Satnav with live traffic, but...

[Simpo Two]

I may need to buy a standalone satnav (6" screen would be ideal). I'd also like live traffic if possible. However, because I'm a Luddite I don't have a smartphone, don't want one and have no intention of buying one. Surfing stays at home!

Is it possible to buy a satnav that can do live traffic but without the internet? I'm sure they used to exist.

Thanks!

[Simpo Two]

Ah so the magic phrase is 'built-in', thank you!

I'd been looking at Garmins on Amazon and many of them boast 'live traffic', but hunt through the specs and it says 'smartphone app'.

So are the only ones TomTom? I'd hoped to spend a bit less than £200...

[Simpo Two]

Wonderman said:

I guess the expense is the built in element rather than using phone. This article may help but still looks like Tom Tom meets your needs.

https://www.t3.com/features/best-sat-nav

I actually found that page while trying to figure it out. But it still doesn't tell you whether a phone is needed to get live traffic data. It's just always ticked 'yes' regardless.

Garmin advertising is distinctly misleading because their units claim live traffic when they can't do it unaided. In fact the marketing of TomTom and Garmin seems to be utterly shambolic because the features are so inconsistently described you can't make accurate comparisons. I spend half an hour googling to sort out what does what then give up in confusion.

For example, does this have built in traffic? https://www.amazon.co.uk/TomTom-GO-Classic-Congest...

It says 'comprehensive traffic information and real-time updates, all via your TomTom GO Classic Sat Nav' - but if so why isn't it £200+ like the Halfords ones?

[Simpo Two]

emperorburger said:

I'm just curious why surfing stays at home...A smartphone with Waze is the most sensible option albeit you will need a data plan on your SIM card.

Well, I prefer not to look at the internet on a tiny screen when I can see it properly at home. I prefer not to have another thing to carry round, or remember, or lose, or have to charge up every day, or drop. I see no point in paying hundreds of pounds a year for a gadget that will rarely get used. I have no children to keep tabs on. I organise stuff before I go out. I don't need to carry photos and music with me. That's why I'm not buying a smartphone just to get live traffic

Mind you at this rate, soon you'll need an app to take a st, then I'll be forced into it.

Kinky said:

On my TomTom it's got live traffic but is not connected to my phone. The only dependency on a connection is the home WiFi to do map updates.

Ideal!

I had a TomTom ONE years ago, a titchy 4:3 screen and it was brilliant.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 31st October 13:24

[Simpo Two]

Well, I suppose I could get a cheap smartphone and integrate it into the car (DB9 so it rises up out of the dashtop) and treat it as a full-time satnav. But I'd still have an ongoing cost. I'm inclined to think simple is best.

[Simpo Two]

vikingaero said:

You need a TomTom Go Discover 5,6 or 7 - numbers being screen size. There are older versions with the Go 5000 and 6000. The Go 500 and 600 needs a mobile phone to pair for traffic.

Excellent, thanks. Meantime the 2015 disk has arrived so we'll if that's any good.

[Simpo Two]

driver said:

However if you're the sort of person who doesn't want a smartphone I don't know if you'd like using a device like this that depends entirely on a touchscreen interface.

Different thing. I've used satnavs perfectly happily since 2004, all built-in apart from the first which was a TomTom One, and excellent. The worst satnav by a country mile is the one in the DB9, which is shocking in every respect. Luckily I don't have to find my way solo to distant addresses much these days.