Magellan Maestro 4040 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

I've been using GPS systems for several years, and I'm always asked "what's the best GPS?" Unfortunately, that's not an easy question to answer. Just like there's no "best" car for everyone, there's no such thing as the "best" GPS. That being said, this is a very fine GPS system, and one well worth checking out. I've owned two other Magellan systems in the past (a Roadmate 500 and a 750M), and the improvements in this system are wonderful. Excellent screen, clear even in full sun, easy to use - truly a "turn it on and go" setup. I've always been especially fond of the way Magellan announces upcoming turns - they are the only GPS that offers a incredibly accurate "bing-bong" sound right before the turn. The key word there is ACCURATE. Yes, Garmin has an upcoming turn tone, but more often than not, it's too early or too late to be effective. Magellan gets it right every time. That, and their split screen turn view is what makes this a must-own for me. The AAA guidebook is icing on... more >>

Please note that this review covers the 4050. However, this unit is the same as the 4040 with two exceptions. On the 4040 both the voice command and traffic kit are optional, additional purchases. Do you really need a GPS device?? If you are reading this review the answer is probably yes. We have used them for a number of years and I'm now at the point where I wonder how we ever got along without one. No more trips to the computer for confusing Mapquest directions or frantic searches to find the car atlas after a wrong turn. Both facts leading to a significant reduction in "marital moments." I could give many examples where GPS has "saved the day". Here is a recent one: This summer my wife and our three small children traveled from Chicago to South Dakota for a wedding (I had to work). Like many rural wedding, each part of the event was in a different place. The church was in one town, the reception in another and their hotel in a third. After the wedding she wanted to... more >>

Well, I am not the GPS buff a lot of the reviewers seem to be, so you'll get this review from a regular guy. My only previous experience with GPS is renting a Garmin 330 with a rental car twice. My wife hated the Garmin, I liked it, but I was awe struck by the tecno-factor. So we went looking on-line to see what was available. We bought this unit specifically because it met my wife's criteria. She loved that it spoke street names and not just "turn right", "turn left". She also like that it was loaded with the AAA data. We have been AAA members for more than 35 years, so this feature appealed to us. If you are not a AAA member, then any GPS that has POI's is probably satisfactory for you. She also demanded one feature - she hates highways and wanted something that would provide the shortest distance without using highways. This was the only unit that did that as part of a standard routine. For everyone else it was either not possible or required extensive navigation to get to the... more >>