How often do you update the maps in your GPS?

[BirdingRVer]

My GPS is telling me that my maps are out of date.

How often do you update the maps in your GPS?

Also I see that the StreetPilot 2720 has been discontinued. Actually it looks like all of the StreetPilots have been discontinued. Anyone know if I can even get updated maps for it?

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

I'll be watching for the responses to this thread.

We have updated the Garmin at least once in the over 5 years we have had it, and I could not see one difference in the MAPS. Did see difference in Points of Interest. I did not care that much about the POI, was quite upset about the maps.

Cannot help you on the unit situation tho.

[NCFischers]

When I upgraded mine, it did show newly built roads and bypasses.

[BB_TX]

I have a Garmin Nuvi. I can connect it to my computer and log into the Garmin web site and it will tell me if there is an update available, streets or firmware. May be different for the StreetPilot.
I bought the lifetime update thing a couple years ago and have updated mine 4 times since then.

[DonPd]

You can still get a update. The last one I got for my Streetpilot was in 2009. You will need to go to garmin.com. You will have to register the unit and if this is the first time register you get the first update for free.

[tim43]

Got the 2010 Garmin update for my 2720 from Best Buy. It is titled nuMaps Onetime North America NT2010.

I update annually.

[Art-n-Marge]

Even a unit that is discontinued is typically not offered for sale any more but the software downloads may go for a little longer (a couple of years, maybe more). It depends on the date the discontinuance was announced. When I worked in the computer industry for User Consumer products, a product being continued was typically supported for up to 3 more years. I don't know what the "supportable time frame" is these days.

Start by going to the Garmin website and look for updates by moving the mouse over the "support" link, then clide down to UPDATES. You should be able to peruse that area for any updates if they exist and only if your unit is updateable.

The cost for my Pioneer GPS update is about $250 so I've been waiting until this year (3 or more years later) to consider an update. Others' pricepoints for updates will be different. It's all about personal pain... err... ummm choice.

If you think your StreetPilot being discontinued will cause you to update your unit, then don't bother, yet. There is a chance your new unit will need an update anyway.

ON EDIT: For the Garmin website, any map updates are not under "support", they would be under "maps" and you need to know your serial number to check for updates. I hope you can find something and I see that Tim43 found an update at Best Buy.

[timandsusan]

I use a Delorme Street Atlas and update annually. Since I load it on my laptop, the GPS antenna/receiver stay the same. I think it is a reasonable cost of about $49/yr. I aslo have a hand held DeLorme GPS that I update with Topo US and use for geocaching and hiking.

[richfaa]

We update the Garmin's when they tell us to. If you go to the Garmin site they will list updates for the discontinued models.

[exav8tr]

I have the GM in dash system that requires a disc to upgrade - $199. I am so thrilled about that. Only problem is they list an '09 update and we are in 2010, I think. Sure would hate to buy the '09 and they come out with 2010 disc a month later. I have emailed them to see when the next update will be out but no response yet.

We also have a Magellan 6000 Roadmate. It upgrades, online, for about $65.00. We had it before we bought the truck and would like to keep it upgraded also. It sometimes finds things the GM disc won't, so we usually end up using both.

If any of you have a '10 GM truck with the nav sys, could you post the current disc part number, to make sure I don't buy an old edition? Thanks....Don't mean to be a hijacker!

[db_engineer]

Wew have a TomTom One. Quarterly map updates are $9.99 each on a subscription basis, about half the price of an annual.

[johnp4191]

We bought a Magellan 4000 2 years ago and decided to update when it couldn't find some newer roads. Bought the update CD for $75 on the Magellan site. When I went to install it, the instructions said I needed to add a 16mg minidisc. Smallest I could find was 2G and it couldn't be the newer high density type. (Another $10). Tried to load the CD and it wouldn't load. Called Magellan customer service and they said I had to go online and download a firmware update. Tried to do that and it wouldn't recognize the unit.... totally disgusted, I went and bought a Nuvi at Target for $115. Works great...

Not one to give up the fight, I set everything up to try again, still not loading, called Magellan customer service and they said to mail the unit in and they would install the firmware or send me a refurbished unit. Another $10 for shipping. I just got the Magellan back today and I think they sent a different unit. It does work but I'm not sure if the maps are updated. I will send it with my son to some areas we know it didn't find before to see if the cd still needs to be uploaded. With all this cost and running around, I won't buy another Magellan. If I had known I needed to upgrade the firmware and buy another disc, I would have bought a new unit right away.

I certainly don't like throwing away electronics or money, but it sure seems to be the way these days.

Judi