Which Sat nav to buy - Tomtom Garmin

[MarriedBlonde]

MB command - provides a nice flat surface to mount a real sat-nav

LOL...Brilliant

Although the latest version is not that bad.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Worth pointing out that all three can be installed on the one device.

Very true, and while this is definitely possible, the erratic nature of said models can lead to unpredictable outcomes when combined.

Best case scenario, you get where you wanted to, having much fun along the way, although not necessarily on time. Pie, Anadin & plastic supplies need to be checked before setting off.

Worst case scenario, you suffer a great deal of delay, run out of pies, Anadin or lucre, have to jettison one or more models, and arrive feeling battered and demoralised.

The choice is yours but it's best to check with others first before installing all three at the same time, as owners' experiences tend to vary considerably.

Anyone remember 'installing Girlfriend 2.0' joke?

 

[BTB 500]

TomTom has the best UI - most expensive maps.

They regularly do big discounts though. I just paid £32 (50% off) for a 12 month European map subscription ... new one each quarter plus interim updates. I've never paid anything like full price for maps or their speed camera databases.

 

[kalvin928]

I prefer tom-tom.. I have standalone 930T even though it is a bit out of date, it lets you save itinerary routes; I have loads of shortcuts saved dueto my job in around in London, also it lets you download custom P.O.I's; disabled bays, car parking etc and for £20 a year I have unlimited monthly speed camera updates. As iphone is jalbroken, I have installed various sat nav apps.. the tom-tom is fine but on the later units and dedicated software they removed the facility to store itinerary routes and also its not as easy to download POI's from other sources.. Never used Garmin, but gather its just like iphone V Android discussion

 

[Ditch999]

Consider perhaps a cheap 7" android tablet combined with sygic.

The mapping is excellent.

Does it have the speed camera facility for the UK and Ireland?

 

[Dec]

See… Premium speed cameras - description and how to purchase. ? Sygic Support

You are not supposed to be speeding, you could be killed stone dead doing that.

Dec

 

[st13phil]

Never used Garmin, but gather its just like iphone V Android discussion

That's a very good parallel.

Historically, Garmin were the "navigator's choice" for GPSR's as they used the knowledge from their professional navigation equipment (used extensively in aviation and marine where getting it wrong can have dire consequences) on their more consumer oriented devices. However, in recent years they've firmly jumped on the consumer bandwagon and considerably dumbed down their consumer offerings so they look more like the TomTom automotive devices. Even their technical support - which used to be absolutely fantastic - has been dumbed down. Not quite to TomTom's level, but its heading there.

Unless you're going to buy a high-end GPSR then pick what you find easiest to use at the price point that includes cartography for all Europe from either TomTom or Garmin. In general the more you pay the more features you get, but also the more expensive devices tend to have faster route (re)calculation capability and the ability to create routes that go the way you want to go rather than the way it wants to go. If you want or need something more targeted at a particular needs set, then Garmin are still the better bet if you're willing to pay a bit more.

 

[chrisaaaaa]

They regularly do big discounts though. I just paid £32 (50% off) for a 12 month European map subscription ... new one each quarter plus interim updates. I've never paid anything like full price for maps or their speed camera databases.

Watch out for these 'subscription' packs, I bought one for the USA on Garmin and I get the definite impression it intends to stop working after a year.

 

[chrisaaaaa]

For the speed camera issue I bought an inforad K2 and plumbed it into the dash next to the speedometer (so it switches off and on automatically).

I get audible warnings for cameras and a little blinking LED just under the steering wheel (I put some black tape over the power LED so I only get the warning LED).

It cost £20 on a voucher offer and has lifetime worldwide updates.

It makes a great companion for the hopeless built in unit that can tell you where the cameras are, but only visually and then only when you have not zoomed, or dared to use the radio or CD.

 

[chrisaaaaa]

...(used extensively in aviation and marine where getting it wrong can have dire consequences)...

I have a handheld garmin for in the hills, there are many stories of fools going up Snowden with an iphone

And on yachts a Garmin is typical not just for navigation but you can set them up to wake you in the night if the anchor drags, but it is not perfect, I got woken one night to be told I had run ashore, indeed I had apparently climbed to 11 m above sea level!

 

[kalvin928]

Hi

I am looking to buy a new portable satnav for my bus, I've been a fan of Tomtom's for years. I bought a new tomtom last year with the new interface and wasn't keen, even less so when the gps reciever couldn't lock onto a signal. This was returned.

Does anyone know if the new versions are any better?

Or do I look else where. It needs to have a decent sized screen and cover Europe.

Thanks,

J.

interesting you mention the signal.... when using in my skoda, it picks up straight away but takes longer in the Mercedes... I gather its probably to do with screen coatings on windscreen? as I am in London a lot, I also utilise the external magnetic aerial which I have fed from the dedicated cradle for the tom tom, not expensive but makes big difference when in central London.... however the iPhone tomtom app doesn't seem to suffer same issues

 

[MarriedBlonde]

The older tomtom works ok in the car and like you my iphone with tomtom on it does as well.

Looking at the reviews of the new style units there is a lot of negative comments about them. I was hoping someone was going to tell me the latest units are fine.

I am happy to pay for a premium sat nav so long as it works. I dont want to be spending £300 for a pretty box stuck to my dash...

 

[Ditch999]

Well I've been tinkering with the Sygic App on a Google Nexus 7 all afternoon and it seems to be quite good; and at £17.99 (in the sale till 27/4/14) for UK and Ireland it's a lot cheaper than a Sat Nav.

Its on a 7" screen which can do a heads up display on your windscreen for an extra £8.99. It comes with static speed cameras warnings but as mentioned earlier by Dec you can get the Premium speed cameras for £8.99pa if you want for the mobile cameras, tho as my Nexus does not have 3G there would be no point for me and the same applies to the 'Live' traffic updates.

The 'Live' traffic service seems to be taken from TomTom live and costs £13.99pa for UK & Ireland.

 

[BTB 500]

Watch out for these 'subscription' packs, I bought one for the USA on Garmin and I get the definite impression it intends to stop working after a year.

With the TomTom ones you just don't get more updates once they expire.

I never renew immediately ... always wait till there's a deal on. Both for maps and speed cameras.

 

[mick5]

I just ordered tomtom Go 5000 i always use tomtom and im used to TT maps and it comes with Lifetime map and Traffic updates.

 

[MarriedBlonde]

Mick, let us know how you get on. Is this the first one you have tried with the new user interface?

J.

 

[TedMartin]

The cheapest and easiest solution is to buy yourself a tablet, 7 or 8 inch, and buy a map specially designed for it. TomTom, Sygic, iGo just to mention a few. I use TT and Sygic and they are both A1. They normally come complete with all the extras, radars, voices, map colours, you name it. I am a great supporter of TT and have used it all over Europe with no problems, but now with the android tablet you reach another dimension in road navigation.

 

[gIzzE]

I hate Garmins route choices, you have FAST routes or SHORT routes, short routes take you across single tracks at 15mph, fast routes add 20 miles on to your journey to keep you on main roads.

Short on the Garmin always takes me...

That takes around 30 minutes across winding country roads.

Fast always takes me....

That takes me around the same time but is around 15 miles more than I need to cover.

The TomTom and Navigon units take me down the main road and then cut across when it is quicker to do so, not at the first opportunity...

That route takes around 15-20 minutes.

Might not seem alot, but that is just the last 20 mins of the journey, if you have driven for 4-5 hours that sort of route choice can make a huge difference.

Annoyingly I updated my Navigon recently and it too has started acting like a Garmin, then when I enquired Garmin bought Navigon out, and now they are using Garmins routing!! And I can't roll the software back.


But when I got the new TT Go 600 everyone was saying it was crippled, no zooming out on the map to look at alternative route options, it would just zoom straight back in again. That alone was enough to make me return it.

In the end I got a nice Double Din Alpine unit, they all run copilot and iGo, which seems brilliant in comparison.

 

[MarriedBlonde]

Thanks for all the replies.

I had an ipad mini but not sure I want to stick that on my dash it is huge!!!! Plus looking around I need to spend a few quid to get a gps receiver that will work with it. (about £100 by the looks of it and then I cant be sure if I will like, plus a few more quid to get a decent mount) £300ish quid on a tomtom 6000 is looking afavourite at the moment.

 

[BAZZER1]

Garmin is a safe bet and ticks all the boxes

BAZZER1