You are all set for your trip to the USA but how are you going to find your way around when you get there? If you are renting a luxury or Sports car you will most likely have a built in GPS but you won't know that until you get there, If you try and reserve one they will possibly charge you for one which you would have got anyway. But most people go for a small or standard car, after all if you are just ferrying people between the airport, hotel, Disney and the beach you don't need a Cadillac.
So what are the options
Turn up at the airport and rent one from the car rental company.
This is probably the worst choice as it is the most expensive, the average is around 12 dollars plus tax a day, The advantage is you know it will work and have the correct maps and if it stops working you can get a replacement.
Take your own GPS
If you are lucky enough to have USA maps on your device and they are not too old you are all set, However most GPS either have UK only or UK and Europe, only top end ones have both USA and Europe. You can add USA maps to your device but this is a bit of a mine-field, The USA map is around 1.6 GB so you need to check if it will fit on your device, it normally involves removing the map on the device and adding the USA map, you can put the original map back on after your trip. You will also need to purchase the map which is about £35 plus £15 more if you want speed cameras from Tomtom. Another problem is you won't have the UK maps on your device for when you drive to the Airport in the UK.
Can't I use my phone
Danger using sat nav on your phone will gobble data which is not free and could end up costing you a fortune, Unless you get an offline maps navigation app, these allow you to download the app and maps onto the phone for use when offline.
Options are Copilot which is free but you need to purchase a bundle of in app purchases totalling around £35 to get USA on it and working. http://copilotgps.com/uk/
or sygic which claims to be the most installed offline navigation app, Free but again in app purchases will add up to around £35. there is a World map for 1 month option which brings the price down around £10. https://www.sygic.com/en
You will also need a mount and charger as these type of apps rinse the battery.
Rent a GPS in the UK
Yes this is an option, On ebay there are gps rental deals for as little as £15 plus return postage for 2 weeks. You need to have a good feedback rating or pay a deposit, You need to book it around a week before you leave and when you return you need to put it in the prepared postage bag and post it back, you need to pay for the return shipping around £4.10, If you lose or damage the unit you would be responsible for it but this should be covered by your insurance. In the listings, to put peoples mind at rest, they also say that if the unit breaks down there is an option to go and buy a cheap one from Wall mart and get reimbursed.
Buy a GPS in the UK
Tomtoms, Garmins and other brands with both Europe and USA on are very expensive, normally around £300 plus, On eBay there are plenty of Units with either Europe and the USA or UK and USA starting at around £45, The great thing about this option is that you can practise on it in the UK, also set up your destinations in itinerary planning, like your hotel, Disney, local strip clubs, whatever you want.
When you return you still have a sat nav to use in the UK. This is a great option if you plan to go to the USA more than once or if you also need a UK sat nav.
Shameless plug..You can buy a Sat Nav like this from my site AllanteGPS.
Buy a Road Map
Well you could, this is how we managed for years
Some general advice about features
There are some great features on modern sat navs that can really make driving in the USA a treat.
Advanced lane guidance (Tomtom)
Lane assist (Garmin)
Speed Cameras
The USA is nothing like the UK for speed cameras, I spent 3 months in the USA and only saw 3 speed cameras, But I'm sure that more are coming and it only takes one, Don't assume these are automatically installed, check before you leave.
Point of interest
This is a list of places like Gas stations, shopping malls and tourist attractions, they are usually quite comprehensive, but if you have a passion for Red Lobster or Hooters you can usually download custom points of interest from companies websites.
Bluetooth handsfree phone use.
Unless you are on a business trip I can't see you needing this feature, Using your phone in your hand is banned in 10 states including New York, New Jersey and California. Florida is allowed but obviously not recommended. Better to concentrate on driving on the correct side and having a good time.
Not all units have this feature so best to check if you really want it. More info on cell phone usage in the USA can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_cell_phone_use_while_driving_in_the_United_States
Traffic
New York and L.A. aside traffic in the USA on the worst days are like London on Christmas morning, If you have one of the Tomtom live units with a HD traffic subscription this will not work in the USA as the signal comes through the mobile phone network, If you get a TMC RDS traffic charger you will get free traffic updates in the USA and Europe, Everyone should have one of these if they have a Tomtom, it's free why not use it. Traffic chargers sell for around £15 upwards depending on your model.
Wont I need some kind of adaptor to use my Sat Nav in the USA
No the 12 volt car charger sockets are the same in the USA and Europe,
Do I need a mains charger
You shouldn't need one but it's handy if you want to plan an itinerary in your hotel room, You will need a US plug adaptor for this.
Going to Canada or Mexico
With maps getting bigger all the time sometimes you won't automatically get Canada and Mexico, If the Map is called North America you will be ok but if it's called United States in will only be that.
Don't forget to drive on the right.
Easy to forget but you can set your Tomtom to remind you every time you set off.
Something else to think about
In some states it's illegal or restricted to have your GPS stuck to your screen, more information about this can be found in this link http://www.poi-factory.com/node/34521
who the hell am I
My name is Andrew Greaves and I am the owner of AllanteGPS, I have been in the Sat Nav business for over 10 years, specialising in units covering Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East. I also sell traffic chargers and other accessories. Click on this link to visit my GPS store
