Discussion
My old Garmin i3 has finally expired after some heavy abuse, so looking to replace it.
Would like a unit with bluetooth hands free.
Also interested in traffic info - do these radio/gps interface work well. E.g. see a delay on your route and send you another way. Do you end up getting re-routed all the time, possibly for no reason? Do you get a choice?
Also we have a heat reflective windscreen (Clio 182). I have heard that the new GPS chipsets don't have an issue - can anyone confirm??
Given all that, what can PH reccomend?? Cheers!
Would like a unit with bluetooth hands free.
Also interested in traffic info - do these radio/gps interface work well. E.g. see a delay on your route and send you another way. Do you end up getting re-routed all the time, possibly for no reason? Do you get a choice?
Also we have a heat reflective windscreen (Clio 182). I have heard that the new GPS chipsets don't have an issue - can anyone confirm??
Given all that, what can PH reccomend?? Cheers!
from my experience, either stick with the latest Garmin with the maps that you need, or get the tom tom equivalent. both will have things like bluetooth etc. The latest tom tom traffic system is supposed to be very good, and from experience the one that uses GPRS via your phone is also good, but it does mean you need it connected to your phone the whole time. If you need traffic information avoid a unit that only has a TMC antenna, its what my one has and its rubbish, very poor at actually connecting to th service, and if it does get signal the information it gives to you isn't very useful. As far as the windscreen issue goes, im not sure if the latest ones do not have a problem? somone will probably be able to tell you though... however if not, you can get an external antenna off the net pretty cheap that will sort the problem
My son had a Clio with a heat reflective screen, as you say no problem with modern chipsets (either Garmin or Tomtom to my certain knowledge, and I should think any brand would be ok now). With an earlier Navman unit he used to use an external aerial.
I have found the 'free' TMC based traffic very poor, both bad reception and bad info. I have never paid for sub based info, but have heard it is much better. If you are willing to pay £8 per month, the best solution is probably Tomtom 540/740/940, which have an internal sim card to obtain up to date data on traffic, cameras, fuel prices, and local points of interest.
I have found the 'free' TMC based traffic very poor, both bad reception and bad info. I have never paid for sub based info, but have heard it is much better. If you are willing to pay £8 per month, the best solution is probably Tomtom 540/740/940, which have an internal sim card to obtain up to date data on traffic, cameras, fuel prices, and local points of interest.
I have used TomToms since they were released in the UK and can find very little to fault with them. I currently have a 520 which has handsfree bluetooth and can also play mp3 music via a built in FM transmitter which works very well.
I also use their Traffic subscription service at £20/year. This downloads the data via my mobile phone. The cost for this data has never been a problem, in fact i think the most ive ever used is about 7mb in a month and thats with using it all day every day for the whole month.
As another poster mentioned there is the new x40 range of Tomtoms that have the GPRS modem built in but im not sure what else you gain over using a x20 or x30 model and a seperate phone.
My 520 is running the latest software version and maps which I get via Tomtoms update service, £25ish a year for the updated maps every 3 months - not bad in my opinion.
I have seen the 520 available from TotalPDA for £105, with the European version at only £115.
I also use their Traffic subscription service at £20/year. This downloads the data via my mobile phone. The cost for this data has never been a problem, in fact i think the most ive ever used is about 7mb in a month and thats with using it all day every day for the whole month.
As another poster mentioned there is the new x40 range of Tomtoms that have the GPRS modem built in but im not sure what else you gain over using a x20 or x30 model and a seperate phone.
My 520 is running the latest software version and maps which I get via Tomtoms update service, £25ish a year for the updated maps every 3 months - not bad in my opinion.
I have seen the 520 available from TotalPDA for £105, with the European version at only £115.
dchbrown said:
As another poster mentioned there is the new x40 range of Tomtoms that have the GPRS modem built in but im not sure what else you gain over using a x20 or x30 model and a seperate phone.
Tomtom claims the Live service on the X40 range for £8 per month gives you more detailed traffic coverage, the Road Angel camera database, and other benefits - so you do get more than the service via your phone with the X20 range, and without having to have a data contract on your phone, but for a higher monthly charge.I won't need the traffic enough to warrant £8 a month subs.
Fancy the tom tom 530 and may use the bluetooth for traffic as required.
I gather that these units work with free TMC radio traffic but the service is crap.
Does the 'live' traffic work well?
Edit: I did read thecomments that it was 'better' but is it actually useful?
Fancy the tom tom 530 and may use the bluetooth for traffic as required.
I gather that these units work with free TMC radio traffic but the service is crap.
Does the 'live' traffic work well?
Edit: I did read thecomments that it was 'better' but is it actually useful?
Edited by Glade on Sunday 14th December 19:50
that was one of the features that I liked. garmin ?just tested the latest765T still riduculous routing.From west london to a place between po143sn.is m3 m27 then back on yourself,anytime.Garmin on fastest never mind shortest will get you off the M3 and on through A3 ludicrous.My navigon has great routing ,never takes you down the little lanes that garmin loves but has too many issues for me to recco. it.Test driving a syrius proline at the moment £315 inc lifetime traffic AND cameras.If the routings allright thatll do for me. Went to halfords to try a Tom Tom 540 shop guy took it outside and couldnt get a fix on the sats. typical Tom Tom.
I use the TMC traffic a lot.
While it is not perfect, it is a lot better than all the s
gging off you read about.
It has let me down a couple of times, but on the whole I THINK it is useful. The thing is that if you divert on the advice of the TMC, you never know how bad the traffic would have been had you stuck to the original route. I do not usually suffer from poor reception. Maybe it depends a bit on area.
OP : When there is a traffic problem on your route, you get a warning ( beep, and the traffic logo turns from black to red ). If you then press this, it tells you where the problem is, and how bad it thinks it is. (e.g. Junction X to Y, heavy congestion, ave speed 5mph). You can then chhose whether to ignore it or re-route. If you re-route it avoids the area with the problem.
Carlovers : I have replied to your PM. However, to answer you post above, the pro-line has NEVER taken me off a main road to go down some back roads, then join the main road further on. On the whole the routes are sensible, and similar to what you would choose if looking at a map. I say "on the whole" because for some reason it does send me round the houses on the approach to the mother in laws, but thats a good thing!
While it is not perfect, it is a lot better than all the s
gging off you read about.It has let me down a couple of times, but on the whole I THINK it is useful. The thing is that if you divert on the advice of the TMC, you never know how bad the traffic would have been had you stuck to the original route. I do not usually suffer from poor reception. Maybe it depends a bit on area.
OP : When there is a traffic problem on your route, you get a warning ( beep, and the traffic logo turns from black to red ). If you then press this, it tells you where the problem is, and how bad it thinks it is. (e.g. Junction X to Y, heavy congestion, ave speed 5mph). You can then chhose whether to ignore it or re-route. If you re-route it avoids the area with the problem.
Carlovers : I have replied to your PM. However, to answer you post above, the pro-line has NEVER taken me off a main road to go down some back roads, then join the main road further on. On the whole the routes are sensible, and similar to what you would choose if looking at a map. I say "on the whole" because for some reason it does send me round the houses on the approach to the mother in laws, but thats a good thing!
carlovers said:
Went to halfords to try a Tom Tom 540 shop guy took it outside and couldnt get a fix on the sats. typical Tom Tom.
Very untypical, TT sat reception is marvellous, normally locates in seconds. This was presumably a brand new unit which had never been turned on, so would be expected to take quite some time. Completely irrelevant to normal use.waremark said:
carlovers said:
Went to halfords to try a Tom Tom 540 shop guy took it outside and couldnt get a fix on the sats. typical Tom Tom.
Very untypical, TT sat reception is marvellous, normally locates in seconds. This was presumably a brand new unit which had never been turned on, so would be expected to take quite some time. Completely irrelevant to normal use.the very first time you boot-up ANY sat nav it will take a while to get a fix on its location
Glade said:
I won't need the traffic enough to warrant £8 a month subs.
Fancy the tom tom 530 and may use the bluetooth for traffic as required.
I gather that these units work with free TMC radio traffic but the service is crap.
Does the 'live' traffic work well?
Edit: I did read thecomments that it was 'better' but is it actually useful?
A 520 is apparently the same unit as the newer 530- as TomTom map gurantee allows you to update with 30 days of buying you can buy a 520, update and have all the 530 features. Fancy the tom tom 530 and may use the bluetooth for traffic as required.
I gather that these units work with free TMC radio traffic but the service is crap.
Does the 'live' traffic work well?
Edit: I did read thecomments that it was 'better' but is it actually useful?
Edited by Glade on Sunday 14th December 19:50
Ive bought a 730t from Amazon for 215, a good option is total pda- they do tomtom refurbs with full gurantee and map gurantee
Edited by amir_j on Wednesday 17th December 15:27
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