Best GPS to buy with Europe and USA maps loaded

I don't know if it is the "best" but I just got a Garmin 2559LMT which comes with Europe maps already installed. I've checked a few of my hotels and they exist in its database. Whatever brand you get, I suggest getting also the "portable friction mount" which is just a stand with a bit of weight in it so you can set it on the dash instead of using the suction cup. From what I read online the residue the suction cup makes on the window if you remove it every time you park is a sign there may be a GPS in the car somewhere, and also a lot of people just leave the mount on the window and detach the GPS to take with them (but the thieves break in anyway, not knowing that).

Thank you Bill. Have you tried it out in Europe yet?

I recently switched to TomTom from Garmin but either should meet your needs. TomTom is easier to attach to the windshield. With either one, use a tissue to wipe away the ring on the windshield. That takes only a few seconds.

We having been using a Tomtom purchased in 2004, which has both Europe and North American maps. In three subsequent trips and soon to be a fourth trip it has been reliable. Two of those trips included Tuscany. We have not ungraded the maps! As we drive primarily on secondary roads (to avoid tolls) it still works. Occasionally we are driving on new sections of roads, but it has not let us down. The POI database is not used much as even when new it was not really reliable.

Go to a store and use both and purchase the one that is most intuitive to you. It is a great tool, with Tomtom you can connect it to your computer and plan routes at home. So if you know you first destination you can program it at home and then in Europe recall it as a previous destination. Nice if you are traveling from the airport. Enjoy your trip and remember even if the route you take seems wrong, it is likely faster than without a gps and part of the adventure.

A five week rental from AutoEurope? ..Should have gone with a long term lease with them. New car with GPS included and way better rate and insurance coverage. If you can change it ... do so. http://www.autoeurope.com/long-term-car-rental/

Thank you all for your responses. We are only renting a car for 3 weeks of our trip and leasing was not a good option - we asked. For those of you using a Tom Tom, I would like to know which model you have as there are a number to select from. Hoping to keep the cost around 150- 175 if possible. Mahalo! Susie

Thank you all for your responses. We are only renting a car for 3 weeks of our trip and leasing was not a good option - we asked. For those of you using a Tom Tom, I would like to know which model you have as there are a number to select from. Hoping to keep the cost around 150- 175 if possible. Mahalo! Susie

Thank you all for your responses. We are only renting a car for 3 weeks of our trip and leasing was not a good option - we asked. For those of you using a Tom Tom, I would like to know which model you have as there are a number to select from. Hoping to keep the cost around 150- 175 if possible. Mahalo! Susie

I just returned after using my Garmin for two weeks. I'd used it before throughout the UK, Ireland and Spain without problems, but it was less than ideal in Italy. A lot of "recalculating" and just general difficulty in finding routes. I'd look for something other than Garmin for Italy.

I purchased a VIA 1505M WTE with U.S. and European maps direct from TomTom less that two weeks before out trip to Germany in May. The price was around $160, but you may be able to find it cheaper now on Amazon; I needed one immediately and did not want to risk delays with a middleman. It worked flawlessly in two weeks of driving through the eastern and southern parts of the country.

If you have a smartphone just download the Sygic GPS app and buy the Sygic Western Europe maps. As good as any GPS unit.

A smartphone can substitute for a GPS if you jump through enough hoops. It works well when walking in a city but is not as reliable or easy to see when driving. It can also be expensive.

My Garmin died on me on the way from San Marino back to my country house in Tuscany.
Since I'm not too familiar with the tortuous roads around San Marino/San Leo, I reverted to my iphone's Google Maps till I got to more familiar main roads.
I think Google Maps is superior to Garmin. I haven't figured out how to switch to Italian language (as I did with my Garmin), so I really had a hard time understanding some of the voice instructions (but the visual directions were good). When left in English, the names of roads and villages are pronounced (I guess) the way an English speaking person with no knowledge of Italian would pronounce it, and that made some of the names totally unintelligible sometimes.
To me, the problem with Garmin (and maybe other navigators), is that it often sends you through the shortest route, not necessarily the main roads, but sometimes those routes aren't the fastest, just the shortest. Some were very narrow country roads totally off the main ones. So I generally integrate Garmin with old fashioned paper maps and, above all, road signs. The road signs almost always indicate the main route to the next town and that is often the fastest route, even though not necessarily the shortest in mileage.
If you use Google Maps on your smart phone, make sure you buy a local Italian SIM card, because it uses data and international roaming is expensive.

susie,

I've been using a Garmin Nüvi for many years, and it's worked well so far. I should probably update the maps, but it's an old (and now discontinued) unit so not sure if that will be worth the expense. Some of the comments on the Forum in the past have indicated that Tom Tom may work a bit better in Europe, but I've never tried one so can't verify that.

As Roberto mentioned, it's important to give some thought on the setup, as there are choices between quickest route or shortest route. It might be prudent to pack along the owner's manual so that you'll be able to change this if required.

Ken, thanks for making that point about learning and using the setting features in a GPS. Many complaints about GPS sending people the long or wrong way could be eliminated with use of settings like favoring (or not) main roads (i.e. interstates or autobahns/strasses) and "via" settings to route around likely congested areas, etc.

Every alternative has its risks, like stalled traffic on an autobahn due to an accident or backroads closed to traffic in the middle of nowhere without a detour. We encountered both in Germany this spring. At those times, a paper map and quickly changing the settings can get you back on track. Also, one thing I learned this time was buy paper road maps of the country from Amazon or other vendor before leaving home -- or save your old one -- as they are getting a lot harder to find in stores and rest-stops these days.