Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
I'm looking to upgrade to a Garmin GPSMAPS 62s and was wondering about purchasing from overseas. Will this effect my maps? It says it has a built-in world wide base map..will that be ok for basic caching? I'll admit the different maps sometimes confuse me a little
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roundcircle
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Re: Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
The base maps aren't worth the paper they're printed on. 
About all these will show is what town your in and major highways.
There are a few free mapping solutions which are quite good though. Shonkey Maps, OSM and Tracks 4 Australia for example.
Given the value of the Australian dollar, I wouldn't have thought there much benefit in importing a GPS. In particular you'll miss out on warranty support. Not that you really that likely to use it, some GPS's have issues.
About all these will show is what town your in and major highways. There are a few free mapping solutions which are quite good though. Shonkey Maps, OSM and Tracks 4 Australia for example.
Given the value of the Australian dollar, I wouldn't have thought there much benefit in importing a GPS. In particular you'll miss out on warranty support. Not that you really that likely to use it, some GPS's have issues.
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CraigRat
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Re: Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
This is a fair point, you probabyl can source it cheaper locally nowadays (by the time you account for freight etc)roundcircle wrote:Given the value of the Australian dollar, I wouldn't have thought there much benefit in importing a GPS. In particular you'll miss out on warranty support. Not that you really that likely to use it, some GPS's have issues.
The basemaps are TERRIBLE. I can't express how bad they are, with my Oregon they are not even 'good enough'... NO MAP would have been better, and I am being 100% truthful. Even Highway 1 through the middle of Tassie was only correct in *2* places when I tested it.
That said, you can get Openstreetmaps for free and put them on the device, which are gettign to be almost as good as most of the commercial products out there for a lot of areas.
Re: Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
Regarding Garmin base maps, I posted the following in the GPSr review section of my gc.com account. Seems this rant applies to most Garmin mapping handhelds. Yet they sell their in car devices with a real map. Something stinks.
Garmin Report Card: GPSMAP 76C is a great GPS. Excellent auto routing; off-route travel, colour display, reliable and it floats. Works in the car to get you there, and then on the ground to finish the journey. My gripe though. Why does Garmin dumb the unit down with such a crappy base map? You have actually gone to the trouble of degrading what must have been superb data to produce a base map that is 200m in error. Now generally the condition of the base map does not matter to me. Very occasionally I fall off uploaded maps onto the base map, and I am screaming! I can understand that you do not want to provide a detailed map as the base feature. I can accept this. You want to sell your fine maps. An accurate less detailed map would be the proper thing to do. A few roads, features and cities. But in the correct place! Water where water is, and land where land should be etc. You demean your product in this inexcusable manner. It is not smart. Garmin, could do better.
Garmin Report Card: GPSMAP 76C is a great GPS. Excellent auto routing; off-route travel, colour display, reliable and it floats. Works in the car to get you there, and then on the ground to finish the journey. My gripe though. Why does Garmin dumb the unit down with such a crappy base map? You have actually gone to the trouble of degrading what must have been superb data to produce a base map that is 200m in error. Now generally the condition of the base map does not matter to me. Very occasionally I fall off uploaded maps onto the base map, and I am screaming! I can understand that you do not want to provide a detailed map as the base feature. I can accept this. You want to sell your fine maps. An accurate less detailed map would be the proper thing to do. A few roads, features and cities. But in the correct place! Water where water is, and land where land should be etc. You demean your product in this inexcusable manner. It is not smart. Garmin, could do better.
Re: Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
I recently bought a 62s from Johhny Appleseed here in Sydney. The advantages of buying locally for me are:
1. It comes with Australian Warranty.
2. If something goes wrong I can take it straight back to the person I bought it from and speak to them face to face.
3. You hand the money to the retailer, you get the unit in your hand. Money doesn't go missing in cyberspace.
4. You don't have your credit card details stolen by cyberfraud.
4.The GPSr doesn't go missing in transit.
5. I go to the shop today, I have the unit in my hand today, I can start using it, TODAY!! No waiting for it to arrive.
6. You are supporting a local small business.
As for maps, with the help of Spindoc Bob, I installed free Worldwide Routable Garmin Maps. They work exceptionally well and you can customise them for anywhere that you may be going in the world.
1. It comes with Australian Warranty.
2. If something goes wrong I can take it straight back to the person I bought it from and speak to them face to face.
3. You hand the money to the retailer, you get the unit in your hand. Money doesn't go missing in cyberspace.
4. You don't have your credit card details stolen by cyberfraud.
4.The GPSr doesn't go missing in transit.
5. I go to the shop today, I have the unit in my hand today, I can start using it, TODAY!! No waiting for it to arrive.
6. You are supporting a local small business.
As for maps, with the help of Spindoc Bob, I installed free Worldwide Routable Garmin Maps. They work exceptionally well and you can customise them for anywhere that you may be going in the world.
Re: Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
Thanks everyone. The only reason I was looking at getting it from overseas is that I can get it almost $100 cheaper. Although their are some good sales out there and I will keep looking around.
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noikmeister
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Re: Garmin GPSMAPS 62s from overseas
I just bought my Montana from overseas. Factors involved:
1: Only the 650T has been released in Australia (currently $730 at ja-gps)
2: I already had Garmin Topo on SD card so could use in the unit
3: Price, including expedited delivery (I got it in 4 days) including the speaking car mount was $578, but this only cost me $548 AU
So, with the high dollar, it is the IDEAL time to buy from the US. The flow on effect (if any) wont come to Australia for months to come. For example, the Garmin 650T (useless due to the US maps) is only $578 US. MUCH cheaper than the $730AU being charged by ja-gps. Now I don't blame the retailer, it is the greedy wholesaler or manufacturer that is at fault, in my view.
As far as warranty goes, well I haven't had to claim warranty on ANY $500+ item I have bought in recent history.
1: Only the 650T has been released in Australia (currently $730 at ja-gps)
2: I already had Garmin Topo on SD card so could use in the unit
3: Price, including expedited delivery (I got it in 4 days) including the speaking car mount was $578, but this only cost me $548 AU
So, with the high dollar, it is the IDEAL time to buy from the US. The flow on effect (if any) wont come to Australia for months to come. For example, the Garmin 650T (useless due to the US maps) is only $578 US. MUCH cheaper than the $730AU being charged by ja-gps. Now I don't blame the retailer, it is the greedy wholesaler or manufacturer that is at fault, in my view.
As far as warranty goes, well I haven't had to claim warranty on ANY $500+ item I have bought in recent history.