Thinking About Sat Nav

[Al J]

Okay, I can use a computer, I can drive a car after a fashion, my iPod doesn't confuse me, I can get the pics from my digital camera to somewhere more useful and I can use an interactive whiteboard (best thing to hit teaching since paper!). Heck, I even know how to iron! :P

Thing is though, I'm rubbish with maps. Well, town maps and using them to find a place I'm going to be driving to. A guy at work told me "Get GPS, Al, you'll never look back" (clever so and so!).

I've been thinking about it and immediately threw out the idea of getting Toyota's as it's expenive and only on that tiny monochrome screen. So, it's either a dedicated unit (even Tesco sell them) or something to add to my PDA, a Dell Axim X30.

I'm leaning towards something for the Dell like this Tom Tom Navigator bluetooth jobbie. linky

Any advice, suggestions, experiences from users of different systems who can help me decide, please?

Thanks in advance.

[Demonic Angel]

We had TomTom on Richs old PDA.... it did the job for him....

I can't comment though, as my sense of direction is amazing so I have no need for Sat Nav.... ;)

The Toyota one in the Corolla was good, but sooo out of date, but as we had the big colour screen rather than the poxy little monochrome one, it made sense....

So on personal experience, I'd recommend TomTom on your PDA, but I couldnt comment on anything else...

[PaulT]

I bought a TomTom Go 300 a while ago and it was an excellent investment. Just makes driving somewhere you don't know so much less stressful. If you get in the wrong lane and miss a turn it just sorts out another way, great stuff.

I also tend to use it even if I know roughly where I'm going, as if you get stuck behind a motorway accident you can get off at the next junction and go cross-country on unfamiliar roads.

My advice would be to try and get a portable system in preference to an in-car one, as you can test the routes out in the comfort of your armchair (and in front of Google Maps :D ).

I've also ended up taking the TomTom with me if I have to walk after parking. Got me to the Purple Turtle in Reading fine the other day and I don't know Reading at all

Paul.

[alanbradley]

I would get Tom Tom for the PDA Al. I have a PDA with GPS buuilt in and Tom Tom installed and its great.

I would (if you'll excuse the pun) be lost without mine now, and I think I'm pretty good with maps

A

[Kev Mc]

I heard in January that 2006 is going to be the year the prices of Sat Nav really come down & sure enough there's an offer on at Halfords now. I was looking at getting Tom Tom One for £250 but the Tom Tom Go 500 (with Bluetooth) is only £40 more so I'm thinking about getting that.

[DaveSR]

Three Words:

TomTom eBay PDA

;)

It's the cheapest option !

[yourlovewas]

I heard in January that 2006 is going to be the year the prices of Sat Nav really come down & sure enough there's an offer on at Halfords now. I was looking at getting Tom Tom One for £250 but the Tom Tom Go 500 (with Bluetooth) is only £40 more so I'm thinking about getting that.

TomTom 500 is £290 in Halfords ?

That's insane...

[Kev Mc]

I heard in January that 2006 is going to be the year the prices of Sat Nav really come down & sure enough there's an offer on at Halfords now. I was looking at getting Tom Tom One for £250 but the Tom Tom Go 500 (with Bluetooth) is only £40 more so I'm thinking about getting that.

TomTom 500 is £290 in Halfords ?

That's insane...

Yep

[Jamesb4uk]

I've got a Dell Axim x50v & TomTom - its first rate..

you still have to use common sense though.... it keeps telling me to go up the wrong way on a 1 way street lol.

If you do go down the PDA route - get a Arkon powered PDA mount for the car - it charges the PDA whilst its on

ohh - another useful bit of software is CheckPOInt it allows you to download POI's from the net & its free

J

[stevetubbyturbo]

I have a had a Tom Tom Go 300 for a couple of years now and i cant really fault it, its easy to use, its clear, you can very easily download fixed speed camera locations and update it monthly for free, and it very rarely gets it wrong i use mine every day and its only got me lost / taken me to the wrong place twice but thats possibly half my error.

[Al J]

I've got a Dell Axim x50v & TomTom - its first rate..

you still have to use common sense though.... it keeps telling me to go up the wrong way on a 1 way street lol.

If you do go down the PDA route - get a Arkon powered PDA mount for the car - it charges the PDA whilst its on

ohh - another useful bit of software is CheckPOInt it allows you to download POI's from the net & its free

J

Superb! Just the sort of info I wanted. Thanks everyone.

The set up I'm looking at costs £206 and, if bought from TomTom online, seems to have all the bits I need including a charger for the GPS and PDA and a holder.

click for details

I also like the fact that I can take the GPS module with me in my pocket when out of the car and the PDA can carry on giving me directions.

Thanks again, much appreciated.

[Johndcfc]

I've got the original tomtom go, had it for 18 months - its never let me down.

Previous to that I had a compaq iPaq PDA which was decent but the GPS reception, reliablity and speed on the go is way better in my experience....

Unless your gonna use the PDA for calendering / contacts etc I'd go with the go everytime!

[Lou-Lou]

you still have to use common sense though.... it keeps telling me to go up the wrong way on a 1 way street lol.

J

Yeah they do like to occasionally tell you to 'turn around when possible' when bombing down the motorway.. or suddenly saying TURN LEFT!!! at which point you look left and theres a hedge there... (cue shouting like a fool at inanimate objects...)

I've got a mobile gps and overall it's worked well -has got me all the way from Reading to Weymouth without looking at a map or even vaguely knowing what roads or m/w's I need to be on!

[XT2]

I would get Tom Tom for the PDA Al. I have a PDA with GPS buuilt in and Tom Tom installed and its great.

I would (if you'll excuse the pun) be lost without mine now, and I think I'm pretty good with maps

A

Me too

[DefiantFrog]

I know its already been said, but TomTom has been great for me! To go places and find things (ie pubs, restaurants etc) when you haven't got a clue where you are is a god send. Yeah, sometimes they mess up, but its rare, and they soon sort themselves out again. You just need to use a bit of common sense and look at where its telling you where to go rather than blindly following its every word.

Oh, and if you have a lady, use a female voice and she will learn to hate it! Mine does... ;)

[Al J]

Oh, and if you have a lady, use a female voice and she will learn to hate it! Mine does... ;)

Great selling point. It'll drive her mad! :P

[Blue84]

I keep getting very tempted by the TomTom's but all the thefts of them that happen puts me off..not that I'd leave it in the car anyway..but don't thieves look for the sticky marks on the windscreen, then break in anyway on the off chance?

[reece]

I keep getting very tempted by the TomTom's but all the thefts of them that happen puts me off..not that I'd leave it in the car anyway..but don't thieves look for the sticky marks on the windscreen, then break in anyway on the off chance?

Get one of these then...

£40 from Halfords...

Great idea

[Demonic Angel]

If people are gonna break into your car.... they're gonna break into your car and generally, there isnt a bean you can do to stop them, they'll do it if you have sticky marks or not! They could be after a mobile phone, laptop or cash.....

Prevention is the best cure, but that doesnt mean not buying something, it means removing all noticeable gadgets, coats etc from view (not just throwing them in the glovebox!) and just hoping that it doesnt happen to you.... or using one of the gadgets Reece just listed.... (£34 - bargainous!!)

I dont believe in not doing or buying something on the off chance that something bad might happen to me.... if I buy those Jimmy Choos I could get run over.... big deal - at least I died happy with nice shoes on my feet! ;)

[reece]

I think the Strongbox is an excellent idea. It just makes it harder for the scum life if they decide to target your car.

I’m seriously thinking of investing in one myself

[Jimlad]

People keep mentioning Tomtom ...

How about the Garmin on sale at Halfords for £199.99 !! Comes with full UK mapping and Base maps of europe. Can't be beaten on value for money!!

Tomtom prices were coming down, but they are now heading back up. Also the new range of tomtoms, 510, 710, 910 are on sale now (or at least in my shop).

But tbh, unless you desperatley want a tomtom, go with the garmin for £199.99 , or if you're on an extreme budget the smaller garmin for £149.99 ?

PS : ..... can you tell where I work ? .. lol

[Johndcfc]

People keep mentioning Tomtom ...

How about the Garmin on sale at halfords for £199.99 !! Comes with full UK mapping and Base maps of europe. Can't be beaten on value for money!!

Tomtom prices were coming down, but they are now heading back up. Also the new range of tomtoms, 510, 710, 910 are on sale now (or at least in my shop).

But tbh, unless you desperatley want a tomtom, go with the garmin for £199.99 , or if you're on an extreme budget the smaller garmin for £149.99 ?

PS : ..... can you tell where I work ? .. lol

Before I had a TomTom I used to borrow my bosses garmin occasionally (dont know the model but it was an option on some flashy BMW motorbike he had) - It was terrible for example if you made a wrong turning it took a good 1-2 minutes (TomTom takes 5-10 seconds) to reroute you and around a busy town thats useless!

Maybe there better now though?

[Jimlad]

all I can say is the ones out now are fine. Don't know anything about the older ones

[Jamesb4uk]

People keep mentioning Tomtom ...

PS : ..... can you tell where I work ? .. lol

*cough* Halfords *cough* lol

The trouble about TomTom is that they are a very well known GPS software & hardware manufacturer. most people have either tried or at least seen a unit in action.

I'm not knocking Garmin or any other GPS mapping providers - but TomTom have a long run of tried & tested software & hardware.

I've tested quite a few GPS mapping devices & software & i've found TomTom to be one of the best.

I still use Microsoft Autoroute for pre-travel planning but on the road its TomTom all the way.

J

[Spuffington]

I just bought a brand new TomTom Go700 for £300 on eBay and it's great!! :D