Great Cheapest Sat Nav Hunt

totallyrandom

I have an HP2210 with a bluetooth Tomtom GPS and love it as I travel 2000 miles per month, mainly to different places, its a great help, but there are some problems with it...

1. The bluetooth device must be switched on before the navigation program is started on the pda or it will not connect.
2. Sometimes the signal between the bluetooth device and the pda fails and therefore needs to be reset.
3. Not all roads are listed as the maps are a little out of date. This can be worked around using the map to point to a location though.

Good things... extra maps are much simpler then the Medion pda. Dad has this and I loaded France on for him and had to cut down the UK map for it to fit on the memory card. It took 5 hours and I am doing an IT degree!
The TomTom eqivalent took 20 minutes.

Its very easy to use.

Recommendations.

Do not go for a PDA with a bluetooth GPS as the link can fail.
Do not go for a PDA with a fixed antenna as you are limited to where you can place it in the car and may not get a good gps fix.
The wired GPS mouse option allows for a permanent link and allows the user to place the mouse anywhere on the dash to get a good gps fix. (DONT put it on an airbag the results could be fatal!)

PC World were doing a kit for £299 its now gone up to £399 but I see that it regularly drops. Unlike the Aldi one, which is a fine machine, you will need to budget for an extra memory card, which is approximately £40.

Funkymum

I bought a Tomtom Sat Nav 3 Blutooth this week from PC World ( online). I used one of the 5% discount codes so I paid £156.

Funkymum

punamulta

Lidl's new flyer is advertising a Falk Navigator  with integrated GPS and 512 meg sd card etc for £249 available from Mon 6th December. looks similar to wot ALDI had the other week.

I think these things will drop to £199 after xmas.

Bubba_Shaboo

Advert for Staples in today's paper for a couple of GPS systems with the boast 'Lowest Price in the UK':

IPAQ 1710 with tomtom GPS Receiver £269.99 (save £30) 3 days only.

tomtom GPS System (model unknown) £419 (was £499.99)

Free £5 Staples voucher with every purchase.

Appears offers only available in-store.

HTH

dw

I bought the ALDI sat/nav system with PDA because i was always getting lost on trips to London from Wales, getting there and finding my destination and then finding my way back to the M4 motorway has always been a hit or miss affair for me.
I went to London on friday to a new destination and my sat/nav always had me in the right lane in plenty of time to take the next turning, i arrived at my destination with no bother at all. On my return last night , i entered my home address from another unfamiliar area and the sat/nav had me off in the right direction straight away, i arrived home without the usual cross words between my wife and myself.Though i did miss the correct turn at one roundabout the sat/nav quickly corrected me to go back around and take the right turn.
I have called the female voice or my sat/nav VERA and i believe that my wife is a little jealous of my new found friend
Money well spent and definitely a bargain at £250.
I would advise users to try it out around their local area first ,to get used to the way it operates, perhaps do as i did and intentionaly take the wrong turns so that they can see how the system operates in taking you back onto the correct route.
VERA is the new love of my life.

System

Hi, thanks for that info. I am a regular at Aldi's but haven't noticed this Nav system. Probably wouldn't have registered with me anyway as I don't drive. However my daughter does and she lives away and travels (and gets lost), so of late, I wondered about buying one of these things for her.

1) your Aldi purchase,was it recent ?

2) am I to assume it is a purchase/plug in/and play type of thing.

3) she intends replacing her car after Christmas, daft question, but will that effect the system, or do they operate irrespective of the vehicle.

Being over 60 and a non driver and only recently mastered the basics of "puting", I am, as you might assume, somewhat "thick" over such matters.

donnie_darko_3

I also have the aldi sat nav and "VERA" has changed my life too. IT takes you exactly where you want and you can see exactly where you are and where you are going eg at next roundabout right arrow etc. It also tells you how far you have to go and hoiw long it will take (subject to preferences settings)

It is also a PDA and i now use it for logging and reminding me of my appointments.

Its a craking piece of kit alas it may now be sold out I got mine from Coalville thanks to another member on this site

worstdadintheworld

Hellooo out there.
First post, and expect to be blasted. Be gentle, please.

Have used a Navman PiN for three months now. It is an all-in-one system, no extrea's to plug in. Excellent piece of kit. It is a personal organiser and a Navigator in one. The organiser has a superb battery life compared to HP and others. Has the usual calender, notes, contacts, programmes, etc, etc..
The navigation takes a bit of installing, but eventually got there.
Comes with all you need, EXCEPT a proper carry case! Mine fell out recently & dented screen. Awaiting insurance feedback on renewing it.
HOWEVER. Mine cost around £380, but now Navman have an updated version on the market, called Navman new PiN 300. Only seen the 300 on a few sites. ALL other sites are selling the 'old' Navman - beware. make sure you buy the 300. The old one is a straight A to B navigation - excellent. Includes garages, shops, post codes, etc, etc, but if you want to go from A to B via C, it won't let you do it. The new 300 will. Hoping the insurance will let me upgrade to the new 300.
Navman is based on the Mio (?) system. Not tried theirs.
Was currently on offer as cheapest 300 from globalpositioningsystems.co.uk.
Cheers

dw

Hi, thanks for that info. I am a regular at Aldi's but haven't noticed this Nav system. Probably wouldn't have registered with me anyway as I don't drive. However my daughter does and she lives away and travels (and gets lost), so of late, I wondered about buying one of these things for her.

1) your Aldi purchase,was it recent ?

2) am I to assume it is a purchase/plug in/and play type of thing.

3) she intends replacing her car after Christmas, daft question, but will that effect the system, or do they operate irrespective of the vehicle.

Being over 60 and a non driver and only recently mastered the basics of "puting", I am, as you might assume, somewhat "thick" over such matters.

Hi, island_man

1) I picked 'VERA' up just 2 weeks ago.

2) I then proceded to find out all i could about her from her accompanying friend Manuel. (manual)
I then started fondling her and played around with her for a while so that i could see what made her tick,she was not quite plug and play but after following manuel's simple instructions i had her set up to do as i wanted with her.

3) Don't worry if your daughter intends replacing her car
because 'VERA' is quite versatile,not only can i take her from car to car with me but i can also walk around with her in the palm of my hand and she can still lead me on to where i want to go.

I too am over 60 (though i only own up to being 50-ish) and i can add that i have not had so much fun since i was a teenager.'VERA' has opened my eyes and i can't wait for her to show me around in my twilight years, i will take her with me wherever i go.

P.S in your daughter's case it could be 'VERNON'.

For the non initiated, this is the Medion MD 95000 mobile navigation system, it can be used in the car,on a bike or even when out walking. From other postings here it could be available from other outlets apart from ALDI which only had a limited supply.

P.P.S
I forgot to mention that there is a 'Customer Service Hotline' if you do require help, though i didn't need to use it myself.
There is also a 3yr guarantee with this sat/nav.

ksrao

Nice to see so many comments about Medion MD95000. I am also delighted with it and it is like the car talking to me!! But how will you change the battery as it is not going to last for ever.Also I prefer to keep a stand by battery.As some one commented it is very useful when you are walking on the street and looking for adresses.