Garmin Nuvi GPS Map Updates

[consha]

I bought a Garmin on black friday 2009. Well of course almost a year to the date I started getting warnings and reminders on the screen to update my maps.

I didn't even realize you have to pay to update maps to use the $100+ equipment! I was checking on the Garmin site and I see you can do a one time update for $69 or for $100+ you can get a years worth of updates??

Ughh.. I can't even afford to do this right now and I've been noticing "glitches" with my GPS, like now i'm driving on roads that are not there? My road home in particular, my GPS doesn't recognize it suddenly?? lol I figure this is Garmin's way of getting me to pay for the upgrade.

Anyone have the same experiences? Any advice? For the price of the upgrade I can almost buy a whole new system!

[amberj365]

I'm clueless about GPS systems. I'd rather have maps or just stop and ask for directions.

 

However, unless you really, really, like your current system, if you can get a new one for what it would cost to update the "old" one, then why not?

[Venusaur]

Most of the time you don't need the map updates. They just add a few new POIs, delete some old ones, and maybe show some new roads that weren't there before.

 

As far as the glitches with your GPS, I'm not sure what's wrong with that sorry But I don't think it has anything to do with upgrading, as long as it did recognize your road before.

 

I agree, it is worth it to buy a new GPS instead of buying a map update, since you get 1 free map update with its purchase. I'm sure if you sold your old GPS on eBay or something you'd get good value for it as long as it's in good working condition. BUT if you do choose to get a map update, do Amazon. It's $48.88 for a one time update or $94.32 for unlimited updates for the lifetime of your GPS.

[pumpkin456]

I have to say this my husbands garmin nuvi started acting real weird also. It would tell him in need to be updated blah blah blah. Then one day the nuvi would not even pick up satelite reception. Now sometimes it picks up our location and works and most times it does not pick up the location. We feel the same thing because it all conveniently happened around the same time. I also noticed some of the nuvis are discontinued hmmmm strange