What's the best GPS for Maxico, CA & SA?
 

:helpsmilie: Need advice on purchasing a GPS. Does the 60csx include a map of mexico that is reliable? Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a better GPS that includes good map of Latin America instead of having to buy the extra maps? I need one that covers the US as well as Latin America...is there such a thing?

Thanks,

Greg:confused1:

Ahr ... reliable ...

Here in Australia the 'road' is 'maintaned' by a grader driver - if he thinks that the road would be better over the other side of the salt lake .. the road becomes 'moved'. So the map is only 'relaible' from teh information it had .. back when the information was obtained .. So at best teh map is an indication of what was there ... not necessary what is there now.

But you are doing well to identify the 'map' as the thing you need in the selection criteria for buying a GPS. You should also look at the updating of these maps - frequency and cost. And then there is detail .. Look at Garmins world map - coverage yes - but little detail.

Good luck with your search. I have a 60Cx - it is a tough little unit. The map I use here is 'freeware' - it is made by people sbmiting there tracks - these get collated and distributed ... so the 'map' is constantly updated by the users... works reasonble well but depends on everyone submitting their tracks and the collator/s. I also have world map for long distance trip planing - rough planning that is. You can edit Garmin maps and add data to them .. tedious but doable. Planning on buying Garmins City Select Europe so i don't get too lots there .. but maps for Asia and Africa ....

The only brand of GPS that comes with any maps for Mexico/Central America/South America is Garmin. I believe that all the Garmin models sold in the Americas include these maps. The maps are very basic, a lot of the main roads in Mexico are not on the maps, but the towns are on the maps and so they are better than nothing. I would say the included maps are better in Central America than in Mexico. In Central America, a lot of small villages that are only reachable by jeep trail are on the maps.

There are other options for inputting maps into various brands of GPS units, but the map pickings for Central America seem to be pretty poor. Using the program Fugawi to input maps into a Palm or laptop seems to be the main other option for Central America. Other members may have more experience and info on these options, but I wanted to make the point that as delivered, only Garmin models are including any maps south of the Rio Grande.

http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/WM.jsp#

I guess Garmins Worldmap is your best bet. Not huge on detail and no routing option either but better than nothing.

I've seen some other maps kicking about on the net for Patagonia which I'll put my Quest when I go but have no idea if they're any good.