Carrefour Sat Nav - Useless or what?

QT
By QT

I went to Carrefour at Villagio earlier today to buy a Sat Nav GPS kit.

Now, I know Doha is small and I will learn the streets within a month or two, but as time is precious, I thought it was cost effective to shell out 1800 QR on a new Garmin system to help me around.

As I was ready to pay, I was only told I couldn't use the system because it didn't come with the CD map!

I mean WTF???  The sales rep said I would have to go to another place on the other side of Doha to buy a CD map.  Again, WTF???   Didn't he think that if I knew my way around Doha, I wouldn't need a Sat Nav kit.  Is it Carefour's policy to be completely useless???

Does anyone know where can I get a good kit that works straight from the box?

 

 

By Fatcat• 16 Apr 2008 07:41
Fatcat

QT, I would suggest you buy a nokia navigator. If you buy it from Nokia stores it'll come loaded with the Doha maps. And, unlike the Nokia n series, you don't have to pay to navigate. I had a garmin before and the Nokia navigator is very similar to it. It costs QR1450 at the Nokia shops.

By aaahmed81• 16 Apr 2008 00:09
aaahmed81

the map and the garmin are both sold together at the agent called "al Lengawi" on salwa road.. the exact position of the place i'm not so sure of... i'll check and get back to u...

By jang929• 15 Apr 2008 23:02
jang929

I'd been relying on Google Earth, and found this kind soul's .kmz file, in which he/she included all the major roads, shops, restaurants, etc.

 

PM me your email if you want me to send the file to you... =)

just trying to "pass the good deed on"... =)

 

(for those unfamiliar with google earth, u must first d/l google earth to open the file, and then you can customize your views, 3D, plan view, side view, etc.) 

By BMG• 15 Apr 2008 23:00
BMG

I swore for years I would not have a sat nav,  then one xmas I got one and .........................I love it.  Not only does it give you the route, I like having the time to destination function showing...Iknow its a gadget and I'm a man nuff said!!!!!

By soustannie• 15 Apr 2008 22:53
soustannie

I bought mine also from carr4  and i got a cd  to load on the PC but was also brought somewhere  else  works nice even in Afrikaans if you want it to be but .a bit slow  at the roundabouts 4 u2 chance lane s and with the landcrusers right on your heels it a bit scary Thats a goodnight from me

 

By QT• 15 Apr 2008 22:40
QT

I may know Doha within a week, but time is money.

I would lose more considerably more money within a week if I got lost a few times that the price of the Sat Nav Kit!  

Novi, good Idea.  I'll get a map soon.  Just haven't had time to stop yet!  

PM, Yep, we'll go togther!  

By soustannie• 15 Apr 2008 22:39
soustannie

And while u trying to get the GPS going  to where you  want to it will only tell u " recalculating" with all the the detours and rebuilding of the roads cause one day there s a landmark next day its gone!!

By jauntie• 15 Apr 2008 22:31
jauntie

shame I'm not there to meet you when you meet all the other QLers in time..

Hope you have a successful 'visit' :D

 

Oh and I know nothing about sat nav!

By Dianapilar• 15 Apr 2008 22:29
Dianapilar

hey, i can say that driving in Qatar is an experience to all of us, but as a girl even i hav managed to drive around Doha without any help but myself, yes i have got lost a few times but is the quickest way to learn,, don't u think..men!!!

I only been here 4 the last 3 months....n getting confident but never to loose track of the others mad people on the roads, i have learn to hav eyes in the back of my head....

By Sweedclog• 15 Apr 2008 22:24
Sweedclog

I have already a TomTom that I brought with me from Europe, I havent found a map of Qatar or any other ME country. Does anyone know where to get that for the Tomtom?  It would work better than laying around in the drawer at home.. 

By soustannie• 15 Apr 2008 22:24
soustannie

 

 

Yeah but first he got to get to a shop to buy a phone

By novita77• 15 Apr 2008 22:24
novita77

QT ... coming from Dubai i am sure Doha is a piece of cake for you !

By new_man• 15 Apr 2008 22:23
new_man

thanks PM that what i really need it today someone to argue with

to be alone it is because i am new in Qatar not because i am not nice with other

at all i try to help him by advicing him to save his money beacause after one week he will be familiar with doha it is so easy village

 

By soustannie• 15 Apr 2008 22:21
soustannie

If u come from a one horse town Doha is a  Mad house with even more mad traffic!!

By sting666• 15 Apr 2008 22:15
sting666

hey i got a better idea

get yourself a nokia n95

it comes with gps & qatar map

plus u get a great cell phone & its cheaper than a sat nav

By cryogenic• 15 Apr 2008 22:14
cryogenic

Even we felt the same way when we went to the virgin store in villagio and the jarir book store.

First was when we wanted to buy the timemachine tv from samsung priced at 12 thousand riyals

 

And the other time when we wanted to buy the latest mobile priced around 2 thousand odd from LG called viewty.

 

On both occasions the salesmen were absolutely daft, product knowledge was zilch and we felt we were doing them a favour by shopping there.

 

Customer service and aftersales service / customer satisfaction doesnt exist in this part of the world. Most shopping malls have poorly paid staff who have forgotten how to smile and who have zero knowledge about what they are selling and what the customer wants.

 

As long as its a consumer driver society and these malls make money they wudnt care. Only when recession hits and no one goes there will any sense dawn on these nitwits.

By new_man• 15 Apr 2008 22:13
new_man

visit

www.google.com/mars

With money we build HOUSE, With love we build HOME

By new_man• 15 Apr 2008 22:05
new_man

PM sure sure

 why I came to mars

 

Withmoney we build HOUSE, With love we build HOME

By new_man• 15 Apr 2008 22:02
new_man

GPS & Cd Map for what ? for Doha

come on man are you serious

Sure you are joking 

Gps for Doha, Doha Doha

it is village no more

 

With money we build HOUSE, With love we build HOME

By novita77• 15 Apr 2008 22:01
novita77

QT in the meantime until you got your sat nav sorted, head down to the book shop and get Doha Map. That would works better for emergency

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