Forums > General > Traveling Mexico

Mexicanbill

Aug 18, 2013, 5:35 AM

Post #1 of 13 (1183 views)

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GARMIN maps of Mexico

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Has anyone used Garmin's maps of Mexico? We want it to get around in different towns we might visit while there and to help me know I am within the speed limits from Eagle Pass to Puerto Vallarta. Not sure if it's worth the $50.00 We have a Garmin nuvi 1390LMT.
Chef William aka MexicanBill

(This post was edited by tonyburton on Aug 18, 2013, 9:18 AM)

esperanza

Aug 18, 2013, 7:12 AM

Post #2 of 13 (1171 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GRMIN maps of Mexico

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Our personal experience is that the Google GPS on my wife's android cellular phone is far, far better than the Garmin. I love a program that tells me, "Turn right at XXX street, where you see the Starbucks on the corner." Can't beat it.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Mexicanbill

Aug 18, 2013, 7:19 AM

Post #3 of 13 (1167 views)

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Re: [esperanza] GRMIN maps of Mexico

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that sounds good. Maybe it will be better for me to switch to a smart phone. I just don't use my phone often enough to need a smart phone, but I have an android tablet. I'll check that and see if it has GPS. Thanks
Chef William aka MexicanBill

stevebrtx

Aug 19, 2013, 5:24 AM

Post #4 of 13 (1122 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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I have a Garmin and the maps are surprisingly good, even in more rural areas. Although I updated a year ago and two cuotas on the way to Laredo didn't show and one has been open at least 2 years at that point.
http://www.chapalaweather.net

RickS

Aug 19, 2013, 6:42 AM

Post #5 of 13 (1116 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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I don't know if I would depend on a Garmin to help me stay within the speed limit! I find that many times in the US my Garmin has not been updated as to the speed limit on any given stretch of road. I'd surely not depend on my Mexico map to be that accurate. Just pay attention.... it's not hard as there are plenty of signs on the highways.

mazbeach

Aug 19, 2013, 8:55 AM

Post #6 of 13 (1093 views)

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Re: [RickS] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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It may just be me, but there's one big thing I've learned about driving in Mexico. And we have driven all over. Up north, major roads and intersections are signed with road number and direction (N, S, E, W). Here they're usually signed with town names that might be along your route. Hence the importance of maps. Some of the towns mentioned on the signs are small and only appear on a decent map. Not universal, but very often the case.

And yes, I still get turned around. A classic case was a few months ago trying to get up on the Arca Norte. It turned out there was one entrance to the toll booths and the only clue that you split off east or west after paying the toll was in town names on the signs above the ramp leading UP to the tool booths. I stress "up" because the toll booths were elevated and you couldn't see what was happening until you went up the ramp. That little screw up cost us two hours of driving parallel to the tool road without finding a way to get on it.

donemry

Aug 19, 2013, 9:15 AM

Post #7 of 13 (1090 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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We have used the Garmin maps and they worked well for us. Also, if you drive the speed limit on the cuotas to PV, you will be the slowest vehicle on the road. I have never seen anything that looked like a traffic stop on the cuotas. Within the cities, a different story.

RickS

Aug 19, 2013, 9:34 AM

Post #8 of 13 (1085 views)

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Re: [donemry] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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"I have never seen anything that looked like a traffic stop on the cuotas."

Then you don't wont' to drive up the 80D cuota from Guadalajara towards Lagos de Moreno, nor the 57D bypass road around San Luis Potosi or up around Matehuala to name a few places where I have seen or heard first hand reports of speeding stops.

donemry

Aug 20, 2013, 8:08 AM

Post #9 of 13 (1052 views)

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Re: [RickS] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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RickS, i have driven those routes many times. I didn't say that speeding stops don't happen, just that I have never seen any.

chinagringo

Aug 20, 2013, 8:18 AM

Post #10 of 13 (1050 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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We have been using a Garmin GPS since 2008 and update our maps frequently. There is a noticeable improvement with each update and more Mexico details are added each time. Now that the Mexico maps are part of the North American map package, your 1390 with lifetime paps and traffic should download the Mexico maps for free. However, you may wish to call tech support to find out if you require a larger SD card to handle the additional detail.

While I do carry a Samsung Smartphone, I believe that there is a reason it is called a phone and not a GPS?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Mexicanbill

Aug 20, 2013, 6:50 PM

Post #11 of 13 (1017 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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Thanks everyone for all your help. I will be very careful of the speed limits during the trip. Its down to 20 days until we leave and it has been a learning experience for sure. Can't wait to see how it goes once the traveling actually starts.
Chef William aka MexicanBill

chinagringo

Aug 20, 2013, 7:19 PM

Post #12 of 13 (1014 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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Mexicanbill:

In over 10 years of driving Mexico, I have always figured that speed limits in Mexico were merely suggestions! While my target "moving average" in Mexico has always been right at 70mph, I am aware of the new speeding fine structures and for that reason, I have added a radar detector to my group of electronics for Mexico.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

careyeroslib

Aug 21, 2013, 12:10 PM

Post #13 of 13 (985 views)

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Re: [Mexicanbill] GARMIN maps of Mexico

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My husband gets free updates from Garmin in return for submitting information periodically. For example, just last month we went around the Marina área of Puerto Vallarta and marked the location of the various resorts and other places of interest just so he could get the latest Mexican up Garmin is very dependent on user input. We find it is good in large cities, but not so much in other places where, according to Garmin, they have relied on aerial views.

I don´t think the speedometer thing works in Mexico on Garmin as it does in the US and Canada, but I could be wrong, so don´t get it just for that. Also, you can´t really search by category as you can in Canada or the US. If you need gas, you can search for "Pemex" and hope somebody has inputted a location near where you need it.