chollie

Thanks, I'll have to take a look. My current Garmin Nuvi (several years old) came with NA and Europe maps and a pedestrian mode, but the Europe maps are strictly highway maps.

For me, it's the lesser of two evils: frequently juggling a tourist map while I walk around and constantly trying to figure out where I am on the map (street signs are always absent just when you need them) or just carrying a Garmin. If necessary, I'm thinking I could minimize looking at it by relying on the audio cues.

RSSrsvp

I selected the Nuvi 2577 over the Nuvi 2475 because it had the 5 inch screen vs. the 4.2 inch screen. The downside in buying the 2577 is that it doesn't have that pedestrian mode. Both models came loaded with both North America and Europe maps.

wco81

It's a wonder they're still selling dedicated GPS devices.

RSSrsvp

I guess it is a tradeoff for some people who don't want roaming charges on a cell phone when traveling abroad vs. the cost of a dedicated GPS unit like a Garmin or Tom Tom.

wco81

Well if you already have a smart phone, you can get the app. with European maps for $100. They often have sales where TomTom app. is $80 for Europe on the App. Store.

More and more people have smart phones now, about 50% in the US. Phones like the Lumia 520 are about $160 now (though I'm not sure what kind of third-party offline GPS apps it has but I believe you can download the Nokia maps -- Nokia bought Navteq a couple of years ago -- for offline use).

Smart phones these days will acquire the satellites faster with AGPS and the responsiveness has the potential to be a lot better because the SOCs used in phones are way better than the cheap embedded processors used on most GPS PNDs.

GUWonder

Some phones don't allow for GPS to be used unless also enabling the reception for mobile calls. In other words, consider the possibility of nasty roaming charges so you plan to avoid them before you get hit by them.

I use the iOS Navigon Europe apps in pedestrian mode too. It worked well for me even on unpaved trails in park grounds in various parts of Europe. Buying the app when it's on sale using a gift card bought on sale too can really drive down the cost.

Ryan15037

I haven't used a standalone GPS for quite a while. The GPS in my phone is excellent (HTC).

othermike27

I have used a Garmin nuvi 660 for this, but the battery life deteriorated badly, so got a nuvi 3490 and loaded EU maps. Used the 3490 last year to navigate in Germany. It will work, but if you are downtown in a big city your direct line-of-sight to satellites may be interrupted by buildings, making the navigation somewhat dodgy.

BTW, even w/o map in hand, you'll still look like a tourist trying to reconcile the screen picture with your surroundings.

GUWonder

The tradeoff may be addressed by sticking in a no-value/low-value Prepaid SIM card -- that controls for roaming charge concerns.

lwildernorva

Ran across this today: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Garmin+-...ref=25&loc=PGR. Although the unit has lifetime traffic updates, lifetime maps are not included in the $79.99 purchase price. From the reviews, only three or four of which seem to include experience in Europe, several are positive while one says the European maps didn't work at all.

For someone looking to buy a cheap unit for basic navigation in Europe for an upcoming trip, this might be an OK option. The lack of liftetime map updates for both the US and Europe, although understandable given the low price, certainly limits its usefulness after about a year or so, however.

mvtm

I have an old Garmin 255 and it has been great. i have downloaded the maps from USA/Venezuela/Europe/Africa in the SD card and ready to go. It has had all the maps without any problems.

Just bought a 40LM for $90 to see all of this Lifetime Maps, and have an extra GPS for family members and to see if it's tad a bit faster.

Then i used Google Navigation on my Galaxy S4 and it is better than the Garmin. A bit more accurate, much faster, gorgeous screen, clearer maps, etc. The only catch it of course depends on a data plan. As i find myself anywhere in the world and need a GPS immediately or in rural areas i purchased an entry 40LM to do the task when there's no SIM around or phone signal.

I actually prefer compact GPS with smaller screens for travel, but i have to be honest imho Google Navigation wipes out the floor of dedicated GPS. The only issue is that they require data and most of the time i don't buy in a prepaid SIM card with data where i travel. So imho the best would be to carry both devices as i do.

FLYMSY

I have a multi-country European trip (NL, BE, FR, DE, CH) coming up and am looking for the best option for navigation in a car.

I'm trying to decide between a GPS unit or an app on my iPhone. I see a TomTom VIA 1505 World Traveler model for $150 or a Garmin Nuvi 2598 for $159. I'm mainly interested in maps for Europe and even though I live in the U.S., I rarely need a GPS here. Of course, having the U.S. maps could come in handy in an emergency, especially since hurricane season has arrived. I remember during our Katrina evacuation, we had to get off the interstate and onto secondary and tertiary roads at night. Also, those of us in the affected area could not use our cell phones for up to a week, even though we had evacuated outside of the Gulf Coast. I'm also looking at the Nuvi 2577 which has U.S. & Europe maps included.

I want turn-by-turn directions, a unit that will get me back on track quickly if I make a wrong turn and doesn't use cellular data. The thing that concerns me about the TomTom & Garmin units is that it seems as if they were produced in 2011-12 and maybe newer models are coming soon.

I've briefly looked in the iPhone App Store at the Garmin & TomTom apps, but they didn't have any reviews on either one. Hoping to see if anyone here has any experience with them.

Thanks for any assistance.

RSSrsvp

I have the Nuvi 2557 and am extremely happy with it. The only downside is that it doesn't have lifetime maps. It has worked perfectly in Italy on my last trip. Yes it is a slightly older model but it works just fine and the pricing should be lower now than when it was first released. @:-)

I also have used the bluetooth feature on the Nuvi 2577 with my cell phone when using rental cars which provides me with hands free speakerphone capability.

FLYMSY

Sorry for confusing the model numbers. I actually meant the 2577 (not the 2557) has the US & Europe maps pre-loaded.

Thanks for the info about using yours in Italy. I saw the 2577 listed on the Garmin site for $209 & on Amazon for ~$191.

RSSrsvp

Sorry, I meant 2577.

The Amazon price sounds reasonable, especially if you can get free shipping.