Buying GPS in Miami?

[Merritt]

Im off to Miami on hols very shortly and I fancy buying a Garmin GPSMAP 496 whilst I am in the US.

Since the $ rate is so good, I have found the international version on line for around £750 which is £350 cheaper... Unfortunately this company is based in San Diego!

Does anyone know of good / cheap GPS retailers in Miami? No doubt I could ask the place in San Diego to ship to my hotel in Miami but it would be easier if there was a place locally...

Cheers

Steve

[WorkingHard]

Dont forget duty and vat payable to HMRCE when you return!
The UK government cannot have us buying things without they get their share to waste on whatever they like.

[Merritt]

Of course! Its still cheaper even with VAT...

Steve

[WorkingHard]

Yes it is, just. By the time you hav paid the DUTY and then the VAT is calculated on the cost + duty you will save around £50.00. It is an absolute rip off in my view and such personal imports should be free of duty and tax.

[soay]

Can you get one with the European base and road maps in the US?

[englishal]

Dont forget duty and vat payable to HMRCE when you return!
But who in their right mind would declare it on return????????

Honestly, C&E don't give two hoots about someone buying a GPS on their hols. They are after the big tax dodgers.

[coodem]

They all use the same power adapter 100-240V. You will just need to get the US-UK 2 prong adapter, very cheap.

The problem is the map database, You will receive the Americas database, and nothing for Europe, so you will have to buy that. Check the price and factor it in.

[Zulu Alpha]

If you are in Florida (Miami) then you will pay Florida sales tax from any retailer in Florida. If you buy it from any state other than Florida, there is no sales tax, but there will be shipping charges. Often the Fed Ex overnight shipping charges are less than the Sales tax, so give the retailer a call to check.
Make sure you buy the international version to get the UK database, however this has not got the full US database so only has partial capability in the US if you want to use it while you are out there. I believe the warrantee is worldwide, but you will have to deal with Garmin UK rather than the retailer.

Of course you really should declare it and pay duty and customs on the way back. But it will be used at that point and you do have a personal allowance.

[Mark 1]

You could try GCA (http://www.gulf-coast-avionics.com/list.asp?search_type=6&search_text=1) at Lakeland, Florida.
They should be able to supply all the European spec'd units.

[mansonasp]

Don't forget you can order and collect your 496 from Guernsey (VAT free). It's a bit of a treck to the shop but then so is Miami

[neilcharlton]

make sure you remove the box packaging and receipt. then send them home via snail mail.
customs wont know a garmin if it hit them in the head , but they will if you leave the receipt in !!!!!

[choperpaul]

Wait till you can get to an air show (just come back from Oshkosh)
Bargain in suitcase.......Home>>>> paid for hols!

Rip off Britain:- You bet!

[Merritt]

Cheers guys - lots of good ideas..

Steve

[Been Accounting]

Is it still the case that if you buy mail-order from out-of-state you don't pay sales tax?

[172driver]

Quite often this type of kit can also be picked up cheaper on the continent - no tax hassle and correct database installed.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Is it still the case that if you buy mail-order from out-of-state you don't pay sales tax?

Yes. I bought my Bose-X mail order from New Mexico and had them delivered to me in San Diego. No Sales Tax.

[Merritt]

Channel Islands Option

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't forget you can order and collect your 496 from Guernsey (VAT free). It's a bit of a treck to the shop but then so is Miami




Do you have the details of the company you are talking about please - I need to give them a call to find out more..

Thanks

Steve

[tangovictor]

another option, buy a 296 and save the difference, then download the waypoints, freely available on the net, bringing it up to 496 spec except the weather part, which isn't available in Europe anyway :ugh:

[Merritt]

another option, buy a 296 and save the difference, then download the waypoints, freely available on the net, bringing it up to 496 spec except the weather part, which isn't available in Europe anyway




There is a lot more to it than that from what I can see?

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?cID=156&compare=compare&compareProduct=6399&compareProduct=6426

Not least, screen refresh rate, safe taxi, smart airspace and custom points of interests...


Steve

[smith]

My Garmin came with a free voucher for any data base download ie could download atlantic, americas, asia etc or even update the current atlantic one. After this you pay around £30 I think to download or update the data base. Is this not the case for a G496?

[coodem]

The free download is just an update, not the whole new basemap

[tangovictor]

Not least, screen refresh rate, safe taxi, smart airspace and custom points of interests...
silly me, how could I forget all that usefull stuff, only available in the US

[Dave Gittins]

http://www.avshop.com/

These guys are in St. Petersburg in FL (wherever that is).

They are particularly useful for shipping US Sectionals to the UK - which allowed me to plan my recent trips round Colorado.

Whilst I was in the US I used my old GPS III Pilot (having moved up to a Garmin 196), which has such crummy base maps (mine is Europe) that you are not degrading it much loading the US aeronatical data on it. At least as a back up it saves you getting totally lost and has the main US cities on it.

DGG

[Merritt]

Tangovictor / SoCal App...

Ok - ive done a bit more digging and you're both right. I called Garmin product support and they confirmed that the SafeTaxi, AOPA database, Weather info and part of the smart airspace features won't work in the Uk...:eek:

The 296 does indeed look like the better solution...


So - back to the buying in the U.S thread ;)

[Merritt]

Thanks for that - cheapest I have seen it in the UK is £725 on the transair website... So approx a £100 or $200 ish difference...

For that I might just save myself the grief and buy in the uk!

Steve

[soay]

For that I might just save myself the grief and buy in the uk!
That's what I decided to do.

[B2N2]

If you're still looking, you can order them with European database from here:

www.airportpilotshop.com

It's not on his website but he can order it for you.
Get in contact with Dave 239-263-9121 [email protected]


Cheers

[Merritt]

If you're still looking, you can order them with European database from here:

www.airportpilotshop.com

It's not on his website but he can order it for you.
Get in contact with Dave 239-263-9121


Cheers



Cheers.. Do you happen to know if the european 296 is cheaper than the US 296 (as is the case with the 496?)

Steve

[coodem]

Nope, its cheaper in the States, but then you have to get the new maps, so you end up paying more

The reason the 496 is cheaper in EU is due to the fact that we can't use many of the new features, ie. weather, safe taxi, so whats the point for us to get it, apart from the refresh rate?

[coodem]

I agree about the update, its the same price regardless of what map you have. You don't need to do it, it will carry on working

What I was trying to imply was that most units in the USA are sold with the "America's" database, this ain't much good this side of the pond. You can however purchase the whole "Atlantic" database", not an update. You would need to pay around £150, but would end up with a unit that has both, you would also need to get extra memory for the unit, as there is not enough space on it for 2 databases

[Merritt]

On the other hand as a student, the 700 plus UK pounds might be better spent on completing his PPL!



I completed it two weeks ago on 45 hrs ;)

Thanks for all the comments.. I'll probably end up buying a 296 in the UK sice it saves very little getting it in the US and involves a lot more hassle...

Cheers

Steve

[Merritt]

Congrats..
(change your profile!)

Thanks.. and Done ;)

Steve



(still waiting for the CAA to send my license though :* )

[Fitter2]

1. Make sure you do get one with the Eurpe basemap if you intend to use it in Europe mostly, or put up with the much lower geographical detail (the basemap is hard coded, only the aero info is downloadable).

2. Be happy to have it fixed by the US dealer if you have a problem - US units are a different serial number range and Garmin Europe will point you back to where you got your unit.

You pays your money, etc.