Does anyone have any experience using a Garmin GPS with the Ireland data card? Since I already have a GPS, it would be much cheaper to buy the card than get a GPS with my rental car.
Any other thoughts? Thanks.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
It should work great for you. You might want to check the prices, though. Sometimes the price for a small section of Europe can be almost as much as for all of western Europe, so you might as well get more area just in case. The information won't be any different.
Posted by
Puyallup, WA, USA
881 posts
We used the Garmin maps (we downloaded all of Europe) on our trip last year, and for Ireland it was nothing short of amazing. Every little nook, and crannie road was on there, and labeled. Every brush-hitting-both-sides-of-the-car-I-can't-believe-this-is-a-road road was on there. It was amazing.
The only problem we had was places that didn't have a numeric address, which you still find in Ireland. BUT - once you had the chance to save them on your map, you could always get right back to them every time.
PS - using "shortest" route can be adventurous. fyi - but you'll still knwo where you are. grin.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10601 posts
I used the Ireland chip with my Garmin and it worked great. One thing to watch for - if you are directed to take a small road that doesn't look right, just keep on going. It will recalculate and give you new directions. Unless you like going down one lane country roads. In that case, go for it! You will definitely see things off the beaten path that way!!!
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The Ireland maps cost about a hundred bucks. All of europe is a hundred and fifty.
Consider potential future needs. My TomTom just gave up the ghost after a hard five years of service and I'd never found it necessary to upgrade maps -- an inconvenience from time to time, but never a real problem with things becoming outdated.
Posted by
OP
Spring, Texas
635 posts
Ebay seems to have some bargain prices for both the cards and used/reconditioned units with Europe roads in them. Any one go this route?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Ken, I just dumped my wallet on the new one a few hours ago. Had to get the Garmin 765 since I couldn't find a new 775 anywhere; which means I had to choke the extra one fifty for the maps also. Thought real hard about ebay, refurbished, etc -- and chickened out. From the studying I did, it seems the older ones had a propensity to freeze dead, refurbishments were essentially not, and apparently cards are locked so they can only be used on a single unit. Not sure that I understood it all, but the reviews scared me off.
Posted by
Puyallup, WA, USA
881 posts
Hey, Ed. Just FYI - we bought a reburbished Garmin off CompUSA.com and it worked like a charm.