Looking for suggestions for a GPS for Europe, I presently have a older TOMTOM with maps that are about 2 years old. I used it recently in Europe and had trouble getting it to connect power wise to the cigarette light socket. (the lighter worked fine} so assuming it was not a defective socket. Has anyone had similar problems, or should I just get a new GPS for Europe. I have heard good things about the Garmins, any suggestions. ( also the charger cable worked fine back here it the states) thanks
Posted by
Bend, OR, United States
1167 posts
My Garmin Nuvi worked perfectly in Ireland.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
My wife is using our Garmin Nuvi for the second time in Tuscany and Umbria right now. We upgraded the maps before she left. Seems to be just fine.
Posted by
OP
Westminster, CO, USA
194 posts
Which model did you use and does it take sd cards
Thank you
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10625 posts
TomTom mailed me a new power cord for free when ours wouldn't work. Try that before buying a new GPS.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16058 posts
TomTom is actually very popular in Europe, probably more so than the Garmin. I've used the Garmin in EU with no problem. I purchased a micro-SD card with EU maps from Amazon before leaving. I think it was only $30. But if you have EU maps alrady that are only 2 years old, you can probably use those without need to upgrade. It's not that roads will be much different compared to two years ago. I did have problems connecting with the cigarette lighter with a Fiat Brava once. The lighter worked but for some reason the charger kept popping out. The car rental mechanic, using a wire, forced the charger to stay stuck in place inside the lighter. I had to leave the charger plugged (stuck) the whole time but it worked. But as a back up I always carry with me a navigator charger for indoor use which uses your regular house socket to recharge. I purchased it at Radio Shack when I realized that the cigarette lighter in the rental I had (in Hawaii) did not work. You can charge the navigator at night with that, and it will work for several hours. In that case I would turn it on to save the charge only when the GPS was really needed. A map and the road signs will do for major routes. If you think about it we used to survive without GPS until very recently. We are really becoming too spoiled and too technology dependent. Getting lost in Europe will not cause you to die of starvation like getting lost in the Sahara. You can always ask for directions (or ask you wife to do so, since asking for directions is unmanly)
Posted by
OP
Westminster, CO, USA
194 posts
Thanks for the info, on our trip before this I did chg the GPS at night because a part of my charge had fallen off in the carrying case, (did not find until I got home) so on this trip I thought ok it will work again, and I think it did for a while. As a earlier post mentioned I think it was popping out even when we held it down. So hope TOMTOM sends me a chg that works in the new European cigarette lighter sockets. I also drove all over with out a GPS in earlier year but also spent alot of time trying to find places when so many cities are creating people only zones. Spoiled yes but less stress and fewer tickets. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions