Which GPS is best for Mexico?

[Kidoo]

I found a few older post but would like to know which GPS would be the best for Mexico?

Thanks

[puchinno12]

Last year, when coming back through Hermosillo, we got caught up in a detour.We ended up in a seemingly residential area with no signs about how to get back to the main road. Luckily there was a Camaro with Arizona plates in front of us and I decided to follow him, assuming he was going to the border. I also was driving just my truck so it could have been worse if I had a trailer on behind me. Anyway, the Arizona guy led me back to the main road and on we went. Up until that time the Garmin Nuvi 2597 worked flawlessly down to Mazatlan and back.

However I also had maps and really checked the route with google maps and earth. So for me, the Garmin worked well last time. In about a week we'll be heading off to Mazatlan again, this time with our trailer. I'm loaded up with maps, Garmin, rabbits foot, 4 leaf clover and other good luck charms to help me avoid a city detour. Hope a black cat doesn't cross my path!

[reed_cundiff]

Streets and Maps and old Garmins did not show the Arco Norte from 57D to 85D. Have not checked our current Garmin
Reed and Elaine

[briansue]

I do not know for sure about a website that rates GPS systems but I use Laptop GPS World which is a sort of online forum where many GPS systems used in computers are discussed - questions asked and answered - systems compared. But this is mostly about systems that used in computers and not a GPS such as Garmin. To the best of my knowledge there are not a whole lot of options if you plan to travel in Mexico as not all GPS systems cover Mexico. Some Garmins do come with Mexico already installed as well as lifetime updates so hopefully your GPS will have the newest roads in Mexico - but keep in mind that most maps and GPS systems are at least a couple years behind the road builders. The data does not go out to mapmakers until the road is opened.

[tres_vagabonds]

we use a Garmin 2595 with lifetime maps and traffic and it can be updated about every 6 months, you can update any Garmin with lifetime maps about every 6 months, well worth the extra for the lifetime maps

[4X4Dodger]

Does anyone know of a good website or magazine that rates GPS systems? (from personal experience please)... Please dont tell me to look it up on the web...I know how to do that. I am just looking to narrow the field first.

[briansue]

No consumer road mapping GPS device I am aware of is 100% accurate as far as route planning - they all make mistakes. That is why we need to carefully study the planned route to make sure it is taking us the way we want to go. This is not as difficult as it may appear at first.

In some cases the device will have us get off a highway to go around in circles and then return to the highway at a different point.

We recently crossed from Canada to upstate NY. The GPS had us go into NY and then back to Canada and then back to NY. It also wanted us to take a ferry over Lake Champlain.

We have long used Microsoft Streets & Trips for planning routes as it is much easier to see the route and to make any changes. We can put in "stops" or "waypoints" to create the route we want to take. We have planned one day drives in Mexico where we had to put in up to 13 waypoints. That would be from Lake Chapala to San Miguel de Allende without taking Cuotas.

With some Garmins and some versions of Streets & Trips you can plan a route in S&T and then connect your Garmin to your computer to have the Garmin take the route you planned in S&T. I have not done this but others have. Another way is to plan the route in S&T to figure out the stops to force the route and then manually add those stops to your Garmin.

We can also plan and force a route in the Garmin but it is not as easy. We have to study the map on the Garmin and move it around to track it all down and then put a point on the map for each stop or waypoint - we touch the map at each point in the correct order and have each one added to the route. Once a route is created it can be named and saved for future use.

There are lots of things that can be done with a GPS and lots of mistakes that can be made. Fooling around with the device until we have a firm grasp of ways to use it is time well spent. It can keep us out of trouble - and get us out of trouble we might get ourselves into.

Never ever follow a GPS blindly. You must check the route and plan the route. There are ways of doing this but you have to learn before you hit the road.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waypoint

A waypoint is a reference point in physical space used for purposes of navigation, otherwise known as a landmark.

[daveB110]

Seven or eight years ago we used a Panasonic GPS with a slightly larger screen than was common then, It had advertised Mexico maps, the reason we bought it at a price quite a bit above the regular ones. I was somewhat useful although we relyed mostly on map books in those days. It was interesting once time when we had wanted to take a seldom used road from La Huerta, Jalisco, that connected with HWY 200 just south of Punta Perula. After finally finding out where the road started out of La Huerta, we followed the water truck onto it. The GPS didn't show any road but, every time we came close to a river or stream, it was noted. The road itself went from being almost a wagon trail to a beautiful highway-which no one took as the bridges had never been started. Boulders warned any drivers of a diversion and to take the roads down the hillsides. Eventually it became a fairly good gravel road that took us to the main highway forus, back south. The three cars on our trip had stopped en route by a stream for lunch. It was a Sunday and the locals were enjoying the river, too. We soon found ourselves being offered chairs to sit, food and a special drink they were having. What a great, small village of the most friendly people. What I really miss about Mexico!

[daveB110]

We rely on a small, 3 or 4 year old Garmin and found it very satisfactory. Of course, there are times when....on a road in Cape Breton an argument erupted, I wanted to follow the highway, DW wanted to turn as the GPS noted. I turned to maintain some harmony and we bounced along residential side roads until we made it - back to the highway. Another Nova Scotian faut pas was heading south from Cape Breton to the Halifax area, the wind was becoming a serious enemy, so we decided to head for the Walmart in Antigonish. Following the GPS instruction, we ended up in a residential area on a dead end street, with a circular turning circle that was not big enough. As we unhooked the towed car, a friendly chap (and aren't they all are in Nova Scotia?) trotted up with the pre-printed, detailed map on how to get from there, to Walmart! He mentioned that a lot of traffic came through there, all relying on Garmin, even semis that had trouble with the overhead wires.

[Tequila]

My new Nuvicam was $399 US direct from Garmin with lifetime US/Canada Mexico maps. Only thing I have done is buy a larger memory card for the stored videos. What I really like is I can take photos of intersections and it auto overlays them with the co-ordinates. Since I am planning out road logs for RV Caravans, it saves me a lot of time & effort.

[Kidoo]

briansue wrote:
I am pretty sure if they say North America they mean all of North America of which Mexico is part - but I got mine directly from Garmin so not sure - try the specs on Garmin site or contact them and ask. I do believe one of the features of the 2757 is all NA including US, CN, MX.

Thanks, I never though of calling them!

[briansue]

I am pretty sure if they say North America they mean all of North America of which Mexico is part - but I got mine directly from Garmin so not sure - try the specs on Garmin site or contact them and ask. I do believe one of the features of the 2757 is all NA including US, CN, MX.

[Kidoo]

Garmin 2757 is available at the Source and Amazon.ca, it says it has the North America maps and preloaded with city navigator for Canada and USA. What is the city navigator and do we have it for Mexico?

[briansue]

New information - at least to us. We entered Canada at Sault Ste. Marie today and drove to Sudbury. Our relatively new Garmin 2757 knew the speed limit wherever we went and not only showed the speed limit but showed it in MPH instead of KM so we could tell what speed we were traveling. We have not experienced this in Mexico due to most GPS not showing speed limits in Mexico but I would guess maybe Canadians who are programmed to KM would be able to see US MPH converted to KM on their Garmin if this works both ways. We now watch our speed on our GPS instead of dashboard.

[briansue]

We leave Provide Navigation on and turned the voice off a long time ago. Provide Navigation will get you back on route if you make a wrong turn. Can be useful.

We bought our Garmin directly from Garmin as no one had a better price and they ship free - and no question about warranty or updates etc.

My POIs are not on the website and never will be - the numbers are not mine so I have no right to post them.

[Kidoo]

I do have the GPS with Microsoft and it works pretty good. Briandsue thanks, I will check your web site to download the POI. Just one thing I learned is to disactivate "provide navigation" cause this function keeps rerouting and goes on and off many times, probably because I am taking a "wrong route" wrong route" on and on and on, shut up, I know!

I like the idea of a lap top in the dashboard!