2009 maps from Garmin are here

Does anyone have information about how the downloading works?

Does it download the files to your computer or directly to the gps unit?

It amazes me that they sent these out free to the people that bought the $128 330s by the boatload but charge shipping for people that just bought a new unit last month. I sure they are learning that it isnt cheap...but this is going the other way.

the Download would be to your computer..but it would be about a 2 gig file..that would take hours with my Highspeed connection

I'm waiting for the backlash of unhappy customers when they find out that the 2009 update (even though we're not 1/2 way through 2008) does not contain the world the way it is today.

And they'll wonder why it doesn't avoid the pothole on their way to work.

Oh well...if they weren't spending their money here, it would be somewhere else

With a 3-5 Megabit connection (not super fast for "high speed") you are talking maybe an hour for the download.

1 hour (of time you are already paying for) vs.3-4 days (if it ships right away) and $10 shipping. Seems like a no brainer to me.

And By the way, that $128 for a C330 is a great price for a good functional unit, even if it has been discontinued, so I wouldn't complain about cost of new maps for it.

I chose to download it. I'm guessing it would take around 12 hours on a 768k dsl connection so I'll just leave it downloading over night instead of my regular torrents.

I just called and the CSR at Garmin said I have to pay $69 to download or order the 2009 updates on DVD even though I bought my Dad's GPS on March 25th, 2008. The reason they said was that the C340 is a discontinued product and none of the new ones will ship out with a 2009 maps on it. Bummer

Sometimes it helps to keep calling Garmin support and present your case to other reps, or higher up the chain of command. Many people have had luck on map updates in the past by continuing to plead their case. Even though the C340 is a dicontinued model, Garmin says they will still fully support it, so I don't know why eligible map updates would be any different.

I just called Garmin regarding a nuvi I purchased at Costco in Mar and was told I didn't qualify for the update because my 680 was an end of life product. I thanked them for informing me that it was an eol product and because I am well within my return window with Costco I would return it tomorrow as I don't like having a newly purchased product that is already eol. The rep promptly offered to send me the update. We'll see if it actually shows up.

Garmin Maps are downloaded directly to your GPS.You must be online to do this.

I downloaded mine today. The file is over 2 GB. It took about an hour to download on my broadband but may have been hampered by heavy traffic at the time. It took a few minutes to extract [decompress] the data from the downloaded file and then another hour or so to load into my Street Pilot C530.

Is there a way to see if certain new streets are on the 2009? Our area is growing by leaps and bounds, so it would be interesting to see if some of the streets made it. Wonder what year the map update is from, 2007 or so? Just curious.

If you can check, how do you go to view the newly added streets?

Thanks for your help.

Yes, online somewhere (you might have to drill down a bit on the web site) where you can buy or order maps, there is an online viewer to check the latest maps for whatever you want. So you can check particular areas with the online viewer to see if they have been updated to show the stuff you need that is current absent from the 2008 maps.

PT

Ok found it. Go to Garmin.com and pick MAPS from the menu bar. Pick the "On the Road" Maps. Then on the next page, over on the right you will see a box that says "MapSource Map Viewer" and then you would pick the map you want to see. HOWEVER, it appears the 2009 version for North America is NOT up yet.

So instead if you are registered with Garmin, go to My Garmin -> My Maps -> Manage Maps then pick the "Buy Disk" option and on the next page a little bit down you will see a MapSource® Viewer link. Click that and you will be in the viewer for the 2009 maps.

PT

Does anyone know if they give you any special deals or discounts if you go to the Gramin Plant in Oletha, Kansas?

Yes you can!! I called Garmin about this and was told
"If you live more than 300 miles from the plant in Oletha, Kansas and drive there, you will recieve a $5 gas coupon upon buying the CNNANT 2009 maps for the discounted price of $69.99 + Tax. "

LOL

PT, Thanks for locating the map viewer for the 2009 maps. I had not been able to find it until your post. I needed to see if certain new roads were included to make it worth my while to upgrade. Thanks again.

If you download the map update, will the maps be available in mapsource?

Yes, the update process updates both mapsource and your gps.

Thanks for your help. I will try it when I get home from work tonight.

I tried your method, My Garmin, My Maps, Manage Maps, but I don't get an option to "Buy Disk", only a link to a list of distributors.

Any suggestions?

I just downloaded the file. It downloaded it to my PC, loaded some files, then asked me to plug my GPS into my computer and transferred the maps. It took about an hour complete the install.

Your funny. Guess I wont even get the five bucks cause I live 14 miles from the Plant