I need a Sat Nav... but which one?

V8burble

V8burble

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I'd rather not spend over £200, but can anyone recommend one from experience? Any thoughts most welcome. :thumbs:
 
V8burble said:
I'd rather not spend over £200, but can anyone recommend one from experience? Any thoughts most welcome. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

If you've got an android phone? Google maps do a very good SatNav for free :)
 
taxi driver here....use older model TomTom....... BUT

the new models have something called "intelligent Routes" or something
tried one - it picks the fastest/fuel efficient route so going from suburbs into Glasgow it will choose the motorway...........:thumbsdown:

whereas the "shortest" distance is what I need [for the fare charge]

my 'old' TomTom allows me to choose 'shortest' route or 'fastest' route

maybe worth checking out - otherwise it's an excellent bit of kit
 
I've only ever had a Tom Tom. Not perfect but I wouldn't get any other make. They always come out top in reviews.

I used a Garmin last year in a USA hire car. It was absolutely ****. So many times I came close to throwing it out of the window, and used every **** word available.
 
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You can't beat a TomTom, they are the Rolex of the watch world !
Mine's covered in diamonds :D
 
Yardbent said:
taxi driver here....use older model TomTom....... BUT

the new models have something called "intelligent Routes" or something
tried one - it picks the fastest/fuel efficient route so going from suburbs into Glasgow it will choose the motorway...........:thumbsdown:

whereas the "shortest" distance is what I need [for the fare charge]
Click to expand...

I have a new TomTom with the IQ routes feature, I can choose my type of route every time I put a route in (fastest/shortest/Eco-route etc). It is something you set in the settings - set it to ask each time you plan.

With regard to a recommendation, any TomTom, they have the best ui, and seem consistently reliable (all IMHO).
 
Graham00 said:
You can't beat a TomTom, they are the Rolex of the watch world !
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[s2]Sorry, but I have to[/S2]

Rolex are the Rolex of the watch world.

TomTom would be the "Rolex" of the satnav world ;)
 
Mmmm ok, Tom Tom is still in the highest regard... I would have thought that others would have krept into the picture so to speak. Interesting thanks everyone I'll look at the Tom Tom range and see what I can afford :thumbs:
 
I keep expecting my TomTom to say "in 200 yards roll down window and ask for directions" :bang::lol:
 
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My Volvo has a built in Sat Nav, rises up out of the dash board my daughter puts little dolly on it and likes they way they appear from nowhere and it's fully set up with Volvo drive.

stick to 25mph
do not indicate
stop at roundabouts and don.t move even if all clear.
i must wear a hat and gloves
brake for no apparent reason


it tends to give an opinion rather than direction ;)

mine has real time traffic info which gives up to date problems and reroute it's self that is a real + for us helped us loads on the M6 and through Spain.

the tom tom offer a traffic thingy as well.

Merc
 
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Tom Tom is ****, Garmin is even worse...

Mio is superb though.

I've had all three, currently stuck with a crappy Garmin I got after getting so fed up with the Tom Tom I returned it. I'll soon upgrade to a Mio again.
 
Had the original Tom Tom One and was the best thing ever, now use Ovi Maps on my android phone and god am I wishing I'd hadn't sold the Tom Tom, Ovi Maps are beyond useless.
Worse thing, wife told me not to sell it, would I listen? Was she right? Am I reminded of said fact at every possible opportuntity? Next time!!!!
 
Whatever make you choose, my advice would be, get one with a card slot. The internal memory isn't brilliant and can soon run out of space.
________
TX650
 
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TomTom here as well. I swear by it - intuitive menu system, easy to use and fully customisable preferences. Alerts can be switched on or off, so if you'd prefer not being spoken to like a 5-year old if you happen to stray above the speed limit, it won't say a word...

A couple of months ago I used a different model supplied by work which was a 'something else' (Nuvi? something like that anyway) and it took two reasonably tech-literate adults over 20 minutes to figure out how to navigate to a POI in Kiel...utterly useless... You couldn't even scroll the map manually and select something which you can on the TomTom quite easily.

As others have said, keep it updated online and it'll never let you down. I have an 8Gb SD Card in mine for all the extra maps and gubbins (Eastern and Western Europe, USA and Canada etc) - only used about 20% so far.
My Go720 is three years old now and even though I occasionally get shiny kit syndrome and think about upgrading, it does everything I need it to do.
 
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Arkady2 said:
... - intuitive menu system, easy to use and fully customisable preferences. ...
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Really?!?

Arkady2 said:
A couple of months ago I used a different model supplied by work which was a 'something else' (Nuvi? something like that anyway) and it took two reasonably tech-literate adults over 20 minutes to figure out how to navigate to a POI in Kiel...utterly useless... You couldn't even scroll the map manually and select something which you can on the TomTom quite easily.
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Garmin (Nuvi) is even more **** than Tom Tom, stay clear.

Every time people start praising Tom Tom, I always wonder if they've actually tried anything else (bar Garmin), or if they've just fallen for Tom Tom's massive marketing campaign (*) and are just generally amazed by this "new technology" without having anything to compare it to.

(*) And as the old saying (or something); If you need to spend money on advertising, your product isn't good enough.
 
Yes I have - several, including some supposedly cutting edge built-in systems which are listed as multi £thousand options....

TomTom is best IMO...
 
Dave1 said:
I have a new TomTom with the IQ routes feature, I can choose my type of route every time I put a route in (fastest/shortest/Eco-route etc). It is something you set in the settings - set it to ask each time you plan..............).
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every time I put a route in (fastest/shortest/Eco-route etc). It is something you set in the settings - set it to ask each time you plan.

that could be frustrating "being asked" 30+ times a day.........:p

can you set it so it "always" goes shortest route,,,, unless over-ridden should i want 'fastest' for a motorway fare

thanks
 
Yardbent said:
every time I put a route in (fastest/shortest/Eco-route etc). It is something you set in the settings - set it to ask each time you plan.

that could be frustrating "being asked" 30+ times a day.........:p

can you set it so it "always" goes shortest route,,,, unless over-ridden should i want 'fastest' for a motorway fare

thanks
Click to expand...

I have it set to always ask.
It's one extra press on the screen - hardly a deal-breaker, I'd have thought.
Plus 'fastest' is at the top of the list, so you're only forced to scroll down if you want to change it.

Normally I just hit 'enter'...
 
Yardbent said:
every time I put a route in (fastest/shortest/Eco-route etc). It is something you set in the settings - set it to ask each time you plan.

that could be frustrating "being asked" 30+ times a day.........:p

can you set it so it "always" goes shortest route,,,, unless over-ridden should i want 'fastest' for a motorway fare

thanks
Click to expand...

Arkady has basically answered the question, but yes, the settings allow you to choose one of the presets, or to always choose at planning. I prefer to always choose, as depending on time and reason for travel I sometimes like to go shortest rather than fastest.
 
Tom Tom is easily the best.

Quite why car manufacturers don't just suck it up and licence it I don't know - its not like in car systems come cheap!!

The system in my car is like having Donald Pleasence trying to navigate me out of StalagLuft III.

I can't begin to count the number of near death experiences I've had with it. You might argue that you shouldn't blindly follow its instructions, but thats not the sense of security it lulls you into.
 
Dave1 said:
[s2]Sorry, but I have to[/S2]

Rolex are the Rolex of the watch world.

TomTom would be the "Rolex" of the satnav world ;)
Click to expand...

Ah, i posted quickly before going to bed, that's my excuse and i'm.....you know the rest !:p
 
Arkady2 said:
I have it set to always ask.
It's one extra press on the screen - hardly a deal-breaker, I'd have thought.
Plus 'fastest' is at the top of the list, so you're only forced to scroll down if you want to change it....Normally I just hit 'enter'...
Click to expand...

by Council edict we have to choose shortest route

unless passenger says 'fast'

no, not a 'great' problem - just another to sort out - with the crone housewife in the back seat shouting at her wains in the best fishwife language while i load snow-covered pushchairs and bags of pot-noodles, instant potatoes, oven-ready pizza, cases of lager, and bags of 2L IrnBru bottles into the boot

yes...I had a crap day today.....................:razz:
 
Yardbent said:
by Council edict we have to choose shortest route

unless passenger says 'fast'
Click to expand...

Brought my TomTom in to update tonight, and it is pretty simple to set the planner. From the "change preferences" screen, its a couple of presses to "planning preferences" and then the choices are ask every time/fastest/shortest/avoid motorways/walking route/bicycle route/limited route.

Thats on my TomTom XL340 IQ.
 
As noone has mentioned it I will, Halfords have there own brand called navigon and I bought one a few months ago as I'd had enough of Garmin and tomtom. Now the navigon is used everyday as I am a lorry driver so it has been well and truly tested and I must say its blooming brilliant. Mappping is excellent has all the features of the so called leaders in the market and more so. Mine has bluetooth for the phone which operates excellently and is crystal clear with conversations, it also has lane assist which is really good feature and eco mapping amongst many others. The good bit is as well Halfords have a sale on at the moment and you can pick up there near top model for £100.
 
Tom Tom one for me, buy mine from US as they are a lot cheaper, just paid £42 for one as some scrotes pinched my last one, come with USA maps but its quite easy to get an SD card and get the UK maps put on.
 
One thing i will say, steer clear of the TomTom 1000 and VIA ranges at the moment if you want to use Custom POI files, update your maps, change voices, back it up, or anything remotely useful, in their infinite wisdom they have released these new products with a completely useless new piece of software called MyTomTom that isnt even finished yet ! Custom POIs may be available in January ! the rest who knows !

The other stuff is great, live services etc, and the maps and routes, ease if use etc, but i have several POI files i use for photography and family and i cant put them on at the moment !

And yes i have just got a TomTom 1005 ! *******s ! lol
 
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I've been using this for the last year and it's excellent - plus you can watch DVD's! :D It's a huge screen, uses an SD card and works through your car speakers. Simply plug it into your car's chocolate block and away you go!

I've just changed cars and it won't really fit in the new one so I'm not sure what to do with it now :|
 
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Thanks for all the advice and opinions everyone... giving it all some thought for a purchase in the next few days :thumbs:
 
Tom Tom user here and I got the live update version. :thumbs:

Had a Garmin first what a load of C**p froze all the time in London and the final straw when it took me back up the M25 after leaving it then told me to turn left up and embankment :bang: :bang:

Use it all the time for work and it has not let me down once and also the live updates are brilliant for the traffic jams then sends me on a different route to avoid traffic jams, important for me especially when I have livestock on board. :thumbs:
 
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Got a TomTom - first rate! I broke out once to a Mio but was unhappy about the bracket.... too 'bouncy' but it was/is a large screen with built in TV tuner! Got so fed up with it I bought another TomTom with LiveUpdate HD traffic...... superb.

I have to admit I took my TomTom to Dusseldorf for walking around (and for fun). Their trams are set for the most interesting, economical scence routes but it didn't take a wrong turn once! :lol:
 
Ok, got a... yes you guessed it, a Tom Tom. Went for the XL Live IQ Routes one in the end. Will see how we get on over the coming weeks :thumbs:

Thanks everyone for your input :)
 
V8burble said:
Ok, got a... yes you guessed it, a Tom Tom. Went for the XL Live IQ Routes one in the end. Will see how we get on over the coming weeks :thumbs:

Thanks everyone for your input :)
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good choice :thumbs:

mine has never let me down.
 
I have a tomtom XL that let me down the other day on the motorway. I knew there was traffic, took it out and it told me there was no available route. I pull in, try the postcode, street name, streets nearby, train station and it tells me there's no route. Ridiculous thing. I found my own way using road signs. It takes ages to find satellites and generally annoys me. I'd rather have a frickin map than that thing. On the plus side the speed camera warning is good, and I don't have the live IQ route so maybe that makes it better. The one on my phone (nokia) is far better but not convenient for car use.
 
:wave: tomtom 710 cannot find fault with it, brilliant in france. would'nt be without it now :thumbs:
 
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