Sat nav two

[bazooka]

Is it really that important to upgrade maps every year? how many of us are still using a two three or more year old atlas without to many problems!

Baz

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi No it isnt, but be prepared to "interpret" the directions or you may find youself trying to drive "cross country" where a road has be altered or no longer exists. Dont forget that whatever device you have, the mapping detail is never absolutely current.

 

tonyg3nwl

[Big Momma]

How often do update the software on your PC ? Can you still manage to use it if you don't ?

 

A Sat Nav is like your PC, yes it will still operate without regular mapping updates and you adapt to knowing that pehaps there are changes that you may decide to live without.

 

A Sat Nav is purely a modern 'aid' to navigation but not a substitute for the drivers responsibility to ensure that they navigate safely when driving e.g. watching the road and any changes to them e.g. a new road layout or roundabout, signage etc. Personally, before I travel on unfamiliar routes I check, using other mediums, my intended route and still carry 'paper' based road maps when travelling in UK and Europe.

 

 

[ips]

No cos probably out of date as soon as you update. Sat navs are only any good if you have absolutely no idea were you are or how to get to where you want to go. If you have any clue as to the above then you will find that there route is probably not the best. I have used sat nav for business for about 4 years and in the MH for the last 12 months and IMO there best use is inner citys .... unless its manchester as I have found them to be very very slow probably due to tall buildings etc. Very usefull on occasions but I dont rely on them. Tom tom want about £35 to upload recent maps, I can buy a new RAC model for £49 :-S

[EJB]

With common sense, very rare nowadays, I update or replace every 3 to 4 years. :-D

[Paul-]

I've just ordered a new sat nav tonight, my old one was seriously out of date, especially with lane guidance on motorways.

It throws a wobbly on the A1 now they've removed the roundabouts, & if I'd followed it on the M8 I'd have ended up on the Waverley (lol)

 

with the new one, I'll replace the maps in couple of years (maybe). it has live traffic updates so I think their advice shouldn't be out date for quite a while.

 

ps

I bought a sat nav couple of weeks ago from Halfords which had a problem, they asked me to check out the manufactures website for help, when I did as they requested I found out, that by buying direct I would save £21.

 

I got my money back & I've ordered direct ;-)

[fjmike]

Keeping satnav maps up to date is a must. Whilst I agree with others that satnavs are not the be all and end all of finding your way, the one thing they excel at (when up to date) is the local stuff at the beginning or end of your journey. I'm talking about the sort of detail that isn't on printed maps, a good example is in my local area. To find either West Country Motorhomes or Brownhills in Swindon was very straight forward - north on the A419 from M4, second roundabout turn right. About a year ago a bypass was built and the nightmare of a junction put in place, making it very difficult to find if your maps are out of date. If you have an up to date map , then no problems. I suppose you could look it up on Google maps, only to be confused when you zoom in and then switch to Satellite view. Which clearly shows the old roundabout but has green and yellow lines (depicting the new roads) overlaid.

 

[Brian Kirby]

bazooka - 2010-12-14 7:31 PM Is it really that important to upgrade maps every year? how many of us are still using a two three or more year old atlas without to many problems! Baz

Of course it is not.  It is not really important to use up to date maps of any kind, printed or electronic.  However, up to date maps make navigating with accuracy easier, and a sat nav is a mere machine, that navigates based on the information its maps give it.  The importance of accurate navigation can only be defined by your attitude to impromptu diversions.  If you enjoy these, use out of date maps.  If they annoy you, get the most up to date maps possible, but don't believe that even the most up to date maps will be totally up to date, because road modifications go on all the time.  Maps are always a depiction of the roads at the time the information was recorded, it must then be "mapped" and printed or electronically distributed.  In the time that takes, something, somewhere, will have changed.  Back to Clint Eastwood, are you feeling lucky?  :-)

[Alan D]

As Paul has pointed out, there are two prices at Halfords for the same article. I have just purchased a new Garmin and if you walk in you pay the shelf price. If you order it online and then walk in you pay less for the same goods. With a satnav this can be considerable ,so its something to watch out for.

Alan

[ips]

Alan D - 2010-12-16 8:17 AM

 

As Paul has pointed out, there are two prices at Halfords for the same article. I have just purchased a new Garmin and if you walk in you pay the shelf price. If you order it online and then walk in you pay less for the same goods. With a satnav this can be considerable ,so its something to watch out for.

Alan

 

 

Yes its a stupid system. I have been caught out with this in the past when buying a ladder rack for a previous car, they wouldnt match the online cost even though I was stood at the counter waving a wad of dosh so I went out side and smoked a cigar whilst reserving online on my moby then back inside for a £10 saving or whatever it was, absolutely stupid in my opinion.

[scramblers]

ips - 2010-12-16 12:05 PM

 

Alan D - 2010-12-16 8:17 AM

 

As Paul has pointed out, there are two prices at Halfords for the same article. I have just purchased a new Garmin and if you walk in you pay the shelf price. If you order it online and then walk in you pay less for the same goods. With a satnav this can be considerable ,so its something to watch out for.

Alan

 

 

Yes its a stupid system. I have been caught out with this in the past when buying a ladder rack for a previous car, they wouldnt match the online cost even though I was stood at the counter waving a wad of dosh so I went out side and smoked a cigar whilst reserving online on my moby then back inside for a £10 saving or whatever it was, absolutely stupid in my opinion.

 

Halfords are not the only business guilty of this stupidity. In San Francisco recently I checked the online cost of rooms at a well known chain of hotels and was quoted $99 a night. On arrival I was informed that was the internet price, the 'at the desk' price was $149. Less than 10 feet from the desk was a computer for use by the guests, 2 minutes later I had booked in for 3 nights at $99 a night - effectively a 3 for 2 discount. Even the desk clerk felt embarassed at such a perverse way of doing business.

 

As for regular map updating - I have a Garmin SatNav with Lifetime updates at an additional cost of £75. Well worth the additional expense not only for the latest maps but for the hugh increase in POIs since the last update. In the latest update the number of campsites across the UK and Europe have increased greatly. I know that you can download POIs from many websites but this saves me the time and effort.

[ips]

:-D

Thats more stupid than my halfords scenario. :-S