Tom-Tom live services 1 year free offer

[mikef]

I'm tempted to get the T-T XL550 or 750 for 200 quid with one year's live services offer (£90).

http://www.tomtompromotion.com/liveoffer

Unless everyone here tells me the service isn't worth having even for free...

Any views?

[Jagfox]

I have used Live services for a while. Traffic info is great- reroutes you around problems well ahead of the incident, has found petrol stations easily in unfamiliar areas, can even find you the cheapest petrol on your route, speed camera updates are fair, not brilliant.
Considering how many miles i do ( up to 800 miles a week) it is worth every penny. For the occasional long distance driver, it might not seem that great.
I bought the 750, has some nice features such as checking traffic before you leave home for your normal route to work etc

If it is free, go for it i say.

[mikef]

Cool, thanks for that

[waremark]

I agree (have a 950).

[Kinky]

I've had a new TT with the live services for a few months now. And although I was initially sceptical, I have to admit that it's been pretty good stuff, and well worth it, in my opinion.

I'm still slightly hesitant about the speed camera database, but that aside - it's worth it

[amir_j]

Used it on a live 940 until dropped and.broke it, was ok but not amazing.

Often not an instant update so depends on how close you are to the incident.

Now using copilot on phone, a mere 20 quid compared to the 350 paid for tt, even has built in live search so don't have to switch to the browser. Live traffic already out in some countries and UK soon

In short tt is good but expensive for what it is, the free 12 months is Inc in the price and the monthly price they demand after is greed.

If you do average miles don't bother, tom toms online route planner also shows the same routes with live traffic taken into account

[mikef]

OK,thanks. So not perfect, but probably worth it more than Porsche's built-in sat nav which has traffic but not speed traps, sets you back £1500; and a new map disk (if available) costs hundreds. I think I'll give it a whirl

[Charley Farley]

Just bought one off Amazon... (due tomorrow).

£200 for 750 unit, plus 1/2 price deal on the subscription, so <£250 with 12 months included...

I think this deal expires on 17th though (if not already), so you might want to be quick.

[mikef]

Or maybe not. On the 18th TomTom stop the 50% off offer and move on to a totally-free-for-one-year offer (link earlier in thread)

"This offer is exclusively for customers of TomTom UK purchasing a new TomTom GO 950 LIVE, TomTom GO 750 LIVE, TomTom GO 550 LIVE, XL LIVE IQ Routes UK & ROI or the XL LIVE IQ Routes Europe, from participating retailers between 18th February 2010 and 6th April 2010 inclusive."

[amir_j]

Expect more and more offers...

As Nokia give away more of their free sat nav (they own Navteq and announced will do this on all their smart phones) , google follows as they have already done in the USA. Tomtom reacts by finally having true competition and stopping the greed

TomTom losing market share and will continue to do so as smart mobiles become mainstream, they need to sign up with vehicle manufactureres as oem makers and other channels.

5 year share price: £17.57 to £5 today.

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=TOM2.AS#char...

Edited by amir_j on Tuesday 16th February 15:52

[waremark]

I suspect the free offers will result in our eventually receiving a poorer product.

I need a bigger screen than a smartphone screen. I cannot see how the Google solution which seems to download maps over a datalink can work, given the slow speed of data links. And if nobody charges for satnavs, I don't see who is going to pay for good quality route planning and map updating.

Incidentally, if Tomtom own TeleAtlas and Nokia own Navteq, are the two of them providing digital mapping to all the OEM satnav suppliers?

[mybrainhurts]

Where does it get its traffic information from..?

Highways Agency website holds warnings long after the incident clears and motorway gantry warnings seem to show a default message during rush hour, regardless of whether there really is a delay.

Is Mr TomTom routing you round phantom problems...?

[ymwoods]

mybrainhurts said:

Where does it get its traffic information from..?

Highways Agency website holds warnings long after the incident clears and motorway gantry warnings seem to show a default message during rush hour, regardless of whether there really is a delay.

Is Mr TomTom routing you round phantom problems...?

Probably, but I would rather go the scenic route a few times on my travels and have it take a little longer than get caught up in some mahoosive accident traffic waiting for me when I need to be somewhere fast.

[mybrainhurts]

ymwoods said:

mybrainhurts said:

Where does it get its traffic information from..?

Highways Agency website holds warnings long after the incident clears and motorway gantry warnings seem to show a default message during rush hour, regardless of whether there really is a delay.

Is Mr TomTom routing you round phantom problems...?

Probably, but I would rather go the scenic route a few times on my travels and have it take a little longer than get caught up in some mahoosive accident traffic waiting for me when I need to be somewhere fast.

Agreed, but I've had three such circumstances last week, which would have sucked a lot of time away...

[waremark]

I rather think HD Traffic is based on current travelling speeds of Vodaphone mobile phone customers. It is certainly far more detailed and covering far more parts of the road network than the Highways Agency info, or than the info provided by TMC services.

[mybrainhurts]

I was going to ask TomTom about that, but previous questions have been met with answers in gibberish, so I think I'll leave it...

[waremark]

mybrainhurts said:

I was going to ask TomTom about that, but previous questions have been met with answers in gibberish, so I think I'll leave it...

My experience differs. I have had good responses from their aftersales help services both by email and telephone.

[Kinky]

waremark said:

I rather think HD Traffic is based on current travelling speeds of Vodaphone mobile phone customers. It is certainly far more detailed and covering far more parts of the road network than the Highways Agency info, or than the info provided by TMC services.

That's my understanding too

Using realtime data on the movement of all Vodaphone mobiles; plus concentration of calls made from a central location (like a traffic jam).

[mybrainhurts]

waremark said:

mybrainhurts said:

I was going to ask TomTom about that, but previous questions have been met with answers in gibberish, so I think I'll leave it...

My experience differs. I have had good responses from their aftersales help services both by email and telephone.

I asked if it's possible for me to change the battery after expiry of the warranty...

The email response was what seemed like pidgin English and did not answer the question...

How hard can it be...?

[waremark]

mybrainhurts said:

waremark said:

mybrainhurts said:

I was going to ask TomTom about that, but previous questions have been met with answers in gibberish, so I think I'll leave it...

My experience differs. I have had good responses from their aftersales help services both by email and telephone.

I asked if it's possible for me to change the battery after expiry of the warranty...

The email response was what seemed like pidgin English and did not answer the question...

How hard can it be...?

I asked the same question but had a different experience. I was talking to a native English speaker, who told me that so far as they were concerned it was not a user serviceable item (although he was willing to admit that it could be done), that they charged about £90, and that as an alternative he could offer me 20% off a new unit. I took the 20% off a new unit, and had the battery changed in Tottenham Court Road so a son could use the old unit.