Will be driving through switzerland, southern france and northern Italy. Would like to have a GPS. I already own a tomtom one and an Omnitech but both are US versions.

It seems like my options are:

buy a euro maps GPS. The garmin 270 is only 145 on amazon. Seems easy enough to me and maybe I can recoup a lot by ebaying it when I get home.

Pay for maps on the tomtom or omnitech. Seems like this cost 100-150. I guess this seems silly to me.

get one from hertz at a cost of $300 for the rental. The silliest idea of all.

So should I just buy the garmin 270. Any other ideas.

Try renting from Sixt. Most of their cars seem to come with GPS included as standard these days. Other rental companies may be similar.

Or call Hertz to make your reservation and tell them you're tempted to rent with another company because of the GPS issue and see if they'll comp the GPS.

I have a Nuvi 370 which came loaded with North America and European maps. Works well.
For the price of hardware and map database, getting one with preloaded maps is the way to go.

Buy the Tomtom maps. I bought the AU version and maps for USA and Western Europe when they were on special.

I have a Garmin Nuvi 250w that came pre-loaded with Canada + US. At a local store here in YYZ I bought the European maps. It was expensive and I hesitated for a quite a while, but I considered that Michelin maps (my preferred maps) that cover the same area would set me back quite a bit. In the end I bit the bullet and bought the Garmin European maps.

One of the best decisions I've made!^

The Garmin European maps work just as well in Europe as they do in North America. Turn-by-trun navigation is accurate down to the metre, and finding destinations works just as one would expect. Most of the hotels I stayed at are pre-loaded and finding gas stations, bank machines etc was always easy.

I was so impressed with the European maps that I have almost no hesitation at signing up for the lifetime update service that Garmin is now offering. For a one-time fee of $150 US (maybe it was $200?) or so, I'll get updates to the European maps and the North American maps forever.

I ended up buying the Garmin 270 with North America and Europe maps for $97 off Ebay. I will probably just sell it when I get back.

I believe hidukid made a prudent decision.

And RCyyz:
I agree with your comments, however, my (updated) European Garmin was almost 99% correct, but not always:
-in the Italian Alps both the Garmin and the GPS in the Mercedes C class left me without correct directions... had to use a map!
-in Leipzig the Garmin did sent me along a street which abruptly ended near the Autobahn with no way to enter the Autobahn.
-In Bergamo (hilly) the Garmin was often sending me through unpaved roads (All settings of the Garmin have been correct.)

By the way, even where I live the Garmin wants to send me right in to the Golf of Mexico!?! When I ignore this turn, then Garmin brings me direct in front of my house.