Standalone GPS navigation devices were once essential car accessories, but smartphone navigation apps have made most of them redundant. Millions of old Garmin, TomTom, Navman, and other sat nav units are sitting in glove boxes, desk drawers, and cupboards across Australia. If you have finally decided to part with yours, here is how to do it responsibly.
Why GPS Units Became Obsolete
The standalone GPS navigator market peaked around 2008-2012, before Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze on smartphones effectively replaced them for most drivers. Modern smartphones offer real-time traffic data, constantly updated maps, voice control integration, and no need for a separate device on the dashboard.
That said, standalone GPS units still have a niche. They are popular with bushwalkers and hikers (dedicated handheld units from Garmin), marine navigation, aviation, and in commercial fleet vehicles where a dedicated navigation device is preferred. If your old unit still functions and has a use case, someone might want it.
Data on Your GPS Unit
GPS devices store more personal data than most people realise. A typical car sat nav may contain your home address (often saved as “Home” in favourites), work address and other frequently visited locations, recent destination history, route history showing your travel patterns, saved waypoints and favourites, Wi-Fi passwords (if the unit has wireless connectivity), and Bluetooth pairing data.
A GPS unit with your home address saved as a favourite, sitting in a car that gets sold or in a recycling bin, is essentially a map to your house. This is a genuine privacy concern that is worth addressing before disposal.
How to Clear GPS Data
Garmin devices: Go to Settings, then System, then Reset, and choose Restore Factory Defaults. This clears all user data including favourites, history, and settings.
TomTom devices: Go to Settings, then System, then Reset Device, and select Reset All. Some models require connecting to TomTom MyDrive to fully deregister.
Navman devices: Access the settings menu and look for a factory reset or restore option.
For any GPS device, the key steps are: delete all favourites and saved locations, clear route history, disconnect any Bluetooth pairings, and then perform a full factory reset.
Materials and Recycling Value
GPS units are compact electronics containing a touchscreen LCD display (older models may have resistive touchscreens, newer ones capacitive), a GPS receiver module, a processor and flash storage, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a plastic housing with a suction cup mount, a speaker for voice directions, and a circuit board with standard electronic components.
The material value per unit is modest, similar to a small tablet. The lithium battery is the primary reason these devices should not go in general waste.
Disposal Options
Resale
Some GPS devices still have resale value, particularly handheld outdoor units from Garmin (eTrex, Oregon, Montana series), marine chartplotters, and aviation GPS receivers. Car sat navs generally have very limited resale value due to the dominance of smartphone navigation, though recent models with lifetime map updates might attract buyers in specific markets.
Donation
Working car GPS units can be useful for people who do not have smartphones with data plans, older drivers who prefer a dedicated navigation device, community transport services and volunteer driver programs, and driving schools.
Keep in mind that older GPS units may have outdated maps that could direct drivers to roads that no longer exist or miss new motorways. Check whether map updates are still available for the device before donating. A GPS with outdated maps can be more frustrating than helpful.
Recycling
Council e-waste drop-off points accept GPS devices at transfer stations. Remove any suction cup mount or car charger and include them in the same recycling stream.
Professional e-waste recyclers accept GPS units alongside other consumer electronics.
The suction cup mount, car charger, and cradle that came with your GPS unit should also go through e-waste recycling. The car charger contains electronic components, and the cradle often includes a circuit board for data transfer.
Fleet and Commercial GPS Equipment
Businesses that use GPS tracking in their fleet vehicles may have more sophisticated equipment to dispose of. Fleet tracking devices (Teletrac Navman, Verizon Connect, etc.) are often hardwired into vehicles and contain GPS receivers, cellular modems, accelerometers, and sometimes OBD-II diagnostic readers.
These devices store vehicle location history, driver behaviour data, geofence configurations, and fleet management account credentials. Before disposing of fleet GPS equipment, ensure all data is cleared and the device is deregistered from your fleet management platform. The location data stored on fleet GPS devices could reveal client locations, delivery routes, and other commercially sensitive information.
For businesses disposing of multiple fleet GPS units, include them in your regular IT asset disposition process alongside other IT equipment.
For more on managing IT equipment disposal across your organisation, see our guide to building an IT asset disposal policy.
EWV helps Victorian businesses manage e-waste and IT asset disposal compliantly and sustainably — including collection, certified data destruction, and recycling. Contact us for a free quote.