Using Satnav

[Foreigner]

My Samsung Mobile phone with 'Navigon by Garmin' becomes very handy in Australia/NZ, even when not driving. Maps don't display elsewhere unless, i guess, more maps are loaded and paid for.

What options are out there for overseas, other than what's packaged with car hire? Google Maps?

 

[Deleted member]

I have a Tom Tom with Oz and NZ maps loaded.
If I am driving in the UK, I was able to borrow one from a friend, BUT I shall just buy UK maps next time. I find the hire cost isn't value for money

 

[amaroo]

We've got a car booked for our 13 day drive around Tuscany and Nth Italy ... the cost to get satnav is €13 per day = ~$260. Reckon I can buy one for around that price - might go shopping today.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Purchase a GPS from eBay that comes with a link to download international maps for life.

I did this several years ago and haven't regretted it. Have used it successfully for trips across the U.S., NZ, Europe, UK and the West Indies.

 

[RooFlyer]

I haven't taken my Tom Tom with world wide maps with me o/s for about 2 years. Google maps with directions, on a large screen phone held in a dashboard holder has sufficed - although I haven't been in places like driving through medieval towns, where the Tom Tom was brilliant!

 

[amaroo]

I haven't taken my Tom Tom with world wide maps with me o/s for about 2 years. Google maps with directions, on a large screen phone held in a dashboard holder has sufficed - although I haven't been in places like driving through medieval towns, where the Tom Tom was brilliant!

I've always assumed the data chew would be prohibitive. The car we booked should come with satnav as standard however, I'm counting on getting something that doesn't.

 

[RooFlyer]

I've always assumed the data chew would be prohibitive. The car we booked should come with satnav as standard however, I'm counting on getting something that doesn't.

Yes, it was considerable. I only used it sparingly and with an o/s data plan. I started this when I found half my carry-one was bloody electronics!

 

[serfty]

You can pre download google map data before travel for most destinations (not Japan for example)- its a bit of an easter egg to do so, something like displaying the area you wish to download and then entering a special phrase into the location search box. (can't recall the exact phrase so I wont post to avoid confusion - it)

 

[RooFlyer]

I think they stopped that, didn't they? I used to do it all the time but after an update, it wasn't there, at least not in the same form.

You also can no longer save a route on a map in 'my maps'. Stupidest enhancement I think I've ever seen.

 

[Buzzard]

Have a look at an app called Navmii. Uses GPS not your data. I haven't used it OS but in Oz I find it perfect. Best of all it's free.
Forgot to mention, it's for smartphones etc

 

[adrian]

I purchased Sygic GPS for my iPhone. I think it cost around $50 for a lifetime license and unlimited country maps. Just download the maps via wifi, and it works off your GPS, so no data used. Have used it in Italy, USA, Greece, Thailand, UK, Sydney...... works perfectly, and even if the hire car comes with sat nav, I use the Sygic app instead, as I don't have to learn a new system every time. Definitely can recommend.

 

[RooFlyer]

I purchased Sygic GPS for my iPhone. I think it cost around $50 for a lifetime license and unlimited country maps. Just download the maps via wifi, and it works off your GPS, so no data used. Have used it in Italy, USA, Greece, Thailand, UK, Sydney...... works perfectly, and even if the hire car comes with sat nav, I use the Sygic app instead, as I don't have to learn a new system every time. Definitely can recommend.

Is that "Sygic car navigation"? Now $100 in the Application Store for what I assume is the worldwide version, including optimisation to sync with in-dash receivers and linking in with Jaguars :shock:. Versions for specific regions abt $25.

There is also a free version. I'll certainly try that!

 

[serfty]

No, I just looked it up...

"ok maps" is the phrase - I used it in May for Northland (NZ).

 

[RooFlyer]

No, I just looked it up...

"ok maps" is the phrase - I used it in May for Northland (NZ).

Ta. I see I need to Sign In to save maps. I don't usually sign in, as I think Mr Google knows quite enough about me already. Is "OK maps" a non sign-in option but either way, where do you put "OK maps" in?

(I just updated the iOS application just now. Wonder if that made a difference.)

 

[serfty]

You put it in the "location search box", it then confirms that you wish to save with a question. Once that is confirmed it asks you for a file name to save it under.

From my experience it automatically works out what data file to use as you travel.

Don't know about needing to be logged in.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks again. Doing that makes it prompt me to sign in. "Sign in to save offline maps"; same if I'm on wi-fi or 3G.

No problem, I'm grateful to know how to do it again.

 

[adrian]

Is that "Sygic car navigation"? Now $100 in the Application Store for what I assume is the worldwide version, including optimisation to sync with in-dash receivers and linking in with Jaguars :shock:. Versions for specific regions abt $25.

There is also a free version. I'll certainly try that!

The app is called Sygic GPS Navigation.

GPS Navigation | Features

I don't think it costs anything to download the app, but you need to buy the licence. The licence always seems to be on sale. Right now in the sygic store the worldwide licence is EUR100 reduced to EUR30. I almost never spend money on apps, but this has been well worth it. My car at home has built-in satnav think that cost me several 1000's), but I use this instead. I only have an old iPhone 5, so the screen isn't big (but still easy to use), but I imagine it would be even better on a 6 or a 6 plus.

 

[amaroo]

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

Some great tips. Lucky I didn't buy before looking here. Navmii and Sygic look the goods ... will probably go for Sygic - I detest ads. Buzzard, do you get bombarded with ads? Extra $6.49 for Stephen Fry Voice, lol

 

[Austman]

City Maps to Go

itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/city-maps-2go-travel-guide/id408866084?mt=8

It's not a satnav ... but it nearly is!

You download the maps when you have data access (eg before you travel) and it only needs GPS after that (ie no data access required).

I've used it, around the world, for years.

 

[TheRealTMA]

The app is called Sygic GPS Navigation.

GPS Navigation | Features

I don't think it costs anything to download the app, but you need to buy the licence. The licence always seems to be on sale. Right now in the sygic store the worldwide licence is EUR100 reduced to EUR30. I almost never spend money on apps, but this has been well worth it. My car at home has built-in satnav think that cost me several 1000's), but I use this instead. I only have an old iPhone 5, so the screen isn't big (but still easy to use), but I imagine it would be even better on a 6 or a 6 plus.

Yes I would, and do, recommend Sygic. We started with a seperate Bluetooth GPS receiver and Nokia N70 satnav using very early TomTom, circa late 2005. Then moved on to Stand alone TomTom devices but got so annoyed at TomTom refusing to honour a map upgrade on third satnav with new maps released two weeks after we'd bought the new device that we switched back to one device - mobile phone.

The days of standalone satnavs are long gone. So convenient to have only one phone device. One always has a connection cable and windscreen mounts are $25 and very portable and now there are HUD's on the nav software. Plus one can install the same software on up to 5 devices under the one licence allowing partners to use it and to have on iPhone and iPad for planning. It's annoying that the software in apps is less advanced than satnav devices in that there's little advanced planning and one can't, as yet, upload pre-planned routes nor get routes from others. (This was good with TomTom devices to get tourist routes and wine trip maps from others.)

Both TomTom and Sygic are good for turn-by-turn navigation for car and walking. TomTom continue their greed by having expensive different 'apps' for each country, even Australia and NZ require different apps. Sygic offers worldwide maps at good prices (and on sale atm). TomTom have been forced to provide free map updates for phones now but Sygic seems to have a slightly better policy.

Google and Apple maps are ok for basic manual navigation and you can now pre-load the maps (always could on android versions) and both now use vector mapping so you can pre-load then zoom in. But these are useless for turn-by-turn when OS since they require Internet and you'll chew through your data allowance pretty quickly.

There are other free map and navigation apps but in our experience Sygic and TomTom are the best and most reliable.

Note that with iPhone (5 and above) attached to window mount in sun, the phone can overheat and shut down in the middle of a route, requiring phone to be turned off for 5 mins to cool down.