Using a GPS for fuel economy

[ketel0ne]

Please list some uses and what types of units you guys are using of GPS'.

I am looking to map my commute with elevations, speed and distances in realtime.

[BumblingB]

I have a Garmin Nuvi and a Tom Tom. I like the Nuvi best. Neither tell altitude but the Nuvi has a "max speed", "average speed", "average moving speed", "moving time" and a few other items on one screen - I like that option a lot.

I had a Zire 72 with a Delorme Blue Logger - both ended up having battery issues in the end.

As far as altitude goes, I had a laptop with Delorme software and GPS - IMO 6 years ago it was superior to the Garmin or Tom today for detail/altitude etc. The new GPS are great for finding stores etc though, VERY quick to find a nearby store.

Hope that helped a little.

[Lug_Nut]

Originally Posted by Wazabi Owner

I have a Garmin Nuvi and a Tom Tom. I like the Nuvi best. Neither tell altitude but the Nuvi has a "max speed", "average speed", "average moving speed", "moving time" and a few other items on one screen - I like that option a lot.

My Nuvi 350 has altitude. I knew it did last night when I was on line, but damned if I could find the screen then.
Today's a fresh start.
On the 350: "Where to?", "My Locations", "My Current Location". This brings up present coordinates and altitude.

<p.s.>Based on that information on my level of knowledge (or lack thereof) of the unit's capabilities, it should come as no surprise that I have absolutely no idea if that information can be logged and downloaded.<end p.s.>

[bobc455]

Actually all GPSs compute altitude (they compute position 3-dimensionally), but many don't show it. Your average soccer mom probably doesn't even know what altidute is...

One more point of interest - your GPS is actually the most accurate clock you own...

-Bob C.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

I just got a TomTom One, 3rd generation. It has the max speed feature as well which is a nice compromise between "plan shortest" and "plan fastest" since 52 is about what I average on the highway.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I have my TomTom alert me if a restaurant that was featured on Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives is on my route...

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Nifty! A lot of the POI lists are obsolete, unfortunately. This is a real pain since I live in the sticks, so it shows the nearest Lowes as 200 miles away and stuff like that.

[bobc455]

I have a Nuvi. I seldom use it - it mostly stays tucked away. But when I am going to someplace new or unfamiliar, I pull it out. (It seems silly to mount the thing on my windshield for the routes I drive every single day, too much clutter and I have no desire to be a blatant gadget freak.)

I also use it when I am going between two points that I know, but I just don't know the best route. For example I know where my mother lives and where my brother lives, but I might not know the best route between their houses. Since I can utilize the GPS to figure an efficient route, that saves me gas when compared to taking a not-so-optimum route.

I will also occasionally use it to double-check the routes that I take every day. For example it did give me an alternative route from the gym to work that I'd never have considered, which is actually shorter & quicker than my old route (hence saving me some gas). The only other time I will use it is to calculate an ETA - then I turn it back off and put it away.

My GPS was a gift - I would not have bought it on my own. I know I would NEVER pay back the $199 (or whatever) on gas. I *might* have saved $5 in gas in the time I've owned it.

-BC

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bobc455

I will also occasionally use it to double-check the routes that I take every day. For example it did give me an alternative route from the gym to work that I'd never have considered, which is actually shorter & quicker than my old route (hence saving me some gas).

I've found that Google Maps (not Google Earth) by far the best for this purpose. I used to like Microsoft Streets & Trips best, but now with Google Maps you can drag your route to your preferred roads. Especially combined with satellite imagery, this makes it the perfect tool for detailed fine-tuning of a daily route.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

I got my GPS mostly so I could calibrate my speedometer for a coast down test. I also really hate driving in city traffic while juggling directions. Refurbished TomToms have gotten so cheap I found it hard to resist finally getting one. Half the price of what I paid when I got one as a gift fro a friend who gets car sick when trying to read and drive (and is therefore navigationally challenged).