Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:41 pm  

Bit of a random one but then again this is the sin bin! Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced cheap sat nav that takes traffic into account when it calculates your route? Obviously the cheaper the better but I definitely want it to traffic into consideration. Thanks in advance

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:46 pm  

Good question

I'm looking for a new one too as my last one got binned when it started randomly reciting all of its messages like HAL in 2001 Space Odyssey.

I've been looking at some 5" and 7" unbranded ones from UK dealers on eBay for around £40 to £60 that have 4gb memory included (for other gubbins) but I don't think they do traffic reports.

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:51 pm  

TomTom for smartphones is about the best around I've used.

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:02 pm  

JerryChicken wrote:

Good question

I'm looking for a new one too as my last one got binned when it started randomly reciting all of its messages like HAL in 2001 Space Odyssey.

I've been looking at some 5" and 7" unbranded ones from UK dealers on eBay for around £40 to £60 that have 4gb memory included (for other gubbins) but I don't think they do traffic reports.

Yeah I'd be surprised if I managed it for under £100 but sitting in traffic is hardly cost effective either. The average journey with my current one is:
- Put in postcode, if it was built within the last decade I'm goosed straight away
- Wait absolutely ages for it to find where I am, particularly awkward if people are waving me off, particularly as it definitely won't find me if I'm doing more than 10mph
- Once it finds me, move an inch, at which point it realises I'm facing in the opposite direction and has to recalculate for just as long as before. Doing a U-turn to face the direction it thought I was in just seems to make things worse
- Make a bee-line for the nearest traffic jam*
- Once on the motorway, take me off at the odd junction, send me straight through a roundabout and back onto the same motorway
- Randomly tell me to turn left/right when the map shows straight on, or vice versa
- Stop to recalculate if we go through anywhere built post WW2

*There was one exception to this when Wigan got Featherstone away in the cup. It sent me down a single track farmers road up and down some massive hills that ran parallel to the motorway. This was daft but I can't have a go at the sat nav too much for this because it was the most fun I've ever had in a car with my pants on. My Dad and my best mate were in the back and would definitely disagree like and we were late for the game.

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:06 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

TomTom for smartphones is about the best around I've used.

Does that take traffic into account? How do you get your smartphone in a position where you can see it while driving?

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:52 pm  

Grimmy wrote: Does that take traffic into account? How do you get your smartphone in a position where you can see it while driving? The android version does, dunno about the iPhone version. Take your pick from here http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... t&_sacat=0

Grimmy wrote: Does that take traffic into account? How do you get your smartphone in a position where you can see it while driving? The android version does, dunno about the iPhone version. Take your pick from here http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... t&_sacat=0

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:35 pm  

Whats the refresh rate like on a smartphone though ?

I know someone who had satnav on their iPhone a couple (maybe only one) year ago and it was pants, to the extent where he went and bought a satnav.

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:51 pm  

JerryChicken wrote:

Whats the refresh rate like on a smartphone though ?

I know someone who had satnav on their iPhone a couple (maybe only one) year ago and it was pants, to the extent where he went and bought a satnav.

It's fine. Modern smartphones are far more advanced computers than the ones inside your average standalone satnav unit.

I've not used TomTom in recent years, but I've used Google's on Android and more recently Here Drive on Windows Phone and both are fine. Here Drive factors traffic into account when deciding on the route and when on it as well and is working fine (For example taking me down the M62 and M60 when the M56 was blocked last week. I wouldn't even consider a standalone sat nav unit having used the smartphone ones.

Re: Sat Nav? : Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:54 pm  

JerryChicken wrote:

Whats the refresh rate like on a smartphone though ?

I know someone who had satnav on their iPhone a couple (maybe only one) year ago and it was pants, to the extent where he went and bought a satnav.

I only use it in town as I can generally find my way to major towns and cities , it more than keeps up with my driving.

Re: Sat Nav? : Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:34 am  

Big Graeme wrote:

I only use it in town as I can generally find my way to major towns and cities , it more than keeps up with my driving.

The iPhone navigation system seems particularly crap, certainly the one on Emma's phone is. Didn't Apple have a major problem with Google maps when they launched the iPhone 5?

I've got a Garmin Nuvi with live traffic facility and have usually found it to be excellent. But then my marine navigation and fishfinder are also Garmin, so I could be prejudiced here.