Sat nav - Tom Tom or Garmin

Big Mouse · February 12, 2010, 04:53:20 PM

I'll need a portable sat nav unit for the pickup; anyone have any feedback with regards the Tom Tom GO 750 Live or the Garmin 1390T?

Fieldy · February 12, 2010, 06:03:01 PM

I just prefer the Garmin menu set-up. To me it is what Mac is to computers, simpler, cleaner and easier to use.

However, some people prefer the Tom Tom, want my real opinion, spend a good half hour in Halfords testing the 2, it is the only way for sure....

HardRockCamaro · February 12, 2010, 06:38:22 PM

I prefer the TomTom display and software.

I recently gave my (old) top of the range TomTom and bought the TomTom app for the iPhone which works very well I have to say...

ianjpage · February 13, 2010, 03:48:08 AM

Much prefer the Tom Tom - the mother in law has a garmin and although it's quite nice - the usablility and look/feel of the tom tom is much better IMO.

ALso the range of add-ons (Maps, POI's, voices etc) is (i think) a lot bigger for the tom tom range

Gator · February 13, 2010, 04:01:31 AM

i am looking at these as well Sarah has a bottom of the range garmin for her car and its spot on cant really fault it full postcode ect and a decent map layout i want one with HGV limits

i prefer satnavs with the option to only show the next junction you need to navigate at full screen size coz that is really the only info you require to get anywhere

ianjpage · February 13, 2010, 04:11:13 AM

Quoting: Gator

i want one with HGV limits

http://www.tomtomwork.com/en/landingpages/trucknavigation.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Here you go then!!

Amey · February 13, 2010, 04:21:49 AM

Quoting: ianjpage

Much prefer the Tom Tom - the mother in law has a garmin and although it's quite nice - the usablility and look/feel of the tom tom is much better IMO.

Yeap Mum has a Garmin and it always takes her the most bizarre way.
When we lived in Oldbrook Mum followed it up from Trowbridge (wilts) and it took her over to the V8 to come back to the V6

Even on the way home it took her way of the normal route and even got her to come off one road, just to put her back on it about half a mile later ???
Although in it's favour it does show local shops/petrol stations etc (unsure if the new Tomtom's do this?)

Ian's got a Tomtom which I've used a few times - menu seems a lot better and easier to use

Rob · February 13, 2010, 04:42:52 AM

Just out of curiosity do these things show you what the speed limit is as you go along and warn you if you're speeding?

Gator · February 13, 2010, 04:47:44 AM

the garmin will beep once when you are close to the limit then give a warning and flash a red box with the limit when you are over that works if route guidence is off ie its just sat there very handy for anyone with 9 points

ianjpage · February 13, 2010, 04:48:23 AM

Quoting: Rob

Just out of curiosity do these things show you what the speed limit is as you go along and warn you if you're speeding?

the newer ones do yes, and if you go over the limit you can set them up to beep at you!

Titsy · February 13, 2010, 05:48:23 AM

Quoting: HardRockCamaro

I recently gave my (old) top of the range TomTom and bought the TomTom app for the iPhone which works very well I have to say...

I use TomTom on my HTC Touch HD and it's ace; no complaints here. But i've never used a garmin so can't comment on them...

Big Mouse · February 13, 2010, 06:19:38 AM

Quoting: Fieldy

However, some people prefer the Tom Tom, want my real opinion, spend a good half hour in Halfords testing the 2, it is the only way for sure....

I'll try but I can generally feel my IQ being sucked out of me after more than 10 minutes in there

Fieldy · February 13, 2010, 08:44:12 AM

Quoting: Big Mouse

I'll try but I can generally feel my IQ being sucked out of me after more than 10 minutes in there

You'd have to wait half hour for service to buy one in Halfords any way so you can test and wait at the same time

Andy · February 13, 2010, 09:36:20 AM

Having searched high and low for some jubilee clips,

'Excuse me, do you have any jubilee clips, need some for a bit of 1/2 inch tubing'

'Just this way'

Follow entire length of store to parts counter

'Here you go'

Hands me a packet labelled 8-10mm clips

'Sorry, these only go up to 10mm, I need at least half inch'

'Whats that?'

Gator · February 13, 2010, 09:39:02 AM

eh

Fieldy · February 13, 2010, 11:14:15 AM

Quoting: Andy

Having searched high and low for some jubilee clips,

'Excuse me, do you have any jubilee clips, need some for a bit of 1/2 inch tubing'

'Just this way'

Follow entire length of store to parts counter

'Here you go'

Hands me a packet labelled 8-10mm clips

'Sorry, these only go up to 10mm, I need at least half inch'

'Whats that?'

WTF?!

HardRockCamaro · February 13, 2010, 12:14:53 PM

Better than B&Q...

I need some rawl plugs.

Erm, 13 amp ok?

Andy · February 13, 2010, 12:33:24 PM

Quoting: HardRockCamaro

Better than B&Q...

I need some rawl plugs.

Erm, 13 amp ok?

Bahaha! Thats fantastic.

F Body · February 14, 2010, 01:06:25 AM

I use both and think the Tom Tom menu's are easier for the basic functions, but prefer the display on the Garmin which can be taylored to your own preferences

VIPER · February 14, 2010, 03:36:01 AM

TOM TOM all day

Fieldy · February 14, 2010, 09:58:30 AM

I am surprised at how many people are for Tom Tom, I hate the menu system, it's just too much.

All I want is a postcode entry and petrol station finder, a couple of presses and my Garmin does it.... Although it is a little slow to find the satellites on start up

Andy · February 14, 2010, 10:13:50 AM

Has anyone had experience with them and heated screens?

Had a Road Angel device ages ago and it was useless with heated screens, believed it was the element in the screen giving it grief finding the satellites.

Titsy · February 14, 2010, 10:27:56 AM

Quoting: Andy

Has anyone had experience with them and heated screens?

Had a Road Angel device ages ago and it was useless with heated screens, believed it was the element in the screen giving it grief finding the satellites.

You get the same problem with athermic windscreens (UV filtered, look to have a perl colour to then from different angles)... The UV filter blocks the sattelite signal.

HardRockCamaro · February 14, 2010, 10:38:02 AM

Heated screens do block a lot of the satellite signal, however if you put the unit in the side of the screen (where the which the heating wires don't cover) then it should work fine (at least it did on my Focus).

Big Mouse · February 14, 2010, 03:26:55 PM

Looking at lots of reviews it seems that the majority of users prefer the tomtom for ease of use but several complain that the bluetooth facility isn't very good.

People like the garmin, bluetooth is good but the others say they sometimes struggle to find the destination by the shortest route.

I tried the tomtom in Halfrauds; it loaded my address ok from the postcode finder; it found my phone within a couple of minutes, which is slow, but it did find it. I'll give it a go.