Which Garmin SatNav should I go for? Any pitfalls?

adaadat

My father is adamant that it must be Garmin, as they are highly recommended by Which? magazine, which he refers to as his 'bible', although I know someone who isn't pleased at all with his.

Are there any models to avoid or particular problems with a model.

Thanks.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/uk/ontheroad

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

If you have an iPhone, get Copilot satnav on that. Much cheaper. Or if you have a phone running Google Android (HTC etc), satnav is free on that.

Garmin don't have long left to live IMO, since Google have now mapped just about all the roads in the UK.

funkycoldribena

I found the routing on my Garmin pretty poor to be honest.

AdrianHi

Mobile phones don't have as good antena for receiving the satellite signals compared to a dedicated sat nav like a Garmin.
All sat. nav. exhibit characteristics in their routing methods. Garmin are good at finding shorter routes but tend to send you down narrow minor roads at times. TomTom the last time I used it is biased to heavily towards major roads and can have you travelling a much longer distance.
Pick the Garmin based on what you want out of it, the built in FM traffic receivers are good when you have reception coverage, which isn't very consistent as you travel.
I'd be tempted by "live traffic coverage now", this sort of feature makes the sat nav have value even when you do know where you are going.

hethmar

Depends on where he will be using it. I have the large screen one for just the UK and its been very handy indeed.

Have a look on amazon for the comparisons - there are even geeks with demos on you tube - and then do a google search for the best prices (quidco has places like Halfords for cash back).

Exemplar

Android phones only have free satnav if they are version 2.1 or above! (I have the HTC Hero and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival....).

BillScarab

I thought it was version 1.6 and above but I may be wring. I have Google Navigaiton on my Desire and it is superb.

It also has better recption than my Garmin Nuvi as it will pick up the satellites indoors whereasa the Garmin won't.

Perosnally I think the basic Garmin Nuvis are great sat navs, if you just want UK maps you can't beat one of these

I think Garmin will be around for afair while given their sales in aviation, marine and handheld units.

A._Badger

Garmin's customer service is second to none and their handheld units are (usually) excellent. I am disappointed with their UK mapping, however. I haven't exerienced being sent down dirt tracks by mine, but it frequently seems incapable of working out what's a left or right turn and what is following a windy road. I've often taken badly wrong turnings as a result.

If I replace it, I will try another brand next time.

Gloomendoom

I've got a wide screen Garmin with traffic. It's not infallible, no sat nav is, but I've used it in the UK and the USA and I wouldn't be without it on a long journey.

The traffic warning and re-routing is especially useful. It even worked in the US.

Mine has loads of bells and whistles (bluetooth etc.) that I don't use, so you might save some money if you work out exactly which features he will use and which countries he is going to use it in.

FlameCloud

I've got a Garmin through work and its lasted well over 2 years and 40K miles in London. My one criticism of it though is that the arrow seems to take an age to turn, which is a problem when one junction closely follows another- sometimes you are at the next one before it has a chance to track.

creased-leach

We have two garmins, a uk and a european- and they've both been pretty good. There's the occasional "flounce," but nothing major.