What is the best Thailand map for Garmin Nuvi?

2 choices IMO

Thailand City Navigator and OSM (Open Street Maps, which is free)

CN: http://www.gpssociety.com/EN/Pages/map.aspx

OSM: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Edited December 4, 201510 yr by MJCM

Thank you very much for your prompt reply!

whats wrong with the garmin map?

whats wrong with the garmin map?

The Thailand City Navigator map is the one that comes with Garmin's so it is one of the two choices listed in my post.

Edited December 31, 201510 yr by MJCM

I see would you recommend it?

If you buy a Nuvi you will get the CN map for free (and if you have Lifetime Maps update subsequent Map updates are free also).

If you don't like the CN Map, you can use the OpenstreetMap on your Garmin and that one is completely free.

If you want more info about that map (OSM) contact member Nightrider70 as he knows a lot more about that map then I do.

Good luck

Ps: I stopped recommending stuff on here as people started accusing me of working (which I don't as I stopped working a long time ago) for the companies I recommend.

Edited December 31, 201510 yr by MJCM

Revisiting this old thread - we are going to England next week and I want to order this particular model and have it delivered to the hotel we're staying at on arrival as it's too late at night to drive to mam's house. The model I have in my Amazon basket has lifetime updates of UK and Ireland, which is great as we go every year and always hire a car. My question is, can I then add on Thailand maps (in English as well as or rather than Thai script for when we're here? Also, we only have a bike at the moment not a car, can we run this model? i.e. no cigarette charger on the bike, I'm presuming it has a built in power supply or maybe we'd have to buy a powerbank.

Thanks in advance for any help.

EDIT: This is the model I'm looking at

Yes it may work (but some of the features of the official Thai City Navigator maps will not work, like for example Junction View etc). Another reason why it maybe not will work is because of size issues. Almost Each time a new map (Thai City Navigator) comes out devices aren't able to update anymore because the map size increases (around 800 MB at the moment).

The Thai City Navigator Maps you will have to buy when you get back to Thailand or you can use the free downloadable Garmin Openstreet maps (http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl)

These Openstreet maps are not as good as the Thailand City Navigator maps as they miss a lot of Pois (Point of interest) but more and more are added each day. Also the OSM maps don't (unfortunately) cover the whole of Thailand yet.

For use on a bike this device is not suitable as its NOT weather proof, for a bike I would advise the garmin Zumo range. (http://www.gpssociety.com/EN/Pages/product.aspx and scroll down to Zumo range).

Edited May 18, 201610 yr by MJCM

Thank you for that. I didn't even think about weatherproof.

You are better off buying your Garmin GPS in Thailand. Garmins from the US cannot use all the features available with the Thai map. The Southeast Asia map from US Garmin stinks. The map that comes standard in a Thai Garmin is MUCH better. I know, I wasted $99 US to find out.

I actually found the same one a fair bit cheaper this morning through a shop doing a price match, which makes it a lot cheaper than buying here. The thing attracting me is lifetime updates of maps and traffic for UK and Western Europe, I've been trying to find out how much that is worth without any luck. Do you know if it is possible to get a copy of the one that comes standard rather than buying the SEA one?

PM Sent.

Lifetime can be worth it but it depends on how long you going to use your GPS.

I bought my Nuvi 2575 without LTM but when I went to visit GPS Society in BKK, I purchased the LTM option. Sorry can't remember the price. But I can recall that if you upgrade 3-4 times you are saving money already compared to buy the Maps individually.

I now have my GPS 5 years+ (just recently bough a new NuviCam) and have updated the maps at least 5++ times with a new MAP so it was definitely worth it.

I just brought my Garim Etrek in the states an had a friend bring it over, it was HALF the price of buying it in Thailand!!!

I brought the Thai, Burma, Cambodia maps and got a 30% discount buying all 3, http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/gps-maps/

They are 100 x better than the open street maps!!

I have an older model Nuvi 250 (I think 10 yrs old now)

Bought and used in the UK for one year before I relocated to Thailand

The original Thai map I used on SD card was only 80mb the latest update I have is a 2016 version 800mb & the unit is having trouble displaying/processing the extra info etc

my question is:

As I don't need the pre-installed European maps on the main memory, can I delete these in any way & install Thai map to the main memory?

If so pls give details how to achieve it....