visiting the States..which Garmin is best to buy beforehand?

desb

Hi all,

There Boards are great - thanks to all - and the source of most of my GPS research so far.

I head for California in holidays this year and because it will cost over $200 to include sat nav with my hire car, I have decided to buy my own beforehand and put the $200 towards the purchase price (any excuse!). I am setting myself a budget of hopefully around €350 but its looking to be costing more....

After visiting Halfords, I am thinking of one of the Garmin units. I dont need bluetooth or MP3 so it looks like a basic Nuvi 300 would be perfectly ok once I get a large enough SD. Logically I should get it with Europe and buy the US separately? However I am completely confused as to where I get extra maps and how much they cost.

I see the nuvi 370 comes with Europe and US complete. Is that my best option then?

I think buying online is best value and have used Pixmania before for a camcorder with no problems.

I see Pixmania have a nuvi 350 with charger and suction pad for €389, however I then have to buy US map.

Amazon.com have nuvi 370 for $650 (= €492). Any views on my best options? Many thanks!

ADSLUSER

If you want to add the North America maps to a Nuvi 350, you'll need the following. This is the NT version which supports auto-routing on your Nuvi GPS:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110096847733&ru=http://search.ebay.com:80/110096847733_W0QQfromZR40QQfviZ1

5h4mr0(k

You could buy one after you arrive in the US. Should be cheaper and you'll have the US maps.

desb

Thanks for the responses guys. I checked the link for american maps on a SD and I see the asking price is $164 (€124). Wow I had no idea extra maps worked out so costly. Looks like the Nuvi 370 is the way to go with both Europe and the US already loaded. I had hoped to buy the unit before I travel so I could get to know it, but am going to check US prices and maybe take your advice and buy over there if it works out cheaper.

Thanks

Buffer

I'm in a similar situation, except I'm currently spending a few months in California and want a GPS system I can use when I get home to Ireland.

One option I'm looking at is the TomTom GO 910, which has North American and European maps preloaded. It costs $500 in BestBuy, one of the big consumer electronics shops. Here's a link.

It also has bluetooth handsfree functionality.

Any of you know what this system is like and whether the map coverage is good in Ireland?

Thanks!

sharkman

Buffer wrote:

I'm in a similar situation, except I'm currently spending a few months in California and want a GPS system I can use when I get home to Ireland.

One option I'm looking at is the TomTom GO 910, which has North American and European maps preloaded. It costs $500 in BestBuy, one of the big consumer electronics shops. Here's a link.

It also has bluetooth handsfree functionality.

Any of you know what this system is like and whether the map coverage is good in Ireland?

Thanks!

I have the TT 910 and cant fault it , I've updated to the latest European maps (Tomtom 6 Western Europe new map v6.60 build 1219)and coverage of Ireland is excellent . Features are great and some third party software is available free online , as are 50 or so voices ...

desb

Looks like we both should go for model with US and Europe pre-loaded Sharkman. The TT 910 looks like interesting option with more attractive price at $500. It has bigger screen however Garmin more compact to slip in your pocket at 0.87" depth and 5.1oz compared to TT at 2.5" depth and 12oz.

Decisions. Decisions!

Appreciate if you let me know which store you eventually pick to buy unit from in California as a recommendation for when I fly in to LA airport.

Buffer

sharkman wrote:

I have the TT 910 and cant fault it , I've updated to the latest European maps (Tomtom 6 Western Europe new map v6.60 build 1219)and coverage of Ireland is excellent . Features are great and some third party software is available free online , as are 50 or so voices ...

That's great to hear, Sharkman. Was the update free, and did you originally have US as well as European maps?

After my last post, I had almost abandoned the idea of th TT 910, because the TomTom site doesn't list Ireland at all among their European coverage for the 910.

Buffer.

desb

Following your TT link... The US and all of Europe painted green with only "Eire" left blank. I'm not a raving looney republican or anything but that kinda thing really puts me off a company. Grrrrr :mad:

desb

..on a lighter note..

I dont want to get a young inexperienced sales assistant into trouble but I had a hillarious experience in a certain UK retail branch somewhere in Ireland. I never said a word. The young fella quickly described the Garmin range, then immediately without any prompting he furtively looked around and said in a low voice "to be honest I wouldnt buy one here, they are much cheaper in Dixons". I was torn between admiring his disarming honesty and despairing at his "sales" technique. Overall though what a decent guy and made me wish I could give him the business (Iwont though!).

Buffer

desb wrote:

Looks like we both should go for model with US and Europe pre-loaded Sharkman.

Well, the only two I can see with both Europe and US maps are the Garmin Nuvi 370 and the TomTom 910. Of these, I think the TT 910 is better value. However, if I have to pay extra for maps for the TT 910 that include Ireland, then there's no point. Perhaps Sharkman or another poster can clarify whether the update with Irish coverage is free or how much it costs.

I'd be just as happy with a unit preloaded with US maps, but for which I could then by EU maps, but it depends on the total cost of this option. Anybody got any thoughts on this?

desb wrote:

Appreciate if you let me know which store you eventually pick to buy unit from in California as a recommendation for when I fly in to LA airport.

I'm looking into eBay as well as retailers (BestBuy, Circuit City), but first I've got to figure out which unit to go for ...

Buffer

Whatever you do, don't buy the TomTom 910. TomTom customer service have confirmed that it does not include maps of the Republic of Ireland. They have these maps, but if you want them you have to buy them separately, which obviously adds great additional expense to the unit.

sharkman

Buffer wrote:

Whatever you do, don't buy the TomTom 910. TomTom customer service have confirmed that it does not include maps of the Republic of Ireland. They have these maps, but if you want them you have to buy them separately, which obviously adds great additional expense to the unit.

Buffer , I have a 910 and I have updated the maps , however i believe that new units are shipping with v6.60 build 1219 which are the most up to date maps around .

Buffer

sharkman wrote:

i believe that new units are shipping with v6.60 build 1219 which are the most up to date maps around .

I'm afraid they don't. Here is what TomTom Customer Service in the UK wrote to me just a couple of hours ago:

The TomTom 910 Covers Great Britain and Northern Ireland, however it only covers a few areas of the Republic of Ireland.
At the time of manufacture, we did not have a fully covered map of the Republic of Ireland, of which the 910 product came
with this data.

We have since released new maps of The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland for download, which fully covers Ireland.
However you will need to purchase this map from our wesbite.

That is quite unambiguous: Republic of Ireland maps are not included and if you want them you have to buy them.

Personally, I think it's deceptive for a company to claim that their product have maps of USA, Canada and Western Europe, but not include Ireland as part of that.

sharkman

Thats the problem with TomTom support , they dont have a clue , they told me the opposite three weeks ago , I was told that the new 910's would ship with the same maps as the One Europe .

Buffer

sharkman wrote:

Thats the problem with TomTom support , they dont have a clue , they told me the opposite three weeks ago , I was told that the new 910's would ship with the same maps as the One Europe .

Typical of many companies' customer support services, I suppose.

In any case, even if they do start shipping them with improved maps, buying one would still be a risk since you might end up with one from older stock. I believe that TomTom don't offer free updates.