Travel Technology - Help, Garmin Nuvi 360

Hi

I got Garmin Nuvi 360 Pocket Vehicle GPS Navigator and Personal Travel Assistant with preloaded north America map, however I was wondering how can I use the same device in Europe, do i need to purchase for new software or get additional device, please guide me for the right solution, because I will be in Europe soon.

Hope to hear from you very soon

Looks like you need to either swap it for a 370 (if it's brand new and that's possible) or buy the Europe maps from the Garmin website.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=6291

I bought the full European version ($299) for my Nuvi 350 and used it extensively in UK, Ireland, France. See the link above from previous poster and select the maps tab. The map worked especially well in UK and Ireland at roundabouts letting me know which exit ( e.g. take exit 3 ) to take out of the roundabout of the several exits. Had it not been for the voice prompts and the maps I'd still be going round and round and round around the roundabouts for days. My head is spinning now thinking about the roundabouts.

The data card is 2 GB SD memory card that plugs into the slot on the side.

I have the Nuvi 350 -- great device. Alas, I purchased the card through Amazon, who delivered promptly and had a good price :D -- also, make sure you have the latest version.

I think I'm going to get a Nuvi 350, but the 370 with its European maps sounds alluring. I'm just not sure if it is worth the price premium since it would be used purely as a non-driving travel accessory in Europe (walking, mostly). More importantly, I wonder if the 370 has the newest maps (2008, v.9), at least for North America. That is a big issue with the 350 since Garmin has been known to demand more money from its customers to get the latest version of its maps even though many units are already shipping with the v.9 edition.

I bought the full European version ($299) for my Nuvi 350 and used it extensively in UK, Ireland, France. See the link above from previous poster and select the maps tab. The map worked especially well in UK and Ireland at roundabouts letting me know which exit ( e.g. take exit 3 ) to take out of the roundabout of the several exits.

I've recently used the Garmin Europe maps in the UK, and have been less than impressed with how they handle round-abouts. I'd say in about 10-20% of the cases, when it says 'take the 3rd exit' in the roundabout, th exit count is misleading or just wrong. When counting the exits, one of the exits may not be be a real road or street, something as simple as a short dirt road, or even a parking spot, off the round about gets counted, but on the directional route signs on the approach to the round about (examples (http://www.youhaventlived.com/qblog/2005/QBlog160705A.html)) , no such road is shown. Therefore the exit count that the Garmin maps tell you do not match the pointed-lines radiating out from signs. And if you're driving in unfamiliar territory, you have a few short seconds to decide which exit is correct.

I like Garmin's hardware and software, but the europe maps are not up to the usual high standards. This happened to me again twice this evening on a short 25 mile drive. Maybe it's just the location I'm in, but it seems to be happening too frequently to be a one-time fluke.

One more thing, I'm specifically talking about the City Navigator Europe v9 maps. If you're unfamiliar with Garmin maps, note that these maps come in two slight variations, one being normal, and the second being the "NT" version, as in City Navigator Europe NT v9. You'll want the NT version (no relation to the MS operating system), if you need the features that allow dynamic routing based on traffic and weather conditions. This distinction is not very clear to the uninitiated.

JadedTraveler - my recent (last two weeks) experience of the nuvi 370 in Ireland and roundabouts was the opposite - the roundabouts and exits were spot on - in fact the only time we went the wrong way was when I miscounted the exit number and exited too early.

We generally found the nuvi an garmin maps excellent. One or two small instances of changed roads (overpasses where roundabouts used to be apparently), but other than those we were very happy.

JadedTraveler - my experience with the US version of the nuvi 350 with the additional European map data card was like the previous poster in that I did encounter a single miscounted exit except one just north of Shannon where the roundabout had a new exit added for entry into the new section of a motorway. That section was opened the week I was there and an updated map would not have shown it. We were also able to find all the restaurants and pubs we were looking for thaat were recommended by locals.

Interesting observations. It ("the exit count that the Garmin maps tell you do not match the pointed-lines radiating out from signs") has occured much too frequently with me to be a one-time fluke.

I'm not using a Nuvi, I'm using a GPSMAP 76CSx, but I am using the same mapping software that comes in the 350 and 370. I'm also a little suspicious that this is all happening within a certain region, from Glasgow north to Loch Lemond, maybe the map/database updates here are different.

One more thing, I'm specifically talking about the City Navigator Europe v9 maps. If you're unfamiliar with Garmin maps, note that these maps come in two slight variations, one being normal, and the second being the "NT" version, as in City Navigator Europe NT v9. You'll want the NT version (no relation to the MS operating system), if you need the features that allow dynamic routing based on traffic and weather conditions. This distinction is not very clear to the uninitiated.

It's pretty clear on their web site. The non-NT maps are for older products like my Streetpilot 2610. If you have a Nuvi or anything other than one of their ancient 'on the road' products, you need the "NT" maps.

What's hard to find on their web site is the upgrade prices for the maps. I just ordered the N. America v8 upgrade, and I have an old email from the stating the v8 upgrade price is $75, which is a lot less than what I paid for my first map upgrade. (The Streetpilot 2610 is pretty damn old, but still not worth replacing for my usage patterns.)

-David