Garmin: Buy from US or UK?

[Quintin]

I'm about to buy a 60 CSX and noticed that the US versions are less than 50% of the cost of those sold in the UK. Nothing new there then.....I know that the US versions are sold with US mapping software and UK versions have European maps but as I intend to use it primarily in Africa, is there any point in paying twice the price for having a European version?

I appreciate the answer may be obvious, but views would be appreciated.

Q

[Redboots]

I bought my 276c from the US for the price reason. Basemaps are not used so why worry.

Just be careful the customs man does not sting you too hard!
If you know someone thats going there, get them to pick one up for you.

J

[Quintin]

Thanks. Rather what I thought. Good point about the Customs too.

Does anyone have any idea why Garmins are nigh on £400 here and less than £175 when bought in the US? Who's doing the rip off; Garmin or the retailers?

All the best

Q

[mac19406]

Save your hard earned cash. If you have to buy custom maps no matter what then buy the less expensive version of the hardware in the USA.

The USA can sell the hardware cheaper because they are produced in mass quantities and on top of that because the euro and pound are so strong against the dollar it will seem like it cost even less.

Hope this helped. Ride safe.

Michael

[Toyark]

no prizes for G-uessing who.....
How's your truck coming along Q?

and as for mapping..... quick plug for WANDERLUST downloadable from www.smellybiker.com

[Quintin]

Yep Bertrand it was the Wanderlust posting which made me address this issue and get my act together. Incidentally, I couldn't work out from the site whether the maps cover Africa but then again I should have guessed from your endorsement that they did.

Truck's coming on well. Just geting my second spare mounted on a frame on the back I'm making up then all I've got to do is mount up the genny and I'm virtually there-until the week before I go when no doubt I'll discover a major snag...........Hey ho!.

Thanks Michael. I'll get on and order one then.

Q

[Global Rider]

Originally Posted by Quintin

Does anyone have any idea why Garmins are nigh on £400 here and less than £175 when bought in the US? Who's doing the rip off; Garmin or the retailers?

All the best
Q

Shipping, the extra middleman and mostly greed.

See if anyone is coming to London-Heathrow from North America and ask them to bring you one.

[moggy 1968]

I flew to america to buy a pro camera lens (£1200here $1200 there!), while there I bought two, sold the other when I got back to the UK and the profit paid for the trip!!

Top tip though was I took everything out of it's packaging and put them in my camera bag so they didn't look as though I had just bought them