Is this Sat Nav good for Ireland?

LegacyUser

Would I be able to put Irish maps onto it? Cheers lads

http://cgi.ebay.com/GARMIN-NUVI-350-AUTOMOTIVE-GPS-In-Box-2008-V9-Maps-CASE_W0QQitemZ160258768879QQihZ006QQcategoryZ84075QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Saruman

You need to factor in shipping, if its from the US, customs and also the cost of the maps (no free ones as far as i know due to matching to device serial).

Better off ordering from Europe. I got a Nuvi 770 (US and Europe maps) from Elara, picked it up myself and it was about €355 which is cheaper than it is in the US

smash

I have one and it's fine, cost me €345

Saruman

a 350 for the same price (€10 less) as my 770? Jaysus...

LegacyUser

What about this one lads??

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Garmin-Nuvi-370-GPS-SATNAV-Europe-USA-Maps-270-360T-770_W0QQitemZ290243779036QQihZ019QQcategoryZ139837QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's a UK seller.

peasant

Moved from motors

Saruman

Looks good cheesedude! Has everything you would want.
The 770 i got for the extra price i get bluetooth so i can use it as a handsfree kit, it also has an fm transmitter so i can tune the sat nave to my car stereo and either listen to mp3s, audio books or simply listen to the sat nav directions. Also mine has a big wide screen.
If these things are not important to you then save the money and buy this one.

No matter which Garmin you get though (i think) you will be fine with the Irish maps (uk/irl or Europe) loaded. They are better than Tom Tom for Irish maps, although i think Tom Toms are more fun from what i have heard.

LegacyUser

Awesome, I'll buy that then...it's just I am going to be doing a lot of travelling around Ireland in the next 6 months and have a dreadful sense of direction so will need this badly!!!!! Will it save me!?

Saruman

Should be grand. Its fine for the city but its also fine for the country. I live in Westmeath and it shows up all the country roads.
OK in fairness i have not actually tested it since i have not needed to use it to find where im going, well i did use it in Sandyford industrial estate to find a road and it turned out to be the next block over from where i was so not much of a test there as it was a 30 second journey
I have driven along with it on and saw all the roads etc.

LegacyUser

And would industrial estates and retail blocks show up on it?

Saruman

Well the only industrial estate i tried it in was Sandyford and that was there but im not sure just how much coverage they have. however you can add in points of interest and i believe you can download other peoples POI's?

Kotek Besar

Are these Garmins Navteq or Teleatlas though? I heard Teleatlas are no good for Ireland. Or was it the other way round?..

Saruman

Navteq and thats why they are good for Ireland

Kotek Besar

Saruman wrote: »

Navteq and thats why they are good for Ireland

I've heard people saying that Navteq is better in Ireland than Teleatlas, but I find it hard to swallow when Teleatlas satnavs have the street where I live, and Navtaqs don't. Street has been there for over 3 years btw.

Saruman

I believe it is more down to coverage outside of the large towns and cities, that is where Navteq is much better. If something is missing or wrong with Navteq or Garmin mapping, there is a form to fill out and they should fix it in the next release.

LegacyUser

So is Navteq good at finding yourself around Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow???

Saruman

Its fine. The only place i have come across that is not updated so far is the Ratoath/Cappagh (back of finglas/Blanch) road where they closed the road for the last year to widen etc. It only opened up a few weeks back (now Ballycoolin road is closed) It now has roundabouts, which are not on the Satnav but the road follows the same layout etc so not even a big deal.

As i said though, i have only used it for directions once as i usually know where im going. If /when i use it to find somewhere i do not know then i will see how well it works.

Cocoon

Saruman wrote: »

Its fine. The only place i have come across that is not updated so far is the Ratoath/Cappagh (back of finglas/Blanch) road where they closed the road for the last year to widen etc. It only opened up a few weeks back (now Ballycoolin road is closed) It now has roundabouts, which are not on the Satnav but the road follows the same layout etc so not even a big deal.

As i said though, i have only used it for directions once as i usually know where im going. If /when i use it to find somewhere i do not know then i will see how well it works.

Try looking for Brides Glen, Ashton Broc or Burnbury Gate in Swords all estates are built about 5-6 years, probably about 600 houses I bet there not on it. :cool:

Saruman

Brides Glen is but not the other two. actually Ashton Broc does not appear on google maps (tele atlas) either. The sat image shows the estate but the map is blank.

LegacyUser

You could still manage to get to it though right??