Please help a GPS newbie dullard!

[Nudger]

Hi

I'm thinking of buying a Garmin i3, with one eye on using it in a month or so for a trip to France.

Okay, I know the system comes bundled with UK maps, but I'm guessing I'll have to some how source the European/French one additionally.

Do I purchase this map seperately, download it maybe? Do all manufacturers maps work with this Garmin model or just those produced by that manufacturer?

Basically, I know more about brain surgey than GPS systems, so HELP PLEASE!!!!

Ta very much in advance

[portman]

The main advantage of the i3 is the price, provided you stay in the UK with it. It does have a basic map of europe onboard but cannot be used for voice guided routing abroad(apart from northern france). If you want mapping for abroad you either pay £90 for a Garmin France map on an SD card or you spend the extra money on something like the Navman 530 for £240 which comes with Europe mapping on a CD. The advantage of the Navman is the touch screen and better gps receiver similar to the Tomtom one. For £300 you can go for the Garmin C510D from Halfords, this has all the above plus a traffic module which will re-route you around traffic problems.

http://www.navmanstores.com/eu/product_details.php?id=372
Navman-Store.com - World Leader in Mobile GPS (Global Positioning Systems) Navigation.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=240303&categoryId=33962&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=33962&crumb=31265-31468&varient=&CarSelectorCatalogId=&CarSelectorGroupId=
Satellite Navigation Garmin StreetPilot C510D from Halfords Price £299.99

[Nudger]

Potrman.

Thanks for the speedy and informative reply

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