With gasoline prices continuing to rise, now seems like as good time as any to point out a feature available on some mid-level and premium portable GPS devices that can save drivers money: Gas price locator.
Found on connected devices, including some high-scoring models from Garmin (Nuvi 1690) and TomTom (740 Go Live), a gas price locator can show the local pump prices and help you find the lowest-rate gas stations.
While we don't score GPS devices based on this ancillary feature, we have used it and found it to helpful and surprisingly accurate. It isn't always perfect, as the data can lag behind the actual changes made at a gas station. When the number are a few hours or a day behind, we found it can still be a useful guide. The stations that are cheapest today will likely be cheapest tomorrow.
To get this feature, you may have to purchase a device that is pricier than the entry-level, budget models, but should you use the the gas price locator regularly, the savings may make up the difference.
Plus, those uplevel models often have other features that can aid in your commutes and road trips. Some Garmins will even factor fuel economy in its route guidance.
Previous
Post a comment
Comments: