Tom Tom Go Live and map update charges - any alternatives or ideas ?

frugalmike

property.advert wrote: »

I've had a Tom Tom Go Live 1005 (5 inch screen) coming up to a year and will have to subscribe for another year to their live services at a cost of around £50.

Then there is the new map service. A year of this costs £60 or so.

Potential 8.24% Topcashback rebate.

This seems quite a lot each year at around £110 or so and I'm thinking whether it is worthwhile or necessary. If I don't update, then the £230 or so I paid for the device last year will undoubtedly have been wasted.

So before I sign up, are there any truly viable alternatives ?

I can't suggest any others but trcommend you have a read on the tomtom forums before you decide to upgrade as the distance the unit can "see" ahead has been reduced from what used to be on offer.

http://discussions.tomtom.com/t5/LIVE-Services-HD-Traffic-and/HD-Traffic-Reduced-Range-UK-amp-EU-Unacceptable/td-p/107377

Hope that helps

DUTR

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

That's interesting, though it wouldn't be a lot of use to me as most of my driving is artic truck so ducking and diving round minor back streets isn't always an option.

How do TT get info on minor roads, whats the difference between the two please?

I know Garmin vs TT users will always argue theirs is best, and i would have gone for TT in preference for ease of use.
A mate bought a TT years ago and it was a joy to use, i bought a Garmin for it's huge screen (truck use) and free traffic.

Glad i did now, my elderly neighbour bought the latest TT and asked me to show him how to use it and set it up for him, the lad at Halfords was as much use as the proverbial teapot, hateful thing the latest model no easier to use than a inbuilt car makers fitment which was ridiculously complicated.

There are two ways the info is collated , the TMC info is broadcast on a sub carrier of an FM radio station (often classic FM) using a slow telemetry type systemand the device decodes it, the TT sytem (although they offer TMC as well) is a subscription service and the info is tramsmitted in packets of data at intervals set by the user.
But as you will be using it in an artic truck, you will be limited on what traffic problems you can avoid. Although the subscription is about £30 a year, it was coming in handy several times a month which cut my journey times (and stress levels).