My GPS is one of the older ones (no internal HD, only shows maps and doesn't give "directions") but the best use I've found for it is keeping precise track of mileage and telling you your current velocity. If you don't know roughly where you're going you're not going to get there anyway. My brother-in-law has one and he never checks directions before he starts out going somewhere. Consequently, he's spent a lot of time and gasoline finding his way to a few places, and been late to a few events.
