Recommend Me A Sat Nav For The Car

[rusky]

I have an aging TomTom One & would like to replace it as the maps & navcore are out of date.

Any recommendations??

 

[Fnaar]

Have you got a smartphone? My Android phone does a great satnav job!
(edit) but I gave it plugged into car cig lighter socket to keep it charged

 

[Riding in Circles]

I like the new Garmins but the Tom Toms are still good as well, my phone battery dies too quick on GPS and the screen is too small.

 

[Archie_tect]

Got the Tom Tom app on my old iPhone which has a bit of a delay on the map refresh due to poor GPS signal but works OK... though I have to keep it plugged into the car's USB to keep it charged up.

I have an old Tom Tom 500 which I don't use since it fell off the windscreen breaking the sucker off the bracket- £20 for a new bracket!

 

[bryce]

I'd second an Android smartphone. Has Google Navigation (iPhone doesn't). Just buy a mount from eBay and off you go. Talks to you, tracks you via GPS, gives you options for routes and shows live traffic. And it's free.

 

[Inertia]

I'd second an Android smartphone. Has Google Navigation (iPhone doesn't). Just buy a mount from eBay and off you go. Talks to you, tracks you via GPS, gives you options for routes and shows live traffic. And it's free.

Ditto although unless its changed you need a data connection for Google Nav so get a contract with cheap/free internet.

 

[bikepete]

I have an old Tom Tom 500 which I don't use since it fell off the windscreen breaking the sucker off the bracket- £20 for a new bracket!

Check Ebay - looks like replacement mounts start at £2.98 with free shipping.

 

[swee'pea99]

I have no experience or knowledge of satnavs, so nothing to compare (I don't understand why some are so much more expensive than others, eg) but we got one of these Garmins for about £80 and it's been fine. Can't think why you'd want to spend more. (The French accent is amusingly atrocious if you cross the Channel, but that just livens up the journey!)

 

[Dan B]

If you're thinkng about the smartphone option and do much driving abroad you may also like to consider the price of data roaming, because google maps download on demand instead of being stored on the device

 

[meenaghman]

Got the Tom Tom app on my old iPhone which has a bit of a delay on the map refresh due to poor GPS signal but works OK... though I have to keep it plugged into the car's USB to keep it charged up.

I have an old Tom Tom 500 which I don't use since it fell off the windscreen breaking the sucker off the bracket- £20 for a new bracket!

I have velcro tape - about 1.20 from Lidl.. then can swap the sat nav between my wifes and my car..sorted.. those sucker things aren't the best. a bit of tape on dash and on windscreen.. the soft side on the edges of the garmin.. never moves.

 

[Seigi]

If you're thinkng about the smartphone option and do much driving abroad you may also like to consider the price of data roaming, because google maps download on demand instead of being stored on the device

Google maps has a recently implemented feature which downloads the entire journey before you set off, so if you're by a wireless connection just wait a few mins and it should have downloaded all the journey. They implemented this because people were complaining about losing signal when in remote areas.

 

[Archie_tect]

I have velcro tape - about 1.20 from Lidl.. then can swap the sat nav between my wifes and my car..sorted.. those sucker things aren't the best. a bit of tape on dash and on windscreen.. the soft side on the edges of the garmin.. never moves.

Great idea MM!

The 500 unit's got the speaker and microphone in the base plate which I can 'remove' from the broken part of the bracket and velcro in place. [Sorry for the diversion away from thread Rusky!]

 

[fossyant]

Does it really matter if it's a bit out of date ? Or do you just fancy a new one. New Toy !!

My car has it built in and the maps are about 8 years old now. Apart from the M6 toll not being on it, and very few other roads, it's still perfectly useable.

 

[dodgy]

I reckon dedicated PNDs (Personal Navigation Devices) are going the way of the dodo, it just doesn't make sense to produce a one trick pony like that.
I have a Galaxy Tab which runs many different Sat Nav software solutions, and the big screen is a definite advantage (and yes, mine is mounted in a way that doesn't obscure the windscreen. When I get to my destination, it becomes a regular tablet computer.

As other have said, pick a solution that stores maps locally and doesn't require a data connection.

 

[Archie_tect]

I reckon dedicated PNDs (Personal Navigation Devices) are going the way of the dodo, it just doesn't make sense to produce a one trick pony like that.
I have a Galaxy Tab which runs many different Sat Nav software solutions, and the big screen is a definite advantage (and yes, mine is mounted in a way that doesn't obscure the windscreen. When I get to my destination, it becomes a regular tablet computer.

As other have said, pick a solution that stores maps locally and doesn't require a data connection.

Now that sounds great... is a Galaxy Tab the same as an iPad? *don't tell me, I'll google it*
...just as long as you're not tempted to put a film on driving down the motorway.