Sat Nav....advice needed

MissMotivation

Hi

I need to buy a portable sat nav system. I know next to nothing about them and any advice would be welcome.

I have a budget of around £250, been looking at Tom Tom and Navman but need some proper advice on which is the best value for money.

I will only be using it for driving in this country.

So if anyone out there can give me some guidance I would be more than grateful

Thanks in advance

nelly_2

I have a 'tomtom go' and its the ducks nuts £220 from currys.

actually it went a bit bonkers this morning but thats probably cos its full of plaster dust

Dan29

You could get a Garmin i3 for £99.99 - does pretty much everything the more expensive ones do.

MissMotivation

Dan29 wrote:

You could get a Garmin i3 for £99.99 - does pretty much everything the more expensive ones do.

Yes....I saw this on Halfords website, just seems a bit too good to be true, have you had experience of using this?

Dan29

Yes I've got one. I haven't used more expensive models but I would say there's nothing I feel like I'm missing out on - apart from the basic "map that knows where you are and tells you where to turn" functionality which all sat navs have, you can download speed cameras to the i3 and it will warn you of them, which is the only other thing I'd use.

I believe more expensive sat navs receive traffic information and re-route you around jams which would be a nice feature but I'm not sure if any do it without requiring you to pay a monthly subscription?

It's worth seeing an i3 "in the flesh" at it's very small. The disadvantage of this is that obviously you can't get as much on the screen, and it's not a touch screen, but the interface is good and IMO you only need to see the next turn anyway if you've got voice instructions switched on, and the screen is big enough for that. The advantage is that it doesn't take up so much space in your handbag*

There's more on these threads:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=233553

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=122097

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=135757

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=136227

* I don't have a handbag.

Dan29

The other option is a PDA with built-in GPS or a PDA with an add-on GPS.

Here's one: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=237690

MissMotivation

Dan29 wrote:

Yes I've got one. I haven't used more expensive models but I would say there's nothing I feel like I'm missing out on - apart from the basic "map that knows where you are and tells you where to turn" functionality which all sat navs have, you can download speed cameras to the i3 and it will warn you of them, which is the only other thing I'd use.

I believe more expensive sat navs receive traffic information and re-route you around jams which would be a nice feature but I'm not sure if any do it without requiring you to pay a monthly subscription?

It's worth seeing an i3 "in the flesh" at it's very small. The disadvantage of this is that obviously you can't get as much on the screen, and it's not a touch screen, but the interface is good and IMO you only need to see the next turn anyway if you've got voice instructions switched on, and the screen is big enough for that. The advantage is that it doesn't take up so much space in your handbag*

There's more on these threads:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=233553

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=122097

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=135757

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=136227

* I don't have a handbag.

Thats what they all say :rotfl:

Thanks for the advice, been looking at previous threads, seems to be a good buy, going to try and find one tomorrow

inmypocketnottheirs

Personally I am of the opinion that Tom Tom is the best. Upgrade options when software updates, European coverage, ease of use, constant positive reviews. Another forum worth visiting and is https://www.pocketgpsworld.com

gk172

Dan29 wrote:

The other option is a PDA with built-in GPS or a PDA with an add-on GPS.

Here's one: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=237690

My hubby uses one of these in the works van (tomtom)and tried the garmin to see how they compare and found the garmin a lot quicker and better with turns and thinks the garmin is the bee knees;)

inmypocketnottheirs

That would be interesting, to use the two side by side to compare. TT just seems to pip Garmin for ease of use, but I'd like to experience both together.

deanos

Ive got the FujiSiemens N500 PDA and bought a copy of TomTom from Ebay, it is without doubt the easiest to use IMO, the PDA has the latest Siriff II receiver so no probs at all with turns etc its been spot on