Garmin GPS72 or Magellan Explorist 300?

[plaztix]

Just went to pick up my new GPS72 and the sales man advised me the explorist 300's are on sale for $200 down from $500.

The GPS 72 is $269 and i was basically going to pick it up now it has arrived but am a tad confused and need advise from all that have used either or both.

cheers

[frankgrimes]

Hey Mate - I've got the GPS72...Great little unit, never had a problem with it other than the batteries not lasting a huge amount of time....but you can get a combined power/data cable for them.

Never used a Magellan.

[dogsbody]

Why not ditch the 72 and get a gpsmap76 imported for around $240 aus landed.


Dave.

[plaztix]

Cause i got bloody BCF vouchers::)

Not that i should complain but i could have got something alot better if i had cash, i know.

Could have got the 72 for about $150 to my door.:-/

[Benno75]

Plaztix - Without meaning to hijack your post I'm also looking at buying a GPS and I'm looking at the Garmin GPS72 and I have a couple questions.

1) other than the price, whats the difference between buying them on line from overseas and paying retail over the counter in Australia - they are the same unit right? Is there any advantage to buying them here? Are they configured differently, different software???

2) I'd also like to know what options there are in the same price bracket as the GPS72 and if they are better/worse units. (NB as dogsbody said the map units bought on line are comparable in price to the 72's bought over the counter . . . . before you buy the maps. I don't think I'm interested in a plotter/map unit)

I've never owned or used a GPS before and I've sort of struggled to find a salesman who actually knows much about them, or at least one who can explain the pro's & cons to someone with my level of ignorance. In my price range everyone seems to recomend the gps72 though

[plaztix]

Plaztix - Without meaning to hijack your post I'm also looking at buying a GPS and I'm looking at the Garmin GPS72 and I have a couple questions.

1) other than the price, whats the difference between buying them on line from overseas and paying retail over the counter in Australia - they are the same unit right? Is there any advantage to buying them here? Are they configured differently, different software???

2) I'd also like to know what options there are in the same price bracket as the GPS72 and if they are better/worse units. (NB as dogsbody said the map units bought on line are comparable in price to the 72's bought over the counter . . . . before you buy the maps. I don't think I'm interested in a plotter/map unit)

I've never owned or used a GPS before and I've sort of struggled to find a salesman who actually knows much about them, or at least one who can explain the pro's & cons to someone with my level of ignorance. In my price range everyone seems to recomend the gps72 though

Yeah mate, i've been looking around for about 2 months and had my mind set on the GPS 72 until the bloke in the shop threw the 300 explorist special at me. Went for the Garmin in the end because it holds 30 more routes and has a larger screen.

Having a bit of a fiddle with it now, very easy to use and miles of features that i'm sure i probably wont even use but nice to know that if i do find a use i've got the option.

The unit you will get from OS is exactly the same as the unit you would buy here. Advantage of buying local is if something goes wrong while under warranty you take it down the road to get fixed/replaced. Dont know how you go about warranty issues with OS electronics if things went pear shaped. All units are configured the same and the software is american based in all of them. All in miles etc. but is easy to change all that.

The only other unit that i really thought was comparable was the Lowrance H20 (which is able to be used with maps/charts) but the charts are extra $$ and i dont really need maps, i just want to know the exact location of that drop off next time i go there and which way i'm drifting so i can go back to the exact spot over and over.

I would look into the OS warranty situation and if your happy with that you can get the whole next level with mapping if you decide you would like that in the future or just save yourself near on $100 for the GPS72.

I dont think you can go wrong with Garmin.

Good luck;)

[Crumbo]

Yeah I got the Explorist 300 on that special. And to be honest both units are very good. But like you said the 72 is very user friendly and has a nicer screen IMO. The only real difference between the units is that the 300 has basic mapping such as main roads on it.