have you changed your satnav

[KeithR]

looking to change my 10 y.o. garmin, which has given good service apart from the occasional bad road options (which I believe is common to all brands). my main issue is the problem ive had of downloading new maps and having to use SD cards. looking at the 2599LMT-D model, with full euro maps and digital traffic, does it have enough internal memory to load all Europe mapping AND give me a route from calais to malaga or Vienna? or, it does have a slot for an SD card, if I put in an empty one, would it automatically pick this up and add it to the available memory? ive asked garmin what models they have that will hold all mapping and route, but helpful as they sometimes are, they just don't give me an answer.

for those who have changed from garmin to tomtom , or vice-versa, which do you prefer??

anyone tried the garmin satnav/webcam?? 8-) 8-)

[bobalobs]

Took advantage of Black Friday reductions and changed our 8 year old Garmin for a Garmin nuvi 2599 lmt-d on offer at £99.99 on Amazon rather than £179.99 rrp. This includes lifetime maps which our earlier machine did not have and updates were very expensive being about £70 if I remember correctly.

Early days with the new satnav. Reviews suggest that there will be sufficient memory for some time but I have fitted an SD card from the outset having been caught out on our old machine at the first map update.

Downloaded the manual and it looks as though the basic functions are the same but the traffic alerts are incorporated in the machine rather than an extra lead. Has functions that I will probably not use such as voice command and Bluetooth and some of these can only be used if you have a smartphone.

Very happy so far but ask me again after our first long trip!

 

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[KeithR]

sounds promising! sailing on 27th so got tto make up my mind quickly!! l

[audiseller]

Just bought the new CC Garmin unit but haven't used it yet as not traveling until January. It can be programmed for size & route preferences and has all the CC club sites as well as ACSI. I have various satnavs but all are Garmin and I find them pretty user friendly and reliable. The worst I have ever had was the dashboard unit fitted by Autotrail. That was thrown and replaced with a Kenwood unit that uses Garmin software.

[colin]

Just be aware that 'lifetime support' of maps does not mean until the devise packs up, it means until they decide to stop supporting that model. If it's an older model this might only be a year or two (as someone I know found out), but if it's a newer model hopefully it's a few more years.

[bobalobs]

With our old Garmin we were still receiving notice of new maps being available at a price six years after the original purchase.It looks as though the 2599lmt-d has been out for about a year so with any luck the "lifetime guarantee" will have some value.

[Deneb]

I've recently bought a Garmin 2599 LMT-D as well, after my old Nuvi 360T finally died.

 

I have to say that so far I'm very happy with it. The screen is much clearer and easier to read than the old unit. It will take the entire current European map in internal memory, but from previous experience of the way map updates increase in size I wouldn't count on that always being the case, as it's very close to capacity already.

 

The good news though is that it can take up to a 32GB micro SD card and again, unlike my old Nuvi, it handles the presence of an SD card almost seamlessly, without all the faffing about that was necessary on the older version.

 

All updates including the mapping are now handled via Garmin Express, which again works much better than the older software. Garmin Express will also facilitate copying your favourite locations from the old satnav to the new one if you wish.

 

Traffic reception is managed through the power lead and seems to work much more reliably than the old FM traffic that I had before, and which required a separate aerial lead to be plugged into the USB port.

[yoko8pups]

colin - 2015-12-14 1:54 PM

 

Just be aware that 'lifetime support' of maps does not mean until the devise packs up, it means until they decide to stop supporting that model. If it's an older model this might only be a year or two (as someone I know found out), but if it's a newer model hopefully it's a few more years.

 

Thathappened to me and the device was4 years old. A very short lifetime, maybe they chose that offer on ones they know they are going to discontinue?

[Bulletguy]

KeithR - 2015-12-14 6:38 AM

 

looking at the 2599LMT-D model, with full euro maps and digital traffic...

 

I was looking to buy the 2599 until i spotted Aldi flogging the Camper 760LMT-D earlier this year at £199 and at that price it was just too good to miss. It's the first Garmin i've had and being used to TT it did take a bit of getting used to as they do operate quite differently. The display is superb as is the info but the main reason i bought it was because TT won't 'read' co-ords in certain countries and Garmin will.

 

It's a cracking model and comes preloaded with all ACSI sites in and even locates tiny private independents, eg when in Scotland mine found a farm with hardstanding and EHU for five mh's in the middle of nowhere! Audio is also excellent.

 

I doubt Aldi will have any left now as they dropped the price even further down to £150 making it an absolute give away, but i'd certainly recommend the model.

[Brian Kirby]

KeithR - 2015-12-14 6:38 AM looking to change my 10 y.o. garmin, which has given good service apart from the occasional bad road options (which I believe is common to all brands). my main issue is the problem ive had of downloading new maps and having to use SD cards. looking at the 2599LMT-D model, with full euro maps and digital traffic, does it have enough internal memory to load all Europe mapping

New from the box it will have sufficient resident memory for the installed maps. However, each map update tends to be a larger file than the previous so, after time, it will probably need an SD (probably micro) to extend its memory. Mine has an SD and, as stated above, it is treated exactly as resident memory, with the updates simply "spanning" resident and SD memory seamlessly. Updates remain a lengthy process, but it is generally without problems.

 

AND give me a route from calais to malaga or Vienna?

From experience, I would not try to load a single Calais to Malaga (or Vienna) route. The amount of data the machine has to hold in memory and process for such long routes is huge, and you may suffer "out of memory" messages and/or freezes as a result. My 2495 works best when fed the routes in day sized chunks, rather than in one big gobbet. So, for best results on the road, IMO, divide your route to run from night halt to night halt. Of course, if just travelling on motorway, it may well cope but, if avoiding motorways, because there are so many potential routes to analyse, it is better to keep to shorter chunks.

 

or, it does have a slot for an SD card, if I put in an empty one, would it automatically pick this up and add it to the available memory? ....................

Yes.

[Tracker]

The longer the route that you input in one go the longer it takes to re-route if or when you go wrong - or change your mind en route - which is usually at the very time you need a quick re-route.

 

I can't speak for Garmin but with TomTom the longer the route input the more likely it is to take you on what it sees as shorter routes between towns which although they may be technically shorter thay can involve some very 'interesting' roads that you might rather avoid when on a long haul!

[KeithR]

tried to reply earlier, but it seems to have got lost!

many thanks for everyones input

as I expected, lots of info from those with knowledge and those with experience.

I guess sticking with what I know (garmin) is the best idea.

bulletguy - I will have a look at the camper model. might get a christmas price!!

tracker - I think you've explained why I sometimes get some awful routes!

brian - I'm pleased that the sd card works seamlessly, I guess I will have to resign myself to never enough memory!

again, thanks

[Tracker]

KeithR - 2015-12-15 8:32 PM

I guess I will have to resign myself to never enough memory!

 

I just wish they did SD cards for old farts as I too never seem to have enough memory!

 

I've only ever used TomTom and as they have all come with all the maps I will ever need there is never any issue with a lack of memory or any other sort of complication!

 

At the end of each day's travel, and assuming we have a destination in mind, I just enter all the towns we intend passing or going through into the saty nav then call up the first one when we start and update it with the next when we are a few km from the first and so on. That way we stay on main roads generally between towns/villages and have the option to enter a town or by pass it as the fancy or whim takes us.

[KeithR]

tried something similar, but like to plot the whole route as we once spent a day following the Belgian border from calais! they were the days before my better half understood the need for a map as well as a satnav!

and there was no way I could tell her that the towns we were heading to weren't to our south!! not without my wearing the satnav for the rest of the day!!! (but I do tend to be rather blunt )

[Bulletguy]

 

Keith

 

Google around on the Camper 760LMT-D as prices are literally all over the place....anything from £218 up to as high as £350 which is ridiculous. So spend some time searching Google first. As i'd always had TT before i thought i'd find the Garmin difficult but once you've got used to the quirky co-ord inputs Garmin use, it's easy. As you already have a Garmin it will be 'ABC' for you.

[KeithR]

does the camper bit really work?? does it solve the dodgy road problem? £218 sounds aa bargain if it does.

[Bulletguy]

KeithR - 2015-12-16 4:06 PM

 

does the camper bit really work?? does it solve the dodgy road problem? £218 sounds aa bargain if it does.

 

I've only had chance to test it out in Scotland as yet but was well pleased with the results. Screen display is excellent, simple to view at a glance and the audio is far superior to my TT....possibly due to a larger speaker. You can also couple it to a reversing camera. It comes pre-loaded with all ACSI and MHF listed campsites plus Camp & Caravan sites. It was under the latter category one tiny little private independent popped up on screen when i was 'playing around' with it whilst parked up. It showed a farm just a few miles away with parking for five motorhomes.

 

Not quite sure what you mean by 'dodgy road problems' but i have read on some sites where people found the 'traffic' facility tended to forewarn far too early. It's not something which would bother me too much as i tend to go with the flow and work things out for myself. Whenever i've come up against a blocked road or whatever i just backtrack and drive in the direction i know i need to be and let the gps re-route.

 

This is the link where i found the cheapest price though i only spent a few minutes Googling; http://www.expeditelectronics.com/garmin-camper-760lmt-d-eu-7-inch-satellite-navigation-for-caravans-and-motorhomes.html?awc=6348_1450285584_f9949de94187d5bf943fda9406b8e1d7&source=aw

[gmmas]

 

 

I no longer use a dedicated satnav and instead use a satnav app on my tablet.

The tablet is a Samsung Android which has a built in gps chip (most tablets and phones have one) and the app I use is Sygic.

You can download the complete working app for free and try it out for a week with everything working. After the first seven days you can keep the maps and it will continue to work out routes for you but you will need to upgrade to "Premium" to get spoken directions, lane guidance, speed warnings etc.

The Premium upgrade for Western Europe costs £16.49. Either way the maps will be updated every three months.They have a special caravan edition for £99

 

Details are here http://www.sygic.com/gps-navigation/premium

 

I have found the app as easy to use and as reliable as my old Tomtom. Map downloading, updating and storage is easier and quicker. The tablet 9 inch touch screen is much easier to adjust and to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KeithR]

we do prefer using our (Samsung) phone for UK satnav, but never considered the possibility of being able to use it in Europe, on grounds of both access and cost. perhaps we should look at this, although it wouldn't give the camper option. it would certainly solve the perpetual problem of memory!!!

[gmmas]

 

"but never considered the possibility of being able to use it in Europe, on grounds of both access and cost"

 

I may have not made it clear but after you have downloaded the free maps and paid your £16.49 there are no more costs or any need to access anything!

 

The maps are in the tablet/phone memory and the tablet gps chip knows where you are just like a normal satnav

 

Wherever you are either in the UK or Europe you do not need to access any telephone connection or wifi network .

 

The maps will update themselves in automatically when the tablet/phone is connected to your wifi network when you get back home if needed.

 

I suspect that you may be using Google maps or something similar which does need a telephone connection

to download new maps as you move around which would have cost and access issues outside the UK.

 

 

 

[Robbo]

Like gmmas, I use an app called CoPilot Premium £23, on a Hudl 2 android tablet, 8 inch screen.

 

It works just like a normal satnav and we've used it all over Europe with great success.

 

It links seemlessly with the Acsi app. A useful feature is the facility to drag a route to your preferred route.

 

You can try it for free but you get more features when you purchase the paid-for version.

 

Apologies for going a bit off topic re Garmin versus TT satnavs but this alternative works well for me.

[KeithR]

you did make it clear, I just didn't read it right!

yes it is google maps I use, on an EE phone on 4G extra, that gives me euro use on my contract, but not data which I guesss maps comes under???

if for £16 and a bit, I can get euro mapping then I must surely try it, :-D B-)

[KeithR]

you did make it clear, I just didn't read it right!

yes it is google maps I use, on an EE phone on 4G extra, that gives me euro use on my contract, but not data which I guesss maps comes under???

if for £16 and a bit, I can get euro mapping then I must surely try it, :-D B-)

[david lloyd]

I have used TomTom mapping for a number of years but changed to a Garmin Nuvi when they were relatively new - about 2005/6 I think - but it went horribly wrong. There were several problems including it 'lagging' behind when giving directions which meant I was on top of or past the turning when the directions were given and, whilst attempting to divert around a low bridge in Germany, it took me around the nearest village then back onto the road where the low bridge was. Fortunately, as it was the very first time in use, the company I bought it from exchanged it for my present TomTom Go 720 which has proved almost faultless. It does have an SD card slot which my European maps are on but works seamlessly with the internal memory. Lifetime maps were not included at the time but I never felt the need to update for a long while. Last year I was offered one years updates (4 in total) for something like £30 which I took advantage of. It has blue tooth and acts as a hands free phone and can be used for pedestrian navigation around town. The only problem I have had is that the battery ran down and wouldn't hold its charge. This was not so much of a concern as it is always plugged in whilst in use. However, I looked on the TomTom website which advised performing a soft reset (after first backing up the device) which does seem to have improved the battery state. Finally, I do like the TomTom Home software for backing up, downloading new maps or POI's etc.

 

Had been thinking of changing this year and it would have been to a new TomTom but will keep this a little longer now.

 

Just as an aside, I have also used a mounting bracket from Brodit in my Motorhome. They are a little expensive compared to the normal windscreen mounts but, I feel, far more robust and there are usually several options on where to mount them. I got mine from dsldevelopments on the web - they have a facility to input your vehicle type and device type and it will show the various options. You do need two parts, the vehicle mount and the bit that attaches to the device itself.

 

David

[KeithR]

thanks for that david, I'm surprised no other TT owners have commented! seems that both TT and garrmin are a matter of personal choice, and both having plus and minus points. the choice has opened up from the 2599 that i was going to get at a good price, so now I think ill update the maps on my nuvi 360 and have another think!!!! thanks everyone. if you dont hear from me again ive probably made the wrong choice and am lost *-) *-)