for such high-demand vehicles as the Ford Police Interceptor and the 5,000-lb. Tow Package, so you KNOW it'll handle whatever you throw at it!!

Also in the box is the Factory Test read-out, complete with test results and a performance graph.

The alternator is really easy to install -But FIRST you must disconnect the NEGATIVE (-) Battery Cable !! This is the PERFECT time to check the water level in the battery, clean the battery area with baking soda, and charge the battery completely.

A half-inch Breaker Bar to loosen the serpentine belt, a 10 mm x 3/8 socket and a 3-inch extension will get all 3 bolts and the red cable terminal. An ice-pick will help the snap-in connectors come loose.

When installing the new unit, put a small dab of PermaTex Electical Grease on the end of each pin of the connectors and on the female side, too. The connections will be sealed against moisture and corrosion when they're plugged together.

When you're finished, carefully line up the serpentine belt -re-connect the Negative (-) Battery Cable, and crank it up !! Let it idle for 10-15 minutes and use a VOM to check the voltage between the battery terminals with engine idling -13.5 to 14.5 volts is ideal. Good Luck !!

Save 49% Off

Amico Car Dashboard Desk Blue Light LCD Digital Clock w Back Adhesive

This clock was actually bigger than I expected. Guess I should have read the description better. Much larger than the car space of the original clock. Adhesive back didn't seem all that sticky, hoping it lasts for a while.

it does not keep time. the cover for the battery keeps coming off which makes it stop keeping time

waste of money

Buy Amico Car Dashboard Desk Blue Light LCD Digital Clock w Back Adhesive Now

Usa Spec Pa15-hon3 2004-2009 Honda / Acura Ipod and Iphone Interface with Text + Aux Input

• IPOD interface to connect, control, charge and play an IPOD through a factory radio
• All plug and play harnesses for easy installation
• Adds additional single stereo Aux input to hook up another audio device
• Song up/down Playlist/disc select, shuffle and random play features all control iPod
• Auto memory feature - Auto locates last song listened to on each play list

I purchased this interface so I can have more options listening to music in my vehicle. I had it installed at a Best Buy, and I was glad I did because the installer did a great job, I asked him to hide the unit under the dash where I can have access to it and the cable comes out from a dummy plug in the dash. This interface streams music from Pandora and basically does everything that it suposed to. And you can control from the steering wheel. It's a great product and I'm glad that I bought it.

Buy Usa Spec Pa15-hon3 2004-2009 Honda / Acura Ipod and Iphone Interface with Text + Aux Input Now

I installed this in a 2006 Acura MDX. Playlist and song titles appear on the radio screen and are easily selected.

Read Best Reviews of Usa Spec Pa15-hon3 2004-2009 Honda / Acura Ipod and Iphone Interface with Text + Aux Input Here

Extremely easy to install with intuitive instructions. Product performs exactly as described in the sellers description. Could not be happier with purchase

Want Usa Spec Pa15-hon3 2004-2009 Honda / Acura Ipod and Iphone Interface with Text + Aux Input Discount?

I installed the USA Spec PA-HON3 iPod interface in my 2004 Acura TL with navigation. The hardest part of installation is the getting to the back of the radio. Check YouTube for videos. Overall, the USA Spec box works as described. Sound quality is great sounds just like a CD when playing Apple lossless tracks from my iPod classic 160GB. It also seems to work fine with my iPhone 4S. I've had no problems when using "direct" mode, where most functions are controlled from the iPod but track info/text is not displayed on the factory radio. Steering wheel controls still work in direct mode and skip forward/back one track. However, in my limited attempts to use the XM controls to select playlists and so on, the audio controls have locked and/or the Nav has rebooted a high percentage of the time. Sometimes this has required turning the car off and back on to correct.

Overall, I'd still recommend this because I'm really fine with the Direct mode. It sounds great and steering wheel controls work. If you were planning to hide the iPod and control it through the XM radio controls, I'd suggest looking for another option given the lockups and reboot issues. I understand iSimple makes a similar interface box but I have no experience with it.

GTMax 4pcs - Purple Skin Rubber Soft Silicone Case + Clear LCD Screen Protector + Car Charger + Mic

purchase this for my husband, he loves it. He needed it because his phone's

battery does not keep a charge and when he is out on his jobs he can charge

it and not worry about dead battery.

Save 21% Off

Garmin nüvi 3760LMT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map & Traff

• 4.3-Inch LCD Screen
• Preloaded with street maps for the U.S., Canada & Mexico
• Lifetime map updates
• Lifetime traffic updates
• Lane assist with Junction View
• Bluetooth wireless technology

This is my second Garmin Nuvi GPS. My first was a Nuvi 360 and it still works after more than 4 years. I decided it was time to upgrade to a newer version after having my old one for so many years. Some of the features that caused me to choose the 3760LMT were the lifetime maps and traffic, Lane Assist, Junction View, trafficTrends, and myTrends. If you're looking for additional reviews for this unit, you can search for the 3760T, which is the same unit, minus the lifetime map updates.

Pros: The wide screen is a great improvement over the smaller screen I was used to on the 360. The color is much more vivid and the screen is much brighter. Even during a sunny day, I have the brightness turned down. I had my old 360 up to max brightness and it was difficult to see in bright sunlight. The sound is also much louder on the 3760. I had the sound on max for my 360. The 3760 has the volume at less than half and it is plenty loud enough to hear above the road noise.

Two functions I think should be a must for any unit are Lane Assist and Junction View. Lane Assist shows you which lanes you need to be in when approaching a junction on a freeway. So far, I have noticed that it is quite accurate as to the number of lanes and picking the right lanes to be in. Junction View shows you a rendered picture of what the junction signs you are approaching look like and an arrow is included showing with route to take. The junction signs shown in the 3760 are, for the most part, what you actually see on the highway. When the junction view is shown, it is up for only a few seconds and then the unit reverts back to the map display. When shopping for a unit, I highly recommend these options.

Another great function is the Trip Planner. With my old unit, I used to have to manually move to a starting point on the map, then select my destination to determine travel time for a proposed trip. Now, with the Trip Planner, the 3760 allows me to plan trips, including the entry of a desired arrival time, which shows a suggested departure time taking into account travel time for the trip. You can save the trips and then call them up when you're ready for them. This is another must-have option.

I was also really looking forward to the traffic information being delivered directly to the unit. With my 360, I had to use a smart phone to get traffic information, which was not very convenient while driving in traffic. I don't live in an area where traffic information is broadcast, but I do travel to Los Angeles frequently. My take so far on how well the traffic information works is that it is better than nothing. I've noticed that it is not always completely accurate. I've hit slowdowns that didn't show on the unit. I have also seen it be very accurate. I was traveling westbound on a stretch of freeway in an area where the eastbound traffic was moving very slow. The map showed the point where the eastbound slow traffic began, which corresponded closely to where the slowdown actually started. When traffic information is being received, a traffic icon shows up in the upper left of the screen. The icon turns yellow for slow traffic ahead and red if traffic is really jammed. The unit automatically re-routed me once when traffic on my route was report as red. The route it chose was the same one I would have chosen had I known about the traffic jam. If the traffic is reported as slow, you can ask for a suggested alternate route. The unit displays the travel time for the main route and the alternate route so that you can make a decision of whether the alternate route is worthy of consideration. If you have your estimated arrival time displayed, the traffic function updates your arrival time to include traffic slowdowns. When it is receiving traffic information, the displayed estimated arrival time is much more accurate.

Cons: Reception of traffic information is not flawless. The unit occasionally loses the traffic data connection. Powering the unit off and then back on restored the connection.

A major problem I have with this unit is that it stops drawing the map after it has been running continuously for about 3 hours. I noticed that another reviewer of the 3760T reported the same problem. My guess is this is caused by a software problem and, hopefully, it will be resolve in a future update. The only way I can avoid this problem is to turn the unit off and then power it back on every couple of hours during a long trip. This is rather annoying for a GPS that costs more than $400.

I can't say whether trafficTrends and myTrends are good options or not, because I've seen no evidence that either is doing anything. It's possible that I haven't driven in the same area enough where traffic data is available for this option to kick in. However, I would have thought there would be some indication of myTrends working. The way I understood myTrends was that the unit would watch where you like to drive and then start routing you that way. I have a route I travel frequently that has a shorter by-pass, which I always avoid since it's only a 2-lane highway. My 3760 has not realized that I don't take that by-pass, because it tries to get me to take it every time. My recommendation for these 2 options is to skip them and save some money. If you commute every day in a big city, maybe these might be useful.

When searching for a location in another city, the unit does not display the resulting city list in order of distance from your current location. I'm not sure what criteria it uses to order the list. At a point about 250 miles from Los Angeles, CA, when trying to select a location near Los Angeles, the resulting city list shows Los Angeles, CA as the 45th entry on the list. Paging down 5 at a time, 9 times, to get to the desired city is not very convenient.

In summary, knowing what I know now, I would probably have chosen the 1490LMT instead. It has all of the functions that I find useful in the 3760. But, at around $200, it's a much better value.

Buy Garmin nüvi 3760LMT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map & Traff Now

I have read many reviews here and would like to address the negative ones:

When I first connected the 3760, I could not acquire satellites. Having read the nightmares about four hours of updating only to have failure to load, or failure to restart, I was nervous about trying to update the 3760. I figured I might have to return it.

I went to the Garmin update and downloaded the updates to my PC. I turned on the 3760 and plugged it into the pc, and then followed the update wizard. I updated the firmware and some voice updates. The process took about 5 minutes!! I have an Intel quad 7 processor, so an older PC might take a bit longer.

I then set up to take about an hour trip. The 3760 found satellites and calculated the route in less than 30 seconds. I love the screen clarity, and the external speaker gives sufficient volume. Then I intentionally went off route and the 3760 recalculated in less than 10 seconds!

I bought the 3760 because my TomTom took 5-10 minutes to startup and calculate routes, and it was hard to hear with any kind of cabin noise. It took a long time to recalculate as well.

Needless to say, I am completely satisfied with the 3760's performance and highly recommend it--just be careful to have the unit fully charged before updating--and follow the instructions.

Cheers

Read Best Reviews of Garmin nüvi 3760LMT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map & Traff Here

I upgraded from my 765T, which I have been enjoying for couple of years, mainly due to:

1. One of the best designed windshield mount in the industry, my old Tomtom kept falling all the time.

2. Removing the unit from the cradle is a such joy!

3. Multiple routing planning.

However its touch screen is horrible, basically useless. And I thought its map is out of date.

I have high hope for this beauty, upon playing it for couple of days, I noticed that:

1. When traffic indicator turns red, it doesn't give estimated delayed time anymore! I can't believe they removed one of the most useful feature...

2. The mini USB cable has an awkward angle into the cradle, why can't they make it flush and straight?

3. The routing algorithm seems to give quite some odd suggestions.

4. Only two customizable data fields, such a waste of high resolution screen estate. Tomtom beats it hands down. Come on give us more choices!

5. I did a map update yesterday, and noticed that it doesn't include a big highway on/off ramp changes, which happened about a year ago, so i'm not sure how up to date / accurate they are, it somehow defeats the claimed "life time map update" feature, which is quite disappointing . I also noticed some express way have wrong number of lanes.

6. Still no speed-sensitive automatic volume adjustment, such a bummer.

I kinda regret my "upgrade", and think they are going backwards on some essential features.

Update on 6/14

1. The auto power off some times doesn't work, when ended up draining the battery.

2. Sometime the lane guidance is complete messed up. i.e. one a two lane road it shows a 6 lanes!

3. The POI seach is not intuitive at all, I have to use "go to", then choose "near start, on the route, near destination", why can't they simply show POIs on the map, then let user to pan/zoom? Almost every major online map software offer that feature...

Update on 7/1

I noticed the shining "chrome" top edge caused a lot of glare under California sun. So much so it blinds my eye, I think they should make the top edge more matt like. It won't be as cool, but more pratical and safer.

Update on 9/13

1. I upgraded the map/firmware to 2012.20, and noticed it shows a split screen of map/visual on exit, as opposed to visual only, which is quite nice.

2. I also noticed that exit view is very photo realistic, so much so upon close inspection I figured it's actually from REAL photos (judging from the shape of tree and lighting pole), which is quite amazing consider the amount of data to be squeezed in!

3. Quite often it crashed (auto powered off) for no apparent reason.

4. Quite often the arriving time is messed up badly, for example I arrived at 6pm, but on the GPS it says 9pm.

Want Garmin nüvi 3760LMT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map & Traff Discount?

Getting used to a GPS with traffic-sensitive routing takes some getting used to, but the more I use it, the more I like it.

I bought this unit, refurbished, for under $200 when starting a new job, and I needed fast route calculations (and re-calculations), larger display, free map updates, and an input method that could be used safely without having to pull over. I got all that with the 3790LMT.

I have a smart phone with Google maps, but felt that a dedicated GPS was better. Typing an address on a touch-QWERTY keyboard while driving is just too dangerous. A snap--in holder-standard with any GPS--is an expensive extra for a phone, and you will have to attach the power cord separately. Maps don't show up if you are in an area with no cell phone coverage. And running GPS on a smartphone makes it heat up quite a bit, and wears down the battery.

First off, I want to comment on the negatives that others have talked about: Ads, and unit running hot. I have not seen a single pop-up ad, and yes I use the live traffic feature. As far as running hot, it does, but seems to be built for it.

I work in and around Boston, and have to drive to client sites during rush hour almost daily. The routing around traffic quite helpful; I have learned more in three months than in years about how to get around some traffic chokepoints.

One feature I have come to depend on is the ability to find Parking near where I am, and the matching feature, to find where you Parked; if you remove the unit from the holder while the power is still applied, it auto-magically assumes you've parked the car. Then, after completing my service call, I just Find Last Parking, and I am guided back to my car. No buttons to push, no Apps to load and remember.

The voice commands work better than I expected. For my regular clients, I can call up Favorites, select one, and start Navigation without having to take my hands off the steering wheel. It doesn't work as well for an unknown address, so I use the touch screen for that, but with predictive typing for City, and Street, it's safe enough.

The screen's high resolution helps compensate for my older eyes, and I chose this over a larger screen but with lower resolution. A larger screen would have not fit in a pocket, and would have had a short (if any) battery life.

The 3790 does seem to adapt to 'learn' my common routes, and will often advise me of distance, and estimated time to a location even if I haven't told it where I am going. At first I questioned some of the routing choices, but either it has learned, or I have, and we are generally in agreement. If I chose a different route, it senses quickly, and will often recalculate in the time it takes to get to the bottom of an exit ramp.

I use the speakerphone feature, and it synced my work Blackberry contact list right up, easier to read on the nuvi than on the phone itself.

I just did my first quarterly map update, and the whole process took a little over an hour; slow but better (according to reviews) than it used to be.

In all, I got all that I expected and then some when I purchased this unit. Well worth the $170 (refurb).

I go way back with Garmin, way before the Nuvi models came out. The thing about Garmin is they stand behind their products 100% I have dealt with their tech support and those people are excellent and very helpful. This new generation of Nuvi's blew me away. You get a lot of bang for your buck on the 3760LMT model I just purchased on Amazon. Since this is my 5th Garmin and like I mentioned I been with them from the beginning this model is outstanding. Free lifetime maps, Free Traffic and when your using it its intuitive to your traffic patterns. It looks ahead for you and tells you how long until you hit your next favorite destination. Like I tell all my friends you wont go wrong with a Garmin.

Exide RF-31D ROADFORCE AGM-200 Sealed Maintenance-Free (AGM) Heavy-Duty/Commercial Battery

I had ordered and identical battery through Home Depot for $200 and then found this one for $179 on Amazon. The one from Home Depot worked out great and this one has as well so far. I may order more as I am using them for my solar project which requires deep cycle batteries and AGM type batteries are the latest thing.

I live in my RV full time, so a deep cycle battery is extremely important to me. A few years back I bought expensive West Marine Deep Cycle Batteries. The first one worked great, but when it came time to replace it, the new one cost fifty dollars more. Since I have never minded paying for real quality, I bit the bullet and ponied up the extra cash. Unfortunately, the newer more expensive version was made significantly cheaper than the original--even the battery post terminals were thinner. It never worked well, and died after about a year. I was so disappointed with it that I decided to special order an Optima deep cycle battery-until I checked the reviews on Amazon, which said that the new Optimas (now made by Interstate Battery) had suddenly declined significantly in quality, also. Since this Exide Roadforce battery had great reviews, I decided to give it a try, instead. I was a little concerned about not being able to return it to Amazon because of the hazardous materials issue, so I checked with my local Exide rep to see about returns. (I actually told her that I had a defective one that I had purchased on Amazon to return, just to see how they would handle it. Only when she was trying to work out the details of getting me a replacement, did I "come clean" and admit that I was "just testing." She was incredibly helpful and even gracious when she found out the truth of the situation. I am completely convinced that Exide will honor its battery warranty from products purchased on Amazon, but fortunately, this battery has worked so well that I haven't had to find out. I have been using it steadily now for about three or four months, and from my extensive experience with RV batteries, I am quite sure it will out-perform and out-last any other battery that I have ever used.

The cost on Amazon was about a hundred dollars less than any local dealers, and at least a hundred and fifty dollars less than the West Marine piece of s***I bought last time. This is why I purchase so much more on Amazon than at local stores anymore. I want to support my local economy, but have lost so much money from the lack of quality control, that if not for the Amazon reviews, I would probably be bankrupt by now.

Buy Exide RF-31D ROADFORCE AGM-200 Sealed Maintenance-Free (AGM) Heavy-Duty/Commercial Battery Now

The product was expedited in a timely manner, which is one of Amazons customer service qualities. But each shipment lacked the terminal nuts to complete the installation. I made two trips to the auto parts store after determining I need 17mm coarse thread instead of fine thread. Otherwise the performance is satisfactory.

Read Best Reviews of Exide RF-31D ROADFORCE AGM-200 Sealed Maintenance-Free (AGM) Heavy-Duty/Commercial Battery Here

When I bought my solar generator for backup, I was a bit disturbed at the local prices for this recommended battery. I ordered two of these on Amazon and was surprised it had free shipping. have been using them for over a year and they have worked fine.

Want Exide RF-31D ROADFORCE AGM-200 Sealed Maintenance-Free (AGM) Heavy-Duty/Commercial Battery Discount?

Got two of these to use with our solar array. They work great and the price with rebate was quite good.

Wagan 2016-6 700W Continuous Power Inverter

It's a cheap 700W inverter, but definitely works well enough. I haven't measured the true power output, but it cranks out 300W all day with no problems. The waveform generator isn't the best in world (to be expected at this price point) so some of my AC-DC inverters (for example, my laptop's) emit a bit of a hum, but the waveform is sinusoidal enough to run them without problem and I don't have any worries about damaging them.

It has an low-battery shutoff, an over-volatage detector, and its own fuses so it should be able to protect itself, your electronics, and your vehicle's battery without problem.

My only real gripe is that even at this price point, the provided cables should be twice as long. However, longer ones are available for not much coin.

Just as a note for people in the market for inverters, any inverter over 200W needs to be directly connected to the battery, regardless of what the manufacturer claims. This inverter will NOT plug into your lighter or accessory socket and nor should you try it, unless you like blowing fuses.

I gave this product 3 stars because it didn't come with an adapter for the cigarette lighter. It would've helped to include that with the description. I wanted more power available for plugging in items in the car. I returned this to Amazon for a refund.

Apparently, 400 watts is the max for a car to supply. I have the 400 watt inverter and it works well.

Buy Wagan 2016-6 700W Continuous Power Inverter Now

i have utilized these units from 400 watt to 700 watt. i designed them into power supplies for a power unit for astro imaging for telescopes, computers and other equipment used in imaging

i have looked at other makes but they do not have the quality and the fact that there size makes them easy to fit into my power units

Read Best Reviews of Wagan 2016-6 700W Continuous Power Inverter Here

I wasn't paying attention when I bought this unit (700 watt) and assumed it had a cig adapter that I could simply plug in. It doesn't (and yes, I see from the description that it never said that it did). That said, it's super-easy to clamp on to the car battery and it worked really well. I did not hard-wire it in to use while the vehicle was moving-just while stopped.

Takeawaygood unit, but don't buy if you need the cig adapter.

Want Wagan 2016-6 700W Continuous Power Inverter Discount?

Laza Zip Grip Universal 360 Windshield Dashboard Car Cell Phone Mount Cradle Holder iPhone 5 4S 4 3

I use this with my Samsung Galaxy S3 in my otter box case, and it fits perfectly, no need to remove the case at all. Mounting on the windshield and dash was very easy. But one of the best things was the customer service, you get an email from Laza letting you know about your warranty and to contact them should your product fail. Overall I'm happy with the product.

Update: Make sure when using this mount that you turn the locking ring on the base all the way until you feel it click, this locks the base, I had one or two mishaps because I forgot to turn the locking ring till it clicked.

I carry one of these every time I travel, since I use my Galaxy SIII for navigation. This is by far, the smallest, lightest, easy-to-carry car cradle I have seen. It sticks VERY well to the windshield, but like most units, won't stick on the pebble-grain they seem to put almost everywhere these days. Unfortunately, because the unit is very small, it doesn't reach toward you from the windshield, and the glass on many vehicles is quite far away, making the screen hard to reach and see. I usually end up putting it closer to the rear-view mirror instead of low nearer the dash somewhere. However, unless you rest the bottom of the phone on the dash, you WILL have SIGNIFICANT WOBBLE. This guy bounces around quite a bit, owing mainly to the small ball joint that holds the phone. Summary: Choose this only if you can can rest the phone on the dash, or carry-size is your main concern.

Buy Laza Zip Grip Universal 360 Windshield Dashboard Car Cell Phone Mount Cradle Holder iPhone 5 4S 4 3 Now

Great product, very comfortable to take with you when on travel and holds the phone secured (it takes few times to learn how to maneuver the phone into the cradle but once you learned the way it is piece of cake).

I would definitely recommend it to frequent travelers.

P.S. I have Samsung Galaxy S3 which is a relative big phone and it holds it very nicely.

Read Best Reviews of Laza Zip Grip Universal 360 Windshield Dashboard Car Cell Phone Mount Cradle Holder iPhone 5 4S 4 3 Here

I had a lot of difficulty setting this up on my dashboard since the dash isn't smooth enough to set. And my window is angled so deep I couldn't set it up making it difficult to stretch my already disabled hand. This cradle is a (tight) spring loaded cradle and not equipped with a quick release so it pinches my fingers hard. So instead of using it in my car it sits comfortably on my desk at the perfect angle.

Want Laza Zip Grip Universal 360 Windshield Dashboard Car Cell Phone Mount Cradle Holder iPhone 5 4S 4 3 Discount?

I received my product on time with Amazon Prime shipping option. At this price, this is a wonderful product and fits well with my new EVO 4G LTE. It mounts on my window where I use to put have my old TomTom GPS I'm not so sure I'd want to install the dash mount as it warns it's permanaent but it's an option. The suction cup design is very good so it grips very securely. The product itself is very intuitive but I did look over the accompanying instructions booklet and it was very well written and straight forward. I'm a big fan of Google's navigation application and only made sense for me to get something like this. It's not impossible to get the phone on the holder with one hand but definitely much easier with two hands on the other hand, it holds my phone very securely and I don't have to worry about my phone falling out at all. The simple design is very versatile and you can easily have your phone rotate to be landscape or portrait. The only improvement I could think of is if the gripper was spring loaded so that it opens easily and then uses the spring to close.

Save 50% Off

Retractable Car USB Kit for Samsung Rogue U960

I bought this 2-piece set for the versatility of use as both a car charger and as a PC-USB data/charger cable at home. It works well for both purposes.

Save 29% Off

RoadPro RPPS-16ES 12-volt Auxiliary Power Port or Outlet

I'm very happy with this quality of this lighter socket. It comes with plenty of wire so you can really mount it on a motorcycle wherever you want. My only complaint is that the spring for the cover is REALLY stiff. It be nicer if you could just hold it up and plug something in with one hand, but you need two. I never unplug the component I use it for, so it's not really a big deal for me.

What else can I say? It's a 12v Aux power hookup and does what it's supposed to do, it's well made, easy to install if you know what you're doing and the spring closure is good and strong. Plenty of wire for most applications. Just remember, if you want it to be fused, you need to either hook it up via an existing fusebox or purchase an inline fuse seperately.

Buy RoadPro RPPS-16ES 12-volt Auxiliary Power Port or Outlet Now

I made a bracket to mount the power socket under the dash in my Tracker boat. The unit comes with plenty of wire and works great as a source to plug in my hand held spotlight. If you are handy with tools, you will be able to easily install this device. I used the under dash fuse block as a power source for the unit and connected it to an appropriate amp fuse.

Read Best Reviews of RoadPro RPPS-16ES 12-volt Auxiliary Power Port or Outlet Here

The first time I inserted a plug into this receptacle it pulled out the inner metal sleeve when I pulled out the plug. For the price, it was not worth shipping it back so I just glued the metal sleeve back in place. Now it works fine. Not a great product but then again it isn;t very expensive either. I rate it "Ok for the price".

Want RoadPro RPPS-16ES 12-volt Auxiliary Power Port or Outlet Discount?

This socket is perfect for anyone looking to match this to a motorcycle. It come just as it looks in the picture and I cannot be any happier with the quality and shipping time. Easy to mount with the low profile plastic mount. The spring loaded lip is amazingly tough and tight fitting, I find that if you put it on a motorcycle that vibrates as we all know, the little extra pressure on whatever you plug into it keeps it from backing out and causing a false connection. BUUUUY it nowif you are looking to get something like this.

Save 32% Off

Parrot MINIKIT Smart Bluetooth Hands-Free Kit with Holder for Smartphone

From start to finish, I completed set-up within 45 minutes. It was not the easiest system to use, but if you're slightly technologically minded or stubborn, you'll be able to do it without too much problem. Setting up so it recognized my contacts via voice command was the longest part of the process. Overall, it's great in the car (voice recognition works well, the caller can hear well, decent call projection); it's helpful for using the phone navigation (mounted on dash instead of in my hand or precariously placed on dashboard), and it projects the voice directions; and it charges your phone while driving, so you don't have to worry about running out of battery on long calls or for a long navigational drive.

I tested with two HTC Touch phones and an iPhone. All worked equally well with the exception of an inability to automatically export contacts from the older HTC Touch.

You'll want to keep their main website handy in order to address questions. The manual is all but useless. In fact, I found that using the page and clicking on your phone will give you hints in how to correctly set it up if you are having difficulty.

Summary:

Pros:

* Relatively fast charge (1.5 hours from my computer USB port, while I was playing with the system).

* Adhered to my windshield better than any of the GPS tools

* If your phone automatically exports contacts, the set-up is super easy (iPhone). See "cons" if your phone does not.

* Bluetooth works well callers were able to hear me.

* Background noise reduction works pretty well. You can tell that you're in the car, but it doesn't have the same level of road noise that my Motorola in-ear bluetooth does, or the wired connection.

* Voice recognition was good. It correctly dialed 93% of the the numbers I tested. The voice that repeats who the phone is calling is a little odd, though very mechanised.

* You can pair up to 10 phones with this system. I tested 3 with no problem.

* Includes regular and mini-USB connectors.

* If worried about extensive exposure to radiation, keeps the phone and bluetooth away from your head.

* Includes a car charger with a USB connection useful for more devices than just this one!

Cons:

* The enclosed manual really stinks. It basically only covers set-up, but not the functionality. You have to want to play with with the system to see all the bells and whistles. That also means that you can't say, "How do I do 'x'?" and look it up. They attribute it to being "green" and send you online, but that manual isn't much better. It also requires being somewhere you can access the internet in order to properly set it up (e.g. if you purchase from a b&m store, and try to set it up in your car, good luck!)

* They refer you to the website to see if your smart phone is compatible. However, there is no "compatible" option from their menu I was unable to locate one from their main page or using the smart function. I needed to Google "parrot phone compatibility" to get the page:

* Occasionally, it does dial incorrectly using the voice function. However, it is easy and fast to cancel *if* you are paying attention to the number that is being dialed.

* If your phone is older and not set up to automatically sync contacts, you may need to export them one at a time. I had to do that with an older HTC phone I tested.

* It allows you to scroll through your phonebook in alphabetical order, saying the name of the contact in case you're not sure how you named them.

* Comes with a detachable microphone and a clip that you can pin to the visor for better sound.

* Really needs a case to keep it all together. The online manual suggests that if the swivel that holds the phone feels loose to use the attached Allen wrench to tighten it. It's a small wrench and could easily be lost. While we have many size Allen wrenches in our house (thanks Ikea!), I've never used one that has such a small diameter and wouldn't have anything that would replace it.

Best for those:

* driving cars without bluetooth ability allows hands-free calling.

* who want to use their GPS functions without having to hold the phone in their hand and keep their phone charged

I received the Parrot Minikit for free via the Vine program. It's a device I would not have purchased on my own, but now that I've used it, I love it and think it's brilliant. I still knock it down a star for the unhelpful manual and difficulty in navigating their main site. I'll certainly be continuing to use this nifty device and am likely to purchase one for my parents to use.

I'm still looking for the right solution for me, having recently moved to a state with a hands-free law. I don't think this will ultimately be the one for me, though. The speaker is good, even if it could have been a bit louder for me. I drive an SUV, and the sound level in the cockpit isn't as low as in most sedans.

There is no manual other than a quick-start guide, which isn't nearly clear enough in my opinion. It reminds me of a cross between Ikea instructions and the set-up brochure you get with most computer games. The detachable microphone is a great idea, but it was confusing for me personally. The guide just shows a picture of drawing of the microphone already several inches from the base and attached by a wire. It took me several minutes of searching the box to realize that no microphone was with all the cables they included. I then took several more minutes to realize that the microphone is attached to the base already by a retractable wire. You have to pull the mic (which is on the side of the base across from the power connections) and pull it to unwind the cable.

For me, the biggest drawback is partly my own fault, though. I'm rough on phones, so I bought the OtterBox Defender Case iPhone 4 (Blue/Black, Fits AT&T iPhone 4). Unfortunately, that adds a good deal to the dimensions of my phone. The clip they use to adjust the fit for phones is a great idea, but it isn't quite expandable enough. to get my phone in, it's an extremely tight fit, and I have to drag it hard against the bottom layer of padding to do so. This foam padding isn't going to hold up to that kind of abuse for long, I'm afraid.

So, If you're tech savvy, have a phone smaller than the Otterbox Defender, and drive a quieter car than an SUV, this should be a great solution. For me, I'll keep looking.

Buy Parrot MINIKIT Smart Bluetooth Hands-Free Kit with Holder for Smartphone Now

It looks like a good idea, if you don't like headsets and/or can't pony up for one of Parrot's completely integrated systems. The kit comes with almost everything you need, the missing part based on which phone you have. My Sprint Samsung Epic was good to go, but iPhone owners and any others with a phone that doesn't use a standard mini/micro USB connector will have to bring their own charging cable. The mount is sturdy and allows the cradle to detach so you can store it away when not in use. The cradle itself holds my phone nice and tightly, with no worries of it falling out and hitting the floor while driving. The mic on a string design leaves something to be desired, and could potentially be an easy point of failure, (mount loses its grip and falls, retractor breaks, object gets snagged on the cable, etc).

It's advertised as working with any smartphone, but the manual clearly states that if it doesn't work with your phone that you should check the compatibility list. On my phone though everything went fine, Pairing it with my phone and syncing the contacts was no problem. Using the voice commands to make calls was hit and miss, requiring some retraining of the Minikit to get it to work more consistently. The little green and red LED lights that denote which button is which don't stay on while the unit is powered on, which can make hitting the right button and knowing if it is on or off confusing. I found myself just leaving it plugged in and on all the time, not relying on the battery power whatsoever.

Finding a spot in my minivan to install the Minikit that was within reach, did not break the law, and was convenient for GPS use took a little time, but I eventually found one. The mic was installed along the top of the instrument cluster, directly in front of the driver's seat. According to the User's Guide, this was the ideal area. During road trials, I found it a bit difficult to hear the Minikit at highway speeds (windows rolled up, no music, no fan blowing), but around town it was just fine. As an alternate, I may try plugging my phone's audio into the car stereo and see how that goes. Results from the people I was calling were hit and miss, some saying that they could hear me fine, which others I had to shout at.

When it's all said and done, I am not sure the Parrot Minikit Smart was the best option, compared with Parrot's integrated products that can be had in the same price range (CK3100, CK3000, and CK3200). It does fulfill a need though, and works well enough. Using with my phone for charging and navigation is a sure plus, and would be more so if it were louder. I'd just prefer the cleaner look of the integrated parts and their ability to tap directly into my van's sound system.

Read Best Reviews of Parrot MINIKIT Smart Bluetooth Hands-Free Kit with Holder for Smartphone Here

I LOVE THIS MACHINE. The sound quality is pure and clear. This is the ONLY device I have ever used that doesn't bother my callers. (Didn't that sound romantic and old fashioned? It's also 90% untrue, as I make most of my phone calls while I am in the car.) I have some devices that some of my more picky friends (Reg!) don't like and others that no one likes. Since my neck injury a couple of years ago, I find it almost impossible to use a cell phone holding it next to my ear. I can't capture it in my shoulder very well either. It kind of leaves me in an awkward position.

Another benefit of this machine in this time of not including anything extra in packages, (I once received an iPod without any kind of power cord), is that it comes with a bunch of cords for every possible use. It was like finding the jackpot of connections. I can charge this with devices I don't even own!

The problem? I find that I don't carry it anywhere. It's too heavy. It's like putting a brick in your purse.

On the other hand, you always know if you remembered your phone and speaker phone or not. And it turns a purse into a great weapon.

Want Parrot MINIKIT Smart Bluetooth Hands-Free Kit with Holder for Smartphone Discount?

I was pretty excited to finally get bluetooth in my car. The unit feels pretty solid and has a quality feel to it.

The included instruction manual is a complete joke. It barely covers basic functionality of the unit, but nothing in any great detail. Which button do I hit? What does the red and green mean? How do I connect? None of these questions were answered with any detail in the manual. I eventually had to google a manual in more detail to learn how to use this kit. And I'm already a tech savvy person can't imagine how the average user will figure this out!

Once I got my phone synced (that took more time looking on their website to see if my phone was compatible), it worked well for the most part. I still accidentally call and hang up on people, mainly because there's only one main button that controls everything. If you press a long while, it does one thing if you press briefly, it does something else. Frustrating to use, especially while driving!

The sound quality was mediocre. At low speeds, I could hear the caller pretty well. On the highway, however, at max volumes I was still constantly saying "what'd you say?". It just doesn't get very loud, so if you do a lot of highway driving, stay away from this unit.

Callers said my voice sounded good, however, and had no complaints about the sound quality. It is SO nice not to have to fumble with a phone while driving!

Save 46% Off

Camco 57331 Olympian Wave-3 3000 BTU LP Gas Catalytic Heater

I purchased the Olympian Wave 6 Catalytic Heater during the summer of 2007, for use in our 1987 Starcraft Nova Popup Camper. The camper has an 11' box, so it's a fairly large camper when opened up. I had already installed an OEM Duo-Therm forced air furnace. It worked great, but the blower fan in these forced air furnaces are noisy, use alot of 12 volt battery power, and the furnaces use quite a bit of propane. Every time that furnace turned on, it would wake us up. Then we'd lay there listening to the blower run for 10-15min. When it finally shut off, instead of being able to go back to sleep, we'd still be awake, anticipating the next cycle.

The Wave 6 Heater is an amazing heat source and fits the use in this camper perfectly. I purchased the feet for it, as well as the available protective cover for storage (I highly recommend you buy the cover because you must keep the platinum catalytic mat clean). I had a 10' flexible rubber propane hose made and T'd that into the existing fitting under the fold down sink cabinet. A small brass ball valve is located at the T in order to turn off/on propane flow into the flexible hose to the heater. At the other end of the 10' hose is a propane quick coupler (purchased from ) and this allows the hose to quickly be "snapped" on to the male fitting that I installed on the heater. A quick note about these propane quick couplers. There are several versions made; a low pressure and a high pressure. The Wave heaters use your low pressure system in your camper/RV/MH/TT/5er, but you can use either the low pressure quick coupler set up, or the high pressure. Some campers/RV's/etc. use these quick couplers from the factory, so if you're having trouble matching an existing coupler, it may be because you're trying to mate a low pressure with a high pressure, or vise-versa. Call the folks at mbsturgis and they can help.

When not in use, the heater stowes under the dinette seat. It takes just a few minutes to get the heater out before going to bed, and set it up. Per the manufacturer's instructions, I open the roof vent about 1/2", and the lower panel of the screen door the same amount. Sometimes I'll unzip just a few inches of the upper corner, of the side bunk windows, but not always. We never have a condensation problem.

The heater lights quickly and in about 5-10min. is fully "cooking." Set on medium, it will keep the camper 71*F inside at an outside tempurature of 51*F. I leave it run all night and it keeps us toasty warm.

A word of advice on using heaters in campers; do your homework if you're worried about carbon monoxide poisoning. By that, I mean call the manufacturer and get your information straight from their technical support, or even their engineers. That way, you have actual data, instead of all the story telling that is so common on many RV website forums.

Bottom line: This is an outstanding product that's extremely well designed and built. It's easy to use, super efficient, quiet, and just cranks out the heat!

UPDATE: Dec 2012

We're still using the Wave 6 heater after 6 seasons. Still love the thing. It still runs all night long, while we sleep. I wound up making "thumb screws" that allow me to take the feet on and off faster. I install the feet at the beginning of each camp trip, and take them off on the final day of the trip, and the heater just sits out of the way on the counter during the day. The thumb screws are just 5mm allen head "bolts" that I threaded into 5mm wing nuts. I tightend the allen head bolts really tight into the wing nuts, so the wing nuts make it easy to spin the bolts through the legs and up into the heater's threaded lugs. Hope that makes sense.

To give an idea of how little propane these heaters use, we had an 8 day camp trip this year, and only used 3.8 gallons of propane. That included about 10 days of running the refrigerator, and 8 days of cooking 2 meals per day on the 3 burner carry-out stove, and using the Wave 6 from about 8pm each night, until around 6am the next morning.

My little travel trailer came without an LP Furnace. I originally thought this would be a huge drawback and prevent me from dry camping...until I discovered the Olympian Wave 3! What a fantastic little unit! It's every bit as powerful as a forced air 12000BTU LP furnace, however it has some big advantages-1. it's completely silent. No loud blower motors to wake you up every time they turn on; 2. it doesn't require any battery power (an LP furnace won't run if your battery dies); 3. it's smaller, lighter, and portable than an LP furnace; and 4. With a hose and leg accessories, you can move the heater around to wherever you need it.

The only disadvantage is that there's no thermostat control-you only have two heat settings (low and high) that stay on as long as the unit is on. But since it's more consistent radiant heat, once it warms the interior, you can maintain a consistent temp inside by just adjusting your windows or roof vent.

Unlike cheaper catalytic heaters such as the "buddy" series or the Coleman "cats", this one uses much less LP per hour (since it uses low pressure LP rather than high). It also works in higher elevations (where the others can't operate above 5000 feet or so).

Highly recommended product that will last you for years!

Buy Camco 57331 Olympian Wave-3 3000 BTU LP Gas Catalytic Heater Now

We bought this heater for our travel trailer. We enjoy "dry camping" (no power or water) in the the desert during the winter and needed a heat source that does not run down our batteries. The heater is ideal from that respect. It does not require a blower and it does not use power to control the flame.

It worked well for us at first. After a month or so of regular use we noticed that it started to smell and then our carbon monoxide detector alarm sounded in the middle of the night warning of carbon monoxide levels high enough to kill. (Wouldn't you know it, it was the coldest night we ever experienced in the desert, -18 degrees!!)

Camping often means dusty conditions. It is not stated in the on-line specifications or mentioned in the reviews or in the manufactures description that this heater is not suitable for dusty conditions. Only by careful reading of the operation manual can this be discovered. We went ahead and installed the heater hoping that we could keep the dust down. Although we thought we were being careful by keeping it covered when not in use and practiced good housekeeping, the heater failed because the catalyst got "poisoned". Once it failed we found that the warranty does not cover catalyst poisoning and it was too late to return it. We now have a heater that we cannot use because of high carbon monoxide levels.

Be aware that this heater can be deadly. In a dust-free environment the heater will probably give years of use, but if you plan to use this heater, or any catalytic heater for camping, be aware of the limitations, check the operation manual before you buy it and use a CO detector.

Read Best Reviews of Camco 57331 Olympian Wave-3 3000 BTU LP Gas Catalytic Heater Here

The unit has been used twice and works perfectly. In addition, when I had a question about the unit, the tech support folks were right there with speedy, courteous information. For their size, these heaters do not have the raw output of something like a "Buddy Heater." However, there are some big differences. Buddy Heaters do not work above 7,000 feet. Therefore, of little use in Colorado. Second, these heaters burn exceptionally clean requiring very little ventillation. Previously, I was using a radiant kerosene heater to keep my enclosed trailer warm during hunting season. It took huge amounts of ventillation to keep the carbon monoxide detector from going off (read "to stay alive".) A clean efficient burning process is critical for me when I use the heater for my hunting trailer. In addition, because these heaters hook up to a large propane tank, they can run for a very long time with no input from the user. I am very satisfied with this unit.

Want Camco 57331 Olympian Wave-3 3000 BTU LP Gas Catalytic Heater Discount?

Hi All.

We have been using a Mr Heater, and a Wave #6 Propane Heater, for about 8 years now. The only time you notice any smell at all, is the very first time your fire it up. Its just that new smell that you noitce. It goes away very quickly. Since we do almost nothing but Boon-Docking, ( No Hook-Ups at all ) we never, ever use our RV's Furance at all. First of all, because it will suck down one Battery per night. And second an RV Furance at best is maybe 40% to 50% effective, which means it really sucks down the Propane. And the last issue with any RV Furance is that they make a whole lot of noise all night long. Where as the Mr Heater and the Wave #6 Propane Heater is totally silent and use's no power at all. You can either Permantely Mount the Wave Heaters or use a Leg-kit and use the wave #6 as a Portable.

As mentioned, you must keep your Wave Heater's Pad, Covered and Clean all of the time, or you will poision it for sure. I have met other RV'er who hhave used the very same Wave #6 or the Wave #8 for almost 20 years wiht no problems. We also have never had a problem either. Take care of your propane Heater and it will take care of you. You can have it repaired, but it cost almost as much to just buy a Brand New Wave #6 Heater, and start with a new Warranity. The Mr Heater is a good Propane Heater also, but it is only good to about 6500 feet, and it does put out a liitle bit more Carbon Monixide than the Wave #6 does, which is almost nothing, compaird to the Wave #6, and is good up to 12,000 ft. Others have mentioned Moisture issues. If you vent properly, you can easily manage this. We used both of these Propane Heaters in our last 5er. And now in our 34 ft Class A Motorhome. The Wave #6 is tapped into the Motorhome's Low Pressure System. I use two 12 ft Low Pressure Propane Hoses connected together. So I can move it any where I want it to be in our Motorhome. Our Motorhome is not what you call an All Season RV. But just the Wave #6 Propane Heater has keep us very comfortable down into the singal digit numbers in the winter. In cold weather Boon-Docking, a Wave #6 Propane Heater can and does extend your time that you can stay out and enjoy yourself and the winter time. If for any rreason that ours should ever quit working, we will buy another one for sure. I do make sure our Motorhomes Furance does work properly, for just in case of an emergency only. Good Luck. Happy Travels

Save 38% Off