GPS USA Advice.

[THE DOCTOR]

Looking for a GPS suitable for a coast to coast USA motorcycle trip.

I've tried to get mapping to add to my old StreetPilot3 but 'My Garmin' says non available.
If I zoom out on my SP3 I can see the American states.

Any thoughts?

 

[Schtum]

You could just source a copy of City Navigator North America and install the required map tiles onto the data card in your SP3. I've done just that in the past. However, you'll probably need to carry a number of data cards and/or a laptop in order to have the whole of the USA maps at your disposal.

The only issue then will be if you can live with the slow processor in the SP3 which takes forever and a day to build routes and an age to recalculate.

Another option would be to buy a Nuvi 770 which comes complete with both City Navigator Europe and North America and use that. The only drawback is that it's not waterproof but a little ingenuity should overcome that.

HTH

 

[flash of the gap]

it,s very cheap to hire or buy over there, we usually hire one when we go

 

[Schtum]

it,s very cheap to hire or buy over there, we usually hire one when we go

My recent experience, even when the exchange rate was $2:00 to the £ was the GPS units weren't signifcantly cheaper in stores in the USA. There were one or two good deals from Costco but they were on the web. Now that we're only getting $1.60 to the $ I don't think there's any advantage in buying a GPS in the USA especially since that none of them, apart from the Nuvi *70 series, if you can find one, have US and Europe maps.

 

[Taff]

.. If I zoom out on my SP3 I can see the American states.

Was your SP3 bought in the US?

... you'll probably need to carry a number of data cards and/or a laptop in order to have the whole of the USA maps at your disposal. The only issue then will be if you can live with the slow processor in the SP3 which takes forever and a day to build routes and an age to recalculate.

I'm sure a lot of people have lived quite happily with the "slow" SP3 before we upgraded to faster models. If it's what your used to it isn't too bad, but you feel its slow in comparrison with the 2610s. If you're only doing coast to coast, you won't need the "whole of the USA" downloaded toyour cards. The only worry I would have with renting an unit in the states would be the fact that you're unfamiliar with it. Out of personal choice I would rather take my own.

My recent experience, even when the exchange rate was $2:00 to the £ was the GPS units weren't signifcantly cheaper in stores in the USA. There were one or two good deals from Costco but they were on the web. Now that we're only getting $1.60 to the $ I don't think there's any advantage in buying a GPS in the USA.

The pound is even weaker now, so buying in the US is even less attractive.

 

[Bumpkin]

Buy a StreetPilot 2720, 2730 or 2820 from the States via eBay. This shouldn't cost too much and you can always sell it on afterwards.

I bought a 2720 in the UK but it was an import from the USA, the previous owner had purchased full European mapping so I now have an upgrade path to either side of the 'pond'. Only downside is that I have Europe in the supplemental memory so not all of it fits in (plenty for my use though). If I stumped up for a USA mapping update DVD I could, in theory, clear the main memory and fit all of Europe in. With the 2730 and 2820 apparently you can, with a bit of knowledge, save the on-board mapping and then swap continents. You'll have to buy appropriate mapping for the region you don't have though.

 

[Rushy]

Do you really need one ?

I spent 3 mths riding over there an TBH a Sat nav just isn't a requirement.

The roads are very well signposted, tourist spots are a piece of piss to find, the way roads are laid out in towns makes perfect sense and I just used a large scale Michelin USA Road atlas .

However I only visited 3 major cities ( Vancouver, Seattle , San Fran and Denver),but even then never had a problem although I was never in a position where I was looking for an address, I just stayed wherever looked nice & cheap or camped.

I have a 2610 here so I'm not anti Sat Nav BTW.