Sat NaV GPS

[cram_it_frog]

Well the prices are dropping and more affordable so who has got one ?

What is better in car or portable and do each car maker have a different type

I just bought a Go cruse for the trips to Adelaide and other trips out of town

I paid $40 for this one from ebay a refurbished one as we do not need one all the time so this will do

But we are planning a new car some time soon so will getting a inbuilt one bring more value at resale ?

Thanks for your replys

[olfella]

I am disappointed with my inbuilt one because the lack of updates. The last being two years ago. I wrote to Ford asking if thy are still continuing to support it but no reply so I quess the answer is no. If you do get an inbuilt one just make sure you can get updates without going through the manufacturer.

[msman]

adding to olfella check price of update to inbuilt units as well.
I have a pajero and to purchase update from mitsubishi it is $300+, uses whereis maps but some coding issue so cannot purchase from whereis direct.
have found a way around it.

even the guy at the counter said too exxy when i asked about update while getting a service done.

[kelly011]

I have a Garmin 3597, I have had TomTom (3) & navman (3). The Garmin is the best by a long shot, the tomtoms were unreliable (locking up/stopping) and the navman just as bad. No problems with the Garmin !!

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by kelly011

I have a Garmin 3597, I have had TomTom (3) & navman (3). The Garmin is the best by a long shot, the tomtoms were unreliable (locking up/stopping) and the navman just as bad. No problems with the Garmin !!

I don't like how the Tom Tom sells their updates in a batch of 4 for something like $75-80.... Especially when the unit cost $90 new.

If they sold a single update for $20 I would play ball, but after 5 years of ownership with no updates like hell I'll pay that much for 4 in a single year...

I'll just use it as is till it dies.

[Chopped]

I just use my phone when interstate on business trips

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by cram_it_frog

Well the prices are dropping and more affordable so who has got one ?

What is better in car or portable and do each car maker have a different type

I just bought a Go cruse for the trips to Adelaide and other trips out of town

I paid $40 for this one from ebay a refurbished one as we do not need one all the time so this will do

But we are planning a new car some time soon so will getting a inbuilt one bring more value at resale ?

Thanks for your replys

From what I understand some factory fit GPS systems are very expensive to update.Probably better buy an aftermarket such as Garmin for a couple of hundred dollars and get lifetime updates chucked in

[XR6WGN]

I have the Top Gear edition TomTom and to be honest that is the only reason I got it. I'd never really considered one before but it comes with me when I travel and the kids have a big laugh when I start arguing with Clarkson about where I should be going.

It updates now and then from my computer and I pay for the map updates when the offers come through - If I think the price is a bit excessive then I wait a while and a better one comes through - sometimes up to 60% cheaper.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by XR6WGN

I have the Top Gear edition TomTom and to be honest that is the only reason I got it. I'd never really considered one before but it comes with me when I travel and the kids have a big laugh when I start arguing with Clarkson about where I should be going.

That sounds awesome. I need to get one!

[XR6WGN]

Good luck finding one as they were banned by the BBC as the Top Gear guys were not allowed to endorse products. They were brought to Australia and put on sale through Dick Smith Stores - in hind sight I should have grabbed two!!

But you may be lucky - there's nothing on Ebay at the moment though.

[b0son]

Lack of updates annoys me about the built-in one in my Clubby. Most of the local 50 zones are indicated as 60 on the GPS, and with the amount of new construction going on, the GPS thinks I'm paddock bashing half the time.

I'd happily go back to an aftermarket unit, but why for the love of god don't car makers put power sockets somewhere a little more discrete, rather than forcing you to have stupid cables hanging down all over the place?

[LoudPipes]

I update my GPS about as often as I used to update my street directory, about every ten years when I buy a new one.

Streets and roads don’t change that much and in the off chance one does that may affect me, I’ll figure it out on the day. A quick look at google maps on the phone or computer also can be a big help.

What I don’t like about the inbuilt systems is they often don’t show things like speed cameras and the cost of updates for all makes of vehicles is usually ridiculous, this is where the stand alones kill them. What I do like is they are a neat and tidy integration in the car.

What I hate about stand-alone models is the need for a power cord to run down your dash pad and I have to remove and store it every time I park and the good thing is that many of the name brands now come with lifetime free maps and it can be transferred from car to car.

My choice would be an inbuilt integrated manufacturers system because I don’t need to be updating as I don’t travel to that many designations in my car that I don’t already know my way around and I much prefer the look. If I was a commercial traveller I’d go the stand alone for their easy updates and I guess that could be a tax deduction.

[Honest Gaza]

I purchased a TomTom G0720...about 8 years ago (I'm guessing here)...and it is still going strong in the Wife's car. You have the ability to add POI's via 3rd Party Software...change the car icon by creating your own bitmap and copying to the device...and I have even updated he maps as late as last year.

I purchased a TomTom GO1000 about 4 years ago for my car and it was much less user friendly in terms of adding icons and 3rd party POI's. Appears this was a marketing decision by TomTom to make you use their website, their applications etc. It is also going strong.

So both units have been reliable.

Neither of my current cars have inbuilt SatNav...so that is why I use the portable TomTom units. I also connect my personal Mobile to the TomTom via Bluetooth (the work Mobile is connected to the Car Bluetooth).

One thing I would wonder about when using an inbuilt SatNav is what happens if your are receiving instructions at a major intersection and/or freeway turnoff...and someone rings you on the Mobile...does your SatNav get interrupted ? Perhaps owners of inbuilt units can advise you on this.

Personally, if my Portable units died, I would definitely replace them with other portable units....and the TomToms have been very reliable.

However, although they have been reliable, the change in how TomTom allow you to manage the devices is a right pain in the proverbial. So I would definitlely widen my search to other brands.

[cram_it_frog]

thanks guys looks like my $40 ebay special refurbished one seems a lot better now

considering the cost of update I am happy with this one

one thing I noticed is this one gives me 60kph speed limit when the entire town is 50kph but I am happy with the notification of school zones

we often get in town traffic cops from Sydney and dubbo and they love to sit on school zones

[fnd]

Hi cram_it_frog,
Here is my 2 bob's worth - I have had two Tomtom Satnav's. The first was purchased about 9 years ago when I got my Territory. It was a 'GO720' and cost in the region of $800. I had to purchase yearly maps for around $100 a time. It worked well up until the time I packed it in a box about 2 years ago, and bought a Tomtom Via 620. This has a 6 inch screen, cost me about $175 and came with lifetime map upgrades (4 per year). It too has performed well over the last 2 years ( apart from occasionally trying to get me to turn off down a non-existent road).
I have posted elsewhere on this topic, as Ford are reported to be making Satnav standard across the whole Falcon and Territory range as of 1 April builds, (but are increasing the price across the affected models by $500).
Therefore you would be paying $500 for a satnav and possibly $200 for a map upgrade (if/when they are released, and so far Ford have been missing in action on this front).
I contacted Ford "Customer Care" about 2 weeks ago regarding this, and have had no answer.
It seems that most integrated systems are problematic from a cost of upgrade point of view, but on the plus side integration is nice.
I guess it depends where you live, or travel, but mine stays on the dash a lot of the time. I usually only remove it if I consider I'm in a "risky" area, so being portable is not really a factor for me.
Good luck with your decision.
Cheers
Flin