GPS sat nav

Ok we have one - here's an opportunity to have one - if you got a point of view about something and want to share it - here's where you do it.
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vblanche
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GPS sat nav

Post by vblanche » Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:20 pm

Hello,

I have a Tomtom one xl, but I'm thinking of getting a newer system. What would you recommend?

does the LIVE thing from Tomtom work in UK?

battery life?

and where are they the cheapest?

thanks
vincent
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Araf
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Post by Araf » Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:52 pm

I've always found that those who use TomTom swear by TomTom, and those who use Garmin swear At TomTom.

I think that once your brain is trained in the use of one, it's difficult to use the other. Whilst I have a Garmin, I would suggest you stay with the (inferior ;) ) Tom Tom.

For that reason, I cannot help with battery life, or where to buy.
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Post by vblanche » Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:59 pm

Araf wrote:I've always found that those who use TomTom swear by TomTom, and those who use Garmin swear At TomTom.

I think that once your brain is trained in the use of one, it's difficult to use the other. Whilst I have a Garmin, I would suggest you stay with the (inferior ;) ) Tom Tom.

For that reason, I cannot help with battery life, or where to buy.
:lol:
I'm happy to try new stuff...why do you think Garmin are better? which model would you recommend? where to buy?

The Tomtom HD traffic seems a clever system (using other tomtom devices to get info)...

thanks
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Post by Araf » Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:37 pm

I think the main difference is when the announce for you to turn. The Garmin (I think) does it a bit earlier, which makes TomTom users take the wrong road sometimes.

I use Garmin as I originally had a Garmin V for rallies and bajas. When I first got a car unit, the Garmins were flat, yet the TomTom units had curved backs, and couldn't be slipped into a pocket. No other reason, if truth be known. My latest unit has more functions than I care to use. I only use it to augment the gazetteer in my head that I was using for 20 years of driving before sat navs were invented. The only reason why I upgraded last year, was that I got a top of the range model at 75% off, making it as cheap as updating the maps on my old unit (which was very out of date).

I bought my latest from a major electrical retailer, as my brother works for them, and he told me about the old stock being reduced.
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Post by Kyle » Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:29 am

I've owned and loaned various Garmins over the years, never actually used a TomTom. Never really liked the Garmins that much.

I like my fairly recent (May '09) Snooper GPS Navi which has the EU maps and speed cameras and has navigated me all over the EU and saved me a lot of fines/points etc with the camera and high risk zone warnings! Not just in the UK too!

I have the Snooper Snooper Syrius S2000. The linked item appears to be slightly revised but its near identical.

Some of the features I like include:
  • The traffic system
  • The re-route function
  • Warnings of cameras, high risk zones, schools etc
  • Multi waypoint route system
  • Route and criteria filter/list system
  • Very accurate ETA's
  • Very strong antenna
  • Very easy to update
The navigation guidance and voice over is good, however I have used OEM navi's that have far better overall navigational guidance. I tend to actually rely on our E60 navi in the B5 (with 2011 DVD) and have the snooper as back up navi and speed camera warnings.

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