Magellan RoadMate RV9145-LM - 7-Inch GPS Navigator for RVers

This GPS, surprisingly is equally good for private or commercial large vehicles. Routing is determined for size, weight and length parameters including semi tractor/trailers. Navigation by in large is as accurate as PCMiler, Rand, Cobra and Garmin Commercial Truck navigation systems.Some discretionally decisions have to be made on all of them. For this Magellan, it is no exception. A bit slow on screen touch response but this becomes irrelevant in the grand scheme of things when considering capability and price.Magellan may in the future consider a more robust dashboard mount design to eliminate vibration. Rand is the best when it comes to mounting hardware.The screen is probably as clear and informative as a Garmin and Cobra, but short of Rand's super HID screen.Highly recommended if price is a main factor. It is an excellent value for that purpose.Magellan perhaps offers the best guidance. Friendly clear voice, accurate and on the spot. repetiton are timely and not tedious.

This RV9145 GPS has some very nice features. The 7" display is great. I have a 40 foot motorhome and pull a small car. I can put all my RV info, including its weight, in and it routes me based on that info. Keeps me off roads I should not be on or would have a difficult time maneuvering on.It tells me in advance what lane to be in for the next turn. Warns me if I am exceeding the speed limit by 5 MPH (or whatever I select as over). I can ask for points of interests, RV parks, diesel service stations, restraints, etc. and that is just a few things. It also gives me a texted turn by turn with mileage listing. There is a lot of good stuff in this unit that all RV'ers want.But...I cannot trust it. For the trips we have taken it has directed me to county roads that took me off the freeway and then after a number of miles put me right back on the same freeway. In addition it directed me to turn off one freeway or highway and on to another road (that made no sense) only to then, after a number of miles, give me instructions for a u-turn back to where I started. In all cases the result is loss of time, fuel costs, and a big gain of frustration.This didn't happen often (3 times so far) but enough times that I have lost my trust in it.Because we like all the features of this RV9145 GPS we now use my wife's iPad GPS as a verification tool to make sure we are on the right path. The iPad doesn't tell me where I should not be driving (low bridges, parkways, ext) but using the texted turn by turn listings on both GPS's (before we start the trip and off and on during the trip) we can verify and/or identify our directions. Seems to work for us. A good atlas would also work in place of the iPad GPS.UPDATE UPDATE UPDATEI have down loaded updated firmware 2 times now as well as maps. Was very simple and had no problems. Have used this GPS with the software updates for a number of trips over a number of months and it worked perfect. Seems that the problems I found have been worked out. I do like this GPS and now seems reliable.Changing from 3 stars to 4 stars.I now recommend this GPS although keep an atlas on hand. An atlas on hand is a good idea for all GPS's.

I ordered this unit to save some coins, (for some reason knowing I would not like it as much as a Garmin) Always been a Garmin user since the 80’s Bought more than three Garmin’s in the following groups, Motorcycle, Boating, Regular auto, and Aviation. The unit most likely would be pleasing for someone who never owned as many Garmin’s as I have. Not to say it not a good unit they just do things different, different set of people doing their own thing. Works great can’t put it to word why I rather have a Garmin other than what I said. Saving Money to waste somewhere else I guess. LoLUnit has a RV park Database seems to have all parks in it and you can load you RV information in it so maybe it will not take you down the wrong road, critical when you 45 feet long and 8.5 feet wide (The Boss has to have the big rig, Know what I mean LoL) too. have not used it enough to know that yet, using it in my car to get used to it, Battery life maybe 35 minutes without cord that comes with . Has a large screen, has other bell and whistles not mentionedOver all good unit. Not 5 star to me -did I mentioned I like Garmin's R I was Cheap Skate on this purchase