Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM GPS Review

The Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM GPS is outstanding.  There are a number of reasons to use a Magellan GPS over say your cell phone GPS so let’s go over them:

I’m sure you have noticed that your cell phone gets hot when you use the GPS (not to mention you can see the battery indicator going down while it is on).  If you put it on your dash, plug it in and use the GPS it only gets worse.  Your cell phone heats up when it charges, if it’s using the GPS too it gets really very hot.  It’s a great way to slowly destroy what could be your $800 cell phone (depends on what you are using).  Heat is the enemy of any electronic device and if you are having random lock ups and reboots your question “why is this happening” has now been answered.   The Magellan 5175T-LM GPS has been designed to handle this type of ongoing constant use.  Furthermore, it is larger than your cell phone and is better able to get rid of the heat.  Heat sinks tend to be heavy and need room something you don’t find much of in a cell phone.

The maps are better and more accurate.  Google Maps applications are great, but Magellan’s maps are better.  I’ve been driven to a corn field on more than one occassion using a Google Maps app on my phone  Not only is Magellan serious about their maps and keeping them up to date, but they give you Free lifetime Map updates on the RoadMate 5175T-LM GPS.  You will never have to worry about accuracy.  In addition, it is no longer a pain in the butt to update the maps because it can be done over a wifi connection.  Just drive to any wifi-spot (your driveway or starbucks, mcdonalds, whatever…) and update them!  You get the Premium Maps pre-loaded on your 5175T-LM which include United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

The RoadMate 5175T-LM has a Tour Director.  It’s not just a Tourbook though… it’s a AAA TourBook.  Furthermore, if you are a AAA member it will give you all the numbers you need to call in order to get Roadside Assistance.

Product Features

• 5-inch touchscreen GPS navigator with lifetime maps/traffic, Wi-Fi connectivity, OneTouch favorites menu, and more
• Pre-loaded maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico with six million searchable Points of Interest, highway exit POI search
• Real-time, subscription-free traffic updates sent directly to your GPS unit; lifetime map upgrades for the latest maps
• WiFi Browser allows you to search for destinations on the web from your hotel and keep you software up to date automatically
• Exclusive TourDirector is a personal guide that helps you plan visits to nearby attractions and activities

What’s in the Box

Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM Traveler GPS Receiver; Pre-Loaded Maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; Windshield Mount; Vehicle Power Adapter; USB Cable; User Manual.

All in all the Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM GPS is one of the best offerings Magellan has made in the last year.  You can pick one up on the website for $299.99 or look around on Google for various deals.  We’ve seen them go as low as $207 with free shipping.