USA Trip Which GPS

[dme]

Tell me to put this elsewhere but you lot will definitely have a good answer or so.

I want to buy a new GPS for a USA road trip. Just got out my TomTOm. I paid extra for the USA bit (but have just discovered it isn't present! Not needed to use it the USA till now, dang). I have never been able to upgrade it and it is now 3/4 years old.

So out with the old in with the new. Ideas please preferably here not on a postcard as I go soon.

Garmin TomTom or anything else. Ease of use more important than anything else.

Many thanks

Diana

 

[MarieK]

Assuming you have a smartphone/tablet - get the tom tom app for US and a car charger. I drove from Denver to San Diego using this and it worked a treat. All the maps are downloaded so you dont need to worry about data usage when abroad.

 

[jfm]

Hiya
I 100% agree above. Use smartphone.otherwise you have another black box to keep charged etc which is a pita. Either let it grab the maps off the net automatically and pay, or preload them as Mk says. Hope u have a nice trip!

 

[dme]

Well that sounds ok as I'll take my Ipad anyway as long as it doesn't need wifi which it won't.

Thanks great idea

D

 

[MarieK]

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/tomtom-u.s.-canada/id326075661?mt=8

 

[dme]

I am on it x

 

[David2452]

Or just get a rental car with sat nav.

 

[AndieMac]

Well that sounds ok as I'll take my Ipad anyway as long as it doesn't need wifi which it won't.

Thanks great idea

D

Another one is NavFree, as the name implies, it costs nothing for the basic service and works OK. Download the countries onto the IPad or phone through iTunes, it allows two or three countries per iTune account.
I prefer the IPad because of the big screen in tricky, small streets etc., and just used to its functions.

TomTom is a better system (you pay for what you get), especially with the live traffic option in built up/city areas.

 

[matm]

Just coming back from the US and been to all sorts of random (to me) places. Used Galaxy S5 and google nav which is native. Worked perfectly and integrated with hire car audio. Uses a bit of data but not lots. Phone not relevant, but android based stuff works really well. iOS peeps will tell you a better story I'm sure ;-)

 

[matm]

Or just get a rental car with sat nav.

Had a new scenario on this trip. No longer the bolt on 2005 sat nav. It was a full sat nav touch screen car but they took the chip out. You pay per day for the chip!

 

[NoviceRod]

I bought a Garmin in the USA (much cheaper than in UK), and use it when we go over there (once or twice a year). It has US maps only, and lifetime updates.

Check on Best Buy for prices ad availability at a store near your gateway airport.

 

[dme]

Thanks for all your help. Looking at Navfree and if that doesn't do the job can get Tom Tom on the ipad

D

 

[dingdongs]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Garmi...ics_GPSSystems_GPSSystems&hash=item1e8ca32c56
I bought this one and it worked straight out the box when I arrived at los angeles and got me every where I wanted to go and found all shops and retaurants whining the area in which you are.a great blessing in disguise as I would have been doing lots of wrong routes and as for mobiles they cost a lot for hardly any data.

 

[Prhperio]

Thanks for all your help. Looking at Navfree and if that doesn't do the job can get Tom Tom on the ipad

D

You're probably aware of this, but just in case… Don't forget that the WiFi only iPad doesn't have GPS

 

[AndieMac]

Or just get a rental car with sat nav.

Apparently not all rental car companies update their vehicle GPS systems, we recently got caught out in Europe, thankfully our back-up (Navfree) system sorted out the confusion.

 

[AndieMac]

............ and as for mobiles they cost a lot for hardly any data.

Yep, agree with this

 

[NoviceRod]

Or just get a rental car with sat nav.

A week's rental supplement for a satnav with Avis was more than the cost of buying the Garmin!

 

[Jamesuk]

Or just get a rental car with sat nav.

Don't it's really not worth it as it's day rate can be expensive and if you lose i/stolen bam they will swipe your credit card for 800USD.

I'd say buy one when you get out there at Radio Shack. Perhaps tho you need it from the Airport.

Well with EE mobile roaming you could use your smart phone and pay £2 for 100mb that will get you to where you want to go then buy the sat nav

 

[nigelmercier]

My advice is to have a play with Garmin and TomTom models before you leave, then buy in USA. You should be able to get a good price for it on eBay when you get home.

I bought a Garmin Nuvi with Europe maps to use in the Canary Islands. Hated it (for sale if anyone interested) so bought a TomTom when I got back.