WILL GPS WORK IN DR?

mekkizm

Member
Jun 1, 2004
104
0
16
Hey guys, last I checked most people were saying that GPS was useless out there... (2008)..

Is this still the case or are they trust worthy these days?

I plan on driving around the North, mostly Salcedo, Tenares, Moca and of-course Santiago and the beaches on the north.

Can I rely on a GPS?
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Hey guys, last I checked most people were saying that GPS was useless out there... (2008)..

Is this still the case or are they trust worthy these days?

I plan on driving around the North, mostly Salcedo, Tenares, Moca and of-course Santiago and the beaches on the north.

Can I rely on a GPS?

a lot happens in 10 years these days..
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
GPS on google maps or Waze works great in Santo Domingo. Not too good on the East Coast, Punta Cana, etc.You can download Santo Domingo maps on google and use the GPS with no data plan in SD. Have no experience in Santiago or elsewhere, so maybe someone else can comment on that.
 

Ecoman1949

Born to Ride.
Oct 17, 2015
2,806
1,309
113
Been renting Budget rental cars in Playa Dorada for years. GPS has been a rental option for years. Never use it. I have a DR map I bought years ago and I’ve covered the entire North Coast with it. I refer to it as my treasure map. I’ve noted all the best beaches and bars on it. Information you won’t find on a GPS. Have a safe trip.
 

cbmitch9

Bronze
Nov 3, 2010
845
8
18
GPS works. I use both WAZE and Google maps. It works much better than most folks might imagine.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
To the OP, if you mean using your phone, yes.

If you mean bringing your Garmin, no.  It requires you to buy a DR maps download or card.  
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
If you load accurate maps onto your GPS it can function more accurately than just a cellphone while driving in a vehicle. Having a dash mount for your cell is a way to improve satellite reception.

GPS maps cost money, and some are opposed to paying for those maps. Without them, a foreign purchased GPS unit is all but worthless. The usefulness of your GPS unit is dependent on good quality maps that a current.

The cellphone option is adequate for most but as I discovered, if it loses satellite reception at the wrong time, you can easily miss the turn from the Coral Hwy onto the toll road to Nagua or just about anywhere else you may be going.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
As stated before, you can download on Wifi a map of Santo Domingo and use it offline for directions with only your GPS. And if you lose reception, as I have in the tunnel entering SD it comes back on automatically and continues with directions. It will re route you if you do miss a turn.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
4,510
294
83
Always have the maps downloaded for off line use. Always save places to your Google maps when you are at a destination you may want to return to.

Is there anyway to transfer saved places from Google maps to Waze? I thought Google bought waze.
 

Retire

New member
Jan 18, 2017
73
0
0
I use Sygic It's a free download . Works off Satellite . You can use an old cell phone without even a sim card as it uses NO DATA . It runs off the phones GPS . Use it in an activated phone , or in activated . Makes no difference . Works while in a plane as well . Its a free download . It has detailed street maps of all D.R. You can also load other country maps , usefull while flying over the U.S. Canada ETC.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
113
GPS maps cost money, and some are opposed to paying for those maps. Without them, a foreign purchased GPS unit is all but worthless.

Not a true statement - been using FREE maps of the D.R. in my Garman Nuvi for years.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Point being, without updated maps, a foreign purchased gps will be useless here, not that the new maps necessarily need to be paid for. Apologies if I was not clear.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
My Garmin was given away a few years ago. My cell phone does a better job. Garmin will be as popular as typewriters soon.