# Sat Nav in Dubai



## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

Hi All,

Having been in Dubai a couple of times in recent months, I probably know the answer to this question already but here goes anyway:

Is it worthwhile having Sat Nav in Dubai and if so what is the best system to get?

Cheers.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

There was a thread about this not long ago. Suggest you do a search to find it.
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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> There was a thread about this not long ago. Suggest you do a search to find it.
> -


Hi Elphaba,

I tried this using Sat Nav and satellite navigation as key search words but could not find anything. Maybe I am doing something wrong ??


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/du...-living-dubai/10356-satnav-shall-i-bring.html


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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> http://www.expatforum.com/expats/du...-living-dubai/10356-satnav-shall-i-bring.html


Brilliant! Many thanks.


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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> http://www.expatforum.com/expats/du...-living-dubai/10356-satnav-shall-i-bring.html


I note that this thread was back in September 2008 and the general feeling was that Sat Nav was of no use in Dubai. Has anything changed in the past year or making Sat Nav more useful?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

pmac34 said:


> I note that this thread was back in September 2008 and the general feeling was that Sat Nav was of no use in Dubai. Has anything changed in the past year or making Sat Nav more useful?


Not really. The roads change as regularly as ever. I have never bothered with it & wouldn't recommend it.

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## mrbig (Sep 10, 2009)

The navigation that came in both our vehicles is quite good. We have never had any problems using it to get to our desired locations. When you get to a road that they have closed or changed direction of it whatever, it just finds a new route. I really dont see why people knock it so much. I couldnt live without it.


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## mgb (Sep 6, 2008)

We have a garmin 276C mainly for offroad purposes, however when I visit Dubai (I live in Al Ain), I always keep it on - as an earlier poster said, even if the roads have changed, it will recalculate and you will get there!


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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

Many thanks for the advice everyone.


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## M123 (Aug 14, 2009)

I bought a Garmin with 2010 maps when I came here, it's really good and does the job (although you will cease to need it very quickly). It's worth maybe just getting a good map and getting familiar with the areas as you'll begin to pick up some very easy landmarks.

Avoid TomTom as I have that on my Iphone and the maps aren't too up to date (although they have the best navigation instructions from my experience).

The only thing about the Garmin is that it says the place names funny

like "Maktowwwm bridge" and "U.M.M. Hurrair"


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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

M123 said:


> I bought a Garmin with 2010 maps when I came here, it's really good and does the job (although you will cease to need it very quickly). It's worth maybe just getting a good map and getting familiar with the areas as you'll begin to pick up some very easy landmarks.
> 
> Avoid TomTom as I have that on my Iphone and the maps aren't too up to date (although they have the best navigation instructions from my experience).
> 
> ...


Many thanks M123, Garmin seems to be the way to go. It's mainly of my wife who is a nervous driver at the best of times and having experienced the driving in Dubai on recent visits I might keep her off the roads at least for a while after we move!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

pmac34 said:


> Many thanks M123, Garmin seems to be the way to go. It's mainly of my wife who is a nervous driver at the best of times and having experienced the driving in Dubai on recent visits I might keep her off the roads at least for a while after we move!


Make sure she starts by driving on a Friday morning when the roads are quietest.

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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

Sounds good. Thanks for the advice!


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## gazzacbr (Feb 3, 2010)

i have iGO on my mobile phone and it works ok here. maps are a bit out of date (well, more than 1 week and the roads have changed).
still is usefull to know where you are and even which direction you are travelling sometimes. i went out to dragon mart for the first time this weekend and would have turned back with out it. even had to turn off the the easy main road back as it was closed due to road works. iGO just recalculates and i kept driving.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

I heard over the weekend that satnav info for Dubai is not being updated due to the vast amount of changes. Another reason not to bother with it.

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## gazzacbr (Feb 3, 2010)

out of date or not, i would not travel without it now.
once you use it you wonder how you managed without it.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Possibly by learning routes yourself, or looking at a map??


The main reason they are not recommended is that they are potentially dangerous as the information is frequently wrong and can end up sending people completely the wrong way on roads that no longer exist.

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## gazzacbr (Feb 3, 2010)

@Elphaba: for 1-off journeys (like my trip to dragon mart) its not possible to learn the route.
would paper maps be any more up to date than the gps maps?
who exactly does not recommend them? they do not drive the car. i would not drive up a road that does exist. as i explained, when the road is blocked/not there, you keep driving and the gps will recalculate. i am not saying that you blindly use it without comon sense.
i have used gps in many countries with more or less up to date maps and have not heard of anyone with a gps that does not like it.
do you have one you do not use?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

I have never felt the need for satnav. I just don't think it is as hard to find places as people are making out.

You don't need to learn a route to get to somewhere like Dragonmart. It's so easy! You get on Emirates Road and get off at International City, which is clearly signed. Most places have signs and people can give you directions.

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## bubble_boy (May 28, 2008)

Yip. Also love my satnav. Only have the base Garmin model with the latest GCC maps, but it does the job. It will get you where you want to go eventually.


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