Gps

I can't speak to Crete specifically, but we have used Google maps on our phone all over Europe.

Very unspecific question because question of car manufacturer and app. Being better than Google Maps is easy. Do you need navigation only for driving?

Your service provider (Verizon, ATT, etc) will have a global coverage map on their website. I'd check there first and, if there are still questions, speak with one of their reps to verify whether the various mapping apps will work.

Hmm, since the gps was an additional charge for any of the cars on their lot, I assumed (maybe wrongly) it was a device that was transportable.

We will have unlimited data and plan on using our navigation apps for both driving and walking too. I guess what i was asking is if the gps the car rental company offered was any better for driving in crete. Is there a reason for getting it?

If you'll have reliable coverage from your telephone service provider, and you're sure that your mapping app will work, then why bother?

When I visited Sardinia, I was aware that there were certain parts of the island with no or poor cell service. I divided the island into 4 overlapping parts and then downloaded the maps on Google Maps. The app worked perfectly, seamlessly switching between off and on line maps. No need to pay extra for a GPS. I would recommend getting a phone holder for the car’s dashboard so you can view the screen safely.

I do not think that a dedicated GPS device offers any advantage over Google Maps, or any of the other apps available. Save the fee for a glass of wine in the evening and just use your phone.

Perfect....

Thanks

Consider using the money you saved (by NOT paying the car rental agency for their GPS) to buy a good paper MAP of the place you will be going. Paper maps never go dark or get stolen, and even when the gizmos are all working perfectly maps make a good sanity-checker.

Sometimes (not always) the GPS they hope you pay them to rent is actually built in to the car and is fully functional, in which case you may get it for free. If so, that may be helpful but don’t expect them to help you figure out how it works. This can sometimes be a challenge - I’ve rented cars in Japan, Lithuania and elsewhere with built-in GPS Nav systems, which seemed to work but were also pretty incomprehensible due to language issues.

Tip: Be sure you know how to silence such things as they can be a serious distraction and annoyance - you probably don’t need or want your car shouting instructions at you in Japanese or Lithuanian (or Greek) if you don’t understand that language. Been there, had that adventure - was hilarious for a little while but it got old quickly.

The majority of cars now available through rental agencies have inbuilt GPS which means there is no requirement to rent a standalone GPS system. Rental agencies are seeing the end of this cash cow but that doesn't mean they haven't stopped pushing the option of renting a unit, usually relying on the concerns of customers worried about driving in a foreign place and ignorant of the fact that the car already has an inbuilt system. Every car I've rented for at least the last five years has an inbuilt GPS system although for the most part I've usually just relied on my phone. I would never advocate anyone to rent a GPS system.

As for Crete, Google maps on my phone worked flawlessly everywhere we went.

You wont have a phone with data service? If you do, google maps will be more current, more accurate and you can use it as a planning tool before you even start driving. Not sure why car companies put stand alone gps in their cars these days. They also install the softwhare so you can link you phone and use google maps (or what ever band of map you prefer); and I suspect in time the stand alone often never updated gps will go bye bye.