Local GPS Vs Imported GPS

[Kyrios]

Hi to GPS owners, I have searched around MCF a little and very few topics answered my question.

 

Why do so many of my friends buy GPS from overseas like US and hand carry back? Why do so many of us buy via Vpost?

 

Local sets are more expensive I assume but what other factors are there? I can buy a cheap United States garmin but when I went to garmin.com.sg for map download, it says only sets bought from local authorised sellers can download. So whay do people avoid local sets?

 

Thanks in advance folsk

[Lala81]

?

I bought Garmin locally. Unless u are talking about refurbished sets or can hand-carry back when u travel there. The shipping costs per box will mostly negate the price differentials.

 

For pple on budget, 1350 at SGD $150 at Sitex? I think it's reasonable.

As comparison, brand new from Amazon is now $119.84 USD (though there might be cheaper special deals in USA)

 

Got my 2565 just 2-3 wks back.

 

Only benefit is getting a legal free USA map. for Singapore, the free MSM map is better than the Garmin one.

Edited November 27, 2011 by Lala81

[Kangadrool]

Yeah, for a budget $150 no-frills GPS and with Garmin logo, don't waste your time shopping around.

 

It's one of the more reliable ones (though I don't quite like its user not so friendliness).

Edited November 27, 2011 by Kangadrool

[Redstorm]

Hi to GPS owners, I have searched around MCF a little and very few topics answered my question.

 

Why do so many of my friends buy GPS from overseas like US and hand carry back? Why do so many of us buy via Vpost?

 

Local sets are more expensive I assume but what other factors are there? I can buy a cheap United States garmin but when I went to garmin.com.sg for map download, it says only sets bought from local authorised sellers can download. So whay do people avoid local sets?

 

Thanks in advance folsk

 

In term of price, buying from overseas is cheaper but you also have to consider the issue of warranty. Unless it comes with an international warranty, which Garmin usually don't provide that, you will have to bear the cost of repair when you send it to the local distributor even if it is less than a year old. THe other issue, which is an important one, is map support. Garmin have maps of almost every country in the world. Buying a set overseas e.g. from the US, it is preloaded with an US map. Of course, a Garmin is a Garmin regardless of where you bought it from and it can use it anywhere in the world if you have the map of the country installed in it. When you bring it over to Singapore from the States, you should be able to install the Garmin CN map of Sg/My 2011.xx and/or MSM NT 2011.xx map. But, the Garmin CN map is not free and you gotta pay while the MSM NT map is free. No point paying for the Garmin CN map when you have the MSM NT map which is as good if not better. The former is Garmin's proprietry map while the latter is compiled by Garmin using map data supplied by malsingmaps. Both are able to display the Junction View (JCV) and Lane Assist (LA) if you device is bought locally (localised set). Those using device bought overseas will not be able to display the JCV even if the device is able to support both feature. For those device bought overseas, my advise is to install the another map also from malsingmaps - MSM v5.31. This map is more up-to-date than the Garmin CN and MSM NT maps except that its JCV and LA display is still in its infancy and are restricted only to few areas in KL. The good thing about this MSM v5.31 map is that, though limited presently, the JCV and LA can be displayed in any devce - whether localised or foreign version - as long as the device supports these features.

 

[Kyrios]

Thanks redstorm and other bros..think I will just buy a 'local' set..

[Picanto]

Thanks redstorm and other bros..think I will just buy a 'local' set..

 

 

head to sitex and grab a garmin. the savings from buying export set really not worth it

[Dafansu]

Garmin 1350 is good enough for a basic set. price is cheap also

[Zze121]

iPhone gps is better n easier tp use. My gps seldom see sun light

[Picanto]

i expect prices to drop further in march 2012 IT show. the gps device is losing its popularity as the iphone works well as a gps too

[5936]

I found. Garmin 1350 a bit slow in start up and search

 

Screen is also not sensitive.

 

 

[Kyrios]

Haha dun know why I shud have bought the 1350 easily but itchy backside went to buy the Marbella iNav.

[Kiadaw]

No one use TOM TOM. I bought a TOM TOM but its still virtually unused, but it will see daylight very soon. I used Tom Tom when I was living in U.K. It was simple & good, so I buy one.

 

The local support is pretty crappy though. I do not think there is even a local tech support center, or is there?

[Lala81]

Tom tom is good in USA/Europe.

[Typhoonz]

I found. Garmin 1350 a bit slow in start up and search

 

Screen is also not sensitive.

 

Must use your fingernails to select whatever you icons on the 1350...

[Picanto]

Haha dun know why I shud have bought the 1350 easily but itchy backside went to buy the Marbella iNav.

 

dun you think garmin makes better GPS?

[Pltang]

i got mine from Canada coz i was there for 2 months and the model wasn't available here yet. In addition, there is local/msia maps avail for download to use from forums compiled with Garmin.... to buy USA/Canada maps to install in local GPS, it's more ex...

[Thestig]

For the same price of a mid-level Garmin in SG, I was able to purchase the top of the line model from the US.

 

I don't really care about local warranty or local support because the GPS hardly sees the light of day in Singapore, its meant for foreign use. For the countless gadgets that I have purchased before, I've probably only utilized the warranties on a handful of them.

 

Also, the prices in Singapore have become really uncompetitive, probably due to high overheads and greedy bosses, as long as they insist on being greedy, I will continue to do my shopping online.