I have to confess I've never used a Satnav (I'm an old fashioned map man!), or even been in a car when someone else had one on and working! So I know absolutely nothing about them.
But - my son has accepted a new job which will involve working about 100 miles from home(chef/living in) for 5 days at a time and travelling back and forth. He is - unfortunately - hopeless at finding his way around so I thought I would treat him to a Satnav.
But which one? Ideally simple to use,basic model, it will be used only in the UK.
A quick look shows me TomTom are around 100 - 120 pouinds for the starter models and Garmin start at around 70.
Are TomTom worth the extra? Are Garmin any good for that price?
Is it a matter of simply getting the cheapest?
Many thanks for any guidance.
Jacks
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I have owned TT and used Garmin in other people's cars and prefer TT Here is a link to a review site which may help your decision making.
www.reviewcentre.com/products2384.html.
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Unless he's going to be travelling around a lot whilst in his new job during off duty times i wouldn't bother, unless he really wants a sat nav.
Prepare him written instructions for his journey, both ways, you can go onto street view and note any particularly bad junctions, even print off screen shots, print him off necessary parts of his jouney from googley maps etc and highlight the route for him.
When he's done the journey a few times he'll not need anything lese...except a half decent road atlas for those inevtable Friday afternoon road closures when the lemmings escape.
I previously tried a mate's TT and found it really simple, however my neighbour bought one recently and it seems ten times harder to use, probably me.
I bought a Garmin in preference because the traffic warnings are free for life on t models, whereas TT charge annually.
I don't use the satnav for route finding, i find them more useful as a pocket sized A to Z of every street in the country, so excellent in strange towns.
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Agree with gb.
My daughter tried to drag me into the 20th century by getting me a satnav. It's invaluable for finding an address I've never been to before, but otherwise..........
I understand drivers who regularly use them can't subsequently find their way on a familiar route without one!
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Although I managed without sat nav for many years, once I got used to it, I discovered driving is much less stressful when I'm having it.
In motorways you don't need them - but once you are inside an unfamiliar town, a sat nav is very useful.
So, yes, I'd recommend having it. I never liked Garmin but Tomtom or Navman will be good.
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>> I understand drivers who regularly use them can't subsequently find their way on a familiar
>> route without one!
Your understanding is wrong.
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I've used both Garmin and TT products - The first Garmin I had (and still have) was a 2610 SteetPilot - years behind the TT in user interface and common sense design. I have an early TT700 which is still years on an excellently user interface. The second Garmin product was a BMW badged piece of kit - despite a hideous price tag - still clunky and slow to update. Recently bought a TT Rider - good bit of kit. Garmin has pre-planning and better online features than the TT, but as a find anywhere device the TT has it. My wife's Volvo has a built in Garmin unit - it's better than the portable kit I've experienced from them but very expensive.
Edit. Nav skills are a vital tool - Sat Navs do break and can leave you stranded unless you have a map and know how to use it. Always have a back-up !
Last edited by: R.P. on Tue 27 Mar 12 at 14:01
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Bought a Tom Tom as a toy but as one who doesn't drive extensively in 'foreign' regions, I wouldn't bother, personally speaking. Mine leads me through some absurd detours to get to certain destinations with which I'm very familiar with.
A good map and common sense together with some written notes can save you from a lot of embarrassment.
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Just happened to be in a TOTAL filling station - £50 off some Garmins if you spend £30 on fuel. The latter is not hard to manage these days!
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Bought one of these overhauled units from Amazon a couple of years ago. Difficult to tell from new.
preview.tinyurl.com/cu4jvgq
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Thank you all for the advice, I think I'll go for a budget model. Should do everything he needs.
I take GB's point about maps etc but it's more than finding his way to work and back (which yes he will learn), the restaurant is between Newbury & Reading - sometimes he will come home (Gloucestershire) but I think there are plans to visit friends (Home Counties) plus his brother currently lives in Brighton so quite a busy area to cover with the opportunity for replanning journeys due to traffic, accidents, etc.
Personally I'm all for a good map every time - planning according to local events, rush hours etc - before I took early retirement I used to travel throughout Northern Europe on business visiting suppliers in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany (and Republic of Ireland) and found most places by consulting the map which resided open on my lap at all times!!
The worst place to navigate? - Irish Republic = no signposts on so many occaisions !!
J
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French navigation is pretty easy - the "All Directions" and "Other Directions" signs are a great help, what isn't is the change in road designations - right confusing !
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Me and me mate having a ride up to the Lakes tomorrow. Garmin programmed as backup but mapbook placed in tank bag. I like to see the general geography and the next main place then look for the signs. Can also make a route change if the mood takes with no faffing about "recalculating" Grrrrr.
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They are indispensable in very local directions in strange towns/cities. One of the reasons I wouldn't leave home without one when going to somewhere I don't know.
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Tomtoms are clear, simple, easy to use and they work very well in my experience. I'd recommend a basic model (One?) for your son Jacks. Don't be swayed by the extra gubbins on offer (XL, traffic etc) as the basic model does the job absolutely fine without these embellishments.
Make sure he hides it from view when parked, and wipes the tell-tale sucker mark from the windscreen too. Especially when the car's parked outside a pub/restaurant unattended for hours at a time late into the evening.
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For years I used to swear by tom-toms. Now that applies only if you are savvy enough to buy one based on the old style navcore. Wouldn't touch one of the new style ones with a bargepole.
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Friend of mine bought one of the refurbished ones direct from TomTom, a year's warranty and very please with it and the price
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>> >> I understand drivers who regularly use them can't subsequently find their way on a familiar route without one!
>> Your understanding is wrong.
There's the urban myth of the apprentice who phones in to work one day 6 months into his placement. He apologises for not showing up, but explains that his car has been broken into and the satnav nicked, so he can't find his way to work this morning.
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My last three TomTom devices all broke down. One was inside the warranty and the other two just outside. These things hit me hard because aside from the TomToms (and a previous car) NOTHING ever breaks down on me! I suppose if I was used to it then I'd be able to look at it with a Zen-like calm.
Subsequently bought a top-of-the-range Garmin with free for life updates, and I much prefer it to the TomTom - though I recognize that I am very much in the minority on this forum.
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My BMW/Garmin 600 broke down on me in France - a known overheating fault it turns out - replaced with no quibble Luckily I had maps and pen & paper (robbed from the Hotel). Added dimension to the trip...:-) Not unpleasant !
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>> My last three TomTom devices all broke down. One was inside the warranty and the
>> other two just outside. These things hit me hard because aside from the TomToms (and
>> a previous car) NOTHING ever breaks down on me!
Same for me (well apart from a 16mth old Panasonic Microwave recently!) . However unlike Panasonic, who were not at all interested in helping and, it turns out, don't have much of a repair network, TomTom did eventually agree to repair their satnav, sending me a box to return it and replacing it with a brand-new looking refurbed unit. Took an email to their CEO though.
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SatNav advice please. - Meldrew
