SATNAV Query - Garmin C510D Deluxe (exclusive to Halfords?!!) or TomTom GB ?

tigger_and_george

Hi all!

I'm totally new to this SatNav thing so would really appreciate some advice please.

I've seen in Halfords recently what looks like a superb deal - it's a garmin C510D Deluxe (model apparently exclusive to Halfords) for £199-99 which includes both UK and European mapping, lifetime live traffic reports, pre-downloaded safety camera database and something called 'dynamic directions'. Apparently this is something to do with automatically changing your route if ther's traffic problems ahead?

Also on offer for the same price is a TomTom GB, but this doesn't seem to have all of the features mentioned above for the Garmin. I understand this TomTom is a new model which has taken over from the UK version of TomTom One..............but then Halfords have said that the Garmin is better than TomTom, yet the editor of pocketworldgps.com tells me on his company's forum that Tom Tom is better than Garmin??!!

Please help me find the best deal someone!!

Many thanks!

PS. Hands-free for my mobile, combined with the Satnav would also be very useful!

PPS. I tried asking the above on another thread but no one's replied to me!!

piggeh

Best to ask what the 'D' stands for in the C510D name. Is it an added extra, or just exclusive in the same way the D750 was exclusive to T-Mobile, as everyone else called it the K750?

The C510 is available, and Dixons sell it online for £150, so worth finding out what the difference is.

If you want Bluetooth handsfree, I think it is one of the features in the TomTom 510/710/910, though I forget which.

boatman

Absolutely nothing wrong with The Garmin C510D(Deluxe), it IS a good deal. Advantages over the TomTom ONE are that you get Full European mapping and the TMC traffic module is included. The disadvantage of the garmin is that its not as slim as the tomtom, not the end of the world. If you want bluetooth handsfree on a satnav the Garmin 310D from Halfords for £265 does it all. Garmin seem to give better support than Tomtom.

http://www.garmin.com/products/sp510/

http://www.garmin.com/products/gtm21/index.jsp

http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/page.cfm?key=RDS_TMC

http://www.tmcforum.com/en/about_tmc/what_is_tmc/what_is_tmc.htm

The Tomtom GB can get traffic info but you need to subscribe for 40euro a year plus you then connect it to your mobile via bluetooth where it will download traffic data via GPRS(at your mobile tariff data rate £??). If you want to use the TMC service on a Tomtom you will have to buy the 510 model for £250+£60 for the TMC module, makig the Garmin a much cheaper solution.

http://www.tomtom.com/page.php?Page=rds-tmc

tigger_and_george

boatman wrote:

Absolutely nothing wrong with The Garmin C510D(Deluxe), it IS a good deal. Advantages over the TomTom ONE are that you get Full European mapping and the TMC traffic module is included. The disadvantage of the garmin is that its not as slim as the tomtom, not the end of the world. If you want bluetooth handsfree on a satnav the Garmin 310D from Halfords for £265 does it all. Garmin seem to give better support than Tomtom.

http://www.garmin.com/products/sp510/

http://www.garmin.com/products/gtm21/index.jsp

http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/page.cfm?key=RDS_TMC

http://www.tmcforum.com/en/about_tmc/what_is_tmc/what_is_tmc.htm


Hi boatman,

Many thanks for your most informative reply.

With the £199-99 deal at Halfords on the C510D it sounds like it might make sense to either stick with a Bluetooth headset or opt for a separate handsfree kit for the mobile in the car.

Can you advise me on how good safety camera coverage is with the C510D?

Ideally I'd like mobile camera/laser detection as well, but guess that will mean having to opt for a superior model.

That aside, I guess they'll be further expense when it comes to updating the mapping (if only those for the UK)?

boatman

The pocketgps website is as good as it gets for speed cameras, you subscribe for £19 a year. Its a database of gps positions where cameras are located, when you get close to their position your gps will alert you. They support all brands of satnav, you have to update your satnav once maybe twice a month to keep it upto date. This database includes not only the fixed speed cameras but the positions where the police use their mobile cameras aswell, i'm led to believe that the police have to register these sites before they can use them.
Many satnavs come with a camera database on them and maybe a few months free subscription but i'm certain that the pocketgps one is far more comprehensive.
Laser detectors are still legal but for how much longer i don't know. Many of these devices also use a gps database for camera positions aswell as the laser/radar, which you would already have with the satnav.
None of them however pick-up on a copper just sat round that next corner!!!

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=33666#181828

As far as updating the satnav maps goes it'll cost about £40 and they come out about once a year but there are many people getting to where they want to go with a map thats 10 years old, your choice. By the time you want to update in 2/3 years you'll want a new toy(satnav) to play with anyway!

http://www.garmin.com/unlock/update.jsp
Garmin: Map Updates

piggeh

I prefer the Navman series personally, which also comes with a traffic module (about £50 seperately), and works over the same FM RDS broadcasts. Also highly rated.

TomTom support is rubbish apparently.

boatman

The Navman support can also be a bit shakey according to pocketgps! The Navman N20/40/60 are nice, the mapping/directions are really good, better than tomtom 510/710 I think, nice little symbol on the main map page showing the next turn is handy. The problem is the lack of volume/clarity, it gets distorted, slim casing so no room for a good speaker, real shame. Also the touch screen is not as responsive as the garmin/tomtom.

balsingh

In simple terms, the Tomtom is like an Ipod. It may not be the best device but its the one that everyone knows and buys. Now that the market has opened up, there are lower priced devices which have more features. Most Sat Nav systems effectively do the job of getting you from A-B. Anthign over and above that is a bonus (TMC, camera databases etc). I was one of the original Tomtom buyers 2 years ago when there was nothing else comparative on the market. It cost me over £400. The current Tomtom model which is much better costs under £200. Given the level of choice today, I'd go for the one offering the most features for the money.

tigger_and_george

Many thanks to you all for your comments and suggestions so far.

Just to gain further opinion I gave the helpline at nav-now a call as I understand that they too are able to give impartial advice about satnavs.

The chap there advised me that he would not hang much reliance upon the speed camera database which Halfords 're-download' to their 'exclusive' Garmin C510D product - he said that it's called something like 'Adware' and is certainly not the best.

He advised that the best satnav/speed camera detection product would probably be one made by Road Angel, namely the 6000 or 7000 models.

Any views on these products before I commit myself to anything?

These models retail at £249 and £299 respectively with this outlet.

tomstickland

Laser detection is a bit of a waste of time. There are laser garage door opening devices that "apparently" also jam laser speed traps. Google it.

reduceditem

The C510d is on special offer everywhere because its an old model. Go for a new model, Garmin's Nuvi 310 Deluxe (V9). You can get it on the net for £223 (am I allowed to say where?) Its slimline and it does loads of stuff the C510d can't. You can get it with Version 9 mapping software which is new and covers even Eastern Europe. By the way anyone reading this who bought a Garmin product recently with Version 8 mapping will be able to upgrade to Version 9 for free in the New Year via Garmin's website. The speed camera alerts work for every speed camera in my area, old and new and its free to update it. The TMC add on does not always work that well, reception wise. One thing I would advise is to buy an adaptor so you can charge it at home so you don't need to have it continually plugged in to the car lighter socket. If you buy a Nuvi 310d from the high street make sure its got V9 written on the included DVD. If its V8 you might have to wait months for the latest mapping (though it will be free).
I have received a positive impression about Garmin as a company from using their support line to research the product before I bought it and answering all my technical queries once I had.