New maps coming From Garmin

That's great news. I am not sure if I will update them or not. I think I will do it every two years, instead of every year.

Do ya'll think it is really worth the money to update every year?

I've saved more than $75 worth in time & headaches. Plus, I like to keep my 350 as up to date as possible.

YEah, I hear ya. Perhaps I will.

I will make my decision based on whether the new roads (mainly toll roads) in my area are included. I am off the map many times with highways that they have split (moved one side over) to make way for the new toll road. BTW, one of my concerns is that some of these toll roads are not yet open but will be soon. Hoping they will still be included.

If you go to this web page in the upper right corner, you can use the Map Source Viewer - and in the drop-down, select the new version of the map when available and see if the items you are looking for are properly represented.

I assume we will be able to update our MapSource free to assist in determining if we want to upgrade our nuvi???

RT

I believe you would need to pay for the upgrade to the new City Navigator NT which could be used to upgrade you Nuvi and also on your PC with Mapsource. Keith points to the site where you can check the maps online to determine if you want to purchase the upgrade.

Anyone know what kind of DVD format is needed to run the city navigator system? I have to buy one for my computer and I want to make sure I get the right format.

GC

The short answer is that any DVD drive you buy for your computer should work for reading DVD or CD disks.

Computer data disks on DVDs don't usually need to specify DVD formats. The DVD+R or DVD-R formats are issues for video. DVD+RW means it's a rewritable disk but a commercial product would never be shipped on a rewritable disk. I think all DVD drives are also capable of reading dual layer disks.

Personally, I think purchasing new maps every other year makes more sense. I had versions 6, 7 and 8 and there are new addresses that have been in existance for more than 5 years but still are not included in the newest map version (8). That's because there is a lag between when the new street and addresses are assigned by the city and when the Map people get the map cordinates assigned and placed. BTW, I spoke with Garmin today and was told mapsource version 9 can be expected to be available sometime between June and August.

Do you know if you can load the new map into more than one gps as I have 3 in my house.

Frank

I believe that Garmin allows for installation in 2 devices.

So it looks like from folks here that Garmin will have version 9 of their map available sometime this summer. I have a new Nuvi 680 with version 8 preinstalled. I will probably want to get version 9 when it comes out since I do a fair amount of travelling and would like to have decent maps available.

This is my question, if I get the new version 9 when I install it does it overwright the existing version 8 or will it reside on my SD drive taking up space there? I am going to guess it will just overwright the existing file in the internal memory of the Nuvi and not take up space on the SD drive. Can someone confirm that?

Thanks.

Stan

I dont think I will update the maps untill I find alot of errors in the roads.. The built in POI files I dont care about, That what this place is for.. The real reason for me are the roads so that I can get to place to place. now, of course, if there are major changes to the roads, then one would need to get new maps..

You are correct....the V9 maps will replace the V8 maps within your GPSr

I have wondered if there is any way we can report inaccurate/new roads as we come accross them to anyone?

I personally feel as though I would like to upgrade at least every 2 years and maybe more oftem if i see alot of changes in my area of travels. But that again, GPS's are a very helpfull tool to have and I think it would work best if kept up to date.

You can report inaccuracies using

NavTeq Map Reporter

I just got an e-mail from garmin saying that the release of v9 won't be out until mid summer (I can safely assume that May or June is not mid summer) so to hear this seems so contradictory to the answer I got - although the reason I was asking might have sqewed the answer somewhat - as I was asking if a person who buys a unit now and a new map verson comes out shortely - what is the possibility of a free upgrade - (like they used to do with older mapping versions)

but either way, I am sure we will see it in the next few weeks (or months)!

Sounds like a delay from the original release date of Mid April. Oh, well, please keep us updated. DC

Look at http://www8.garmin.com/unlock/update.jsp and notice release dates vs shipping dates - they could very well release the next version imminently, and it won't ship for a time after that.

And I see TomTom has new maps out for their units...price of an upgrade: $135.

I feel that garmine should up grade for free.

My information regarding release of V 9 mapsource came from Garmin tech support. That information is only as good as the accuracy of his information.

Garmin does an excellent job of providing free firmware updates for the units. While it would be nice to get free maps, we must realize that Garmin is paying an outside company (Navteq) for these maps. When you buy a book style map atlas of local roads, you have to pay for new books each year if you decide you need them.

I was over at Best Buy last weekend and on the
way home there was a mapping company on my street
with thier van and mapping equipment all set up.
I couldn't stop to ask any questions because of
traffic.

Merle

I bought a garmin 320 recently and have not yet registered it. I heard that I can register after the new map comes out and get the upgrade for free. Hope this is true.

TomTom will upgrade for free if purchased within 1 year.. If it is an older software, it was only $50 for the new upgrade.

Sanger

According to this item from www.gpsmagazine.com, this TomTom upgrade will cost everyone.

Not sure where they got their infor but heere is the link to Tomtom. I paid $50 for my upgrade since I had an older software.

http://www.tomtom.com/products/maps/?Lid=4&TT=7a1281a3%3Abab...

Sanger

Hey, Sanger. Can you shorten that link? Maybe paste it into TinyUrl and edit the post.

Sanger's TomTom link.

They should at least give you a free upgrade if your purchase was in the last year. It would be nice since my Nuvi 350 is only a couple months old

Can you buy the maps for Garmin in stores or only online through Garmin website?

Personally, I would love a free update, but realistically, I know that Garmin spends a huge amount of money getting these updates. So, when the time comes, I will buy the update.

Thank you....

Hi,
I just wanted to update my mapping software from City Navigator Europe NT V8 to City Navigator Europe NT V9. What a drama. The software fails nomatter what I try. Apart from waiting 4 months for delivery (I ordered the CD 16th December 2006 and recieved it just last week) Now I find out it doesn't work, the GPS just passed it's 1 year warranty. And after the failed update it crashes and crashes and crashes. I tell you Garmin has lost it. I was happy with my streetpilot 3, but wanted a small snappy all of europe thing, and what do I get....a piece of updateless crap. Anyone else own a Quest 2 and tried to update?

Have you contacted Garmin? I would expect them to back up the product, despite the 1 year warranty if this is a software upload problem. Keep us informed.

Marcel, is your firmware updated to the latest version? Also, have you checked to see if the disk you have is a CD or perhaps a DVD and that you are using the correct type of drive?

Yes, it's true.

For the last several years the new maps for North America have been shipping around the end of July, begging of August.

They have been 3 years getting my street on the map. If it's not there this time, there's no use in updating. I am sure there are other streets and toll roads that are not being shown too. I don't understand their priority in getting streets shown. Really it's not Garmin, but their Map Vendor.

Robert660,

I know it seems like you should not have to do the map vendors job, but the map vendor who does the maps for Garmin, NavTeq, has an online form for you to rreport any correction, additions, deletions or corrections of their maps. Have them add your street.

Here is the link:

http://mapreporter.navteq.com/dur-web-external/

Tim

Correct link: http://mapreporter.navteq.com/dur-web-external/secured/submitDur.do

The greater NYC region is changing so dynamically, that none of the big mapping companies is able to cope with the speed of building new roads, intersections, buildings and mounting new cameras.

This maybe considered normal for a time about 10 years ago, but in this dynamic times today it is a must for the big map vendors to have updates every 6 months (or even more often).

So what is the point of updating your maps every year, if you are not going to see what is built a year or less ago? Even 2 years ago for some changes which I noticed.

I agree that Garmin should provide free updates within a year of purchase.

Cheers...
ET

Pratzert, I have contacted Navteq several times concerning mine and other streets not being on their maps. I have ever given them street names and coordinates. This has been months and months ago. As of this date, I have not heard anything from them(and I used their form).

Same here with my last episode I had with my GPS(Daniel). Submitted info to Navteq and the automated email shoots back at me but that is all.

Why don't they provide monthly updates by subscription service?

Surely the data changes constantly; how hard could it be to overwrite just a few hundred or a few thousand streets instead of the entire database?

I think the upgrade will be worth every penny. Too bad there's not a mechanism for drivers to report innacuracies. Bridges that are out, roads that are blocked and other annoyances could be updated as reported and downloaded somehow to each user.

I'm sure someone else has thought of this notion.

Gravity

Spending $75.00 a year (which is only 20.5¢ a day )will keep my GPS up to date and prevent me from buying the current up to date model GPS, I think its worth the price!

They will not contact you. You have to look it up using the tracking number they give you. That's how I found out that they had addressed my issue. Now I will wait to see if it is actually fixed on the new maps.

Someone from Garmin told me on the phone that most users update only about every 3 years, if they update at all.