scdreamer

We are wishing to rent a car for two and a half weeks in Reims in September 2018 - heading to Luxembourg and Germany - and then returning the car in Dijon. We would definitely need GPS - anyone have recommendations about which rental agency is best for this itinerary?

janisj

Start with autoeurope and/or kemwel -- being brokers they will show you all the options and best deals for your requirements.

Michael

We rented compact cars in Denmark and Germany both of which came with unrequested GPS. If renting a bigger car, a GPS might be automatically included.

PalenQ

And don't forget to get that IDP - International Driving Permit required in France. Just in case you did not know and for others.

scdreamer

Thank you all. We found a pretty good deal with Europecar, GPS included - have rented from them before with a good experience. We really wanted to be sure we could drop the car at the railway in Dijon - and they have a drop-off there.

I looked at the pages and pages of requirements the rental agency listed and there was none for an IDP for France, Germany and Luxembourg. I've always got one in past years for driving in Spain - it's actually kind of stupid, as there's no real requirement other than having a valid US license and paying AAA for a slip of paper. Guess I'll get one, though. *sigh*

janisj

After fighting it for a week and getting a thread closed . . . NOW you recommend an IDP!? okaaaaay . . .

PalenQ

If you actually read all the thread you will note that I became convinced during it of why one should get IDP and said several times to get one!

My post here was intended to be helpful to OP what was yours?

StCirq

You totally slammed it for being "rubbish," Pal. Nice backpedaling. Maybe alert your son to your new point of view on this.

For the OP, depending on where and on what roads you will be traveling, you may not want to depend on GPS. Get Michelin or IGN maps or an atlas in case your GPS falters on the D roads. And do note that as of July 1, 2018, the speed limit on N roads in France is being reduced from 90 kph to 80 kph, and that likely means that there will be plenty of police out in force to catch speeders and levy fines.

mjs

Why not buy your own GPS and use it? The cost of a GPS for a rental car last few times we have rented has been about $20/day which works out to be more than buying one with European maps and you can use it over and over. Have had a GPS built into the last few Hertz cars we have rented but I would prefer to make sure we had one and it is nice to be familiar with the one you are using. We use a Garmin that we keep updated.

rs899

Why not just use an app on your smartphone or tablet (if it has GPS)like Here we Go. It won't use any data and you can download the whole up to date France database onto the device you already own. Gives turn by turn driving directions with street names iirc.

scdreamer

mjs - We are getting a car with a GPS that is built in. The cost of buying our own GPS (we have an old TomTom that hardly works anymore) plus the cost of purchasing the software for France, Germany and Luxembourg far outpaces the cost of what we will pay for the GPS included with this rental car.

Second - rs899 - we thought we could use the Verizon smartphone we have last summer while in the UK, but found we needed to have some sort of WiFi. It was a bust. I can look at Here We Go, but the car we are renting is the same cost as others without GPS.

St Cirq - We do have a Michelin atlas/map, but it's often easier to have turn by turn directions for small towns and villages. We have cottages rented in three towns, as well as hotels in other cities. May be easier to find the places with GPS. Maps will be back-up. Thanks for the heads up on new speed limits.

Andrew

Last May I used my Android phone with Google Maps offline to drive in Slovenia - I downloaded the Slovenia map ahead of time on WiFi then kept the phone in airplane mode most of the time. (I had a SIM but was trying to save data and also trying to see how well it worked.) You certainly don't need WiFi or mobile data to use the phone as a GPS with an app like Google Maps that has an offline mode.

Try it at home first - will work the same way in Europe. Download your home area first, put the phone in airplane mode, then try to navigate somewhere. Repeat for France (a month before you go - sooner than that and your downloaded maps will expire).

Android: https://support.google.com/maps/answ...DAndroid&hl=en
Apple: https://support.google.com/maps/answ...rm%3DiOS&hl=en

scdreamer

Thanks for that info. I do have a newer android phone, and I will try to follow the instructions. I’m not super tech savvy, and I was probably expecting my phone to just pick up WiFi for GPS like it does here in the U S. I have google m apps on the phone already, so I will try to figure out how to download the maps for the areas I’m going to be visiting.

nanabee

Smart Phones have GPS. I have used my cell phone's GPS (Google maps) for driving and for simple things like getting to the tube from my London hotel, etc.

I didn't have to do anything ahead of time. I just say "Ok Google," and then talk into the cell. I say "Directions to the British Museum." (or where ever I am going). And the map pops up and I hit 'Directions' - then - 'Start.'

rs899

Though I like Google maps, too, I think HERE We Go is a lot easier to manage as a package and using totally offline. With one download (on wifi) you get the whole country and Here will automatically update the maps on wifi. I find that it is better integrated and may be easier to figure out how to use offline. If you were going to have data available, then I would go with Google.

Whatever you do, test it out at home first. You don't need that added frustration on vacation.
And using your own smartphone and an app you are familiar with, IMO beats trying to figure out a rental car GPS on the spot.

Macross

Dear Pal, I am tired of you getting jumped on all the time. It gets very tiresome. Does no good to report it.

We just rented in France and our car came with GPS. We could not get it to talk in English though so were happy to have our own. We didn't have the IDP but if going back to Sapin we will as the base commander requires it for driving on base. We try and take public transportation most places but just in case.

Andrew

Put your phone in airplane mode, then see how well it works to navigate. That's what scdreamer is trying to do, to avoid having to pay Verizon's ridiculous international roaming fees. If you don't setup offline maps ahead of time on your phone, you need mobile service to navigate.

PalenQ

You may also want to get a Michelin 1:200000 road atlas or individual maps as you go along in case GPS don't work someplaces - unlikely but also nice to see the overall lay of land you will be going thru- available at petrol stations and newsstands.

mjs

We use a Gramin that I bought a few years ago with lifetime free updates and the cost was somewhere in the low $200 range. Have used it for over 30 days over the last two years so feel we are getting our money’s worth out of it. Will use it this Spring again.
Have used Co pilot ap on my phone but did not like it as much as the Garmin although it is serviceable and cheaper. Carry Michelin maps too

scdreamer

Great idea - I love maps, and I am always the navigator. Have already bought the Michelin 1:2000000 for Alsace, Lorraine (516 region of France), as that will comprise the majority of our travels. I would like to get a detailed map for the Mosel River Valley, as we will be there for a week, but don't need another huge map like the Michelin I have. Also Luxembourg and Burgundy. I will plan to look at the gas stations when we get into that area.