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We are looking for a GPS


jkgourmet

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It's time to finally break down and get a GPS. Since we're in the market and do plan on visiting Mexico again next year (yeah!), I thought it might be worth looking to see if any of the major brands are at all useful in Mexico. I'm primarily looking at Garmin and TomTom, since they have the lifetime updates (and seem a good bit cheaper than Magellan). Some of these units come with maps of "North America" and Mexico is sometimes specifically mentioned.

I don't expect this thing to work everywhere in Mexico, but does anyone have suggestions?

PS - I tried searching for a prior post, but "GPS" is less than four letters, so I'm not able to get results.

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It's time to finally break down and get a GPS. Since we're in the market and do plan on visiting Mexico again next year (yeah!), I thought it might be worth looking to see if any of the major brands are at all useful in Mexico. I'm primarily looking at Garmin and TomTom, since they have the lifetime updates (and seem a good bit cheaper than Magellan). Some of these units come with maps of "North America" and Mexico is sometimes specifically mentioned.

I don't expect this thing to work everywhere in Mexico, but does anyone have suggestions?

PS - I tried searching for a prior post, but "GPS" is less than four letters, so I'm not able to get results.

I have a Garmin nuvi 255w. I paid $50US to get a mexican upgrade. I've never used it, but have been told by someone who has one that the Spanish pronuciations are something to behold.

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Garmin has a new unit coming out - supposed to be available around Christmas. Garmin nüvi 2360LMT... has US/Canada/Mexico maps with lifetime free updates, lifetime traffic, bluetooth connectivity, etc. The 2350LMT is similar, but minus bluetooth and a few other features. Info here: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=133&fKeys=FILTER_FEATURE_NEW

Heather

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If you put in Garmin there should be a topic on it a couple of pages.

We just bought a Garmin Nuvi 765T so far we have only used it once in Guad we were in Central and needed to cut across town to Abastos, instead of starting all over like I use to. It took us through the middle of Guad and landed us just north of Abastos and then I knew the way, it is great. We are getting ready to go on a big trip to Baja so we will see how it works on the way there. Mexico maps update on Amazon was $42 USD.

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Our Garmin works, but it is not infallible. It helps if you have a general idea of where you want to go, and the nerve to ignore the GPS sometimes, especially in Guadalajara. Also, in many cases you cannot get the address before you are making the trip. You do need to know whether the address you are looking for is in Guadalajara or Zapopan, because the street names are often the same, but the directions are different.

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My only experience with a GPS in Mexico was dismal. A friend brought one along on a trip and it often showed the car, and nothing else, traveling through empty space. The mapping was not accurate and it only seemed to know the main routes, not necessarily the shortest or easiest routes, and always favored toll roads instead of libres.

I'll stick to the Guia Roji Gran Atlas, for travel between cities, and use their separate city maps for detail. With those, I plan the trip before leaving, make notes on a 3x5 card and am not dangerously distracted by the GPS either 'opting out' or giving false directions contrary to our plan.

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We rely on Guia Roji, road signs, and directions from kind strangers, when the first two fail.

It's also helpful to post on this forum before setting off to a new venue; we've done that several times and gotten a lot of helpul advice on specific drives/trips/directions to all sorts of places.

Mostly we plan the general approach with Guia Roji, and supplement it with more precise directions from the restaruant, store, hotel, B&B or house rental where we are headed. We always save on our cell, the phone numbers of 'new' places we are headed, just in case.

I'd invest in a MXN cell phone before I'd invest in a GPS, for driving around MX.

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We purchased a Tom Tom on the recomendation of a friend. Even though it supposedly came with Mexico maps I purchased an additional exclusive MX map. Couldn't be happier. We've gone back and forth NOB and wouldn't be without it. I do updates periodically and use it fearlessly in Guadalajara. I look up locations on Google maps or Yahoo and find intersections and program them in and have favorites so I can get to other places after going to one. I also know if I get lost I can always get home. For any trip it always asks if you want shortest or fastest (some other selections but I don't remember) and do you want toll road when it's available on the trip. It always warns that part of the trip involves a 'dirt road' - it's where we live.

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Most of the Mexico maps have improved tremendously in just the last couple of years. As has the software on the GPS units themselves. My favorite right now is the Magellen 7" Roadmate because of the much bigger screen size. I have not tried it with Mexico maps, however. I know that the new Garmin Mexico City map software has detailed driving for several large cities, like Mexico, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.

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I bought a Garmin nuvi 1390 earlier this year, but new models are introduced quite often with more features to keep tempting you. I bought my Mexico maps from Bicimapas from Mexico City. bicimapas.com.mx/ Their latest version released this August has street level detail in over 6000 urban locations in the country. They often don't get the one-way street details correct so use it with caution.

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I bought a Garmin nuvi 1390 earlier this year, but new models are introduced quite often with more features to keep tempting you. I bought my Mexico maps from Bicimapas from Mexico City. bicimapas.com.mx/ Their latest version released this August has street level detail in over 6000 urban locations in the country. They often don't get the one-way street details correct so use it with caution.

I agree.

Go with any Garmin that has the ability to upload maps into the unit and DEFINITELY get the BiCiMapas GPS Mexico Atlas 2010. It is the best Mexico GPS map product I have found. The only caveat is the AutoRouting ability of this software(map) is sometimes just plain goofy. Still I highly recommend it.

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We have a TomTom Go920 - it's been around for several years.

Got the US/Mexico Map (a sep product) back in June.

We've used it on the way down and herebouts and it works fine (mas o menos)

In Guad - it seems to miss sometimes (by meters or hundreds of meters) - not by kilometers

of course we haven't tried it in Ajijic or Chapala - no need - well not yet anyway.

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