Stereo & Electronics - GPS systems, what to look for?

I want a car GPS system. (Not for the SS). I took the ride of shame on the tow truck home fromt he track and the tow truck driver had one. Went to a concert with a friend who has one and they seemed to work great. They seem to be cheap now too. start around $200. What functions should I look for. Putting this in my 07 Xterra. I would like to be able to get topo maps on it as well. Don't want a monthly service fee.

Thoughts, experiences?

There is never a monthly service fee for using a GPS unit (you will have to pay for updated maps down the road <pun intended>). There are a number of features that you may find useful or not.

At a minimum, a GPS should have voice guidance and automatic recalculation. Most modern GPS units have both but it was only a couple of years ago you had to press a button to get the unit to recalculate your route. I prefer units with their own built-in battery so that I can take it inside to program or I can carry it with me when sightseeing on foot. Text-to-speech is a nice feature (the GPS says "turn right on Main street" rather than "turn right in 400 feet") although it can sometimes badly mispronounce street names and can be completely wrong when a street changes name on opposite sides of an intersection. Touch screen versus buttons doesn't make much difference (although touch screens tend to have a larger screen in the same size case) as long as the menus are clear and easy to use. Units that use the NavTeq mapping data seem to be the most accurate so look for that on the package.

I've owned units by Magellan and Garmin. I have found that the Garmin units are faster and better plus their customer service is outstanding. I currently own a Garmin Quest which is quite small (size of a cigarette pack) but is perfect for use in the car and on the motorcycle.

Thanks. That's great information. When I was looking at new 4X4's, the jeep's had optional GPS systems. Some had a free service for a year, and then you had to pay monthly. They hook up to the internet & can give resteraunts, movie theaters with showings & times. Not what I really want.

I have an old hand held GPS, I hardly ever used. Magellan GPS 320.

Just spoke to my buddy. His is a garmin street pro or street pilot. He has to check the box when he gets home.

One of my previous units was a Garmin StreetPilot III. It worked well but was quite large and heavy compared to newer units.

Check out the Garmin StreetPilot c330 or StreetPilot i3 Color - both are available online for under $300.

StreetPilot i3
I have the StreetPilot i5, which isn't made anymore. I don't think the i3 is made any more either. Neither are touch-screen, but they are easy to use. If I remember correctly, the difference between the two (besides the i5 being more expensive) was the on-board memory. The i5 came with the entire Continental US preloaded and you could swap it for Continental Canada or anything else instead. In short, make sure the unit you buy has the continent preloaded so that you don't have to worry about loading/unloading maps when crossing states. Some older units (possibly current units as well) can only hold a couple states. I love my i5, its a bit small, but its does the job better than any other brand and costs less.

These are the basic features to look for:
* Continental US loaded on-board
* Voice Guidance
* Auto-Redirection

Try taking a look at the TomTom units, I bought my Mom one of those awhile back because she does a lot of driving in Bay Area. They have lots of features and are very easy to use.