You are in luck! Well...maybe... Not only do I live in California but I have a TomTom as well. All the points of interest (restaurants, hotels, drug stores, etc) come pre-stored in the TomTom when you buy it brand new. Therefore, it seems likely that the USA disc from TomTom would have this information too. I would expect the disc to contain identical, or near identical, software to what I have in my TomTom (since my TomTom is quite new). Can you call them to double check?

I've got a TomTom One and bought the SE USA maps for it, not great but certainly handy if you have no idea where to go
The Kissimmee/Orlando area is rapidly developing, the current maps are not up to date, on our November trip it didn't know where the sub-division I was staying on was, the road going past it was on but that was all, luckily I looked on Google Maps and MultiMap and found it on there and added it as a favourite manually. Directions are not always the best/easiest/shortest route, coming up I-Drive South frpm the 192 going to Seaworld it repeatedly told me to turn left onto Vineland and then drive south down to the I-4 and come back north and then come off on the Central Florida Parkway, luckily I knew that Seaworld was about 1/4 mile straight up and then 100yds left on the Central Florida Parkway. I have connected to TomTom to update the map but it still says there is no update for it after buying it a year ago.

You'll need a larger memory card if you want both the UK and SE USA maps stored, mine came with a measly 128Mb card, both maps take approx: 400Mb of space. Luckily 512Mb or 1Gb SD cards are very cheap here (cheaper than in the USA).

TomTom only recently updated their maps. But yeah, compared to others, they are not the most accurate (though as you say, it's really in rapidly developing areas where it's noticable). But TomTom does offer a number of features that others don't... so you take the rough with the smooth, as it were.

I'm not sure SD cards are cheaper in the UK... I think it really depends where you go. I found some at Wal-Mart that were cheaper than I could find on UK websites (under 8 GBP for 1GB cards). Either way, I suppose the prices will be fairly similar so it doesn't really matter.

BTW You have a TomTom One... I have a TomTom One XL so mine is bigger than yours. Size DOES matter! lol

You cannot beat a good map

Maybe but a map isn't going to tell you where the closest hotel or restaurant is.

Thats true but for that i would always ask

True...I actually don't use my TomTom too often. I only use it when I need to go somewhere I am not familiar with. I do have a "proper" map in the car too.

Well thanks for all your help people, I know that i will always get help on this site. Even if it does get a bit smutty now and then (only joking)

My gut feeling tells me to go with the Sat Nav from the car hire firm. The disc is half price until the end of Jan at £60.00 then i would have to buy extra memory cards. At least if we hire the Sat Nav and it goes wrong we can exchange it.

Any recommendations for car hire companys? I cant wait I need some sunshine.

Hi Wendy

If you do a search you'll find lots of recommendations for car hire across America

Pippy

TomTom One SE USA map is only £29.95 http://www.tomtom.com/products/maps/select.php?D=59&Language=1&P=412 just download and put the files onto an SD card. Just checked my version and it's out of date but the TomTom site says there's no update even though the version they have is newer then mine!.

1Gb SD cards are just over £4 for a decent hi-speed one at Ebuyer, SVP and 7dayshop have a standard speed one for £2.99!! http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_6&products_id=102065

Thanks for that infomation jeff. Dont know where my husband got his infomation from! He works for BA at gatwick and got called in early today because of the news, i will be fast asleep by the time he gets home. So i will tell him tomorrow.