Sat nav with USA maps

yobr · 09-12-2018 9:39pm #1

Heading to the USA in Jan so need sat nav for a road trip I'm doing. Reckon its as cheap to buy as to rent a sat nav. Anyone seen any good sat navs with US maps? Thanks in advance..

10-12-2018 8:59am

I bought a TomTom go 5010 from argos for a US trip in Jan,
I also needed it for a trip around france and it was one of the only ones that comes with world maps (that I could find) at the time.
The search function on the unit itself is hit and miss but if you pre program the routes from your pc before you leave it was spot on.

thebiglad · 10-12-2018 9:03am

Purchased off ebay, great value - but depending on whether you pick up car on landing you could easily just buy one in a Walmart or Bestbuy type store when you arrive in US if you have a few days before you need it.

OU812 · 10-12-2018 9:06am

Use google maps on your phone. Just bring a screen mount.

You can download the local area maps to your device so you’re not using data.

It’ll be far more accurate and will cost you maybe a tenner for the screen mount.

10-12-2018 9:07am

thebiglad wrote: »

Purchased off ebay, great value - but depending on whether you pick up car on landing you could easily just buy one in a Walmart or Bestbuy type store when you arrive in US if you have a few days before you need it.

Yea I thought about this too but I had to drive from Tacoma into Seattle and leaving the Airport around there is all 5/6/7 lane heighways !
Doable if you have a good co pilot but I was solo.
I only got "flipped off" twice :eek:

GavMan · 10-12-2018 9:39am

Google maps offline is your only man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk0-PTmoaSU

horse7 · 10-12-2018 9:42am

There's none better than a Garmin, you get birds eye view on highways,lane departure .

biko · 10-12-2018 9:39pm

I drove a lot in US a while back and started on Navmii, which is fine.
Then I got a sim with lots of data and just switched to google maps which can't be beaten really.

bazz26 · 10-12-2018 9:49pm

Are you going to be driving a rental? If so then they offer sat nav as an option.

If your not hiring a rental then google maps on your phone or failing that buy a cheap portable sat nav when you get there.

mikeecho · 10-12-2018 9:53pm

OU812 wrote: »

Use google maps on your phone. Just bring a screen mount.

You can download the local area maps to your device so you’re not using data.

It’ll be far more accurate and will cost you maybe a tenner for the screen mount.

Massive areas don't have mobile coverage, so if you run out of downloaded maps.. you might not be able to download more for a while.

Those road runner type signs that say Last GAS 100 miles.. actually exist.

Stick with a sat nav

towger · 10-12-2018 9:56pm

Navmii
Excellent APP, maps downloaded via WiFi before you go.
I’ve used it several times in the US, delighted with it.

The J Stands for Jay · 10-12-2018 9:59pm

Renting from the hire company could be more expensive than buying one. I had a Garmin (that I hadn't used since Google maps became reliable), that had a slot for an SD card. Went on Amazon and bought a card for it with US maps. Worked brilliantly. When I got back, I sold it on eBay for about a fiver less than I'd paid for it.

Henry Ford III · 10-12-2018 10:52pm

Loads of newer cars have Android Auto or Apple Car Play. They are free and work well

OldMrBrennan83 · 10-12-2018 10:55pm

Google maps offline all the way. Wouldn't entertain a sat nav in any situation in this day and age.

OU812 · 11-12-2018 12:11am

mikeecho wrote: »

Massive areas don't have mobile coverage, so if you run out of downloaded maps.. you might not be able to download more for a while.

Those road runner type signs that say Last GAS 100 miles.. actually exist.

Stick with a sat nav

I’ve driven there a lot. All over the place in all terrains. You can download a sizeable offline map with no issues.

Stick with a sat nav if you want to waste money.

NSAman · 11-12-2018 12:18am

bazz26 wrote: »

Are you going to be driving a rental? If so then they offer sat nav as an option.

If your not hiring a rental then google maps on your phone or failing that buy a cheap portable sat nav when you get there.

Its crazily expensive though.

Most cars here if anyway decent have navigation. Failing that drop into Walmart and by a cheap sat nav OR like everyone else has said.. Google Maps... BUT have a cheap SIM card plan

TomOnBoard · 11-12-2018 12:43am

Pick up a used Garmin unit and load OpenMaps on it.

tcawley29 · 11-12-2018 4:02am

Get a data sim card that will cover you and use waze or google maps. Personally I use waze. Its great for letting you know about upcoming hazards, cops, speed limits, etc.

Not sure if waze has an offline mode. If it did you wouldn't have the cop warnings then.

jhegarty · 11-12-2018 3:03pm

TomOnBoard wrote: »

Pick up a used Garmin unit and load OpenMaps on it.

+1

It have found the open street maps to be more up to date than the proper garmin ones.

11-12-2018 6:35pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Are you going to be driving a rental? If so then they offer sat nav as an option.

If your not hiring a rental then google maps on your phone or failing that buy a cheap portable sat nav when you get there.

I have rented a few times in the stated from hertz avis and dollar.
The charge per day is 15 or 16 dollars.
I bought a tom tom with world maps on ebay for 110 euro second hand. 7 years later its still doing the rounds.

Ron Burgundy II · 12-12-2018 12:11pm

I spent 10 days traveling in Canada this summer picked up an app called HERE WeGo on recommendations of other boards members. Great app and simple to use. You download regions you plan to drive in, I downloaded Ontario and it worked a treat in and around Toronto and all the way to Niagra Falls.

Best way to work the app is to use postcodes.

RoryMurphyJnr · 12-12-2018 12:17pm

Spent 2 weeks in Orlando end of Nov.
Borrowed a TomTom off a mate of mine and it worked brilliantly.
Plenty of notice for turns, split screen for lanes very easy to use

redcup342 · 12-12-2018 2:56pm

mikeecho wrote: »

Massive areas don't have mobile coverage, so if you run out of downloaded maps.. you might not be able to download more for a while.

Those road runner type signs that say Last GAS 100 miles.. actually exist.

Stick with a sat nav

Drove east coast and west coast with Google Maps, had no issues.

Only time you really need the Navi is when you get to a populated area anyway.

Didn't even bother downloading offline maps, got some local sim with a 20 GB for 20 dollars Included deal

Sat nav with USA maps

Comments