I've just taken a driving job, and need a SatNav. I currently have a TomTom, which I've had for about 5 years. Does what I need without a problem. Trouble is, I like gadgets and would like one that gets traffic updates.

I'm looking to spend around £100, maybe a little more (ideally from Tesco so I can get discount!).

Anyone have any recommendations on which one to get?

I would like one with a large screen. I do like the look of some Garmins. Are they any good?

Which tomtom do you have at the moment? Mine is old but ive found you can buy the aerial off eBay quite cheaply to get traffic updates straight to the tomtom the only probablem for me is the aerial takes the place of the iPod input

AndyRKett said:

Which tomtom do you have at the moment? Mine is old but ive found you can buy the aerial off eBay quite cheaply to get traffic updates straight to the tomtom the only probablem for me is the aerial takes the place of the iPod input

Click to expand...

No idea. Its fairly old (5 years) and was only cheap (around £90), so I guess only a basic one.

I'm fairly sure I'm going to get a Garmin...using them at work at the moment, and it just seems better than TomTom I've found.

Kier said:

No idea. Its fairly old (5 years) and was only cheap (around £90), so I guess only a basic one.

I'm fairly sure I'm going to get a Garmin...using them at work at the moment, and it just seems better than TomTom I've found.

Click to expand...

The traffic updates on the 'new' Tom Tom models are excellent. The B&Me Tom Tom Live 2 which is sold as a package on the New Panda and as an aftermarket is very impressive although it is clunky. It's based on the GO LIVE 1000 model (seen a few cheap 'UK & Ireland' on ebay). The 5 inch version is called the GO LIVE 1005. You have to pay for traffic updates once a year (around 50 notes plus the map updates) and are reputed to be more up-to-date that the Garmins (traffic updates on these I think are free). If you do a google search on the best sat navs it comes up as a top choice although the new thinner Garmins are very nice. If accurate Traffic updates are not crucial then I'd probably opt for the Garmin.

I've had a Tom Tom Live (forget exactly which model). It works better than I expected it to and it is about £45 to renew the live function each year. Only recently I discovered it works with a sim card so uses the phone network to monitor speeds of other Tom Tom Live people near you and spot traffic jams. It then automatically suggests other routes with the time you'll save to switch you around jams.

It has a Google search (using the sim card) so you can find local pubs and restaurants easily. It has a cheapest fuel update thing so you can tell it you want to stop for the cheapest petrol enroute, with or without turning off the roads you are on. It also builds routes on different criteria so when I go out in my old classic car I ask it to get me there "avoiding motorways" or even "shortest route" which gets you zig zagging around very pretty county lanes although this does take more time.

All in all, very pleased with Tom Tom Live.

Something else to consider....

Tomtom currently offer an iPhone app, and are planning on releasing an Android app some time in October.

Fancy using an iPad for a SatNav?

Any more thoughts on this subject?
My TT XL has just died. Plugged it into my PC and got a message saying I had to download the latest version of 'home'. did this & the unit started playing up - I can't even format it to reload an old backup I made.
I found a few similar stories on the web - but TT say it's not their software causing the problem - so a complete coincidence then?

I've since used a few apps on my smartphone - but I don't find them as good as a dedicated satnav.
Also I sometimes find I'm trying to get my directions and I'm in a ded zone for phones! - and I find waaaay too many of these 'dead' zones in the countryside. It's OK if you're en route as the route/map is already plotted but a real PITA otherwise.
I'm currently using WAZE - it's OK, but not too sure about it's navigating accuracy, and the problem spots seem to randomly appear - I can drive along a road doing 30mph, pick up a passenger, turn around & go back along the same road at 30mph & find that the road is now flagged as heavy/standstill/very slow traffic !

sludgeguts said:

Any more thoughts on this subject...?

I've since used a few apps on my smartphone - but I don't find them as good as a dedicated satnav.

Also I sometimes find I'm trying to get my directions and I'm in a ded zone for phones! - and I find waaaay too many of these 'dead' zones in the countryside. It's OK if you're en route as the route/map is already plotted but a real PITA otherwise.

I'm currently using WAZE...

Click to expand...

I must admit that I've given up on Waze: it seems -- as you say -- very inconsistent (and a bit clunky...).

I currently use CoPilot, on my iPhone (having used it for years on an HTC Windows 6 phone; and, before that, on a Gizmondo...). Have never had any problems with it: as all maps are loaded on your device; and the only time GPS can cut out (which is hasn't done for ages...) is between very tall buildings and in tunnels -- and it now, I believe, compensates for this: using average speed, etc..... Maybe I've got used to it: but I now find Garmins and TomToms a little unintuitive; and CoPilot certainly doesn't lack any of the functionality that I need....

[I live in the middle of nowhere... -- and I know what you mean by losing maps, when there's no phone signal. This is why something like CoPilot (with all the maps on your device) is a lot better than ones that download as you go....]

I still use WAZE and love it ....

In fact, I now don't use my dedicated GARMIN anymore.

Stu DemonD said:

I still use WAZE and love it ....

Click to expand...

I think the problem I have with it is that, most of the time, I'm driving on sparsely-populated country roads: and, therefore, there doesn't seem to be a lot of info from other users, etc.....

On a recent trip up the M6, to see my folks, I have to say that it was very useful, however... -- just not, I feel, for daily use.... (BTW: the traffic info on CoPilot is usually pretty good....)

Yesterday I had to take some people to Harefield hospital.
Having been there before, I knew where I was going - but generally like to use satnav to warn of turnings ahead etc.

My normal route - Stoke Mandeville to Harefield = 22miles, about 45 mins dependant on traffic. Wendover, Amersham, Chalfont st Peter...
Waze, on the other hand, wanted to take me across country first to pick up the A41, M25 = 30 miles - only 16 miles difference on the whole journey
Oh yes, and it started out by telling me it was 21 miles away - so I figured, OK, let's go with that but after calculating the route and pressing 'go', it jumped to 30 miles.