Sat Nav Shopping

[trustysteed]

I'm thinking of going to the States on a road trip in April, prob from Vegas to LA to San Fran to Salt Lake City to Phoenix and back to Vegas.

So I'm toying with the idea of getting a Sat Nav but I want two specific things from it:

1) The ability to download US mapes to it so I can find my way round the route above

2) One of the displays where the road graphics are not jagged and cartoony which looks rubbish, but sharp and straight.

Any of you current Sat Nav owners got any model recommendations and places to buy online?

 

[trustysteed]

anyone?

 

[Globalti]

Dunno if Stanfords in Covent Garden sell GPSs but they sell a hell of a lot of maps of all over the world.

Here

 

[SamNichols]

My Dad has a Tom Tom, and recently downloaded the North American maps to it, they were on sale at around £35 I believe. We've never had problems with the Sat Nav lady, and she's always been very helpful and easy to use by all accounts.

 

[Aperitif]

Got a Tom Tom a couple of years ago Trusty. It has European mapping and was accurate enough going from Calais to Beziers etc... Used in conjunction with Michelin maps as reference.
Via Michelin make these units but I know not if they supply US mapping - a quick goelog should confirm...
The Tom Tom 'freezes' on the odd occasion but is easy enough to reset - the direction is clear but it helps to have a reasonable knowledge of a printed map as well.
In practice, I listen for turn off instruction and only glance if the direction needs confirming eg: a roundabout exit...
Practically, I would always mount in a position comparable to glancing in the rear view mirror - not in front of my nose on the windscreen.
(Do believe I have written a serious post ).

 

[SamNichols]

As I said, US Maps are available, you buy and download them: it was a bit of a faff, but my dad did it alright.

 

[trustysteed]

thanks guys. tom tom seems the way to go and it apears you can download the us maps onto a SD card for about £35-50. nice one.

 

[sheddy]

Buy when you get there ? save money and get US maps included

I belive WHICH did a test recently. Mags are in your local Library

 

[trustysteed]

no, i want to hit the ground running. get in my hire car ready to go!

 

[gavintc]

I have just odered the Navman s70. It has the european and UK maps preloaded and I quite like the bluetooth accessory for a hands free mobile phone. One of the girls at work has one - we used it on a recent trip and I was quite impressed. I managed to get it online for £145. It does not arrive till next week, so can not give any comment on how it works yet. I understand that you can download the North American mapping but not looked at this option.

 

[Fnaar]

I was going to buy a SatNav...but I got lost on the way to the shop.

 

[walker]

because I read the title a little different, wouldn't it be good to go shopping... With a Sat Nav? punch in what you want, then it takes you to the right isles of the shopping centre/store. but then I guess that's what the internets for

 

[Fnaar]

...punch in what you want, then it takes you to the right isles of the shopping centre/store. but then I guess that's what the internets for

That'll be Tresco, then