Which Sat Nav

Author
Discussion

BIG DUNC

Original Poster:

1,918 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th April 2019
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My elderly Tom Tom is fast reaching the end of its life. I will nurse it along as long as I can, but I fear that we are close to the end.

The question is, what should I buy to replace it? I am not keen on using my phone. Normally I choose the smallest possible phone so it will go into a pocket easily and I do like a large sat nav screen.

Apart from a large screen, the most important feature for me is accurate live traffic data and appropriate re-routing. I would also like something where I can buy a one off package for life time map and safety camera updates. I need European maps, but probably don't need world wide.

Given the above, what is the best model on the market?

BIG DUNC

Original Poster:

1,918 posts

230 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
quotequote all
So, all the feed back I get is that in this day and age it is better to use a phone than buy a satnav.

If I go down this route, what is the best Ap?

I know a lot of people use Waze?

Presumably it automatically re-routes for traffic?

I know it does speed cameras. In average speed zones does it tell you what your actual average speed since entering the zone is? I really like that feature on the Tom Tom.

Is there anything else I should consider apart from Waze?

Scrump

22,940 posts

165 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
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I still have a garmin with lifetime maps and traffic which I keep in my car without decent built in Satnav. I use this on long journeys as I too prefer it to using my phone.

I do sometimes use waze and google maps and find their ability to route round traffic far superior to the garmin. I haven’t seen that much difference between waze and google maps but don’t use them that often.

BIG DUNC

Original Poster:

1,918 posts

230 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
quotequote all
Thanks. My Tom Tom has lifetime maps and cameras, but the battery has died, so sometimes it takes ages to boot up.

littleredrooster

5,704 posts

203 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
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My job is driving - I did ~62,000 miles last year (part time!) and have ditched my Garmin, my TomTom and Google maps and now only ever use Waze; it is better than everything else put together IMO.

Cameras, mobile police, incidents, traffic jams are all input to Waze by users in real-time so are uncannily accurate. Re-routing is done intelligently and quickly. It saves me many hours every week and I am now an enthusiastic contributor to the data.

anonymous-user

61 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
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If you like a big screen, you could run waze on a big tablet (one with gps would make it easiest)

anonymous-user

61 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
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Scrump said:
I still have a garmin with lifetime maps and traffic which I keep in my car without decent built in Satnav. I use this on long journeys as I too prefer it to using my phone.

I do sometimes use waze and google maps and find their ability to route round traffic far superior to the garmin. I haven’t seen that much difference between waze and google maps but don’t use them that often.
Exactly the same for me.

steve2

1,797 posts

225 months

Saturday 26th October 2019
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I recently bought a TomTom premium x as my old Tom Tom was failing and could not be updated.
As I was doing an 8 day European trip it was a worthwhile investment and it was brilliant at taking me through Switzerland onto Milan and then Paris.
It has real time traffic, camera spots, danger zones and Bluetooth.
I do use Waze here but prefer the Tom Tom.

BIG DUNC

Original Poster:

1,918 posts

230 months

Monday 28th October 2019
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Thanks all for the useful replies.

I think I should at least download it and give it a go.

Can you save favourite destinations easily?

archie456

439 posts

229 months

Monday 28th October 2019
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It doesn't answer your question, but it's quite easy to replace the battery in a Tom Tom, just a quick soldering job.

BIG DUNC

Original Poster:

1,918 posts

230 months

Monday 28th October 2019
quotequote all
That is useful info as well.

Is it easy to obtain the required battery?

DaveH23

3,292 posts

177 months

Monday 28th October 2019
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Google maps.

Can't fault it. It get's me all over the country and never had any problems.

You also have the added benefit of clicking a particular building/business you want to get too not just the postcode so you arrive at the door not just somewhere on the street.

Edited by DaveH23 on Monday 28th October 12:21

archie456

439 posts

229 months

Monday 28th October 2019
quotequote all
BIG DUNC said:
That is useful info as well.

Is it easy to obtain the required battery?
Yes, I think I got mine from ebay, but they were pretty easy to come by.

Taff107

567 posts

156 months

Tuesday 29th October 2019
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I prefer to use Waze on my phone now but if you still prefer the satnav, batteries for them are cheap (less than £10) and easy to change. I did it to mine a few years back and it didn't even require any soldering - just plugs straight in

Just search 'Tomtom battery' on e bay

e.g.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BATTERY-FOR-TOM-TOM-GO-...

BIG DUNC

Original Poster:

1,918 posts

230 months

Tuesday 29th October 2019
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies.

I have down loaded Waze, but will also look into fitting a new battery.

archie456

439 posts

229 months

Tuesday 29th October 2019
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Taff107 said:
I prefer to use Waze on my phone now but if you still prefer the satnav, batteries for them are cheap (less than £10) and easy to change. I did it to mine a few years back and it didn't even require any soldering - just plugs straight in

Just search 'Tomtom battery' on e bay

e.g.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BATTERY-FOR-TOM-TOM-GO-...
There you go OP, even easier than I remembered.

Apologies for saying soldering, I did change mine so my memory is clearly not what it used to be. Likely confusing it with a battery change in something else.

john7

269 posts

223 months

Tuesday 29th October 2019
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Dohhhh, help me here .......
Does using Waze or Google use your phones data or do they work off the phones GPS?

anonymous-user

61 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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john7 said:
Dohhhh, help me here .......
Does using Waze or Google use your phones data or do they work off the phones GPS?
https://www.4hundredwaze.org/how-much-data-does-waze-realistically-use/

You are welcome smile

john7

269 posts

223 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Gary, most helpful, thanks.

smashy

3,079 posts

165 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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waze is good until you get to an area where there is no mobile connection........my Tom Tom 6200 is really good at spotting traffic problems