UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide or check out our other Magellan auto GPS reviews.
I’ve been playing with a Magellan RoadMate 2000
Auto navigation GPS
The Magellan RoadMate 2000 is a basic car navigation GPS, but it has a few features that make it quite attractive at a retail price of $399:
- First and foremost is the SiRFstar III chipset, for great reception in urban canyons and under canopy.
- It also has the SmartDetour™ feature, that senses when traffic has slowed significantly under the speed limits, and offers to send you on an alternate route.
- An “Exit POI” button provides access to a list of the most common points of interest (POI) categories available at the next several upcoming exits.
- The Roadmate 2000 has a nice, slim form factor.
- Magellan’s QuickSpell feature greys out characters that can no longer be used as you input a name. This makes for faster and more accurate entry.
- Speaker quality is good.
- The touch screen is bright.
The downsides:
- Chief among the unit’s deficiencies is the rather anemic number of POI’s. 1.3 million may sound like a lot, but I could not find major retailers that had been in their current location for 20 years! Many other units offer 6 million POIs.
- There is no option to show your estimated time of arrival, a feature that I find quite handy. Instead, the 2000 shows time remaining to destination.
- There is no text to speech functionality, so you get “turn right” instead of “turn right onto Main Street.”
- Planning a route ahead of time is a pain, partially because of the low number of POIs. You can’t pan the map and search for a POI near the map. You can search by City Center, but that’s as close as it gets. And every time I wanted to add a new POI to the trip list, I had to spell out the city name again.
Compare prices on the Magellan RoadMate 2000
I found panning the map to be counterintuitive at first; it seemed that you needed to drag your finger in the opposite direction from the way you want the map to go. But another way to look at it is that you drag the area you want to look at towards the center of the screen. Once you get used to this, it’s very easy.
Not made for backcountry use
If you’re expecting this unit to do double duty in the backcountry, you’re in for a disappointment. The Magellan Roadmate 2200T and Magellan CrossoverGPS (formerly known as the 2500T) may do this well, but not the RoadMate 2000. The only way I see you being able to use it in the backcountry is to navigate back to an address or intersection, entirely on roads. You can’t load topo maps, see your coordinates or transfer tracks. I suppose you could use POIs in place of waypoints and for route creation, but you’re going to be limited to addresses and intersections when you try to create them.
My conclusion? Basic, but flawed auto navigation at good price.
Here’s what others are saying about the Magellan RoadMate 2000:
- Over at CNet, owners of the receiver are starting to post their own Magellan RoadMate 2000 reviews.
- GPS Magazine has published an in-depth Magellan RoadMate 2000 review, calling it the best GPS priced under $400 yet.
- PC Magazine gives a 3 out of 5 star rating in their Magellan RoadMate 2000 review.
- JusTech’n gives it a 7.8 (out of 10) rating in their Magellan RoadMate 2000 review.
- GPSInformation.net posts a thorough Magellan Roadmate 2000 review.
- GPSLodge has posted their own review of the Magellan RoadMate 2000.
- A video review of the RoadMate 2000.
I’ll be posting more hands on GPS reviews as they appear, but in the meantime, here are some other helpful resources:
- Here’s a PDF of the Magellan RoadMate 2000 owners manual.
- A Magellan RoadMate 2000 demo.
- And a Magellan RoadMate 2000 FAQ.
- Want to see how the 2000 stacks up against other units? Use this handy Magellan GPS comparison tool.
- There is a Magellan RoadMate message forum at GpsPasSion.
- There is also a Magellan GPS message forum at Yahoo, and an alt.satellite.gps.magellan UseNet group.
- The official Magellan RoadMate 2000 web page.
Compare prices on the Magellan RoadMate 2000 at these merchants:
- Check the current Magellan RoadMate 2000 price
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at Tiger GPS.
- Find the Magellan RoadMate 2000 for an amazing price on eBay.
About Rich Owings
I find the Roadmate 2000 to be a good unit for the price.But there is a BIG draw back on this unit when it come to enter a location that is on a rual route,highway or us highway.It will not accept the address there fo you cannot go to that location.I call the factor for help they were not very hepfull specially when you talk to someone who don’t speek very good english,how can you tell someone your problem when they can not understand you.So i am stuck with this roadmate 2000.
Yeah, I just tried it on a CrossoverGPS (MRM 2500T) that I’m testing. It is hard to do without a valid address in the database, using the proper road name. And you can’t just tap on the map where you want to go like you can with my nuvi.
Thanks for pointing out that these models allow you to pan. I checked out the manual and it appears that you can select a destination after panning. See pages 16-17 here: http://www.magellangps.com/assets/manuals/2200T_EN.pdf . To quote:
“Creating a new address
1. From the Main Menu, tap Address Book.
2. Tap Create New Entry
3. Select Select on Map…. The Map screen is displayed. Use your finger or stylus to pan the
crosshair cursor around the map. When the crosshair cursor is over the point on
the map you want, tap on the crosshair cursor…
4. The Edit Address Book screen is displayed. Edit the name or information line if
desired. If this address is to be added to your favorites list, tap on the check box
for Favorite.
5. Tap Save.”
Wow, I never would have thought of that. Not exactly intuitive, huh? Thanks for pointing it out.
is there software or drivers to correct to my pc?
cannot find software or drivers for computer, has anybody been able to hook-up the magellan roadmate 2000 to their computer?
As far as I know, there is no way to do this. Magellan is coming out with a PC Tools application for the CrossoverGPS (2500). Maybe it will work with other models too.
go into the device manager and try to reinstall the driver . this is what worked for me, it should use the c:\windows\system32\drivers\wceusbsh.sys .
to refresh, it Control panel/System/Hardware/Device manager/( look under unknown devices or windows ce usb devices)/ then the driver tab
Interesting. If anyone tries it, let us hear about your experience. Thanks mondo!
To get the driver to install properly on win XP plug the GPS into the computer and find it in device manager. Double click it and then click the “reinstall driver” button. That did the trick for me.
I am unable to get windows XP to load the drivers for the Magellan RoadMate 2000.Windows XP reconized the unit but will not load the drivers for it. I tried to restall the drivers as stated, but that would not work. I tried installing the device on a few other PC’s and would not install. Is there anyone out there that has found another way to get wonderful windows XP to load the drivers.
Rich,
If nobody chimes in here, I would suggest asking your question at http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11. It’s a geocaching forum, but there are some great Magellan users there.
I did some searches of multiple forums, but turned up nothing helpful.
Connecting GPS to Windows XP
On the MagellanGPS.com website on the support page for the Roadmaster 2000 you will find an update for version 1.56. Download this update (zip file), extract the files, open the new folder and run the .exe file and follow the directions. They will tell you when to plug the GPS into the computer. Mine did not connect properly (you hear three quick beeps), so I minimized the Version 1.56 update and went into the Device manager (right click on my computer, select properties, hardware tab, device manager) then double click on the Roadmate USB device and reinstall the drivers. They finally installed correctly!! Then go back to the Version 1.56 update and let it finish. This worked for me!
Rich,
Thank you for your direction as they worked like a champ. The upgrade worked just as you discribed. Thank you for your time and direction. Have a great day.
Hello! great idea of color of this siyte!
is it possible to switch to Spanish language ? I see the option but it’s dark.
According to the manual, “English is the
only language presently available unless you are using Canadian data supplied
from Magellan, then French will be available.”
yeah, both English and french are available, but I saw that Spanish and Italien were on it too, and thought that a software update or something would make them available as well. this gps is not mine, a guy at work (spanish speaking) bought it and ask me to set the language in spanish, last time I had another coworker that ask me too and I was able to do it , but it was a different model..
Please tell me if I can upgrade my roadmate 2000 so that it will say the names of the streets?
Thanks,
Paul
Please tell me if I can upgrade my roadmate 2000 so that it will say the names of the streets?
Thanks,
Paul
Paul,
I don’t think so.
does any one know how to change magellan 2000 to spanish language or how to get update?
For some reason my Magellan 2000 is not telling me where to make turns and it keeps going and going and get’s to the destination faster than I LOL. Did I changed any settings that I was not supposed to change ?? help
You may have accidentally engaged a demonstration or simulation mode. That is what it sounds like.
is there a way to NOT register and download the driver? how annoying.
Rich M, thanks, that fixed my problem too, and I was able to connect and update my wife’s 2200T