GPS / Nav System for Europe Only

[Wil Ferch]

Guys:

Need some advice. Would like a basic but sound GPS/Nav system and I don't need all the bells and whistles offered by many high-end units that are available in US and are preloaded with US/Canada plus Europe maps.

Ideally, I would like a Euro-only model if it is available at a lower price than (say) A Garmin Nuvi 270 or 370. Tomtom also offers the go910 stateside fo world application but has sketchy user feedback...and like the Garmin...don't need the US/Canada features

Hmmm.....do I need to actually source my desired unit from Europe..as long as it has English language options? Would that be a better and cheaper way to go for my Euro-only needs ?

- Wil

[StevoRocket]

TomTom and Navman are great in europe and have a reputation as good as Garmin.

[Joeaksa]

The Garmin units work world wide (so do the others) but Garmin has maps for other regions available for almost every unit that load easily. You can then load the maps for America if you return here and use it everywhere.

http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/ontheRoad/

Also once you figure out what you want, look on Ebay for the unit AND the maps. I was trying to buy a new mapset years ago and Garmin wanted $300+ for it. Looked on Ebay and found the same thing from a wholesaler for $75.

[Wil Ferch]

I guess I'm too new for all of this to understand clearly.....

The Garmin Nuvi units are already preloaded for Europe ( plus US/Canada) and cost anywhere from $600-800+, probably special price for the 270 at $510 or so. Are you saying buy a "regular", cheaper Garmin at close to $200-$300...then go to Ebay to buy the Euro map upgrades for approx $75 instead of $300-$350 ( new retail price for the upgrades)?

What about simply buying a $200-$300 unit *in Europe* ... ????
Probably loaded primarily for Euro use...which is all I need. Anyone BTDT ?

- Wil

[Dennis Kalma]

Hi there Wil, I have a Garmin 370, just finished using it in Europe. If I were you and really did not want the US maps, then just buy it in Europe....but.....between VAT and everything else taxwise you will not be ahead much overall.

Personally for the couple of hundred bucks at stake I would just search for the best deal on a Garmin 360/370 and go from there....no fuss, no mess no bother....

BTW - I paid about $800 CDN all in for my 370...

Dennis

[Dutchie]

Will i have the Indianapolis Pro from Becker. It,s a car radio/cd/mp3 player with satnav and bluetooth car kit. Costs around 600 euro,s.
Very easy satnav system without graphical maps like the TomTom or garmin have.
I think there is a becker with satnav for around 400 euro,s if you dont need carkit.

[k9handler]

I went with TomTom and have it as a package with the HP iPaq...works well and comes with Europe maps. Cost me $300 back in 2004. I like it as the iPaq is a nice PDA so I get many uses from it.

[Wil Ferch]

Thanks for all the replies. With info from this board ( both OT and on 911 board)...as well as research on my own... I think I will gravitate toward the Garmin products ( Tomtom seems to have miserable after-sales support...at least for USA based customers.... and sometimes the unit itself seems to fail, although direct replacements tend to work, plus they have lousy suction cup attachment designs).

The up-charge of $300 or so ( new, non Ebay price) for Euro maps on top of a basic unit cost of $200-$300 for a US mapped unit.... makes the street price of a Garmin Nuvi 270 ( $430-$460) or the 370 ( $550-600) seem more favorable.

My new dilemma....the 270 or the 370 ???

- Wil

[Dennis Kalma]

One thing I noticed about the 370 that pushed me up from the 350 I was looking at originally is that the reciever is apparently more sensitive.

We had a 350 at work, if you used it indoors (like your house) to check out routes, it would not find any satellites as it could not receive the signal....the 370 can work indoors in most places and seems to acquire a bit faster.

Dennis

[Wil Ferch]

Perhaps as an aid to others facing this same question...Seems the 270 and 370 use the same receiver technology.....

- Wil

[nota]

if you have a laptop and who doesn't
the MS gps add on plus maps is about a 100-150
that gives a big screen instead of a 3-4 incher
and I like that idea better [more for less]