GPS in New Zealand

[bulu]

Just wanted to share this website :
http://nzopengps.org/.

This is a free Community Garmin GPS map of New Zealand. It is really GOOD! It gets updated within 24-48 hours of a report error. It beats those commercially available maps (ie. New Zealand City Navigator). I have tested it - lots of Point of Interest and Turn-by-turn Routing works too.

I am breathless. Did I say it was free too??

[SueDonim]

Looks good. I was wondering about something like this instead of renting a GPS for my upcoming recce trip. I figure if I can find a good map with turn directions, it would be same or even cheaper than getting one with a rental car. Any suggestions on hand held unit that would accept this map (and give driving directions)?

[bulu]

Any of the Garmin GPS will work. Go to Amazon.com and you will find many by seaching "Garmin".

I have a Garmin 205W (US$100) and just bought a Garmin 1350 (US$150). Both these will work.

[Falcon_XR6]

I didn't think there were enough roads here to warrant the use of a GPS/Sat Nav system. I have found it quite hard to get lost here especially when you've been used to driving round the UK.
Maybe useful in Auckland if you prefer to drive as opposed to using public transport.

[scarycat]

Hey there, we have a Tom Tom over here in UK and went on the web site to find out that you can download the NZ version. It does cost £55 but when I registered the unit I got a £10 voucher to spend so I'm quite pleased that we can now take it with us.

[catt]

We found our satnav invaluable when we first arrived particularly when we were searching for the rental properties we wanted to do drive bys on, we used it constantly. Now we dont use it at all much around town but when we do road trips we find it useful again once we reach our destination, particularly towns and cities. Around Auckland and Wellington it is a must!

[Duncan74]

TomTom for us. Used it on teh recce and it was great for working out which campsite was on-route and abdout the right travel time away. We'd load the next destination into it, ie Wellington from Taupo, and then see what campsite popped up on route at the halfway point, then used the phone number built into the tomtom to call and book a place.

Now then it's still really useful for finding specific houses when picking up colleagues, ass many of the housing developments have a real rabbit warren's run of arced roads that until youve been there a few times are pretty confusing.

Means that TomTom is working out the route, and I can concentrate on what give way rule to use at the intersection, not thinking which way I need to be turning. Also, helps with the speed warnings as you get used to driving in km/h and at what is often lower limits than eequivalent roads in the UK. That bing to warn me I'm over the limit is very handy.

[IanW99]

If we are talking about cheap options for GPS in NZ then it is worth checking out your mobile phone (or maybe upgrading it to one that does?) as Nokia for one now offer free GPS software / free maps for NZ (AFAIK every other country).

If they do it, then I assume that other mobile phone providers do / will also offer the same.

Ian

[Duncan74]

If they do it, then I assume that other mobile phone providers do / will also offer the same.

Ian

Not quite, as Nokia bought Navteq, one of the companies that produces the route building mapping a few years back. So they have an advantage/alliance that makes it easier for them to do this. But you can get things like tomtom on other smart phones.

[NikT]

Just got a new Vodafone 845 cos me last mobile was starting to tip over.

It has GPS + mapping app used in conjuction with google maps and the Android OS.

Tried it yesterday and its very good.

Nick.