Sundowner Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi everybody, The above is available for £139.99 from Argos. I would be grateful for any advice about this product before spending any more of my pension on new toys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChrisB Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I bought this make/model from Halfords (I know - but they had a good offer with lifteime map updates and traffic info). As a long-term TomTom user I found the transition to Garmin a little difficult to begin with (e.g. importing POIs) but now am generally very pleased with this satnav. Seems over-optimistic with journey times (seems to assume you drive at the limits and there will be no delays), but I suspect this is a garmin trait (TomTom seemed reasonably accurate in this respect). Also miss the TomTom "Home" user interface with its device control - updating the Garmin seems a bit less intuitive - but it may be my inexperience. At less than £140 (if it's the European version) a good buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 LMT = lifetime maps and traffic. So that is good. Be careful to check what mapping is pre-installed. I think the one you're looking at is Western Europe? Look carefully at the box before you buy and - if your eyesight is less sharp than a 6 year old's - take a magnifying glass, because the explanations are in about 4pt type! The lifetime updates give you up to 4 mapping updates per year, but the updating process is time consuming. Personally, I update only once or twice because of this. Alternative models are available with full European mapping. This includes Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Roumania, Bulgaria, Belarus, Ukraine, and Turkey. These models cost only around £10-20 more, so it is by far the cheapest way to get these eastern European countries if you are likely to go that way. It is possible to install the full European map set in lieu of western Europe, but the maps cost £75 and the lifetime updates is not transferable. To add full European mapping with lifetime updates as an afterthought would cost £150. £75 for the maps, and another £75 for the lifetime updates. So, it definitely pays to get the mapping scope right before you buy. As an example of an alternative, have a look on Amazon for a 2495 LMT. These come with full European mapping plus lifetime maps and traffic. I recently got one from them at about £150. Haven't used it in anger yet, but seems OK so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChrisB Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Whoops! Just realised my Garmin is a 1490LMT (with a larger screen than the 1390, bluetooth etc) with full European mapping. I paid around £140 last November, and they seem to still be around this price on Amazon (for the LMT and full European mapping version). Don't know what "extras" Brian got with his 2495 - you can no doubt find out on the Garmin Website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest machra Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I recently upgraded from a Nuvi 340 to a 1490LMT. I also bought mine from Halfords. My old Garmin came with a DVD with the maps and software. The 1490 came with the maps installed and no such DVD. As Brian says it took AGES to download the map updates at first. You also get an option to download the maps to your laptop, which I chose, but I did have problems with this until I disabled the laptop firewall while downloading the file from Garmin. As is the norm I like certain aspects of my old unit better than the new one however overall I am very satisfied with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundowner Posted April 14, 2012 Author Share Posted April 14, 2012 Thanks guys (Brian in particular - concise and detailed as usual). I'm going to give it a go, having had a basic Garmin 250 for several years, and couldn't fault it. I didn't bother to update the mapping, and came unstuck on the (then new) Venice by-pass. The sat nav showed us driving through the fields. I still have not updated it, but will have to get a grip and tackle the updates with the 1390!! Once again, many thanks for the advice, I'll let you know how I get on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest machra Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 If you need any advice with downloads please PM me, I am only too happy to assist where possible. I would look at 1490 if it ahs a larger screen than 1390. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundowner Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 Thanks again for the advice on the 1390. I should probably gone for the 1490, but the 1390 is just that much smaller to fit in my pocket, when away from the van. It also "does what it says on the box", and is performing very well so far . I took your advice Brian, and studied the very small script on the box, and apart from two small countries it seems to cover most of Eastern Europe, just in case we are feeling i bit more adventurous some day! I did enter a couple of trial routes into Bulgaria etc. and all appears to be within it's capabilities. Thanks machra, for the offer of advice, I think we managed to donload the updates ok, but not 100% certain. We left the computer buzzing away while we went for lunch, and it had finished on our return, but gave no indication of results! We now have a new computer so I may try again, just to confirm things. If it all goes pear-shaped i might take you up on your kind offer, rgds. to you all, Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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