Does It Cost Cash to Update a Garmin?

With 4.12 million kilometers of the street in the U.S. currently, according to the Federal Highway Administration, there is a great deal of chance for changes in paths. Garmin requires you to cover most of its provided map upgrades, but you could qualify for a free update if you have recently purchased your Garmin GPS device. The business also offers life update subscriptions for several devices, which means you can cover once and update whenever you want to.

When you obtain a Garmin Updates automotive GPS device, the company offers a"nuMaps Guarantee," which usually means you are entitled to complimentary map updates for the first 90 days. The 90-day counter starts ticking when the system acquires satellites for the very first time, so if you are giving a GPS unit for a gift, the receiver can still benefit from this program for 90 days following the first use.

Garmin’s nuMaps Guarantee

Even if the GPS unit is not giving erroneous directions or not discovering certain streets, it's a fantastic idea to download and install Garmin's Express applications on your computer when you are getting close to the 90-day mark because you can't go back and check for free updates after that. Therefore, even if a new map update is released within 90 days of your device's first usage, you need to really take some opportunity to sit back and install it until your warranty period is finished. If you do not, you are going to need to cough up the cash to get a paid update.

Purchasing New Maps

Outside of this nuMaps Guarantee, you have to pay for any map updates that you wish to install on your GPS unit. All upgrades bought through Garmin has to be installed through the Express program. Garmin doesn't follow any kind of set schedule for map updates, but Express shows any available updates and their costs when you connect your unit to your PC. If you're lucky enough to be planning a vacation to a different country and you'll be driving as you're there, Garmin has maps for many regions all over the world available for sale on its site.

If you plan on keeping your GPS unit for a long time and believe you are going to want to update regularly, you can make the most of Garmin's nuMaps Lifetime bundle for your region. When you buy nuMaps Lifetime, you are able to install any updated street maps and location information changes as soon as they are available on your device without having to cover every individual update.

Bear in mind that"Lifetime" in this situation doesn't mean for your lifetime. The package covers the lifetime of the item's"useful life." So if you purchase another Garmin unit a couple of decades after, you'll need to buy another nuMaps Lifetime bundle as Garmin doesn't allow you to transfer that package to another individual or product. Do not neglect to update for a long time if you've obtained the Lifetime package. If you don't download any updates for 24 months or more, Garmin will ascertain the merchandise to be past its useful life and no longer qualified for upgrades under the initial nuMaps Lifetime purchase.

Other Map Categories

If you've got a Garmin device-specific to golfing, cycling, boating or air travel, you can download or buy map updates from Garmin's website. Some products, like the Garmin Approach devices with golf course maps, include free lifetime map updates, which you may get throughout the Garmin Express program on your PC or Mac.

Some of Garmin's marine cartography products come with a free chart upgrade after purchase. Don't wait too long though; you should use your free upgrade within 12 weeks of your original purchase. You can even purchase upgrades for your BlueChart or Lakeview card at a discounted price via a download via Garmin's Express software or through Garmin dealers.

Garmin's aviation assistance, flyGarmin, empowers you to buy and get paid aviation updates once you've established a free fly Garmin account. Pricing for air travel databases varies based on which device you're using.