GPS Theft On The Rise?...

As someone who has been a victim of GPS theft in the past, I can tell you that there is nothing pleasant about it. When someone steals your GPS, they don’t just take the gadget, they break your window, damage your door, and may even damage the interior in the process. According to Examiner.com, there is no stopping these GPS thieves:

Thieves often smash windows to steal items from vehicles, and victims have to deal with the cost and inconvenience of replacing the window glass in addition to the loss of anything taken.

One of the best ways to get yourself in trouble is by living your mount inside your car. Taking your mount with you or hiding it may not save your GPS, but it’s a good start. You should also take your GPS with you if possible. Leaving your GPS inside the car is usually a big risk. You can always hide your GPS inside your car, but thieves are getting smarter, and they may break into your car anyway. In that case, it’s better to minimize costs.

Watching where you park your car and hiding everything valuable inside the car is going to help you minimize your risk considerably. If you are unlucky, thieves may still break into your car. But at least that won’t be due to your carelessness. GPS gadgets sell like hotcakes on eBay, and you can almost tell which ones are stolen. That doesn’t keep people from buying them. So if you don’t want your stolen GPS to end up on eBay, just take caution. It’s not a 100% foolproof plan but no plan is.

GPS Buying Guide: How To Find a Killer GPS...

So you are finally ready to take the plunge and leave your old map for a shiny new GPS? Choosing a GPS is not that easy. There are too many options are available on the market (good news for us consumers), and there are significant differences among the features offered by various GPS manufacturers. If you are looking for a new GPS and have no idea how to choose the right one, here are the factors that you may want to consider:

• Brand: brand is not everything, but it’s good to know that the company you are planning to work with has a decent track record. Garmin and TomTom are known for providing the best overall GPS devices on the market. Navigon is known for its innovative 3D view functionality and free traffic service. Brand does matter.
• Screen Size: If you are looking for a GPS that lets you keep your eyes on the road and provides you with an easy-to-ready set of instructions, you may want to go for a bigger screen. Garmin 7200 is one of the largest GPS devices on the market, but it certainly makes it easier to read the instructions as well.
• Text-to-Speech: these days, you shouldn’t settle for a GPS that does not reads the streets’ names to you. It’s much easier to find places when you can hear the name and keep your eyes on the road.
• 2D/3D view: most new GPS devices now provide you with “reality view” feature. They show you the building and highly detailed 3D graphics to help you find your destination easily.
• User Interface: don’t buy a GPS that makes you jump through the hoops to enter an address or track your location on a map. It gets annoying when you need to check something on your GPS but don’t have an intuitive way to do it.
• Lane Assistance: worried about not changing your lane in a highway soon enough? That’s why you should go with a GPS package that lets you know ahead of time when you need to change your lane (Navigon 8100t).
• Bluetooth: many states are making it illegal for folks to talk on the phone and driving at the same time. Hands-free-calls are still allowed, however. If you are a big talker, you should choose a blue-tooth GPS.
• Information for Driver: new GPS models come with additional services that help drivers get more out of their driving experience. TomTom gives you access to Google Local. Dash Express uses the Internet to get useful info from other owners. You should always do your research to find out what additional information you can get from a GPS before purchasing it.
• Routing Options: these days most top GPS models come with multi-routing features. Some even allow you to do complex trip planning.
• Traffic: avoiding traffic is one of the best ways to save time. If you are stuck in traffic all the time, you should use a traffic GPS to help you get around the traffic and to your destination sooner.
• Routing Time: you don’t want to buy a GPS that takes minutes to connect to satellites and provide you with directions. Before buying a GPS, make sure you read reviews to find out what others are saying about routing time.
• Weight/Thickness: nobody likes heavy GPS systems, especially if you want to take it with you. Garmin has some of the slimmest and lightest GPS systems on the market. Do your research to make sure you don’t pay for a too big to carry GPS.
• Battery Life: this is a biggie. It’s very annoying when you have a GPS that runs out of battery every 10 minutes. Some GPS systems don’t even have an internal battery. If you are taking a long trip, you may get away with it. But if you plan to make many stops on your way, this could get annoying.
• Mount: some GPS manufacturers are notorious for designing terrible mounts. Do your research and read Amazon reviews before purchasing any device from them.
• Price: you can pay thousands of dollars to get the latest, coolest GPS system on the market. But why would you if you can get more features for less. Don’t overpay for a GPS.

Buying a GPS is not a small decision. Don’t just buy the shiniest GPS on the market. Cute doesn’t mean best here.

Beware of GPS Robbers...

GPS devices may not be as expensive as they used to be but that doesn’t mean you should leave them in plain sight when you get off your car. Research has shown that your car is more likely to be broken into if you leave any trace of your GPS in your car. Whether it’s your GPS charger that is hanging out or your GPS mount, you are leaving your car in danger of being broken into.

As someone who has had multiple GPS devices stolen from my car, I can tell you it’s a painful experience. It’s not just the GPS that will be taken from your car. Your doors could be damaged, and there is a good chance you’ll have a couple of broken windows. The next thing you know you are out of $1000+ to fix these damages.

The times are tough. While I don’t condone folks stealing gadgets from others, it’s not too hard to anticipate it happening. So why would you want to expose yourself to unnecessary risk by leaving your GPS or any wires for that matter in your car? The best thing to do is to take everything with you when you leave your car (parking in a safe place does help as well).