Best Sat Nav System

Bored-Stupid

Can anyone on the board, with your vast motor knowledge tell me what the best make (or specific model) of Sat Nav around at the minute is....Ive heard Garmin is better than Tom Tom but im not sure.Just want the easy fit ones that stick to the windscreen/dash!

Thanks folks

Bluefoam

I have a basic Garmin and its fab. I can't compare to other brands but it certainly does the job for me.

Eoin

Garmin for me too. By the way, there's a GPS forum here also, lots of comparisons between Garmin, TomTom etc.

unkel

Moved from Motors

Raiser

*** MODEL CHANGED TO Navigon PNA TS7000Te GPS Europe - WAS WRONG ***

Can I please just bump this thread to see if anyone has any opinions on Navigon GPS units ???

The below one is €299 on Komplett.ie and comes recommended by some GPS-Heads here at work

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=327711

- Would love to hear some opinions from you folks !!!

seligehgit

Hi guys,
I have hoping to buy a Garmin satellite navigation system but have very little knowledge in this area.I was hoping you might be able to tell me what the best model available is.I am hoping a model with a good display size,good display resolution pixels wise,an anti glare screen,voice prompts,that speaks to you but can be switched off or muted if necessary.Other specifications I would require are bang up to date 3D maps covering Ireland,UK and continental Europe,touchscreen capability,blue tooth capability,a MP3 player,a FM transmitter,remote control.Guys if there are any other specifications which you have a knowledge of,I would be grateful if you could put me in the picture.The Garmin website lists so many different models it is very hard to compare like with like.Finally is Pixamania the best value website to buy these systems on?
Ta,
Selig:cool:

Eoin

seligehgit wrote: »

Hi guys,
I have hoping to buy a Garmin satellite navigation system but have very little knowledge in this area.I was hoping you might be able to tell me what the best model available is.I am hoping a model with a good display size,good display resolution pixels wise,an anti glare screen,voice prompts,that speaks to you but can be switched off or muted if necessary.Other specifications I would require are bang up to date 3D maps covering Ireland,UK and continental Europe,touchscreen capability,blue tooth capability,a MP3 player,a FM transmitter,remote control.Guys if there are any other specifications which you have a knowledge of,I would be grateful if you could put me in the picture.The Garmin website lists so many different models it is very hard to compare like with like.Finally is Pixamania the best value website to buy these systems on?
Ta,
Selig:cool:

I bought the Garmin 660T which ticks most of those boxes, but it didn't come with an FM transmitter. However, I think some of them do - it just depends on where you get it from (I think because of the local laws in place at the time regarding FM transmitters). Some people have said the resolution isn't great, as the wider screen makes it a bit more pixellated, but I've found it good. I haven't noticed any problems with the glare, but then again I've rarely had the chance to drive in bright daylight since getting it a few weeks ago. It comes with Ireland, UK and Europe maps. It gives the voice directions, and also reads out street names themselves, as well as just the instructions. Mixed results for this given some Irish street names.

I got mine from globalgizmos.co.uk for about 370 or so shipped.

I previously had a 300 and I used a tape adapter to play mp3s, and the quality wasn't great. I also use a tape adapter with an iPod which was much better, so I don't think the problem was with the adapter.

Check out www.mysatnav.ie - they are not cheap to buy from, but there is a good comparison of all the models.

Edit: I don't think Ireland has Traffic FM alerts, so that feature won't work - mine certainly doesn't pick anything up.

Bored-Stupid

Ok folks the features that im looking for are:

1. Speed Camera alerts (Gatzo Guns too if possible)

2. Bluetooth Equipped

3. Non-annoying person calling directions

Was looking around and saw the Navman s30 or something like that....does it have No. 2+3 as I already know it has speed camera alerts!

Also if there is one with a large screen. I dont mind if its difficult to use as I like fiddling saround with technical stuff!

Budget - €400

sharkman

OK , Now I know I'm gonna get people saying I'm wrong , But I swear by TomTom , If your at all into computers they are more Customizable then Garmin with POI's and voices freely available on the web .It depends on which model you get , but TomTom are currently guaranteeing latest maps on all units (although some are Teleatlas) .

ejmaztec

sharkman wrote: »

OK , Now I know I'm gonna get people saying I'm wrong , But I swear by TomTom , If your at all into computers they are more Customizable then Garmin with POI's and voices freely available on the web .It depends on which model you get , but TomTom are currently guaranteeing latest maps on all units (although some are Teleatlas) .[/
QUOTE]

If they improved their customer-service and sorted out the Ireland Teleatlas map errors, I'd agree. It will be interesting to see how good the maps become in the future. I contacted Teleatlas re their Ireland map errors and was ignored. Perhaps with TomTom and Garmin breathing down their necks, they had other things on mind.

Aquos76

sharkman wrote: »

OK , Now I know I'm gonna get people saying I'm wrong , But I swear by TomTom ,

You are entitled to your opinion. If we all agreed then this would be a boring place. I am more of a Garmin Fan, however thats because of the navteq maps. I would have to agree with you in releation to the TomTom been more customizable than the Garmin eg, changing voices and POI.

As already pointed out by ejmaztec, TomTom customer service need alot to be desired, whereas Garmin offer excellent support, that is once you eventually get through to them on the phone.

Kilree

Hi, I know nothing about Sat Navs although I have tried to acquaint myself on these boards before posting. Now actually more confused than ever by navteq, teleatlas mapping updates etc.
My requirements are simple - I was thinking of buying a satnav system for each of my two daughters for Christmas, so any recommendation will be double pricewise for me. I just want a sat nav system which will get them to where they want to go - mainly in rural Ireland in a reliable fashion.
Forget MP3, handsfree phones and all the other "gimmicks" (as I see them :rolleyes:). Sam Mccauleys have a Navman S30 for sale at the moment for 189.99. Is it any good and will it do the job?
Please help me if you can.

Aquos76

Two of these will sort them out.

At €177 each thay are excellent value. Also you will be able to avail of their latest maps in the new year also

DannyBuoy

Aquos76 wrote: »

Two of these will sort them out.

At €177 each thay are excellent value. Also you will be able to avail of their latest maps in the new year also

Seconded. I had one of these for bout 3 or 4 months till some scumbag made off with it. Thats a good price, when I bought mine back in the summer they were just under the €300 mark, good model, was very happy with it.

Kilree

Aquos76 wrote: »

Two of these will sort them out.

At €177 each thay are excellent value. Also you will be able to avail of their latest maps in the new year also

Thanks Aquos. This is the kind of help I was looking for. I see that you are located in Waterford. I am next door in Kilkenny. Did you find that the Nuvi 250 was precise enough in your travels in rural areas? From what I can gather most satnavs are OK in the Dublin area but it's when the journey is in provincial areas that the problems seem to arise. Do you know if the updates in the new year will cost anything or will they be free?

Aquos76

Well I use the Nuvi350 and I find it excellent. I usally travel up through Kilkenny whenever I go to Galway and every road between here and Galway are on it.
Both the 250 and 350 use the same maps.

With regards to updatting the maps, what you need to do is hold off registering the units until after the maps have been released, That way you will be entitled to free updates.

Kilree

Aquos76 wrote: »

Well I use the Nuvi350 and I find it excellent. I usally travel up through Kilkenny whenever I go to Galway and every road between here and Galway are on it.
Both the 250 and 350 use the same maps.

With regards to updatting the maps, what you need to do is hold off registering the units until after the maps have been released, That way you will be entitled to free updates.

Thanks again Aquos76. I think I will go for the 250 through Pixmania. I needed to get someone using satnav in rural areas to give me advice and from what you say these units and the mapping serve you well. I'll bear in mind the situation regarding the updates and I'll tell the girls not to register the units until the new maps are out.

311

Hello ,just like to recommend the Garmin Nuvi.

I work somedays in up to 8 houses a day ,all accross dublin and the garmin always gets it right.
I always take the unit with me ,which is easy to do . And I use the handsfree part of it all the time.

It's still as good as the day I bought it and it gets some abuse aswell. It's paid for itself twice over for me ,in the time that I've had it so far.

Kilree

Thanks Brian. Think I'm going to go for the Nuvi. Seem to be able to do the job.

Kilree

Done! Have just placed an order with Pixmania. Thanks for the help guys.

seligehgit

Eoin_S/Moderator ta very much for all your help,very informative.
Selig:)

ivanthehunter

just to let you folks know bought a garmin c550 and its great it has everything except for fm transmitter and on top of that its a bit bulky (for my pocket when on city breaks and when i try to ram it into the glove box) if i had my chance again of buying the correct model i'd go for a slimmer version and a larger screen and the built in fm transmitter.. i have a iPod transmitter running sepertly but the cables do my nut in... the iPod trans shuts down on some song which aren't that loud and thats another pain in the ring... Was in barcalona a week or so ago and i had to put the c550 in my small ruck sack but i had it on the plan clocked 600 miles per hour and was able to see my position at all times cool

dowtchaboy

ivanthehunter - re your problem with volume of some songs on iPod and FM transmitter: had similar problems with some songs, particularly quiet classical music, and with many podcasts. The volume control on the iPod makes no difference as it does not affect the input to the transmitter - what you have to do is normalise the volumes before they get loaded onto the iPod. Assuming you are using iTunes, look up help on Sound Check - that will allow you to check over all or some of your stuff. You can also adjust individual tracks using file/info/options/volume adjustment (depends on whether you are using PC or Mac version of iTunes). I guess there is some similar system in other mp3 players. hope this helps.

db.
PS: re poor pickup of radio signals - it can help to wrap some thin wire round the transmitter and leave a length dangling (yeah, I know, more wires hanging about...) or to place the transmitter closer to the car aerial rather than the radio itself.

ivanthehunter

cheers for that man....

Poncherello

Excuse my ignorance but I am !!
Wanna get someone who has a new TT a system. Which does the Irish country roads best say .. ?
or is that a stupid question
Budget 2-300
thx

Bluefoam

I believe tom tom are most current + they have lots of points of interest which are really lacking on my garmin.