Garmin SatNav

[Thingy]

My father has just given up driving and my wife has been the lucky recipient, as well as the sighs of relief from all of us. He gave her his belvoved Volvo C30. A 2009 D5 Se LUX model, with just 20k on the clock and full dealer history. Its truly in new condition, inside and out. However, no bluetooth, no USB, no Nav, not a lot really except the Premium Sound System so I set off to find solutions. As the driving position is quite low and reclined, and the screen very sloping, there isnt much room for window mounted equipment, and both SatNav and camera together would really detract from vision, so looking around I came across the Garmin Drive Assist range,with Nav and Camera Combined, BT, Hands Free and live traffic plus a host of other items. There are two versions designated S and D. The S is a Smartphone link for live traffic and the D is Digital, which should pull in traffic from the DAB/Charger lead supplied. Only it isnt supplied. Although on their website they claim it ships with the traffic lead, it just ships with a normal charger, the lead needed is another £60. Strangely, they also include a MicroSDHC card, but it is only 4gb. Little use for the camera to start with, but even less when the unit tells you the unit requires class 10 cards and not the class 4 one they supply. Some head scratching over that one.

However, I thought the idea of Satnav and Camera, combined with all the other items, front collision, lane departure and fatigue warnings was a decent bundle and worth mentioning to anyone else with wires festooned all around the screen.

Im also going to have it hard wired £50 plus VAT at Mobile Solutions UK.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/551966/pn/010-01682-13#overview

Another dinky little piece that I do like is that in the event of an accident, the unit will text a designated recipient to inform them of incident and location.

 

[otherclive]

My father has just given up driving and my wife has been the lucky recipient, as well as the sighs of relief from all of us. He gave her his belvoved Volvo C30. A 2009 D5 Se LUX model, with just 20k on the clock and full dealer history. Its truly in new condition, inside and out. However, no bluetooth, no USB, no Nav, not a lot really except the Premium Sound System so I set off to find solutions. As the driving position is quite low and reclined, and the screen very sloping, there isnt much room for window mounted equipment, and both SatNav and camera together would really detract from vision, so looking around I came across the Garmin Drive Assist range,with Nav and Camera Combined, BT, Hands Free and live traffic plus a host of other items. There are two versions designated S and D. The S is a Smartphone link for live traffic and the D is Digital, which should pull in traffic from the DAB/Charger lead supplied. Only it isnt supplied. Although on their website they claim it ships with the traffic lead, it just ships with a normal charger, the lead neeed is another £60. Strangely, they also include a MicroSDHC card, but it is only 4gb. Little use for the camera to start with, but even less when the unit tells you the unit requires class 10 cards and not the class 4 one they supply. Some head scratching over that one.

However, I thought the idea of Satnav and Camera, combined with all the other items, front collision, lane departure and fatigue warnings was a decent bundle and worth mentioning to anyone else with wires festooned all around the screen.

Im also going to have it hard wired £50 plus VAT at Mobile Solutions UK.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/551966/pn/010-01682-13#overview

Another dinky little piece that I do like is that in the event of an accident, the unit will text a designated recipient to inform them of incident and location.

I have the Drive Smart 61 which has all of the features you describe without the cameras and accident warning. I have had Garmin satnav for many years and this one is my second. I even used to have the Garmin running in parallel with my Volvo XC 70 inbuilt satnav on long trips or in Europe and consistently the Garmin was always more accurate and up to date. I had Lifetime updates bought for me one Xmas and they are issued at least quarterly. The initial reason i bought my first Garmin was that it could be programmed with the route from a PC. Very useful with 7m of alloy box behind you! The latest one the Drive Assist 61 can still be programmed via Garmin Basecamp, but I guess the new owner won't be requiring that feature. The ordinary Traffic Lead is very effective in most areas for picking up delays, and in my Superb isn't really required as the unit itself is good in picking up information apart from in highly built up areas with tall buildings and narrow streets, when the lead does come in useful.

 

[Clifford_374377114]

You say the driving position is low - can you pump the seat up?

 

[Thingy]

Well, the Volvo, which weighs the same as a bag of chips claims a 1500kg towing limit. I wouldnt like to put that to the test, there is absolutely no weight on the back end. Indeed tyre pressures at rear are lower than the front.

 

[Thingy]

You say the driving position is low - can you put the seat up?

You can if you want your head to make a bulge in the roof. B) By nature its quite a reclined seating position, vision is fine, but because the screen itslef is very sloping, your vision comes through a very small porting of that. Adding a multitude of electronics in the A region is not really acceptable.

Besides, its not me that its affecting, Im a Shogun man through and through.