I am seriously looking at buying a sat nav system not only for holidays but when I travel on my own etc. The concern is that I am reading lots of reviews which on one hand say they are great and then the next review will say how crap they are? Do any of you use sat nav and are they really that reliable when you have caravan on the back of the car! I have even read reviews that people have been directed up farmers tracks, private driveways, one way streets....not something I would like to encounter with a van on the back....at the same time I think me and my wife are heading for an early divorce if we continue to use her naviagtion skills and a paper map (sorry honey but you know what I mean)! So what's the verdict...it is the tomtom 300 or 500 that I am considering but it does not come cheap....mind you the choice may be easier than which records get to keep and splitting the cat is gonna hurt... if we go down the other route! HELP me please..
the map or sat nav ?
- Thread starter HomerMarge
- Start date
Hiya Paul& Ruth,
Yep, get the Sat Nav. You may find that it does lead you up the garden path (literally) once in a while, but there are things that you can do to limit even these occasional trips. I had no problem map reading myself, so when the better half bought me a Pda based system for xmas I thought it would never get used. But believe me, it's the same with air con, electric windows and computers, you didn't know you needed them until you tried them. It is safer too, as your not fumbling with a map while trying to drive. I have speed cameras on mine too and depending on the system a huge variety of info can be downloaded. Take the plunge; your cat will love you for it....
Yep, get the Sat Nav. You may find that it does lead you up the garden path (literally) once in a while, but there are things that you can do to limit even these occasional trips. I had no problem map reading myself, so when the better half bought me a Pda based system for xmas I thought it would never get used. But believe me, it's the same with air con, electric windows and computers, you didn't know you needed them until you tried them. It is safer too, as your not fumbling with a map while trying to drive. I have speed cameras on mine too and depending on the system a huge variety of info can be downloaded. Take the plunge; your cat will love you for it....
Hi Paul & Ruth
I have the TTG 300 and thoroughly recommend it. If you select the 'Fastest route' option, it is unlikley to take you up unsuitable roads but if you select 'Shortest route', it might! The main thing is that you are always the driver and if it directs you somewhere unsuitable, do not follow its instructions and keep driving. After 20 secs or so, it will recalculate another route automatically.
I have just used mine in and around the New Forest / Dorset for a week and it was brilliant not to have to keep referring to map. If you do not have a post code or street name for where you are going, you can browse the map on screen to select a point and then ask it to take you there.
The TTG 300 can also connect via your mobile phone to get up to date traffic information and route you around it if it saves you time.
On top of that, there is the speed camera database that warns you when you are near a speed or red light camera to ensure that you take extra care through these traffic accident spots (which is presumeably why the camera is there in the first place!). There are also numerous other 'Points of Interest' that you can download such as caravan and camping sites.
My wife was sceptical at first thinking it was just another gadget but she's changed her views now and it's all so much more relaxing...
I have the TTG 300 and thoroughly recommend it. If you select the 'Fastest route' option, it is unlikley to take you up unsuitable roads but if you select 'Shortest route', it might! The main thing is that you are always the driver and if it directs you somewhere unsuitable, do not follow its instructions and keep driving. After 20 secs or so, it will recalculate another route automatically.
I have just used mine in and around the New Forest / Dorset for a week and it was brilliant not to have to keep referring to map. If you do not have a post code or street name for where you are going, you can browse the map on screen to select a point and then ask it to take you there.
The TTG 300 can also connect via your mobile phone to get up to date traffic information and route you around it if it saves you time.
On top of that, there is the speed camera database that warns you when you are near a speed or red light camera to ensure that you take extra care through these traffic accident spots (which is presumeably why the camera is there in the first place!). There are also numerous other 'Points of Interest' that you can download such as caravan and camping sites.
My wife was sceptical at first thinking it was just another gadget but she's changed her views now and it's all so much more relaxing...
What happens when they do maintenance work on satellites? Presumably they have to switch off the GPS. How would you know where you are?
I'm not sure that they would take all the sats down at once (mine picks up about six or seven at a time) but it's a fair point. I always have a map as back-up just in case.
Thanks for the info, I think the TTTG300 looks the best option, I am trying to find the best deal on the net now! Good advice on quickest route and I like the fact that you can download caravan sites etc. Have you had any issues with the built in aerial? A lot of reviews say they have needed to buy the additional antenna becuase of poor reception. My windscreen is not heated (Rover 75) but I am not sure if I have this reflective screen which is mentioned in the TTTG literature about causing poor reception?? Suck it and see I suppose but it is another
Damian
Moderator
Paul and Ruth,having sat nav is one of the best things I have ever bought for the car. There can be small routing problems, but TomTom will recalculate your route if you ignore a turn,and redirect you.
I have just driven from the Isle of Wight to Preston, to an address which Iwas told was hard to find. I put in the postcode and TomTom took me to right outside the door,with no problems.
I also went to Bere Regis to an address in an unnamed road, but with the postcode it again took me to exactly the right place, and both trips were done without referral to a map.
With the TomTom (I have the Classic) there is a free speed camera database on the Pocketgps site, which is updated every month, so DONT buy the tomtom speed camera facility,there is no need.
On the Jollyinteresting site is a free download of all the CC and C&CC club sites.
Since having the sat nav my wife is more relaxed , I am more relaxed and the driving is no longer the nightmare it was.
Having a moving map in front of you together with spoken directions at every important place,like roundabout exits, motorway exits and upcoming turns makes life so much more enjoyable for you both
I have just driven from the Isle of Wight to Preston, to an address which Iwas told was hard to find. I put in the postcode and TomTom took me to right outside the door,with no problems.
I also went to Bere Regis to an address in an unnamed road, but with the postcode it again took me to exactly the right place, and both trips were done without referral to a map.
With the TomTom (I have the Classic) there is a free speed camera database on the Pocketgps site, which is updated every month, so DONT buy the tomtom speed camera facility,there is no need.
On the Jollyinteresting site is a free download of all the CC and C&CC club sites.
Since having the sat nav my wife is more relaxed , I am more relaxed and the driving is no longer the nightmare it was.
Having a moving map in front of you together with spoken directions at every important place,like roundabout exits, motorway exits and upcoming turns makes life so much more enjoyable for you both
Damian
Moderator
They NEVER take all the satellites off line at the same time. If they did,there would be horrendous consequences, as almost every ship on the water uses sat nav navigation, as well as the emergency services, and a huge amount of other users
I have sat nav installed on my laptop PC (Uk and European maps). The sensor fits into a USB port and rests on the dashboard but is also magnetic for roof mouting. The whole thing cost me
I asked about sat nav a week or so back. Since then we've brought a NavMan 510 from GPS near Heathrow, also on line for
Best thing you can buy. When we got stuck on the M25 we were late for the ferry at Portsmouth and in our rush we missed the turning. The Mitac Mio I use with Co-Pilot software immeadiatly found us an alternative route which we would not have found using the maps and we arrived just in time to catch the ferry. We would have certainly missed the ferry without it. Used it for touring France and have never got lost once. Makes the journey as previously mentioned a lot stress free.
if you have a wife like mine get a sat nav or trade the wife in for a another one who can read a map. if you want her name and address I give you the details, but please it is first come first serve ........... remember this is the only woman in the world who can read a map, just a warning tho she is 87.
Paul & Ruth
Sat Nav is a great idea, and works well most of the time, but use a map to compliment. Mine has tried to take me down some dodgy roads before. Last year while on holiday (fortunately my caravan was back at the site)it took us down a road that had so many potholes. They were so deep I wouldn't even take my 4 x 4 down there. Having said that, it is good as a comfort factor.
Dave
Sat Nav is a great idea, and works well most of the time, but use a map to compliment. Mine has tried to take me down some dodgy roads before. Last year while on holiday (fortunately my caravan was back at the site)it took us down a road that had so many potholes. They were so deep I wouldn't even take my 4 x 4 down there. Having said that, it is good as a comfort factor.
Dave
Paul & Ruth, I travel all over the country in my job and I find that for plotting your route from one town or city to another you cannot beat a map. Where sat nav really comes into its own is when you are looking for several destinations within one city. I recently used the sat nav in Scotland with the caravan and it took me down a B road which shaved about three mile off the journey, problem was it took me nearly half an hour to travel down the road negotiating the bridges and verges letting other traffic by!!!! Richard S
Just thought I would update you, got the tomtom 300 today and very pleased with it, easy to use, (my 10 year old got it up and running in seconds) and have just made a trip with it, tried to confuss it by going wrong etc etc, and it performed really well. hopefully we can enjoy some stress free motoring now, we really were getting fed up with getting lost and arguing about which way too go!
GPS sat nav is a remarkable thing, but as at least one other respondant has said, I usually get a map out before the journey and give my self a general picture of where I'm going. I take the map along too as it does not need batteries.
The biggest down side to Sat Nav, is the cost of updating the map sets. I purchased on just after the M6 toll had opened, but the Sat Nav did not recognise it or its new feeder roads, and with so many new islands it got me confused as well as its self.
I do agree it is very usefull. I had to make a journey to an unfamiliar part of Birmingham and then onto a village near Cannock, it was thick mist which and at night which meant is was virtually impossible to see the street names, yet alone the house numbers, but it took me door to door. I could not have done the journey using maps and AtoZ's.
The biggest down side to Sat Nav, is the cost of updating the map sets. I purchased on just after the M6 toll had opened, but the Sat Nav did not recognise it or its new feeder roads, and with so many new islands it got me confused as well as its self.
I do agree it is very usefull. I had to make a journey to an unfamiliar part of Birmingham and then onto a village near Cannock, it was thick mist which and at night which meant is was virtually impossible to see the street names, yet alone the house numbers, but it took me door to door. I could not have done the journey using maps and AtoZ's.
Paul & Ruth - one secondary benefit of Sat Nav systems is that they do help to save your marriage and make navigating, especially abroad much less stressful! Having said that my wife does sometimes argue with the female sat nav voice! As others have said, always check the map first, as I don't know of any systems that are "towing friendly" and you can be literally taken up the garden path, which might be ok solo but a bit of a pain with a van in tow!
Earlier this month I hired an Opel Astra for a week in Germany and it came fitted with in-built GPS. It was absolutely fantastic, we didn't have to look at a map all week, and the voice instructions could be programmed to be in English. The greatest benefit was that it warned of accidents, jams etc ahead and asked if we wanted a diversion. I should like to know if there is a system like this available in UK that can be after-fitted to my X-Trail.
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