Does the GPS come with the current maps I need in my country or do I need to download/pay for the newest ones? Are there any recurring fees involved in buying a GPS or is it ready to go out of the box with no additional cost?

GPS units are really handy and make getting lost nearly impossible. I can tell you for sure that most GPS units (all that I'm aware of anyway) do not charge a monthly subscription fee.  You pay a flat price to purchase the GPS reciever unit and that's it!  So that's one good thing.  The question about maps is a different story.  For the most part, GPS units come with maps of the country they were purchased in, as well as possibly some bordering countries, already preloaded into the unit.  If you buy a unit outside of your own country, however, you may have to download the maps you will need to use the unit correctly.


I've attached several product suggestions below for you to take a look at.  The Garmin 255W GPS goes for around $160 and comes with maps of the US and Canada pre-loaded into the unit. 


The TomTom One Navigation is slightly less expensive at $149.99 and comes with maps of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.


And finally, the Magellan RoadMate Navigator from http://www.Meijer.com is the most economically priced product, ringing in at approximately $148.  It also comes with preloaded maps of the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. 


I hope this answers some of your questions.  Happy hunting!   (Or rather, shopping ;o) )