Sat Navs (1 Viewer)

delia todd · Jul 30, 2012

There's too much choice and I'm confused. I would only need it for UK driving and I would like one to advise me in advance if I need to change lanes on a motorway.

Are they actually a distraction when driving?

Marmot · Jul 30, 2012

We have a Garmin one which we have had no complaints about,we got one of the wide screen models 5" and has the lane guidance on. The car we have now has a sat nav built into it so we use that one more often but we found out the garmin routes seemed better. For example on our way up to Aviemore a few months ago [the car sat nav] it took us through the middle of Edinburgh were there are a lot of roadworks/closures rather than the bypass, we ended up getting lost and it was only through Ians knowledge we ended up getting out.

So I would give a thumbs up to Garmin.

Why not check out this Halfords link were you can narrow it down to exactly what you want
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...1&langId=-1&catalogId=10151&categoryId=165685

pppppvvvv · Jul 30, 2012

Garmin has an annoying trait of taking you on country shortcuts that seem to be a couple of metres shorter, but along a single track instead of the A roads.
Always a good idea to check the route it is about to take you on before setting off, but this isn't an easy habit to get into.

I've also got a "rugged" handheld GPS (the Oregon) with OS maps. Really good for outdoors and birding, and it does have road navigation. But the time I tried it in a car, it wasn't very good compared with the dedicated Sat Nav.

Peter

delia todd · Jul 30, 2012

Thanks for the link Margaret.

Sooo... under £100 it suggests a Navman Tourer and over £100 there's a Tom Tom via 130 at £119.99.

delia todd · Jul 30, 2012

Thanks Peter. It's just for driving, especially when I'm going long distances.

KC Foggin · Jul 30, 2012

Very timely posting this thread D cause I've been hemming and hawing as to whether they are worth it.

Are updates free or do you have to pay for them?

apbarr · Jul 30, 2012

I've had both Garmin and Tom Tom models and prefer the Garmin but as Peter says it sometimes takes you down a B road to save a couple of yards.
You can add a lifetime map update for the Garmin which I've done. I'd also consider one which connects to your phone via bluetooth as that gives you hands free.

This one looks good, if a bit expensive, and includes the lifetime map updates:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-2595...TLWQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343670204&sr=8-1

delia todd · Jul 30, 2012

Thanks Alex. But now I'm confused again - I thought all the Satnavs allowed free map updating?

Duke Leto · Jul 30, 2012

for total peace of mind get one that has live traffic, then if on a motorway and its blocked say 40 miles ahead it will route you around it. I can honestly say that in the past 3 years I been saved on more that one occasion by being routed away from a motorway accident, this service isn't free but as far as I'm concerned worth its weight in wasted time and fuel

apbarr · Jul 30, 2012

Duke Leto said:
for total peace of mind get one that has live traffic, then if on a motorway and its blocked say 40 miles ahead it will route you around it. I can honestly say that in the past 3 years I been saved on more that one occasion by being routed away from a motorway accident, this service isn't free but as far as I'm concerned worth its weight in wasted time and fuel

Mine came with lifetime traffic updates built in, usefulness depends where you live and travel to but it has helped on a couple of occasions.

apbarr · Jul 30, 2012

delia todd said:
Thanks Alex. But now I'm confused again - I thought all the Satnavs allowed free map updating?

Sorry Delia but no, that's how they make more money from you.
My North America maps are out of date and I'll need to update them before my next visit. We're also planning a trip down under and again I'll need to fork out for Oz and NZ maps. It all mounts up.

squidge · Jul 31, 2012

I use the Tom Tom. I've used it driving around the Uk with no problems at all, especially around London. Although in Ireland it has brought me down narrow country lanes whereas there was an alternative main road. This could be down to the settings though.

I've just bought a new map and this will update every quarter for the next year and a half. (a new map is brought out every quarter)

My Tom Tom is about to be tested to the limit as I'm on the ferry heading to Holyhead and then to London where there are roads closed and changed due to the Olympics. So it will have to work overtime to get me to my destination. Here's hoping I don't end up in Glasgow or Bognor.

I think Garmin and Tom Tom are both more or less similar and it really comes down to personal choice. I'm happy with the Tomtom though.

Cheers,

Ger.

delia todd · Jul 31, 2012

So this is where I get confused then:

Tom Tom said:
Tom Tom Mapshare

With Tom Tom you never need to worry about having an out of date map again! With Tom Tom Mapshare you can also update maps directly onto your device and benefit from thousands of corrections made by Tom Tom Users everyday, all this is completely FREE!

Tom Tom said:
Latest Map Guarantee

Tom Tom offer its Latest Map Guarantee, entitling you to a free map download if a newer map is released during the first 30days of your purchase. Simply download via Tom Tom Home and check out all the other additional FREE features you are entitled too.

Both these features are listed under the TomTom XL2 IQ Sat Nav - UK & ROI at £89.

So in one breath they're saying you can get free map updates, in the next you can get a free update if the maps have been revised within 30 days of purchase.

What am I missing here?

Mike Crawley · Jul 31, 2012

Delia, I'm a very happy TomTom One user. Bought it 7 years ago and still works perfectly. Maps updated of course. I would definitely recommend a SatNav, which one is up to you, of course. btw - mine has never been a distraction.

I'd be astonished if anything from TomTom was free......

Vernon Barker · Jul 31, 2012

delia todd said:
There's too much choice and I'm confused. I would only need it for UK driving and I would like one to advise me in advance if I need to change lanes on a motorway.

Are they actually a distraction when driving?

Have used Garminfor the past four years; benefits far outweigh any problems.

Duke Leto · Jul 31, 2012

If you have an iPhone get the Tom Tom app, it's superb I regularly drive around England and Wales with my trusty Tom Tom running on my iPhone in its custom car kit and all for less than the equivalent Tom Tom live unit

Marmot · Aug 1, 2012

On the Garmin one we got you can do a free map update within 30 days of purchase but if you wanted to do any more after the year it is about £20-£30 to purchase them...I may be out on the prices as we just dont even bother looking at the emails they send for these any more.

You can sometimes get them with lifetime free map updates [I have seen these on QVC & Ideal World shopping channels in the past- they must be due to have one of these as the special value on one or the other of these in the near future], but dont confuse these updates with the sometimes free traffic updates you may get by plugging a reciver in the sat nav which is supposed to show you if there are delays and take you on another route. If you don't get one of the recievers with the sat nav they can cost about £49.

JUst had a check on the Halfords website this one might be worth considering as you are getting the free lifetime map updates and £20 cashback
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...5535_langId_-1_categoryId_165685#BVRRWidgetID

One of my work colleagues has a Tomtom and I was impressed with that. Our original one which my sister got as our joint Christmas present about 10 years ago was an RAC one and that did well, although technology has come on leaps and bounds since then. One of my likes on the garmin was you could choose which symbol you wanted to show where you are on the route [ie an arrow or car] with the garmin you can have what resembles a Buzzard flying along!

Hermann · Aug 1, 2012

I use a Garmin for driving. No problems at all. The one I've got was on sale at the time, and I've never updated the maps. Now, after some three years, I need some new maps, but since the built-in battery is pretty much shot I'll just buy the next Garmin that's on offer. You can also use OSM maps in addition to the Garmin maps, but that requires some knowledge of how this works. The OSm maps are often more up to date than any commercial maps, at least in most areas.

By the way, my Garmin allows me to choose between "routing for time" and "routing for distance". I usually use "routing for time" to avoid being taken on minor roads. Works pretty well.

The outdoor Garmins (like the Oregon or the Dakota) don't really work all that well in the car. They're great for everything else though.

Hermann

pppppvvvv · Aug 1, 2012

yep, my Garmin is routed for "faster time" but I still often get prompted to go down country lanes only to rejoin the A roads a bit later. Just something to be aware of.

If I was looking to buy today, I would look at a smartphone/iPhone to be honest. Google navigation works well, is free, and updated regularly. Is integrated with traffic, has much more points of interest. Plus you've got your internet on the go, free OS maps, camera, etc. Its the future! As stated above Apple have a similar navigation app.
Downsides would be the drain on battery which could be overcome with an in-car charger.

Searching for articles on the web all seem to suggest the handheld sat nav is losing out big time to these integrated phones.

Sandra (Taylor) · Aug 1, 2012

Mike C said:
Delia, I'm a very happy TomTom One user. Bought it 7 years ago and still works perfectly. Maps updated of course. I would definitely recommend a SatNav, which one is up to you, of course. btw - mine has never been a distraction.

I'd be astonished if anything from TomTom was free......

Delia - I can only concur with Mike's comment above. But occasionally we are taken off a motorway only to return to it at the next junction. Never a distraction - and it does advise you to be in a certain lane when necessary.

Go for it, girl!

Sandra

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