My First GPS

My First GPS

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Do not have it yet as friends from the States will be bringing it down to me in July. I am looking for recommendations. It is especially important to me that it be accurate in Mexico. Please share your experiences, good or bad with me on your GPS, so that I can make an informed decision based on your opinions. Also what I need to buy extra to make it as accurate as possble for Mexico. Do not care about the States. A ball park figure on cost and where to buy in Estados Unidos would also be helpful.. Thanks, T.

Rolly

May 21, 2011, 12:57 PM

Post #2 of 36 (4801 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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GPS issues have been discussed often. Use the search function.

Rolly Pirate

esperanza

May 21, 2011, 1:10 PM

Post #3 of 36 (4793 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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Judy got the Garmin Nüvi 1390 plus the Garmin City Navigator Mexico NT package (all on Amazon). It's working well for us.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

May 21, 2011, 2:19 PM

Post #4 of 36 (4777 views)

Re: [Rolly] My First GPS

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It would be great fun, if when someone disagrees with you and you move their post to the hinterlands, where they have no reasonable ability to get responses, that you at least tell us what minor site you have chosen as punishent for us. Thanks, T

(This post was edited by T on May 21, 2011, 2:30 PM)

tonyburton

May 21, 2011, 2:54 PM

Post #5 of 36 (4765 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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Unfortunately, MexConnect does not have any associated minor sites, but I promise to take your idea to the next board meeting.

johanson / Moderator

May 21, 2011, 3:17 PM

Post #6 of 36 (4756 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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Way back in 2000 when I bought my then new Ford Explorer Sport, I had a compass installed in it. And with a map I could always tell where I was going. Soon thereafter I purchased a Global Positioning System (GPS) which would tell me exactly where I was at. The trouble with this small hand held device is that it would tell me exactly where I was but in degrees latitude North by degrees longitude West. Right now for example, I'm at 47 degrees, 36', 40" North by 122 degrees,19', 20" West.

What a waste of time. Do I use a Garmin, TomTom Etc? No, Now I find it much easier to pull out my iPhone and/or iTouch and tap on the "Maps" App and as long as I am digitally connected it will show me where I'm at on a street map, and with my in car compass, I will know which direction I am going.

Update many hours later :) You can tell I don't drive very much or I would have one of those fancy things :)

(This post was edited by johanson on May 21, 2011, 5:59 PM)

May 21, 2011, 5:42 PM

Post #7 of 36 (4727 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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I bought my first GPS 2 years ago, a Garmin 855, I added via a mirco SD chip a Bisimapas chip from Mexico, it worked well but this year Garmin came out with their own micro SD chip for Mexico at the same $49 cost to upgrade my Mexican chip...The Garmin accually works better then the bisimapas, I drive all over the country once a year and have not got lost once...I would not be without it now.......suerte y paz

May 21, 2011, 5:45 PM

Post #8 of 36 (4724 views)

Re: [johanson] My First GPS

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Johanson:

There is no question that you belong to the "old school" and there is certainly nothing wrong with that! Personally, I have to be amused by those from that same school who refuse to admit that technology has advanced to the point where there is validity to some of the new tools currently available (not talking about yourself). When we purchased our first GPS unit in 2009, I was willing to accept that the Mexican mapping might be somewhat limited. To give an example, we ventured into Patamban, Michoacan - dirt streets and a population that I would estimate to be under 2000 or maybe 3000. Every single dirt path showed up on our GPS. Whether NOB or SOB, these units are not foolproof and one has to use that object taking up space above the shoulders.

What amazed me upon our return, is that our trip log of over 3600 miles of driving through Mexico was able to be downloaded to GOOGLE EARTH and we could track every single turn and stop we made along the way!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

sparks

May 21, 2011, 7:18 PM

Post #9 of 36 (4706 views)

Re: [chinagringo] My First GPS

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At any moment and surely in the not too distant future ... this will all be lost in the ether.

Ipad, Imap, Iphone, Itune, ... Isex is next? No ... Ifood or Ibooze first

Sparks Mexico - Sparks Costalegre

johanson / Moderator

May 21, 2011, 8:10 PM

Post #10 of 36 (4698 views)

Re: [sparks] My First GPS

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What a great bunch of folks posting here. I do want to complain about one thing though, sparks, it's about 8 PM here in Seattle. And as I look out the condo window toward your old offices less than 1 mile away, the campus is hard to see, because it's cold and misting (real slow rain) out. This really sucks :)

And Neil, if I drove greater distances than say between home and Costco be I along the shores of Lake Chapala or in Seattle, I would be the first to get help from say a Garmin, I just don't drive very far anywhere anymore :)

raferguson

May 21, 2011, 8:19 PM

Post #11 of 36 (4696 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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I broke down and bought a GPS after driving miles out of my way in cities that I did not know. At one point I had a detailed map of the city, but my destination was just off the map! I am really a map guy, but I like the GPS because it has a map of every city in the USA built in, and will get me where I want to go. I can vary my route and it will figure out how to get there from wherever I am at that moment.

I was a holdout, but now I am a convert.

I will say that I prefer a standard map for highway travel, but the GPS is the ticket for cities that you don't know.

Unfortunately, I don't know which GPS is best for Mexico.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

May 22, 2011, 9:15 AM

Post #12 of 36 (4643 views)

Re: [raferguson] My First GPS

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"Unfortunately, I don't know which GPS is best for Mexico."

Simply, the answer could be the one that one is used to. Unless one has the money and patience to line the various options on the dash of their vehicle to run side by side comparisons, one person's opinion is governed by the one they have used. Since we have a GARMIN with the GARMIN Mexico card, I have no business saying anything about TOM TOM or for that matter a different model of GARMIN.

Even with the GPS, we would never travel without our copy of GUIA ROJI! Mexico has this habit of using the same road or street name on different streets within the same city or town. For example, how many Ave. Ninos Heroes are there scattered throughout the greater Guadalajara area? At least with our mapping, one needs to locate the "colonia" and I often refer to the map book for that info.

A GPS doesn't replace common sense and a basic sense of direction either NOB or SOB! We have all read stories of people blindly following their GPS instructions into compromising situations and a report from a few years back states that GPS units caused 300,000 accidents in the UK.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

May 22, 2011, 11:59 AM

Post #13 of 36 (4620 views)

Re: [chinagringo] My First GPS

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One nice addition to the new Garmin Mexico map over the Bisimapas is if you enter a street for an address a screen pops up listing the colonias so you can pick the correct one....In the Bisi you had to know the colonia first....

May 22, 2011, 1:34 PM

Post #14 of 36 (4612 views)

Re: [chicois8] My First GPS

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While I didn't make it clear, if we have a printed ad or something to get the full address off of - no problem. But, if we don't have the full address, then we use GUIA ROJI in order to pick the colonia from the drop down.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

May 22, 2011, 1:51 PM

Post #15 of 36 (4605 views)

Re: [chinagringo] My First GPS

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And I may have not been clear,with the new Garmin Mexico map you do not need a Guia Roji, type in a street and a list of colonies appears on the screen. pick the colonia you want then enter street and address...you do not need the full address, it does what the GR is doing ,just faster.......

In Reply To

But, if we don't have the full address, then we use GUIA ROJI in order to pick the colonia from the drop down.

May 22, 2011, 2:12 PM

Post #16 of 36 (4602 views)

Re: [chicois8] My First GPS

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Very true if one knows the colonia name before trying to pick from the drop down. Heck, 90% of the time I don't pay attention to street names but rather drive from landmarks ie. turn at a certain tree or turn at a store that I don't know the name of but recognize from the colors when I see it. That is one reason why I never attempt to give directions.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

May 22, 2011, 2:33 PM

Post #17 of 36 (4600 views)

Re: [chinagringo] My First GPS

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I am sorry ringo if I am not explaining it correctly,

say your in Tonala looking for an address, you type in the street and a page appears that would look someting like this:

Colonia Cisco,GTO
Colonia Cisco, Veracruz
Colonia Cisco, Jalisco

Since you are in Tonala, Jalisco you pick Colonia Cisco,Jalisco...then you enter the street then you enter the number address and it directs you there....magico....and don't get me wrong ,I carry my 2011 Guia Roji with me at all times, and sometimes look at it............

May 22, 2011, 2:53 PM

Post #18 of 36 (4593 views)

Re: [esperanza] My First GPS

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Hi E,

What was the cost and when did Judy get it? Always appreciate your helpful responses. Thanks, T

May 22, 2011, 2:58 PM

Post #19 of 36 (4592 views)

Re: [johanson] My First GPS

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You are high tech and I am low tech, Pete. Need something simple for my mind to understand, just want it to be accurate in Mexico T.

May 22, 2011, 3:00 PM

Post #20 of 36 (4591 views)

Re: [chicois8] My First GPS

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Thank you. T.

May 22, 2011, 3:05 PM

Post #21 of 36 (4590 views)

Re: [raferguson] My First GPS

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Well, you had my attention until your last sentence. I am a map guy, too. But Mexican maps are often inaccurate and the street name changes in GDL bogggles the mind. Thanks for your thoughts, though. T

arbon

May 22, 2011, 3:17 PM

Post #22 of 36 (4582 views)

Re: [sparks] My First GPS

In Reply To

At any moment and surely in the not too distant future ... this will all be lost in the ether.

Ipad, Imap, Iphone, Itune, ... Isex is next? No ... Ifood or Ibooze first

¿So Scott what "Help" do you use to find your way around Mexico?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May 22, 2011, 3:27 PM

Post #23 of 36 (4578 views)

Re: [arbon] My First GPS

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Not much help needed from Malaque to Lakeside.......

reply]

In Reply To

At any moment and surely in the not too distant future ... this will all be lost in the ether.

Ipad, Imap, Iphone, Itune, ... Isex is next? No ... Ifood or Ibooze first

¿So Scott what "Help" do you use to find your way around Mexico?

May 22, 2011, 3:35 PM

Post #24 of 36 (4573 views)

Re: [T] My First GPS

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T are you helpless? I believe E gave you all the info you need, can't you go to Amazon . com and type in Garmin nivi 1390...

In Reply To

Hi E,

What was the cost and when did Judy get it? Always appreciate your helpful responses. Thanks, T

May 22, 2011, 3:36 PM

Post #25 of 36 (4570 views)