Satnavs

[mfw]

Thank you for all the replies. The original question was anyone got a TomTom camper and experience of it. Seems not, so I'll have a look at other satnavs too. I'm a fan of tomtom's , had them without any problems for 12 years that's why I asked.

Only problem you could have with tomtom is sometimes they lose all the maps if you allow update whilst away from home i would see if the camper satnav has that problem and if so you are aware of it

 

[jagmanx]

I too like my TomTom. It is only a simple "Car" type but using the TomTom software (x2) I can import 3rd party POI's.
Before you splash out on whichever one you like you may wish to check on this.

Of course nowadays 3rd party POI's are easily used in Maps.me (or simiar)

I do however like the ability to add "My POI's" to any satnav I might use.

There are many satnav apps which work on a phone or tablet. A say 7in Tablet has other uses and not being a phone it will not ring whilst you are driving.
I do however belive lane guidance is better with a dedicated sat nav..
The advantage of a tablet is that it likely to be easier/cheaper to keep the maps up to date.
I would not use anything that relies on a data connection whilst in use !....But that is me being old-fashioned.

 

[jacquigem]

That will be because the French probably regularly drive down it as well

Yes the Canal management people do , but only in a landrover type vehicle , Nothing coming the other way fortunately . We also missed the sign saying no access for other vehicles but the sat nav definately picked it out for us as the route to go . Just think you have to be very careful just following these things blindly

 

[jagmanx]

That will be because the French probably regularly drive down it as well

Yes , We did several "French Canal Holidays" Beaucoup d'Auto sur les chemin de remorquage.
BUT mainly very small and thin about 1.5 people wide. Perfect for canalside dwellers to go to local villages towns etc.
Even the tourist canals had a high degree of automation ..We hade a remote control which would empty or fill locks and open the gates.

 

[mark61]

I would stick with TomTom.

I have a Garmin at present and although they were making GPS units for marine use long before TomTom came along, I don't find mine as user friendly as the TomTom.

I think the mapping is still evolving but still has a long way to go, so best used in conjunction with a road atlas which kind of defeats the object. I often stop though if being directed down a dodgy looking road and have a glance at the atlas and then make a decision.

The dodgier the road the better.
Have always preferred TomTom to Garmin sat navs, I wouldn't say they are better, just nicer. The Garmin I had was camper version, but I never bothered with putting dimensions in, it's a feature I have zero interest in.

When touring, I use my sat nav, phone on dash mount and tablet on another mount, . The tablet is very handy running whatever map app you want, usually maps.me for me, used in conjunction with sat nav. Proper map is only used when planning now, never need to pull over and look at it.
The TomTom app gives very much the same lane guidance as the TomTom device, in fact I think they are identical now, they didn't used to be.
The only trouble comes when each device gives me different instructions

 

[Robmac]

The dodgier the road the better.

Yeah, but you've got a 4x4 Mark!

 

[QFour]

Use a Tablet. I bought a Huawei then when you fall out with the software you can put something else on. I have IGO Nextgen ( Free ) Truck version and CoPilot also use it as a EReader, Internet and have a Speedo that sits over any other app and uses GPS so accurate. Have it mounted on the right side with power supply.

 

[in h]

iGo is by far the best software. You can install it onto your own tablet (as I do) or buy it preinstalled on a cheap-as-chips Xgody device. £40 for a 7" one, £55 for a 9" one.

 

[Debroos]

Can't beat a decent map!

 

[in h]

Can't beat a decent map!

Oh you can. A good satnav knows the typical delay, day by day, hour by hour for each segment of road. It knows about current untypical traffic delays. It can calculate alternative routes going ways you'd never think of, taking into account how quickly you'd travel along each segment of road, and how long the journey would be.
Once you are driving, the satnav keeps track of where you are, re-evaluates the route and if traffic conditions change, suggests other routes.
A satnav copes just fine if you decide to go a different way (or make a mistake) and just works out the best route from there.
Maps are great: I love them, but for planning a route, they're not a patch on a satnav. For giving driving directions, they're useless.

 

[mark61]

Love maps too, nothing better than getting a map out, having a look, have a ponder on direction, place names etc. All ends up on the sat nav though.

But, if you could only choose one, which would you choose?

 

[Tezza33]

But, if you could only choose one, which would you choose?

Satnav every time, I have a tomtom Go camper and a Go truck, lifetime updates on maps, software, speed cameras etc., the camper version doesn't need a computer to update but it is easy anyway, I can use 3rd party POI's but type Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons or any place you want to go to and it finds the nearest one.
Rhetorical question though, a satnav will work after you have planned the route on a 20yr old map so no need to buy new maps

 

[mfw]

Satnav every time, I have a tomtom Go camper and a Go truck, lifetime updates on maps, software, speed cameras etc., the camper version doesn't need a computer to update but it is easy anyway, I can use 3rd party POI's but type Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons or any place you want to go to and it finds the nearest one.
Rhetorical question though, a satnav will work after you have planned the route on a 20yr old map so no need to buy new maps

I have the tomtom truck and the garmin 770 camper both have their issues

My tomtom can lose maps on update and it is a real pain can take hours to reload - how have you managed to duck that issue my tomtom is 3yrs old tops

 

[Tezza33]

F

I have the tomtom truck and the garmin 770 camper both have their issues

My tomtom can lose maps on update and it is a real pain can take hours to reload - how have you managed to duck that issue my tomtom is 3yrs old tops

I have never had that issue, I usually only update at home with 100Mgps broadband though, updating the maps is a large download

 

[mfw]

F
I have never had that issue, I usually only update at home with 100Mgps broadband though, updating the maps is a large download

As you know the update comes up on bottom of screen and if in spain or portugal and you accidentally touch that update you can lose the maps - at home you wont have a problem - if you are away from home it is a big problem

 

[jacquigem]

Can you set sat nav to avoid canal tow paths ? Also we have had 3 in last 6 years. Usually last just more than the 12 months guarantee. Having said that we would not be without one but dont believe everything they say .

 

[Debroos]

Oh you can. A good satnav knows the typical delay, day by day, hour by hour for each segment of road. It knows about current untypical traffic delays. It can calculate alternative routes going ways you'd never think of, taking into account how quickly you'd travel along each segment of road, and how long the journey would be.
Once you are driving, the satnav keeps track of where you are, re-evaluates the route and if traffic conditions change, suggests other routes.
A satnav copes just fine if you decide to go a different way (or make a mistake) and just works out the best route from there.
Maps are great: I love them, but for planning a route, they're not a patch on a satnav. For giving driving directions, they're useless.

Very true but less efficient when trying to send me down a coast path!
The lanes in Cornwal are littered with huge council signs saying 'do not follow satnav'

Also I have on occasion compared the satnav route we are driving on with a map and often the sat nav has not picked the best route. Admittedly our sat nav is not very good. It doesn't even have the Irish Republic on it just Northern Ireland which looks like an island!
Having said all that sat navs are of course dead useful especially if driving alone. I still think maps have a place though especially when it comes to avoiding really narrow roads....

 

[jagmanx]

Very true but less efficient when trying to send me down a coast path!
The lanes in Cornwal are littered with huge council signs saying 'do not follow satnav'

Also I have on occasion compared the satnav route we are driving on with a map and often the sat nav has not picked the best route. Admittedly our sat nav is not very good. It doesn't even have the Irish Republic on it just Northern Ireland which looks like an island!
Having said all that sat navs are of course dead useful especially if driving alone. I still think maps have a place though especially when it comes to avoiding really narrow roads....

True, But many "tablet/phone" maps will show a road number so if no road number beware ! They also give a guide as to road size a bit like proper maps as the thickness of the road!
I like the Zooming feature of "digital maps". If you have internet Google Street view is also useful and if a narrowish road you can judge the frequency of passing places etc.
Laptop or 10in Tablet for planning !!!

 

[in h]

I was ve

Very true but less efficient when trying to send me down a coast path!
The lanes in Cornwal are littered with huge council signs saying 'do not follow satnav'

Also I have on occasion compared the satnav route we are driving on with a map and often the sat nav has not picked the best route. Admittedly our sat nav is not very good. It doesn't even have the Irish Republic on it just Northern Ireland which looks like an island!
Having said all that sat navs are of course dead useful especially if driving alone. I still think maps have a place though especially when it comes to avoiding really narrow roads....

I was particular to specify a "good" satnav. Rubbish like TomTom, Copilot and Sygic definitely don't count as "good" in my estimation.

 

[Robmac]

I generally use a map to work out a route if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar.

I then put the destination in on the satnav, mainly so I can see the journey time/distance remaining. I often only really use the satnav in earnest for the last 10 miles or so of a journey when you get off of the main routes.