Best sat nav

Ash40

Hi all, after getting such excellent ideas the last time I asked a question here I've decided this is the place to go. I live in the very north of Donegal and have never driven to Dublin but need to drive to the airport in a couple of weeks and everyone says it's easy but I'm nervous. I'm not a nervous driver in general, I consider myself to be a competent, confident, alert driver but it's just because I've never done it before. So I'm wondering what would be the best sat nav to guide me? Any suggestions welcome!

User1998

Put your phone in a holder and use Google Maps

bazz26

Google maps or Waze apps on your phone. Get one of those suction mobile phone holders for your windscreen if your car don't have apple car play or android auto.

Ash40

I'm trying to avoid using my phone. I do have the suction thingy but it doesn't stay up very well so a new, better one of those wouldn't go amiss but does the phone zoom in the closer you get to a junction and tell you which lane to go into? I know it tells you on the road signs but id like a second means also

User1998

It does zoom in and tell you what lane to use

Ash40

Ah perfect, I'll give that a go before hand and that might do the job! Thanks!

kirving

As you haven't done that drive before, I think your biggest enemy will be fatigue.

It's a solid three hour dirve on a good day, and if you're not used to it, you might not feel yourself getting tired. I'm very used to driving across the country and 2.5 - 3 hours is really my limit in a comfortable car before I need to take a break.

Preempt getting tired by planning I'd say 2 stops along the way if you aren't used to it. Get a coffee, or keep a bottle of Coke or Red Bull in the car to give you boost if you need it along the way.

Remember to have a phone charging cable in the car too, 3+ hours of Sat Nav will run it down quickly.

I had this car holder and it's pretty good as it doesn't bounce around too much. https://www.gomibo.ie/accessory-detail/belkin-f8m978bt-universal-car-holder-black

horse7

Garmin are the best sat nav units, you wouldn't have to worry about the signal dropping.

Lewis_Benson

Waze app on a phone is the best option.

Standalone satellite navigation units are a thing of the past.

mfceiling

Also make sure you have the voice guidance turned on.

mgbgt1978

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N8W7IJB/ref%3Dppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have used nothing but these phone holders for years. No suction disc to fall off regularly and doesn't block your view. Used every day and replaced around 4 years when they often start to lose their grip.

Also I use google maps at home and abroad....Car and Bike. Probably the best free navigation app out there. I have tried Waze, and Sygic (Sygic is a paid App, very good for offline use, but Google Maps beats it with it's numerous free features).

Tabnabs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121907992#Comment_121907992

You can download the map onto your phone before leaving if mobile data should be a worry. You won't drop the GPS signal anywhere.

zg3409

Some newer cars have android auto or apple car play. You connect phone to car typically using a usb cable and the Google maps sat nav appears on the car radio. This gives you a bigger screen and is easier to use.

Henry Ford III

I've got built in sat nav in my car, but I find Waze/Google Maps much easier to use using Android Auto.

pgj2015

I use my phone and also a tomtom sav nav that I bought around 2015 for around 120 euro.

The tomtom is better to use but google maps is more up to date and you can find lots of things like businesses that arent available on the tomtom.

you should check the route on google maps and use street view to see what lanes you should be in etc before the trip, this will make things easier for the trip.

ELM327

If you want to buy a standalone satnav I have a fax machine and a quill you could buy if you were also interested?

GPoint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121921671#Comment_121921671

I have old radio and a cassette tape player

GPoint

OP , seriously just use google maps , it is very good at estimating time of arrival.

Also spend some time on the big screen at the computer and look in street view mode in maps at the major junctions and turns where you would need to merge or exit . This helps a lot and you will recognise places when you will be driving .

Safe trip!

amber69

Use Google maps. Leave early and if you go wrong it'll reroute you.

Esel

,,,

Esel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121921689#Comment_121921689

Fax me the details.

Ash40

@kirving I'm well used to driving long distances but just never really down the motorway which I will admit I'm more than a smidge anxious about, but you are right, planning ahead is the way to go 😁

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121921702#Comment_121921702

This is a really good idea as someone also mentioned above, to look at the junctions and lanes on street view before the trip!! Thanks for the advice!! 🙂

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121921575#Comment_121921575

Yes this seems to be the sensible thing to do. I'll sit down a while before I go and go through the route. I'm making a mountain out of a molehill I'm being told lol but it's just the not having driven the route before!

admcfad

Google maps is great.

To become accustomed with Google Maps, use it on a few local trips before the airport trip. You will learn how 'she' gives instructions and directions.

As another poster said make sure you bring a cable for charging.

Best of luck.

pgj2015

Another thing I do is drive slow as you like while trying to get into the correct lane, don't worry about impatient drivers who are used to the road you are on.

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121943490#Comment_121943490

VERY good advice! Thankfully I am blessed with the "not giving a fig" gene especially when it comes to impatient drivers, of which there are plenty here in Donegal. Thank you very much for the advice, it is greatly appreciated!

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121943466#Comment_121943466

Thank you kindly! :)

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121943689#Comment_121943689

No problem. good luck with the trip.

Hey OP, I recently enough made my first trip up to Dublin (only got my full licence in feb) via motorway and I was absolutely **** myself!!

One thing that helped me was definitely using google maps with the audio ON and keeping a good eye on making sure I was in the correct lane. The M50 is absolutely crazy at times but as said above just take your time and feck the impatient lads. There’s overtaking lanes for a reason!

I pretty much stuck to the left lane and only changed to take an exit or continue on as necessary.

I went out to IKEA both trips but on the second one took a spin out to the airport for the sake of getting used to it a bit. Wasn’t bad at all actually!

if you generally avoid the motorway I would suggest you try getting some driving on it locally ahead of the trip though. M50 is VERY busy and I wouldn’t have handled it I don’t think if I didn’t take a few spins on the M11 towards Arklow first just to get the feel for motorway driving.

Esel

Also, don't forget the obvious - the signposts! Keep an eye on them.

Also, make a post-it note of the road numbers you will be using e.g.

R103 - N27 - N31 - N2 - M2 etc

Another post-it in reverse for the trip home.

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121943774#Comment_121943774

I have actually been thinking it might be a good idea to do the trip with a passenger whose used to the motorway before hand if I can get them free for a day! I've been a passenger on the motorway countless times and I do remember it being ridiculously busy. According to maps it'll take me 3hrs 30mins give or take 10 mins depending traffic so the plan is to give myself plenty of time in which to make a total balls of it with the hope that I wont lol. Everyone does keep saying that im worrying over nothing and I'm sure once I've done it I'll realise it was nothing but nonetheless first time driving the motorway is a bit nerve wrecking!

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121944026#Comment_121944026

Brilliant idea! This is on the to do list for tomorrow!

BraveDonut

Waze is very good for live traffic updates as users on the road report what is going on when it is going on

Hibernicis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121901068#Comment_121901068

I had a lot of issues with the suction grip on the phone holder coming loose. Then I cleaned the window (properly) and it's no longer an issue !!

My car has built in Sat Nav and I have a Garmin Sat Nav. Never use either of these, it's always Google Maps.

Ash40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121945303#Comment_121945303

Haha there's every chance that that's what's wrong with mine too! That's really good to know that you choose google maps over those. I've decided to stick with maps on the phone. I know it'll be fine but I'm still looking forward to getting it done!

Ash40

Just wanted to say a quick thank you to all of you (ALMOST all of you lol) for all the advice! I managed to get there safely yesterday and back again 😄

Poulgorm

I can endorse the magnetic holder for the phone - attach the metallic disc to the back of the phone and stick the holder part into the air vent. So much easier to use and it never slips / falls off.