Tom Tom or similar?

[cookie_monster]

I'm looking to buy a sat nav device for the car but know jack all about them, i'd like to pick up a device for less than £100. Anyone got any recommendations and know what the difference is between £69 models and £150 models?

[Kitkatninja]

I would say buy yourself either a TomTom or a Garmin (imo TomTom's are better). A mate of mine bought one of the cheap SatNav's and 6 months later found that he couldn't update it anymore. He ended up buying a TomTom.

 

I've got the TomTom One v2 (I believe v4 is out now) and it still updates and is a very good product, the only problem I've had was due to having out of date maps (over 2 years old, I didn't update for a while ) which now has been fixed

 

-Ken

[john]

TomTom myself as well, I have got TT5 (ancient now I know) on my old XDA2 which I use for Sat Nav (also have it bodged on my Touch Pro but need an in-car charger for it still) and its good and worth it. Keep thinking about getting one of the dedicated TomTom all in one units then it can be used by my mum if she wants I have used one of a friends as it was very good so can recommend them

[cookie_monster]

Yeh i'm leaning towards the Tom Tom or Garmin, some of them say bluetooth calling support can you use the speaker to route your mobile through?

 

EDIT

 

Found my own answer to that, cool saves fitting a seperate bluetooth kit.

Edited May 31, 2009 by cookie_monster

[john]

Yeh i'm leaning towards the Tom Tom or Garmin, some of them say bluetooth calling support can you use the speaker to route your mobile through?

Yup I believe so with the right model, some I think just use bluetooth to use your phone for TomTom updates such as the Traffic stuff, but some allow you to control your phone, use it to answer calls etc via the TomTom screen.

[box_l]

try http://www.igomyway.eu/its the best i have found so far.

 

works great on my PDA and on my XDA Diamond.

 

BoX

[Sylv3r]

I have a TomTom and love it - its about 5 years old now and looking to upgrade. I've just bought myself a Parrat handsfree car kit - didn't think it would be as hard to install as it looks!

 

I think i'll try and get someone to install it for me to save me making a mess of my car.

[danIT]

I had a TomTom One , that got stolen out of the car, and now I've got a Garmin (Forget model).

 

My basic requirments were:

 

Full UK postcode search

 

Thats it.....

 

If you want things like being able to hook it up to your mobile to take calls the price soon rockets.

[Gatt]

Got to admit I'm starting to look at getting one of these now - much easier than trying to read a map whilst on the move!

 

Just dunno what to get, and dont want to spend a load of cash - £50 - £100

[laserblazer]

I got a Garmin because I wanted European maps and the price was right. From what I've heard, it's probably not a good plan to go for the cheap brands. I mainly use mine for finding swimming venues and find it as much use getting home again as finding the place. I will always be pointing in the wrong direction and the satnav is brilliant for getting me back on the right road out of the town, quite often down side roads. I can see how coaches get stuck.

[john]

I have a TomTom and love it - its about 5 years old now and looking to upgrade. I've just bought myself a Parrat handsfree car kit - didn't think it would be as hard to install as it looks!

 

I think i'll try and get someone to install it for me to save me making a mess of my car.

I have one in my car, and vehicle depending and radio in the car depending dictates how hard, on my VW Golf it was plug and play AKA unplug the Radio, plus in the Parrot in-between the Radio and the Cars leads, that was it basically that connected it up and just stick the Mic and Screen where I felt they were good, but some are harder, I looked at doing my mums Freelander and by the time I'd worked out how to get the radio out of the dash (the fact that the entire centre trim, and console and half the dashboard would have to come up it was easier to get a portable one from Parrot instead of a hardwired one.

[cookie_monster]

I'm leaning towards the Garmin one of these look like they will do the job.

 

Garmin Nuvi 200W UK & Ireland In-Car Satellite Navigation - Cheap Garmin Nuvi 200W UK & Ireland GPS Sat Nav Systems at Dixons UK

 

 

Garmin Nuvi 215 UK & IRE In-Car Satellite Navigation - Cheap Garmin Nuvi 215 UK & IRE GPS Sat Nav Systems at Dixons UK

[plexer]

I've been using my Aunts tom tom one xl this week while in devon.

 

It was absolute pants but that's probably because the mapping needs updating but you have to buy the updates to do that.

 

Ben

[laserblazer]

Mine's a Nuvi 250 but I didn't bother with the widescreen. I couldn't see the point of paying extra to see what is left and right!

[cookie_monster]

Hmm the 250 looks pretty good but it doesn't have bluetooth calling, I might get that as a seperate unit anyway though. Does it support dynamic route updates?

[madcyryl]

You could always get a refurb tom-tom from HP iPAQ PDA | TomTom GO | TomTom ONE | GPS Sat Nav | Palm Smartphone | Total PDA

 

Keeps the price within your budget and they come with 12 months warranty!

Edited June 1, 2009 by madcyryl
Spelling

[TNE]

Theres a forum which may be of interest to you. Ive used it for downloading (chargeable) the camera database to my Garmin.

 

Pocket GPS World - SatNavs | GPS | Speed Cameras

[cookie_monster]

I'll take a look thanks. Can you update the maps to include eurpoe on all models for an extra fee or do you have to buy a europe version?

[timzim]

If you are looking for a budget satnav you can put TomTom maps onto Navigo satnavs (v cheap). Look at thepctailor.com for instructions

[TNE]

I'll take a look thanks. Can you update the maps to include eurpoe on all models for an extra fee or do you have to buy a europe version?

 

Sorry not sure about that. Ive had mine about 3 years now and havent updated the maps yet which causes the unit to have a hissy fit when you travel on a new stretch of road.

[cookie_monster]

Anyone bought a manufacturer refurb one? I'm kinda tempted.

[Sylv3r]

I have one in my car, and vehicle depending and radio in the car depending dictates how hard, on my VW Golf it was plug and play AKA unplug the Radio, plus in the Parrot in-between the Radio and the Cars leads, that was it basically that connected it up and just stick the Mic and Screen where I felt they were good, but some are harder, I looked at doing my mums Freelander and by the time I'd worked out how to get the radio out of the dash (the fact that the entire centre trim, and console and half the dashboard would have to come up it was easier to get a portable one from Parrot instead of a hardwired one.

 

Thats the biggest problem I face - I can't for the life of me work out how to remove the radio to get behind it the dash and radio seem to be one sealed unit (I know they are not, but cant find an easy way to remove the radio).

 

Its a Focus ST500 with the Sony CD Player if anybody has any tips

[plexer]

Is it like the one shown in this thread?

 

radio removal - 2005 ford focus - MP3Car.com

 

Ben

[rayfleming]

..Tom Tom is obviously a good choice.

 

From The Times this weekend:

Travel, food, chauffeurs - quangocrats are at it too - Times Online

 

 

Travel, food, chauffeurs - quangocrats are at it too

 

...Stephen Crowne, chief executive of Becta, a quango that promotes the use of technology in education, has made £30,000 of expense claims, including £388 for a TomTom satellite navigation system for his car...

[ranj]

I have tended to buy Tom Tom in the past but have heard good things about Garmin, I am tempted to purchase the Garmin 265t, can anyone recommend this model?