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Need GPS for auto travel through Mexico and into Costa Rica.
Color, breadcrumbs, loadable with updated maps.
Computer interface(USB).
Multi-route, Accurate.
Bluetooth (for US cell phone capability).

Do any interface with Microsoft or Google maps? Are THEY accurate in Central America?

Did I forget anything I may need?

I have a year gt get my act together with a GPS unit, auto/mini-SUV, and route. Can anyone point me to a website to help with the vehicle? Like high ground clearance, more than 20 mpg, extra gas tank, air, tinted glass.

Thanks everyone. I really am looking forward to this extended trip.

--Richard

The main problem you will have is trying to find a paper map of the area you are going to be visiting, unless you are going to be driving on paved city streets, or main highways or country roads. Looking at your descriptions, I assume you will be driving in off road areas and back country trails.

A GPS unit will work anywhere on the planet, giving you a latlon, which you can use to look up on a paper map. But if you want an e-map to load into your GPS, that will be your big challenge. There is a Garmin Worldmap software, which will give you main roads, but it is a little like looking at a U.S. state map, while trying to navigate a back country dirt road. However, while you are still in U.S. during the next year, you can purchase Garmin City Navigator software for your Garmin units.

As to the accuracy of a GPS in Central America, or any place else on the planet, yes, they will be accurate. A consumer grade GPS will not give you the accuracy of a surveyor grade unit, but it should get you to within 15-30 feet of the target. Depending on certain situations, you may get closer, or further away. The problem you will have, even if you are able to get a paper map or e-map, is how accurate is the map, not how accurate is the GPS.

Any GPS, even a 15 year old unit, as long as it has an output port that can send NMEA sentences to a laptop, will work with a number of laptop mapping software, such as Microsoft’s Street & Trips, NOAA charts, etc. Again, the trick here is finding an e-map for the laptop.

For most all GPS manufacturers, you can only load the e-maps that they sell. You can’t just get any map you find, and trying to load it into your brand of GPS. Which is too bad, since there are many excellent maps out there, but just not in the right format for your unit. You can also make your own e-maps or charts, but that is a lot of hard work, and most people wouldn’t even attempt it.

It sounds like a once-in-a-life-time trip. It will be a terrific experience. Be very careful though.

- John

JCBI,
Thanks for the detailed info. Yes, I will have to get paper maps to supplement the GPS.

I do see a few maps made by people for Central America. Maybe these will help. May need a 'SD' card to add them to the unit. G-770 looks good but I do not need Europe maps. And, maybe I should concentrate on used or cheaper units if it gets stolen.

I also will be traveling with another so that may help with the bad scenarios I have head about traveling Central America.

THanks again for your help!
--Richard

I have a Garmin 76CSx, and it is waterproof, floats, can be used in hiking, driving (with optional map), and uses AA batteries that you can buy anywhere. Since you may be in areas where electricity is not always available to charge your batteries, I would highly recommend a unit that uses AA batteries.

Yes, there are people who makes their own maps for their GPS units, and then share the maps with the public. Some are in well known websites, others are hard to find. Here are a few map sites:

http://garminmapsearch.com/
http://rwsmaps.griffel.se/
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_trac ... for-y.html
http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/1140/maps.html

As for being careful on the trip, a friend of mine, and his son, took a motorcycle trip down south, with the tip of South America being the final destination. They picked up 2 new bikes in TX. But, before they got to the Panama Canal, his son dumped his bike and bloke his leg and a few ribs. They finally found some town's people who had a pickup. The locals made a cast using cardboard, and he and his son rode on the back of a pickup for 4 hours (with no strong pain drugs) on a bumpy dirt road, to get to a local rundown shack of a hospital.

My friend then arranged with a local office export/custom office to get his two bikes shipped back to the U.S. After paying $2000 for fees and shipping, they flew home, and waited for the bikes. After emailing the export/custom agent, the agent said they needed additional $2000 for some additional customs fees and decontamination stuff. Well, after a total of $4000, they never heard from the agent again.

Have a fun and careful trip.

Thanks JBCI. I guess I will be leaning toward Garmin for the unit. Now to compare the units.
--Richard