Road Tripping in the USA!

Peerzy said:
Cheers guys, I have an old iPhone 3GS somewhere but I guess that would be pretty slow and rubbish so I'll just use my Nexus 5.

I assume it's just THIS app (lots of reviews saying you now need to use data to open the app though)?

I'm with Orange, had considered getting a 3 PAYG SIM but no real need.
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Yeah dont use an iphone3, tomtom runs like a dog on that thing and the handset also has a weak GPS chip which struggles in the highrise areas in the states causing much frustration when "downtown" in any city there. (i know this from experience!).

I changed out for an IP4 and its miles better, the GPS chip is much stronger and the phone is much faster.

As Fox mentions, its nice to use a dedicated device, a Jailbroken IP4 with retina display and tomtom loaded (i have the whole developed world on there!) makes a fantastic international satnav and leaves your actual phone free.
 
Jez said:
Yeah dont use an iphone3, tomtom runs like a dog on that thing and the handset also has a weak GPS chip which struggles in the highrise areas in the states causing much frustration when "downtown" in any city there. (i know this from experience!).

I changed out for an IP4 and its miles better, the GPS chip is much stronger and the phone is much faster.

As Fox mentions, its nice to use a dedicated device, a Jailbroken IP4 with retina display and tomtom loaded (i have the whole developed world on there!) makes a fantastic international satnav and leaves your actual phone free.
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Have any of you used the app recently? Looking at reviews people seem to be saying a recent update has meant that the app needs to be connected to the internet to check it's license every time you use it?

I'm annoyed I didn't buy the TomTom maps for my SatNav when they were £35 a few weeks back.
 
[TW]Fox;26600278 said:
Last used it in September, was fine then on a phone I left totally offline as I didn't have SIM card in it.
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Are you running what is probably an old version like me though?
 
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I got a Three PAYG sim for my iPhone 5, bought a £15 All in One 15 Add on and that gave me unlimited data in the states as part of 'Feel at Home' then I just used Google Maps nav which was more than adequate. I hope the GPS chip in the Nexus 5 is better than the one in the Nexus 4 because it was utterly hopeless and would lose GPS signal with no buildings around.
 
[TW]Fox;26492163 said:
Oh. Ouch, he's been caught by the British-tourist-con that is the 'Guaranteed Mustang'. I just booked a 'Standard Convertible' and guess what, they were all Mustangs anyway! The guaranteed Mustang thing is just money for nothing, Hertz must love it.

There is no way a Mustang is worth over a grand to rent anyway, to be honest.
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Don't be so sure. A good few years ago (10 in fact) but I did a very similar route myself, ordered a convertible, and ended up with the most crappy, asthmatic Mitsubishi Eclipse. It was fine really, worked on the US roads (except the mountain passes into Yosemite which it really struggled with), but it was no 'Stang!
 
bazzabear said:
Don't be so sure. A good few years ago (10 in fact) but I did a very similar route myself, ordered a convertible, and ended up with the most crappy, asthmatic Mitsubishi Eclipse. It was fine really, worked on the US roads (except the mountain passes into Yosemite which it really struggled with), but it was no 'Stang!
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That was 10 years ago, though.

These days it's Mustangs, Camaros and Chrysler 200's though the Mustang's dont cost the rental firms any more money than the 200's but are mega popular with renters so the Mustang is by far the most common car in the standard convertible class.

In the enormously unlikely event that they don't have a Mustang, you can just pull in at the next branch and swap it out :p
 
I have been tempted by this for a couple of years now. I'm 22 and am contemplating doing this alone as none of my mates are really interested in it. Would a road trip like this be any good on your own? What do people think?

Thanks :)
 
I think the biggest issue with doing it alone is that it will be ridiculously expensive. When you take someone else everything except food and flights is half price. Also at 22 you will end up paying a fortune for a rubbish car .

Wait and take a girlfriend at some point in the future.

At 22 you can probably find better things to do with £3-4k than use it to spend 2 weeks driving around on your own.
 
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Not the answer I wanted to hear but it's good to speak to someone that has been on a road trip of this kind :p

I guess that's what I will have to do then, it just made more sense as I have just graduated etc so have a bit of time. I definitely see your point though!

Thanks :)
 
Guys, how would you break up 16 nights West Coast (arrive LAX 11th, depart LAX 27th)

1 x LA
2 x SD
3 x LV (inc GC)
3 x DV and YNP
2 x SF
2 x Monty and PCH
1 x SM

Gives an extra night or two somewhere..

Ta
 
Looks like a perfect plan you've got there already! If you've 2 spare days perhaps one extra in Vegas to take advantage of the bargain awesome hotels and another somewhere on the way between SD and LV, maybe check out Palm Springs?
 
Was just planning a PH at LV. Is there anywhere else worth staying?

Does anyone have recommendations for hotels / stops for each of the places. I'm looking through yours Fox, and most are great. My worry is around stops in the DV and YNP stages..

Also, "must see" things at each place would be great if anyone has the time to assist.

Thanks
 
I stayed at PH, was nice.

DV and YNP isn't exactly awash with nice hotels and the few nice hotels there are charge through the absolute roof because they know they can.

I used a Ramada in a place called Bishop between DV and YNP. Nothing special but it did the job.
 
Palm Springs is definitely worth a visit, cool place. I would recommend Palm Mountain Resort & Spa if the rates are decent as it's right in the center of Palm Springs and you can walk to everything. Otherwise try the Royal Sun Inn and ask for a room which looks on the mountains, cheap as chips place, fairly close to the town centre and has cool view of the mountain.

:eek: Do you intend to stop in Santa Barbara? One of the nicest places in the whole of California if not the entire US but pretty expensive, if you can get there mid-week though it might be more tolerable.
 
Janesy B said:
I got a Three PAYG sim for my iPhone 5, bought a £15 All in One 15 Add on and that gave me unlimited data in the states as part of 'Feel at Home' then I just used Google Maps nav which was more than adequate. I hope the GPS chip in the Nexus 5 is better than the one in the Nexus 4 because it was utterly hopeless and would lose GPS signal with no buildings around.
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My Nexus 5 is about the same as my previous Nexus 4 in terms of the GPS. I regularly lost GPS signal when in Cornwall a few weeks back, although I never ended up lost and usually got it back a few minutes later.

This might be the best idea though.
 
Peerzy said:
My Nexus 5 is about the same as my previous Nexus 4 in terms of the GPS. I regularly lost GPS signal when in Cornwall a few weeks back, although I never ended up lost and usually got it back a few minutes later.

This might be the best idea though.
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No issues at all with my HTC Sensation. It's great for occasional nav use.

Hoping I can snag something with factory GPS this time, otherwise my Sensation will be pressed into use once again :D
 
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