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May 13, 2008
How to Find the Cheapest Gas with Your GPS
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As if you needed yet another reason to buy a GPS, it turns out many new GPS units can not only get you from point A to B, but they can also save you a bundle on gas.
Gas prices are on the rise, and the summer driving season is expected to bring even higher prices at the pump.
Many GPS models already have a powerful feature that could save you hundreds of dollars each year: the ability to view fuel prices at nearby gas stations. Here's how it works.
Credit card companies anonymously collect transaction information from gas stations, and report the average price per-gallon at that location. MSN Direct enabled devices, such as Garmin's StreetPilot c580, nuvi 680, 780, and 880, as well as GPS units from TomTom and Dash Navigation can download this data and display along side each gas station.
Dash Navigation's connected GPS can even sort nearby gas stations by price.
To find nearby gas stations using Dash, tap Menu -> Search -> Browse -> Gas -> Sort -> Prices
Once sorted by price, you can make an informed decision which gas station you want to visit.
Dash also lets you view more detailed pricing information at each gas station.
Garmin uses MSN Direct's network to download gas pricing information. Tap on MSN Direct -> Gas Prices to get started.
Garmin's MSN Direct powered devices also report average price per gallon, as well as how recently the data was updated. Unlike Dash Express, Garmin cannot sort by price.
TomTom's GO 920, 920T, and 930 units also report current gas prices, although I haven't tested those units yet and cannot confirm that.
Magellan is also planning to release an Internet-connected GPS device later this year.
With gas prices racing towards $5 a gallon, the ability to see local pump pricing is receiving new attention. During my own testing, I found pricing between nearby gas stations could be as much as $.0.50 per gallon - a considerable savings over time.
