Sorry everyone

I know this thread has been on a few times but even though I have searched I can't find the answer I am looking for.
Here goes, we are due to arrive in QLD in April and I was going to buy a sat nav system in the UK before I go to take with us (as it seems to me the UK is now one of the cheapest places for electronic items).

Problems:-

1. Which one, PDA, Tom Tom, Garmin etc.
2. What about Australian mapping, is it expensive. No point saving on the cost of the system if I am going to have to pay $200 for maps. I saw on a previous thread that if you use a PDA system you can download the Aussy maps for free!! Is this true? If so where , how, please.

Anyway all your replies would be very well received.

Thanks Sean

It may interest people reading this thread, to know, that my NAVMAN ICN 510 is for sale! Just doesn't get used anymore.

It has been used only a handful of times (for about 4 weeks) and is still boxed and in exceptional condition.
It has a fault in that the touch screen has NEVER worked (couldnt be bothered to send it back for repairs as needed it for job at time - sales). It works perfectly by using the navigation cursor to enter details/ move around etc....

I bought it new for over £400, yes, they were expensive this time last year!

I am open to offers......anyone interested, drop me a PM.

http://www.navman.com/land/products/icn510/

i bought a Garmin when i got here $775 and i wouldnt be without it (thats about £300...dont think you would get it cheaper in the uk and i have heard that the software can be over £100)

The model that I have for sale is currently retailing with Expansys at £275.00 all in. Including European mapping software.

Mine is for sale at a lower price than this......leaves enough money leftover to buy Aussie mapping software

From what I've seen in OZ, they seem to be considerably more expensive, like for like!

Navman iCN 510:

Winner of the Auto Express Best Buy 2005 Award! Pocket-sized GPS system for use in the car at a great price - features Navman's SmartST version 3, a large high-resolution colour touch-screen and preloaded maps + application for the local country.

[QUOTE=The S's]Sorry everyone


2. What about Australian mapping, is it expensive. No point saving on the cost of the system if I am going to have to pay $200 for maps. I saw on a previous thread that if you use a PDA system you can download the Aussy maps for free!! Is this true? If so where , how, please.

Hi there

I downloaded my Australia maps from here (bittorent)
http://seedler.org/en/

Using the software from here
www.azureus.com/

Regards
Neil.

Hi Sean
we bought a TomTom One for £259.00 Pc world. Aus maps on a SD card from the TomTom web site for £170.00. works great in uk find out in march if it works in Aus.
Hope this helps Pam,s OH

Best to get a tomtom go 300, cheap on ebay! then you can obtain the maps from the tomtom website, excellent product works really well!

I have a Dell PDA. I brought the Tom Tom Navigator 5 maps for the UK with the bluetooth GPS. Works fine in the UK. I have downloaded the map of Aus (had to buy about 140 pounds). Navigate well enough in the UK by playing and will see if it work OK in Oz.
I supose it depends what bits you already have to what bits you buy.
I'll send you a PM about free software.
Shaun

downloaded oz map via bit-torrent ( carnt say if it works or not )
downloaded uk map from same site ( uk map definatley wiorks as ive used it for the last 6 months )

I had the free software but it kept chucking me out of the maps. I think it was because i had installed the original version on my PDA 1st. Tried reinstalling, etc. but no joy. I think if your 1st install is the debugged one it should work fine. I found the way around it was to buy the original maps which seem to work fine, but they cost money.
Beware buying 2nd hand original software from e-bay, etc. because if they don't give you the product code its useless and will not be able to load the maps (their security), unless of course its a debugged version which does not require codes.

Tomtom works fine in Oz, I was over there in November and used it all the time. Only place it wasn't so good was in central Sydney (due to the high rise buildings).
Otherwise you can go for Destinator, though it isn't as easy to use as Tomtom

As h2 and Steve o said just download the maps.I am computer "thick" although getting there and I have managed to download some free stuff that is very expensive on the Tom-Tom site - all the stuff I downloaded is safe and exactly the same. Do back up you card to your computer though (Tom-Tom)

Hi mate,

I've been after this map for ages but i've been looking at limewire.

This website will not work on my computer, I have a mac system, what are you using?

Cheers Chris

Hi Chris.
Go to dirksoft.co.uk - lots of links, answers and downloads. Most things seem better geared to windows due to poularity,

We bought a navman ICN635 from the uk on www.dabs.co.uk in a 1/2 price sale for £299.00 and the maps for aus can be bought from www.Amazon.co.uk for £119.99, BEWARE i tried ordering from another web site in the UK for £70.00 and they never turn up and by the time they let me cancel the order i was already in aus and had to by them from navman direct for $400 :scared: :scared:

But the ICN635 here cost $1520.95