Will I be irritated by using my handheld GPS in the car?

I would go back to the manufacturer or distributor where you bought your GPS unit. They would have the vector maps you need for road usage. The software that runs the maps both for hiking or on the road is the same; you just need to add another street map for city use. You should also get a bracket to mount it on your car so is hands free user friendly. If your provider doesn’t have the appropriate software let me know, I might be able to help you since I am in the same line of business.

depends on if you like having a back seat driver i guess…...
i have heard they can be annoying, but onstar looks kinda cool

I have been surprised by how much I like mine. I’ve found it very helpful for trips to new areas.

There are a few issues I’ve had to get used to. When I’ve gone for a long highway stretch with no turns or deviations, the voice always startles me ‘cause I’ve forgotten about it. My version also calculates the most direct route, even if that means that I go through downtown rather than a bypass. I also find that entering an address can be frustrating if the street/highway that I have does not exactly match the “official” version.

@syz computers only understand what is put in them. The software company who did ur unit input all the addresses to match actual addresses the satellite can identify based on what’s in your unit’s memory, so yeah that can be frustrating. This is a good thread for me so I can identify what features to improve on my next products

I use my iPhone for directions while driving, and while this seems to make my passengers nervous, it has never been a problem for me. And I generally always use it myself, I never really have a “backseat driver” help me with directions, mostly because I travel with my girlfriend a lot and she’s terrible with maps and directions.

It depends on if it annoys you or not. You already own the thing, so it’s not like you’re deciding what to buy. You’ll probably have to just see how it suits you. For me, using my iPhone for directions has never been a problem in the car.

@cheebdragon I’ve had Onstar before and didn’t care much for it. It wasn’t terrible or anything, and it came with my car for 1yr. I didn’t renew it though. A friend of mine has a talking GPS. Her name is Jill…she actually introduces herself, has a Brittish accent and sounds terribly annoyed when you miss a turn. It’s quite funny. So, I’m used to the backseat driver. We actually talk back to her and uss her out on occasion. Good times.

@ed, I bought the unit online (eBay). I’m guessing I can just go to the Garmin website and download the maps I need. Will I have to pay for them? And what specific type of map will I need? I guess I could just look and try to figure it out, but your knowledge on this topic is just too handy! :)