BajaNomad

GPS for La Paz city streets

Shimmer - 6-26-2013 at 08:16 PM

I am in search of an auto GPS with the capacity to navigate the street signless streets of La Paz. It is not clear that Garmin's software covers city streets beyond the highway useage. I have also read that Tom Tom my be a better brand specifically for Mexico/Baja and La Paz.

I am looking to buy specifically to be able to stop counting streets in moving thru La Paz. Whadda yathink???

bajagrouper - 6-26-2013 at 08:28 PM

I use the Garmin, I drive all over Mexico, 72,000 miles in the last 3 years and would have been lost in many cities had it no been for my Garmin with Mexico map...
it does addresses, intersections, hotels,ATM's and fuel,police stations and hospitals...only problem is sometimes it says turn right on a one way in the opposite direction...

GPS and maps

KasloKid - 6-26-2013 at 11:22 PM

Last year I upgraded my garmin gps to a bigger and better unit. Travelled throughout Baja with it and was pleased with the map in it. It even showed the dirt road we took from Gonzaga Bay to Lake Chapala, highway 1. Key words when purchasing either a garmin gps or map software... "all of north america including Mexico". LMT is another great feature to have "Lifetime Maps and Traffic" Never have to purchase another map for North America.

A great feature a gps has, is the abilty to place waypoints, select "GoTo" and no more counting streets.....

[Edited on 6-27-2013 by KasloKid]

GPS in LaPaz

skippermike - 6-27-2013 at 05:49 AM

I'll second, or third, the point that the magic is in the map.
We were in LaPaz for the Baja 1000 last year and our large-screen Garmin with BiCiMapas map was great. All the streets, and other info.
Don't skimp on the map!
Good driving.

Pescador - 6-27-2013 at 05:58 AM

I have the garmin Nuvi and the addition of BiCiMapas and we get good street info in all of La Paz as well as all the other cities and towns of Baja. Really helps. I don't think that they will ever put back up street signs in La Paz and it is totally confusing, but the GPS makes it all work.

JAG - 6-27-2013 at 06:58 AM

The Mapa32 maps that work on a lot of Garmin units are excellent for city streets and off road. The cost is reasonable and they are extremely accurate.

bajalearner - 6-27-2013 at 07:10 AM

Ditto on all the good comments for the Garmin. I have the NUVI which is almost 4 years old and has been very good. It has been very good for Tijuana which I have used allot. I just programmed it yesterday for a drive to Mazatlan after which I will cross on the ferry to La Paz. I am happy to hear the comment on good maps of La Paz. I have never used a tom tom.

Mine came with lifetime updates but I have not been able to download any new data off the website. I get a note that there are no new updates for this model. I know that can't be accurate. Any thoughts on the process?

David K - 6-27-2013 at 07:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by JAG
The Mapa32 maps that work on a lot of Garmin units are excellent for city streets and off road. The cost is reasonable and they are extremely accurate.


Did you get it from here?:
http://www.cartografiagps.com/

David K - 6-27-2013 at 07:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
I have the garmin Nuvi and the addition of BiCiMapas and we get good street info in all of La Paz as well as all the other cities and towns of Baja. Really helps. I don't think that they will ever put back up street signs in La Paz and it is totally confusing, but the GPS makes it all work.


Is this the source?: http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/Topo_Mexico_MGA.htm

BiCiMapas

skippermike - 6-27-2013 at 09:34 AM

David,
When I purchased the latest update from BiCiMapas, I did business with them directly.
This latest announcement I hope is good news that their relationship with Garmin is/will be stronger, with closer integration of their products.
Thanks for the update.

absinvestor - 6-27-2013 at 10:24 AM

BajaLearner. It won't be free but you can get a new sd card from Mark Walker- mwalker@worldmapsource.com. cell 805-448-7273. I have used Mark for my Mexico Nuvi GPS for years. He gives excellent service and is always available to provide the best ways to use the data. I got my last update about 6 months ago and used it for travel to BajaSur and to mainland Mexico. Some of the streets seem to have different names but it always gets me from point A to point B. I have never met anyone as accessable and helpful as Mark.

Gracias....

Shimmer - 6-27-2013 at 05:04 PM

Thanks everyone.... this helps alot. I didnt want to commit to a specific GPS without knowing i could access all the La Paz city streets... with no names. Looking at a Garmin 5" inch with LMT... NA and Mex.

Pescador - 6-27-2013 at 07:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
I have the garmin Nuvi and the addition of BiCiMapas and we get good street info in all of La Paz as well as all the other cities and towns of Baja. Really helps. I don't think that they will ever put back up street signs in La Paz and it is totally confusing, but the GPS makes it all work.


Is this the source?: http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/Topo_Mexico_MGA.htm


Yes, David, that is the deal.

5" screen

KasloKid - 6-27-2013 at 07:26 PM

You may be looking at the same gps that I bought... a Nuvi 3590 LMT. (Actually, it's a 3580, from Costco, as Costco identifies it as their exclusive model number, but it is a identical to a 3590)
You can't go wrong with either using City Navigator North America or bicimapas. Bicimapas is now sold by Garmin and for some reason the file is apparently 4-6 times larger than when it was sold through Bicimapas web site last year. Probably intensely data rich now. Both maps auto route.

Lifetime map updates

KasloKid - 6-27-2013 at 07:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalearner
Mine came with lifetime updates but I have not been able to download any new data off the website. I get a note that there are no new updates for this model. I know that can't be accurate. Any thoughts on the process?


If you haven'te registered the gps with garmin, you won't be able to download any updates. The newest software to update your garmin device is through a program called "Garmin Express"
http://software.garmin.com/en-US/express.html

If you're having problems with this, give garmin a call or contact them through their website. They're very good at customer relations.

David K - 6-28-2013 at 07:56 AM

Great info !!

bajagrouper - 6-28-2013 at 08:39 AM

Last year on my road trip to Chaipas and the Yucatan I did a side by side test with 2 Garmin nuvi's using the Garmin Mexico SD chip and the BiSi Mapas SD chip and the Garmin shows a lot more detail...

Griffin - 6-28-2013 at 10:19 AM

Are you going to be living here?
The streets aren't really THAT bad. They definitely take a little getting used to but, I'd recommend just studying a map and driving and walking around town. The center part of town is super easy to naviagate and the outer parts like near the Librimeinto, Wal-Mart, ForJadores are hectic, but not complicated.

I think if you really want to buy a gps, buy a smartphone that has gps that works in "airplane mode" or maybe a tablet. My nexus 7 ($200) has gps and you can download maps for fairly large areas and can look at the internet/watchvideo/play games and do all sorts of fun stuff that a one trick pony gps unit can't. http://www.google.com/nexus/7/