Sat Nav

Which is the best value for money Sat Nav just for U.K use and possibly for use in different cars ?? Thanks E

Reply to
Ed
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I doubt the different cars bit makes much difference as all the car supplies is the power.

I also doubt many individuals have experience of all types so for that you need a magazine review - try Which etc.

I can say I'm very happy with my Tom tom 510 - I chose it for the slightly larger screen and better looks than some of the budget models.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Ed, have a look at uk.rec.gps and alt.satellite.gps.garmin I find these (by which I mean their posters) very knowledgeable and helpfully. At the moment there is a thread "comparison of car GPS units" that may help you.

Reply to
Broadback

Ed coughed up some electrons that declared:

I have a Garmin Nuvi 310 (got a good discount from Halfords in Tonbridge, but that can be probably matched buying online).

Firstly, word of warning: The first went back to Halfords because it lost its voice - they swapped the box and I got a free upgrade from v8 to v9 of the mapping software.

However, the traffic module didn't work and I didn't notice for a while, so it had to be RMA'd back to Garmin.

On the plus side, they did get me a new box out in a few days, with another minor map upgrade.

They did have a run of known problems with their traffic module, hopefully they've learnt from that as the new one is pretty perfect.

Now the negatives are out of the way, the unit is small, transferrable and very good at what it does. It comes with maps for the whole of western europe and a few central european countries. If you buy a 2GB SD card you can get the whole lot into the unit at once.

The address lookup and map detail beat much of the competion in my opinion (I tested each major make with a small obscure place in Devon I stayed at 2 years ago - some units weren't aware of the existence of "Throwleigh").

The other reason I chose it was that the price was fully inclusive - all the maps on CD are ready to use without shelling out extra for activation codes) and the traffic unit comes with a lifetime subscription to the RAC TrafficMaster system (those blue cameras on poles you see everywhere) and also to the French system IIRC.

The unit can be used hand held on its batteries for a couple of hours which is occasionally useful.

Oh, and it (like most of the others) can take downloadable points of interest, and there are some nice sites on the web for downloading POI data for genuine POI's and speed camera POIs for the UK and Europe. The traffic module works in France and Belgium (at least that's where I've been with it).

I would buy that series of unit again, accepting that I got unlucky with bad hardware - that can happen with any manufacturer, but Garmin did prove themselves capable of sorting it out.

On the other hand, if you happen to have a suitable PDA lying around, then you might consider a GPS module, dash mount and software for that.

HTH

Tim

Reply to
Tim Southerwood

We got this one a while ago & I'm pleased with it. You need to take the in car charger with you - the battery doesn't last that long - about 3 hours, don't know how that compares wih other nakes.

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Reply to
The Medway Handyman

But some cars require external aerials due to having athermic heat-reflecting windscreens and built-in windscreen heaters which can block GPS signal reception. The OP has already posted this request on alt.consumers.uk-discounts.and.bargains, had several answers and then chose to ask the same question again on the same thread 12 hours later so I doubt he'll be back to pick up the responses.

Reply to
Steven Campbell

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:56:32 +0100, "Steven Campbell" mused:

Not neccesarily external aerials. My sat nav had trouble getting a fix if the receiver was on the dash but I used a remote aerial located at the top of the a pillar inside the car and it was fine.

People are annoying.

Reply to
Lurch

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Being hard of hearing the voice ones are a pointless for me. Anyway, I use my Garmin 60CSX mainly for walking, using it now and again in the car. The reception with it's internal aerial is fine and the batteries last for about 8 hours, a spare set and rechargeable would be fine.

Reply to
Broadback

Still its interesting, cost its a toy I will one day purchase.

I saw an interesting program on hill walking..the man who was using one carried THREE..because he said that at indeterminate times one or more wouldn't give the same reading as the others. As long as he had two in agreement he was happy.

Mys sister brought hers over from Germany. I wasn't THAT good frankly. It seemed to know where it was mostly, but its sense of direction on UK roads was a bit flawed..

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

I use TomTom software loaded into a Windows Mobile 5 PDA.

The particular PDA doesn't have a built in GPS receiver, so I have one of their magtchbox sized ones separately.

The advantages of this for my use are:

- Integration with other of the PDA's functions such as address book

- Integration with handsfree telephone functions

- Portability. I can use it in the car or take it with me on business trips to make sure that taxi drivers are being honest.

Reply to
Andy Hall

I find the Which .. magazines pretty useless these days. I bought Which Mobile the other day for help in choosing my next cellphone and I thought I'd bought Playboy by mistake - scantily-clad tarts on every page.

Reply to
Bob Martin

I guess one factor might be heat reflective windscreens and the need for an antenna mounted externally.

Just a thought...I had trouble with my Dart Tag transponder on a new car...!

Reply to
Bob Eager

Not much use with a decent taxi driver. He will (should) know the best route between A&B which will include the time taken for the journey - which won't necessarily just be the shortest route as given by most such devices.

I must admit one with 'The Knowledge' routes loaded as an alternative would be useful to me in London.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

PCPro ran a Labs Test of portable satnav devices this month..the issue is still current.

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Reply to
Stephen Howard

I used to have a similar setup until my Dell Axim developed a charging fault. I now use the same set up but on my Nokia N73. I thought the small screen would have been a waste of time especially coming from a PDA but there is little difference. Having it on a phone cuts down on the amount of gadgets I now carry about.

Steven.

Reply to
Steven Campbell

Not sure about abroad, but here taxi drivers are required to take the shortest journey. Even without that, if the taxi driver knows the customer has the satnav he won't be tempted to go the wrong/long way (as has happened to me and everyone I know in Rome)

Reply to
Andy Burns

London isn't really the problem. Generally taxi drivers are pretty honest IME.

Notable places are

- Frankfurt - take the long way round from the airport on the Autobahn rather than the direct route into the city - price goes from ~?25 to ?45

- Prague - similar game

- Milan - wrong way around the tangenziale

- Madrid - using streets going in not quite the right direction - doubles the length of the trip

- Bucharest - although taxis are so cheap anyway that it doesn't matter. This is apart from the only taxi firm allowed to operate to and from the airport, which is reputed to be owned by a relative of the prime minister.

Reply to
Andy Hall

Apologies - it was "What Mobile".

Reply to
Bob Martin

Lucky you. My bloke couldn't find Linate at all.

- Paris - Took me to the wrong terminal at CdG and wouldn't take me to the other one until I spoke to a Gendarme.

Reply to
Huge

The other game that they try is when going from the city to Linate to charge double on the basis that they can't pick up a fare at the airport because they are not an airport taxi. They aren't allowed to do this, although I believe it was permitted some years ago.

I bet that he waved you goodbye with the middle finger of his left hand :-)

These days, if I do use CdG, even though I detest metros and suburban trains, I use the RER. Eurostar is currently a better solution for me, but may well not be when the terminus moves to St Pancreas.

Reply to
Andy Hall

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