Tom Tom or Garmin

[Dogberry]

I'm in the market for a car sat-nav and looking for opinions on both the above makes / models.
I've done some Googling but its getting confusing

£150 max.
European mapping is a must.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I've used Tom Tom's for years without any issues. On the odd occasion I've used anything else it's never felt as intuitive and as easy to use as a Tom Tom IMO
The Tom Tom Start is available to European mapping for around £120 ish.

 

[rusky]

Tomtom here, I looked at the others but ended up back with TT

It's worth keeping an eye on the Tomtom outlet store http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/tomtom-outlet-store/

look here http://www.hotukdeals.com/vouchers/tomtom.com for voucher ccodes .......0

 

[PaulSB]

I've used TomTom for years without any problems. Occasionally I've used others and it's clear TomTom is the leader by some distance.

If you have an iPhone, or I guess any smart phone, you can get the TomTom app for £50. It's very good and means one less bit of kit to carry around. You will need the car kit holder and charger which is about £50 from memory. The kit also doubles as a hands free for the phone.

 

[jamsarnie]

I have used both, and the TomTom beat the Garmin hands down in terms of ease of use, up-to date maps, also less likely to take you down stupid little one track lanes when using the "quickest route" option, cos it sees a 60 mph limit and assumes you can do that even on a road with grass growing down the middle. That wasn't a fun journey...

Anyway, TomTom every time.

 

[2PedalsTez]

I would still have a look at Garmin as certain units (within your budget) include some useful new features including lifetime updates (which having just been on a trip where my TomTom showed me driving through fields etc!).

 

[Rapples]

I have used both, and the TomTom beat the Garmin hands down in terms of ease of use, up-to date maps, also less likely to take you down stupid little one track lanes when using the "quickest route" option, cos it sees a 60 mph limit and assumes you can do that even on a road with grass growing down the middle. That wasn't a fun journey...

Anyway, TomTom every time.

+1

I've used both and currently have a Garmin. I'm not impressed with it's routing. As Jamsarnie says it has a tendency to take you down very narrow lanes, and if you ignore it, tries to get you back on it's designated route rather than calculate a new route. I once had to virtually be on the M1 before it stopped trying to get me back on the A14. When it finally accepted that was the way I was going it knocked 10 mins off the orignal arrival time!

 

[e-rider]

My dad has a Tom Tom, but my wife bought me a Garmin - have to say my Dad's Tom Tom is better!

 

[Cubist]

Yep

The Tom TOm XXL with IQ routes and European mapping should do you well. I love mine.... better than the previous Mio in terms of clarity.

 

[compo]

I used a Garmin Nuvii for a couple of years but have recently switched to a TomTom and I prefer it a lot. I have just updated the maps and it is first rate.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Yep
The Tom TOm XXL with IQ routes and European mapping should do you well. I love mine.... better than the previous Mio in terms of clarity.

Yep, I have a TT XL with IQ routes and it's spot on. My only whinge would be battery life, but I only use it in the car so I just plug the fecker in, simples!
I've used Navteq, Garmin and a few spurious ones over the years, and nothing does anything as well as TT does everything, (IME of course)

 

[Dogberry]

Seeing as TT has got the most votes on here, I've gone for the Tom Tom XXL.

Thank you for all your input