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Garmin City Navigator worth it?


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I just got a 60csx and I'm thinking about buying the City Navigator North America. I know I can get free maps, but is it worth it to have one street navigation option. I was thinking about buying it loaded on the Micro SD card so I could move it to another device if I get something different.

 

Good idea? Bad idea. Free maps just as good?

 

Thanks

 

Tom

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I like them because they're basically the easiest option going, if the price isn't a big consideration. I haven't messed with the free maps that are available, so someone else can comment on those.

 

I don't think the pre-loaded sd card version is transferrable to different gps units easily - I think they get activated for one unit only.

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I feel the City Nav NT 2011 is a good value and has the most up to date POIs. It can be found for about $80 online. This or the micro card option is locked to one unit so no moving the maps around, sorry. With the micro card you don't have the maps in Mapsource for viewing/planning so beware. If you use BaseCamp I believe it lets you view them off the unit's card.

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I feel the City Nav NT 2011 is a good value and has the most up to date POIs. It can be found for about $80 online. This or the micro card option is locked to one unit so no moving the maps around, sorry. With the micro card you don't have the maps in Mapsource for viewing/planning so beware. If you use BaseCamp I believe it lets you view them off the unit's card.

 

from the Garmin site: "Pre-programmed datacards: Pre-programmed datacards are immediately ready to use out of the box. Simply unpack the card and insert it into your compatible GPS device. These maps do not need to be unlocked to your device which allows you to move the card to multiple units if desired, however you will not directly have access to the mapping on your computer. City Navigator maps in this format are not eligible for map updates. If you wish to obtain updated content, a new card will need to be purchased."

 

How important are updates and how frequently do they come?

 

Tom

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I use the City Nav and think getting it on the Micro SD card is the way to go.

I have dozens of handhelds and a couple of Nuvi's and have never updated any maps although doing so was free......I've had VERY few issues criss-crossing the country even using Magellan Meridians with 8 year old maps.

 

Congratulations on getting what I think is the best handheld ( new ) on the market for geocaching.....the Gold Standard 60 CSx.

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from the Garmin site: "Pre-programmed datacards: Pre-programmed datacards are immediately ready to use out of the box. Simply unpack the card and insert it into your compatible GPS device. These maps do not need to be unlocked to your device which allows you to move the card to multiple units if desired,....

 

How important are updates and how frequently do they come?

 

Tom

I stand corrected! Then that is a good option for you. I agree with bamboozle that updates are not that important.

Edited by Timpat
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As cheap as low end Nuvis are, it may be better to just keep the Nuvi in the car and woods-ramble with the 60csx (loaded with free topos) No card swithing. Just road navigate with the nuvi, then use the 60 on foot.

 

That being said, I do have a 60csx that came with a CN card. I have the free topos on another card inside a bison tube hanging on the 60's lanyard. Works great, exept for having to swap cards. No verbal instructions while auto routing, but the beeps work fine.

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Another HUGE advantage with the Garmin City Navigator maps is, address information is searchable!! The free "openstreetmaps" version does work well but if you're trying to find "123 Somestreet, mytown" then it'll come back with "address not found".

 

If you DO need to be able to route your car with your 60csx then you'll want to be able to search for addresses!

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As cheap as low end Nuvis are, it may be better to just keep the Nuvi in the car and woods-ramble with the 60csx (loaded with free topos) No card swithing. Just road navigate with the nuvi, then use the 60 on foot.

 

That being said, I do have a 60csx that came with a CN card. I have the free topos on another card inside a bison tube hanging on the 60's lanyard. Works great, exept for having to swap cards. No verbal instructions while auto routing, but the beeps work fine.

 

I'm pretty good and finding my way in a car, and I do have an iPhone for most navigation in the car, when it works. The 60CSx is more for when I'm outside cell tower range where the phone fails, mostly on foot but sometime in the car here in Northern Michigan, out West, Canada, Mexico. How is the City Navigator for rural roads and countries other than the USA?

 

Tom

Edited by kachadurian
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Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region.

Have you ever actually tried this? I have. The topo maps only have MAJOR roads. I generally need nav help on back roads. Topo maps have their place but do not shine on the blacktop.

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" How is the City Navigator for rural roads ....."

 

I live in rural Alabama. CN works well in the sticks. There are occasional mistakes in calculations and POI locations, but that's happens with any of them...even the smart phones.

 

"..and countries other than the USA?"

 

Sorry, can't help you with that. Wish I travelled enough to let you know how it works outside the US.

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Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region.

Have you ever actually tried this? I have. The topo maps only have MAJOR roads. I generally need nav help on back roads. Topo maps have their place but do not shine on the blacktop.

 

Sorry Cardinal but you got your info mixed up. The 24K have ALL the roads. And they are routable. So you can look up 123 jones st., SF, CA and it will take you to the front door.

Edited by Walts Hunting
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Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region.

Have you ever actually tried this? I have. The topo maps only have MAJOR roads. I generally need nav help on back roads. Topo maps have their place but do not shine on the blacktop.

 

Yes I have. I have Garmin Topo U.S. 24K Northeast and City Navigator North America 2011.40 on my Oregon 550. Both have routed identically every time I compared them.

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I got City Navigator 2010 on eBay and it works great in my 450. In my area, not much changes as far as roads, so I'm good with last year's maps. I'm not much of a "find me a Chinese restaurant" type of person, so I don't use that feature. That would be when updates and the newest maps would be of most help. If you don't use the Points of Interest search and you don't live in a major city where they might change roads often, then you will probably like it too.

 

Not sure if the previous owner of this SD card used it, but it worked right away for me, so I'm thinking that it's not tied to one unit as much as some software could be. Hope this helps.

Karl

Edited by kwitsman
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I am thinking of purchasing City Navigator NT for my GPSMAP 62s as well, but I think I want the DVD version so I can get updates. Is that a correct assumption? With the SD cards there are no updates available, you have to buy a new card. With the DVD version updates are available online? Are they free?? I guess is the more important question...

Edited by khumbu_calypso
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This is the one thing that bugs me about Garmin. Buy the SD card and it can be moved to any unit, but no upgrades. Or, buy the DVD and you can later buy updates. I think you can buy a lifetime update, but not sure about that. But, stuck with the one unit. The good thing is that roads don't change that often, so perhaps the SD card is the way to go. After all, where I live, Google hasn't updated their maps in 3 or 4 years! My neighborhood still shows roads and dirt lots, despite the fact there are 20+ homes built there. That's a real pain when I try to narrow down where a cache is hidden.

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I have 3 Garmin handhelds all using City Navigator North America NT on SD cards, 2009-2011. Honestly, I think they're fine. There's not an appreciable difference between versions that I can tell, so when I and my buddies head out to do some caching we're all "beeping" at the same time.

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I am not interested in City Navigator NT for Geocaching purposes.... I have topo maps, and Birdseye Imagery for Geocaching. I am only interested in City Navigator NT for routeable maps for driving directions and more importantly the POI's. Sure the roads won't change much depending on where you live and travel, but the POI's are always being updated. New restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc. The whole reason for buying City Navigator NT would be so I can use my 62s for multiple purposes instead of picking up a Nuvi.

 

But if City Navigator NT on DVD doesn't include free lifetime updates for the $75 price tag, I might be better off to buy the Nuvi 1450 with lifetime map updates for $180.

 

Can anyone confirm whether City Navigator NT on DVD includes lifetime updates, and if not how much to add it?

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So now we're getting somewhere....

 

So if I read this right, I purchase CN on DVD for $75, one time cost. Then I can subscribe to numaps for $90 for lifetime updates?

 

quote from the Garmin nuMaps webpage linked above. "(it is possible to use Lifetime map updates if you purchased a City Navigator® map on DVD and it is used on the same computer you installed the City Navigator maps)"

 

GPSMAP 62s is listed as a compatible device.

 

I guess the question now boils down to cost. Total of the CN once time purchase and the nuMaps subscription is $165. I am getting awfully close to the price of a nuvi 1450 with lifetime map updates ($190). Still I like the idea of one device for everything even though the nuvi is clearly a much better solution for road navigation (spoken directions, touch screen, larger screen). What would make the price more compelling is if the $90 subscription covers all of the map products you have purchased. So if I purchased Garmin Topos for the 62s would it update those as well? I guess those don't require frequent updates though do they?....

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So now we're getting somewhere....

 

So if I read this right, I purchase CN on DVD for $75, one time cost. Then I can subscribe to numaps for $90 for lifetime updates?

 

quote from the Garmin nuMaps webpage linked above. "(it is possible to use Lifetime map updates if you purchased a City Navigator® map on DVD and it is used on the same computer you installed the City Navigator maps)"

 

GPSMAP 62s is listed as a compatible device.

 

I guess the question now boils down to cost. Total of the CN once time purchase and the nuMaps subscription is $165. I am getting awfully close to the price of a nuvi 1450 with lifetime map updates ($190). Still I like the idea of one device for everything even though the nuvi is clearly a much better solution for road navigation (spoken directions, touch screen, larger screen). What would make the price more compelling is if the $90 subscription covers all of the map products you have purchased. So if I purchased Garmin Topos for the 62s would it update those as well? I guess those don't require frequent updates though do they?....

I also seem to recall that they offered a good deal on Black Friday last year for the lifetime maps. Maybe $60? I'm waiting to see if they do the same this year.

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