Over the years I've had to direct a number of delivery drivers by phone to my house because their Tom Tom was trying to make them go somewhere else! I've had 'em phoning up saying they're at my front dooor when they are clearly not (me looking outside!). Even when they actually get here the Tom Tom is telling them they are 3 miles from their destination. I live on the A4124, so I'm not 'in the sticks'. But I'm with a lot of the other members on this - I wouldn't want one. A trip to Asda and back once per week since last March doesn't exactly test my navigation skills - stay safe, people!

Hi Folks,

It always makes me smile to hear how people's experiences of something can differ so wildly.  We see a similar thing with Dapol steam locos.

As for TomTom, I am on my second which I bought about five years ago.  It is still going strong and works well for what I want it to do.  Mine has to be updated via their application on my PC whereas my daughter's updates over WIFI.

Despite my own positive experience with TomTom, I do wonder how long their consumer device business will last.  With Google and Apple effectively offering same service for free, where is TomTom USP?

If you add up the coast of a decent SATNAV, camera, music player and tablet then the price of a high end smart phone does not seem quite so excessive.

Kind regards

Paddy

I have a very early Navman which has never had it's maps updated. I still use it, however, mainly for the last bit of the trip to navigate streets of the destination and find the hotel, or whatever.

I agree that a smartphone can do all this and more (I'm typing this on one from my motel at the moment), but the Navman is more convenient when I'm driving.

I don't actually look at the screen, I just listen to the voice directions. It was funny yesterday, driving to Mollymook, when I got on the Berry by-pass which is only a couple of years old. The Navman desperately tried to put me back on the old road, thinking I was out in the middle of a paddock!

As I said, it's the end of the trip that's important to me. The long distances on Aussie roads make the travelling bits largely irrelevant. Another factor is that one way streets, etc don't get changed anywhere near as much here as they do in the UK.

About 15 years ago my late wife gave me her old Nokia when she got a new one, I rarely used it until one day I tried to use it and found that because I had not used it for 6 months I had to pay for a 6 month (or longer) contract; I threw it away and have not had one since, no satnag either. The only use I can think of for a mobile is if I should have a car breakdown far from anywhere, but as I never go far I don't see a need.
I don't have a TV either, A PC and a radio are all I need, the radio only for music for a while at night in bed; I do have a land line but I rarely get any calls that are not scams or other nuisances.

Well 7 years ago when I was working I used a Tom Tom everyday for work. I was collecting and delivering different cars so needed to transfer it from one car to another. I was advised at the time it was the best kit but that was 7 years ago. My last few car's have had satnav built in so no need anymore, I gave my Tom Tom to one of my sons, the software still bothers me to update I just take no notice.

Not a fan of the current TomTom interface but their maps are up to date, and their routing algorithm are better than most, much better than the Ford one in my car.

As for using a smart phone, I have had my smart phone shut down because it got hot in the windscreen mount on a hot day, never had that with the TomTom.

Their speed camera warnings are quite accurate as well.

NGM

Quote from: Paddy on February 09, 2021, 09:39:28 PM

If you add up the coast of a decent SATNAV, camera, music player and tablet then the price of a high end smart phone does not seem quite so excessive.

And everything is in one unit. 

Quote from: dannyboy on February 10, 2021, 08:42:33 AM

Quote from: Paddy on February 09, 2021, 09:39:28 PM

If you add up the coast of a decent SATNAV, camera, music player and tablet then the price of a high end smart phone does not seem quite so excessive.

And everything is in one unit. 

counter point to that is, when the one battery goes flat you lose use of them all...

Easy way round that - carry a small power pack if you are in the habit of not charging the phone up.

Quote from: littlegs on February 09, 2021, 08:05:08 PM
I agree with ntpntpntp. I have a smart phone which I normally use once a day (Currently Furloughed) to phone the wife in the evening whilst at work. So that is 4 times a week.
But I need a Satnav in my truck to navigate around the country so I update it every couple of months
Regards Chris

Sat-navs? Who needs 'em? That's what maps and sign-posts are for. I was a tanker driver for 40 years, never heard of sat-navs and never, ever, got lost.

Quote from: Bealman on February 09, 2021, 10:05:03 PM
I don't actually look at the screen, I just listen to the voice directions. It was funny yesterday, driving to Mollymook, when I got on the Berry by-pass which is only a couple of years old. The Navman desperately tried to put me back on the old road, thinking I was out in the middle of a paddock!

As I said, it's the end of the trip that's important to me. The long distances on Aussie roads make the travelling bits largely irrelevant. Another factor is that one way streets, etc don't get changed anywhere near as much here as they do in the UK.

Funny isn't it, I'm the exact opposite. I don't even know what the voice sounds like on mine, I only ever look at the map, which is handily on the dashboard and very easy to see.

I definitely agree they're generally only useful for the last few miles of a journey, at least until you're off the motorways here. Dunno about one way streets and that though, I've never noticed them changing. Guess it's more common in cities.

my first use of satnags was when I was on the AA, and to be honest I was not impressed.
preferred to use a map.

did not that on several occasions you were unable to enter a destination ..

'destination does not exist'

but after finding it on the map, when you drove down that road, 'you are driving on xxx' appeared at the top of the scream 

also got fed up with being told to do U turns in one way street when I was unlucky enough to end up in Londinium. [best thing about Londinium is the M25, goes right around the  place.]

did give in and buy one a few years ago, not I hasten to add a Tom-Tom, and first thing I did was turn off the  annoying voice.

do update every so often, when it reminds me, mainly to stop it telling me when doing 70 down the motorway that the limit is 40 from roadworks that finally finished years ago.

This thread got me a bit worried, because I haven't used mine since Doncaster exhibition a year ago. When I plugged it into the computer-nothing, 'cannot connect device'.

But thankfully after giving it 30' charging, it has connected and updated.

I have to say that most of the use it gets is travelling to and from model railway exhibition venues (exhibiting James St), and from venue to overnight hotel. Which in one case was about twenty miles away, and another occasion, nearly as far.

Fingers crossed for now, and I'll try and remember to plug it in now and then, even if it doesn't look as if it will get much use in the near future.......

Martyn

I survived doing exhibition runs without a satnav for many years, though my navigator and I would fully expect to large-chicken up at some point over the weekend    I remember after one show we managed to totally miss the junction onto M25 and ended up heading down into darkest Sussex for quite a way.  It was very foggy that evening though 

I think it was a trip to Wembley Arena for a show which finally prompted me to invest in the satnag.   

Time for a repeat of this, methinks..............................

I have a little Satnav,
It sits there in my car
A Satnav is a driver's friend,
it tells you where you are.
I have a little Satnav,
I've had it all my life
It's better than the normal ones,
My Satnav is my wife.
It gives me full instructions,
Especially how to drive
"Its sixty miles an hour", it says,
"You're doing sixty five".
It tells me when to stop and start,
And when to use the brake
And tells me that it's never ever,
Safe to overtake.
It tells me when a light is red,
And when it goes to green
It seems to know instinctively,
Just when to intervene.
It lists the vehicles just in front,
And all those to the rear
And taking this into account,
It specifies my gear.
I'm sure no other driver,
Has so helpful a device
For when we leave and lock the car,
It still gives its advice.
It fills me up with counselling,
Each journey's pretty fraught
So why don't I exchange it,
And get a quieter sort?
Ah well, you see, it cleans the house,
Makes sure I'm properly fed
It washes all my shirts and things,
And keeps me warm in bed!
Despite all these advantages,
And my tendency to scoff,
I only wish that now and then,
I could turn the b***** off.