Satnav update with european maps

There are no free maps. You can buy "lifetime map updates" which costs around 85 Euros. When you go to buy the update from the garmin website it gives you the option of a once off update or a lifetime update. If you buy the lifetime update you get to update your satnav 4 times each year for the lifetime of your satnav. Lifetime in this instance means the lifetime of your satnav not your lifetime.

If you bought your satnav in the USA don't transfer the maps to your satnav. The USA version of the satnav won't work in Europe. If you bought the satnav in Europe you should only have to plug the SD card into the satnav for it to work.

If you're happy with the satnav you have it's cheaper to update. You have the option of buying a once off map update or a lifetime update. That is for the lifetime of the satnav not your life. With a lifetime update, which costs around 120 euros, you get 4 updates each year. This is the cheapest option. However the only problem with this method is that the maps get bigger each time you update and the space on your satnav stays the same. I started off with a full map of Europe and now I'm only able to store Western Europe on my garmin nuvi 760. You can use memory cards to hold some of the map but older garmin satnavs have a problem recognising the maps on memory cards. If you need the full map you might be better buying a new satnav every few years. If you only use part of the map a lifetime update might be the best option.

If you decide to go for a new satnav I would suggest that you go for one with the biggest storage space possible and then get a lifetime update or get a model that comes with lifetime updates like the 3790LMT. You can judge the storage size by the amount of maps it comes with. The 3790 model has the complete USA + Canada and Mexico or the 2370LT comes with maps of Europe and USA, lifetime traffic updates but not lifetime maps.

There's only one way to update a garmin satnav without risking destroying it. You can find details of how to do so at http://www.fixya.com/support/r5628920-update_garmin_satnav_maps. To do a once off update will cost in the region of 80 euros. To get a lifetime update will cost around 140 euros. The price varies depending on the map you want to download. This is for the lifetime of the satnav rather than your lifetime.

The nuvi 200 is a discontinued satnav, even though it may only be a few years old, and the problem with it is that it probably won't be able to hold the complete updated map. This means that you'll have to download only part of the map e.g. if you have a map of Europe you may have to settle for Western Europe or Central Europe etc. You can download the whole map to your computer and install the remainder to an SD card. However maps on an SD card rarely work with the nuvi 200.

So it depends on what you want. If you want the complete map it may be better to go for a new satnav and try to sell your old one to cover part of the cost. If you only use the satnav in your own country or state you might be happier to just update and settle for part of the map. Some new garmin satnavs come with free lifetime map updates. They can be identified by the letters LMT at the end of the model name. Of course you're paying for them in the price of the satnav. The problem with the new satnavs is that in 3 years time or so they will also be discontinued and outdated and the full maps will probably not fit on them either.

Information on how to update your garmin nuvi satnav maps are at http://www.fixya.com/support/r5628920-update_garmin_satnav_maps

The maps may just be unselected rather than gone. To select them press the spanner icon (Tools) then press Maps. At the bottom of the screen press Map Info and see if there's a map there. There should be a tick at the side of the map name. If there's not press the map name and the tick should appear. The map will then be selected and should be ok.
If you need to get a new map or map update connect your satnav to your computer. Go to www.garmin.com. If you have already registered your satnav click on myGarmin and then on myMaps. (Details on how to register are below) Your map should be shown there and if there's an update available click on GET UPDATE to download the updated map. If there's no update and you need to buy a new one click on Shop For More Maps and select the ones you want. Follow the prompts.

TO REGISTER YOUR SATNAV
Go to www.garmin.com and select your country. Click on myGarmin and then on Register Your Garmin Product. You'll be asked to create a username and password. Keep them safe as you'll need them anytime you want to update your maps.

To update the maps you connect the satnav to your computer. If you haven't registered your satnav already you need to do so first. Go to www.garmin.com. Select your country and then click on myGarmin. If your satnav is already registered skip to the next paragraph. If it's not registered click on Register Your Garmin Product. When registering you'll be asked to create a username and password. Write them down and keep them safe as you'll need them anytime you update your maps.

When you have registered your satnav, or if it's already registered, Click on myGarmin, enter your username and password and log in. Click on myMaps. If there's a map update available it will say so beside the map name. Click on Get Update and follow the prompts.

To update the software, connect your satnav to your computer, download and install webupdater from http://www8.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=999-99999-27 if you haven't already done so. When it's installed it will search for updates. Follow the prompts.

You can, but...

You'll need to load the mapping onto a removable memory card, as your device's memory isn't large enough. Adding a memory card with additional maps really slows the machine down, painfully so. Buying the European mapping pack isn't cheap: you can buy a brand new satnav with full European (including UK and Eire) mapping preinstalled for about the same price. Click here for a current example, but there are cheaper ones if you abandon Garmin in favour of Medion or other brands.

It works out even cheaper if you sell the old satnav to fund the purchase of the new one. When you need the Oz/NZ mapping again you can do the same thing again as by then your original unit will probably have out of date maps anyway.

Please take a moment to rate my answer.

Sadly - NO is the answer. You can go to their website and simply send an Email explaining how it will benefit Garmin for you to tell everyone how great they treated you and they might give you an update because they are a great company and have been known to go the extra mile.
Gary