The Windmill Turns - Who have you loaned your faithful GPS to (name) and where did it go?

Since I buy used GPSr's from both Craig's List and Ebay, I always have a few GPSr's around. So when someone is going on a trip I offer them a GPS'r to use while gone.
Then when they get back and say Gee I have to get one of these, I say hey I'll sell you that one at a good price, and it usually sells.
My GPS'r have been across the nation with out me, and glad to say thats the hidden agenda in my sales technique.

I like it!

Must be very few people actually loan their units - (or at least are prepared to admit to it). Would have thought a few might have had a story?

I haven't loaned it out in the two and a half years I've owned it. If someone needs a GPS to find places, I suggest they buy one. Mine is too valuable to me to loan it out.

She doesn't have her own. Historically, she thought they were not very useful, and thought me as just a techno-geek for having one. Of course, with other technology devices I've had; this was just another "thing."

She has borrowed one for a trip to northern Wisconsin for about 4 years now in the fall, for her annual Women's Retreat. Upon returning home, she has no interest in keeping it.

With anyone else, I usually show them the uses and features, and tell about some of the benefits. Then, they either go out and buy one, or continue to use printed out maps/directions from mapquest, triplink.randmcnally.com, AAA, Live.com, or some other site. With the economy, many people I know would rather do that, than to spend precious money when there's not a lot to go around.

My sister-in-law won a GPS so I believe that she is going to give my wife "Mabel," her old one. And no, I have not, and plan not to name any of my GPS or other devices...

BobDee - That's a great idea! part collector, part "try before you buy program" and part just being an all around nice guy! Your final comment had the thought of your GPS units acting like Geocache Travel Bugs - going all around without you.

I have loaned my Nuvi to my son on a few occasions. I really miss it when he takes it. He wants to take it on a trip to Europe this summer and I am starting to feel withdrawal symptoms. I would like for him to get his own but he probably won't. I guess I will have to buy him one for his birthday.

When they pry it from my cold dead hands, oh wait, that's something else. Actually, no. I don't loan mine.

You're welcome to drag me along with it, if you are so inclined.

When I scrolled down the site and saw your heading, thought you meant something else! Relieved reading your text!

That's a very cool idea & M.O., BobDee.

I too have only "loaned" mine to the wife. Usually for her ski trips to the PA mountains. (I'm only comfortable with the perils of motorcycling and not the wasted knees, etc. of skiing so I don't go. Besides I drink alone.)

She was surprised to find out that it had a track log though. Not that she was worried...just surprised!

Right now she has it with her on a day trip to a distant family member's funeral about 100 mi away. I don't like them, either. (I mean funerals, not the family!)

Before we bought our first GPS a newly acquainted camping friend let up borrow his for a couple of hours to see what it was like. I would probably let a trusted friend do the same.

[/quote]When I scrolled down the site and saw your heading, thought you meant something else! Relieved reading your text!
[/quote]

LOL - yeah - reading back over it, I see it plain as day.

Ok - Only *TO* My Wife...

Whew - I hope she doesn't see that one.

Thanks for the chuckle.

I loaned my GPS to my wife for a trip to Chicago.

I loaned mine to my best friend and his wife when they went to Walt Disney World for the first time. When they got back they made fun of how I had it set to alert me to all the local Cracker Barrels.

...and don't plan to it. Too valuable a gadget.

I've turned some people on to buying them, when they've seen mine in action . But, I'm still surprised at how few people use them, especially for non-road purposes, such as hiking and kayaking. The penetration into the off the road market seems pretty anemic still. Not sure why people want to chance getting lost in the wild and stick with map and compass, or probably just good luck, to get them out and back. I'd go nowhere without mine.

GC

I lent mine to my family when needed. I only use mine when I need to go somewhere that I don't know.

Too valuable, come on!

I haven't loaned ours out (ours=wife and I). picke dup a free one for my son on that discover caed deal. Guess nobody has asked to borrow it. We think we would loan it out if a friend asked. heck if they lose it then we could get a new one.

I loaned my to my son for his trip to Florida and he loved it. I had a hard time getting it back. I only got it back after i promised to get him one for Christmas. I may give him my old one and keep the new one for myself.

I like the idea of buying a couple extras. I am traveling extensively right now and if mine went out, I would be toast. I think I am going to pull up craigslist and take a look. Selling them to friends and getting another one isn't a bad thought either. Thanks for the tips.

I'd hate to have to replace it if lost or broken...I know the person who lost/broke it should be responsible but we live in strange times.

Ted

I don't loan mine either, but I have purchased one for my daughter. When she saw mine for the first time she thought it was just another tech toy.

After she had hers, she thinks it is invaluable.

My brother in law also got one as a gift. He, too, thought it was just a toy. After using it, even though he travels rarely, he would not leave on a trip without it.

I also fixed up my daughter in law's Garmin. She didn't like the windshield suction cup mount, so she tried holding it in her hand. She then got discouraged and stopped using it. When she saw my bean bag mount for mine, she got interested again.

So I got her a mount she could use. I also gave her a copy of the Philippine map on an old SD card, and I think she took that with her to the Philippines.

I've only loaned out one of my Geepussus once..
And that was to my mother when she took a trip to visit a relative.
She didnt think much of it when she borrowed it.
But when she got back..the first thing she said was "I gotta get one of these!"

I never let her borrow it again!

Rather..I got her one for herself.

My father in law and mother in law; our son and my parents...make great gifts, don't they :)

Ted

Gave my Garmin to my neighbor to go to a ski area in Wisconsin with my son. Turns out my son crashed at the terrain park needed stitches and my wife is headed to Wisconsin right now kind of wishing she had the GPS.

Crazy day!
Flip

Maybe if you loaned out your unit, the person whom you lent it to my want to buy it, then you could buy another.

I now have 3 GPS units. No one's asked me to borrow any of my GPS units because I've convinced them to buy their own GPS units LOL.

They all love GPS. It makes travel such an enjoyable experience!

Please don't think I am picking on phranc.

But the comment:

appears to sum up a lot of the feelings about letting the dearly beloved GPS away from home without you (the owner). The remainder appear - usually - to also be a little reluctant.

Though I must admit my own personal reluctance was only overcome by family safety considerations I am a little surprised by how few have actually admitted to breaking the bond occasionally.

I just hope mine comes home....

My nuvi has no name but I am very protective of it. The only person I lend out to is Rebecca(wife) and only for short trips.

I loaned mine to a fellow Space Center employee in order that he would rendezvous with me at a ground relay station. I needed to make a couple of stops prior to heading out to the station and he didn't know how to get there. After finishing my errands, I arrived at the station where my coworker was waiting, GPS in hand, with a big grin on his face. Like Will Smith having flown a flying saucer for the first time in the movie ID4, he exclaimed, "Man I have to get me one of these!"

Oooooooh, what a cool way to turn a profit! I know this would work with me. I bought my first GPS after using somebody else's, and I bought my first satellite radio after renting a car that had one installed. There's nothing like seeing a cool gadget in action to convince you that it's a must-have device.

I have only loaned my GPS once and that was to my in-laws when they were visiting from out of state. My wife and I had to work and they were going to run around with the kids. I gave him a quick lesson, especially showing him the where our address was stored as home so he could wander wherever he wanted and always find his way back.

My wife borrows the one she bought be for Christmas two years ago. She takes it with her to Dallas on her frequent business trips. In fact, I am thinking of getting her one this year for Christmas.

Give her yours (because she is familiar with it???? )

Buy yourself a new one?

I don't loan mine to anyone, but I have given each of the kids their own GPS.

If you loan it--- it is like road testing a new car, you don't want to give it back, or go back looking on a map or the computer for an address or directions.

Back home for another adventure!

I do not loan my gps out. I bought a nuvi 360 for my daughter and my BW is technophobic.

My old man until he tried to keep it for himself. Just went ahead an got him a new one.

that I won't see my spare handheld that I lent to my brother a year and a half ago. It was just a basic unit and I was hoping he would get hooked and buy a more advanced one. But he still seems to like mine just fine!

Instead, we act as a lead bike when a group of us ride. Everyone knows the roads up here so well that the GPS provides basically time and miles to the next stop. Pretty handy....

I gave my sister c340 and 785t is occasionally borrow
. I have anxiety issue every time is being borrow

I have a Nuvi 660 and a 760...I loan out the 660 all the time to other Bus drivers to find Schools for Sports trips. I have every HS in it as favorites so they can just punch it in...It has probably saved the school enough in fuel from lost Bus drivers to get one for the school, I have the Bean bag mounts so it is really easy to move it..

was alwasy wanting to keep mine when I left on business, which was why I bought it in the first place. So, now I own two. I have also loaned one out to a daughter for a trip to TX. It was hard to get back - she loved it, and since we have 2, she thought we did not need it any more.

My wife will occasionally use ours when she is headed to an address she does not know. She complains about the Australian woman giving directions though. She now changes it to the US man or woman.

I bought one for my SIL sos they do not need to borrow mine.

I've loaned my GPS to my GF, and my mother.

Not long after.. I bought a Nuvi for...my GF and my mother.

Now...I dont loan it out anymore.
Its too expensive.

"Loan" is not a verb.

Loaned out the c340 which announces street names so it can be compared with their c330, the trip was from PA to Corpus Christie TX that was 6 months ago haven't got it back yet, lucky its family.

Nuvi360

Last year I loaned mine to my dad when he flew from Montreal to Calgary.

I also offered it to my sister if she wanted to take it on a trip to the Niagara Falls Vineyards, on Thanksgiving (that day off we have in October, here in Canada)

Simon

Ever.

Most of all my family who are nay-sayers...but a few friends that have flown into town and need to figure out where things are - its just simple way of getting them from point A to B without them calling me for directions...