Tom Tom or Garmin

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi everybody

We are thinking about getting a Satnav next time we go abroad and have been advised by some to go for Tom Tom and by others to go for Garmin! We borrowed a basic Tom Tom for the UK this year and found it pretty good, so what is the general recommendation please?

 

[Chrisbee]

I used a Tomtom last year and a Garmin this year. I don't think there's much in it, they both did what it says on the label.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

You have been recommended the two market leaders - TomTom and Garmin - either would do a fine job.

Pick the one that you find easiest to use...

And although TomTom has a big European following - particularly free web-sites such as Archies with all the ACSI camp-sites entered as TomTom "Points of Interest" - you can also convert these to Garmin format - and vice versa.

For almost ten years I've been a fan of TomTom, whereas Brenda likes Garmin. Just go to somewhere such as PC World - try them for yourself - and then buy the right model as cheap s possible.

I bought my new TomTom 720 during a sale in the UK Eurotunnel shops - and saved the VAT on the UK discounted priced...

Robert

 

[Sterlingstuff]

Hi

With Garmin you can download a program called Mapsource from Gamins website and use it like Microsoft's Autoroute to create Routes and stops on your computer and then download it to a compatible Garmin GPS and off you go just follow the route. The beauty of this is you can plan your route before you go and avoid any directions that might take you down tight country lanes etc. Garmin are also the Leaders in GPS they have always manufactured hardware and software Tom Tom are quite new to this game they started life as a software publisher for mapping programs. Also Tom Tom use Teleatlas mapping information which is not as good as Garmins Navteq maps and I am reliably informed that the military use Garmin hardware.

I can recommend a Garmin Nuvi 760.

 

[weejock]

Hi

Before you buy either of these you may want to checkout the syruis system from snooper.

They have a new version out for trucks that looks like it may work well for caravans.

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi everybody

Thank you all for your good advice. I will know now what to look for when shopping around. Thanks again,

Chris

 

[Mike_374341361]

I own a Tom Tom One, Europe edition, which is basic but sufficient for most needs. I have also used a Garmin. A 620 or something like that.(can't remeber precisely)

I found the Tom Tom graphics better to look at, but the Garmin had more features.

Either model will serve you well. Tom Tom prices do vary a little, subject to what maps software are loaded.

As ever shop around, but check the details very carefully on whatever you buy, to make sure you are getting what you pay for.

My recomendation would be to buy locally, so that you can get some back up support if you need to.

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Thank you Mike for good advice.We are currently thinking of changing the car and the one we are going to look at has a sat nav inbuilt, so maybe the problem will solve itself!

 

[g_374369443]

A point on the syrus by snooper,the map coverage of this extra feature weight width height,ect is only 70% of the UK so its not what you could call a full package.

Also Garmin has just last month updated its mapping to the 2009 version with does indeed include 4 or 8000 camp-sites around Europe, another function is its link to goggle earth ,which means when looking at your mapping on a PC you click google earth and it zooms in as an overlay of your mapping.

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Thank you g, sounds useful. I will bear this in mind also.

 

[RogerP]

I've got the Garmin Mobile software on my smartphone.

Loads better than my previous TomTom (both stand alone unit and PDA Software).

Cost only

 

[path20]

Just bought a Tom Tom XL.Not very impressed as I am often sent round the houses rather than take a direct route.Tried to send me down a one way street yesterday. It was brilliant the other day though when I wanted to go to a particular place and it took me right to the door.I definitely wouldn't trust it 100% with a caavan on the back.Maybe I am expecting too much.

 

[Dustydog]

Somewhere on the A14 this week I believe a Tom Tom lead a 55 year old motorist onto the opposite carriageway resulting in an head on fatal crash.

Be careful!

Cheers

Alan

 

[Chrissylizzie]

I've got the Garmin Mobile software on my smartphone.

Loads better than my previous TomTom (both stand alone unit and PDA Software).

Cost only

 

[Nigel tindale]

I would like to point out that no satnav is infalible. You have to use commonsense when using it . If it doesn't look right where it directs you ignore the instructions and it will give you an alternative route. If the road looks too narrow don't use it. I have used one for the last 8 yrs ( TomTom ) allover europe and I haven't had a problem. Nigel

 

[Dustydog]

Nigel,

That's just the point.

Complacency breeds contempt. A lot of people become so subliminally reliant on the sat nav they lose reality.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Thanks again Nigel and Alan - good points. What a tragic outcome for the user who didn't question its instructions. My husband in particular is a very good map-reader, so the sat bnav would be very much a back up.

 

[bigbilly]

I have a Tom Tom XL (UK/ROI) which I have been very pleased with.

If you are travelling across the country using mostly major roads like last week I travelled from Norfolk to Holyhead to catch the ferry it was of limited use albeit does prompt you when turnoffs are coming up. Where it is invaluable to me is when you have a particular address in an area that you are unfamiliar with.

Also useful are the POI's you can download FOC like calor gas dealers, CL's, CS's, cash ATMs etc. etc.

Bill

 

[Chrissylizzie]

I have a Tom Tom XL (UK/ROI) which I have been very pleased with.

If you are travelling across the country using mostly major roads like last week I travelled from Norfolk to Holyhead to catch the ferry it was of limited use albeit does prompt you when turnoffs are coming up. Where it is invaluable to me is when you have a particular address in an area that you are unfamiliar with.

Also useful are the POI's you can download FOC like calor gas dealers, CL's, CS's, cash ATMs etc. etc.

Bill

Thank you. I am learning all the time.

 

[T_5064313]

Don't buy the sat nav that comes fitted to a new car unless you know what it is capable of. We've just bought a nearly new E Class and it had the COMAND unit (Sat Nav, CD/DVD etc) already in. It is very poor compared to my Tom Tom One Europe - which has worked very well in the UK and in France. The Merc one only does 5 figure post codes, then you have to search for road/streets, so it can take you to any point in along street. We had to go to near Edinburgh in October and it was not capable of taking any of the post code for the region we were visiting! We had to google map it, then manually transfer from the google map to the COMAND map. Apparently, it costs in excess of

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Don't buy the sat nav that comes fitted to a new car unless you know what it is capable of. We've just bought a nearly new E Class and it had the COMAND unit (Sat Nav, CD/DVD etc) already in. It is very poor compared to my Tom Tom One Europe - which has worked very well in the UK and in France. The Merc one only does 5 figure post codes, then you have to search for road/streets, so it can take you to any point in along street. We had to go to near Edinburgh in October and it was not capable of taking any of the post code for the region we were visiting! We had to google map it, then manually transfer from the google map to the COMAND map. Apparently, it costs in excess of