Tomtom vs. Navman GPS for car

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ahmad

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#110980 21-Oct-2012 20:04

Hi everyone, does anyone have experience with one or ideally both the Tomtom and Navman GPS units?

I've counted out Garmin as I don't like the interface, but Tomtom and Navman seem similar.

Any thoughts on whether either of the brands is particularly better or worse?

Thanks.

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#704435 21-Oct-2012 20:06

TomTom is the best for NZ roads.

ahmad

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#704436 21-Oct-2012 20:09

nakedmolerat: TomTom is the best for NZ roads.

Hey thanks for that. Is that common consensus? Or what is that based on?

I read that there were some issues with the Tomtom VIA units in NZ with no GPS signal and other stuff like IQ routes taking people down "shortcuts" that were stupid.

Any comments on that?? Unsure if they were genuine problems.

JohnnyBravo

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#704439 21-Oct-2012 20:18

Nav n Go 's IGO Primo running on Uniden is easiest and most customizable and maps are regularly updated by means either pay or add any other countries by searching the web.

runs on iphones,Androids (latest) and Wince units

ahmad

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#704441 21-Oct-2012 20:21

This unit is around $130: http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/gps/automotive/auction-524791849.htm

For around $180 I can get a Tomtom with same size and Bluetooth (losing the FM transmitted as far as I can see out of the features) and get "lifetime maps".

I can't see myself using the unit outside of NZ and would actually rather have some degree of local accountability when it comes to unit updates and problems.

ZollyMonsta

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#704442 21-Oct-2012 20:27

I would never use Navman again. Tom Tom is far better.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

ahmad

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#704443 21-Oct-2012 20:29

ZollyMonsta: I would never use Navman again. Tom Tom is far better.

Thanks - when was your last experience and what the issue? Was it updating the unit or was it the OS/UI or the routes or a combination?

Are you now using a Tomtom and have you had any issues at all?

Cheers.

P.S. As an aside does anyone know how the Tomtom "HD Live" traffic subscriptions get sent to the unit every 2 minutes? What technology allows this? Is it sent over FM? Or via the GPS satellites?

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ZollyMonsta

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#704445 21-Oct-2012 20:39

I had an earlier Navman model. Just was difficult to use. Seeing the newer one and the complete change to the interface it is confusing to use. Have compared Navman (father in laws) with my Tom Tom XL 340 (oldish now) and more than often the Navman insists to "perform a uturn when possible". It's become a running joke whenever we go travelling with them.

The maps on Tom Tom and operation of the unit just seem better.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

ahmad

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#704446 21-Oct-2012 20:41

ZollyMonsta: I had an earlier Navman model. Just was difficult to use. Seeing the newer one and the complete change to the interface it is confusing to use. Have compared Navman (father in laws) with my Tom Tom XL 340 (oldish now) and more than often the Navman insists to "perform a uturn when possible". It's become a running joke whenever we go travelling with them.

The maps on Tom Tom and operation of the unit just seem better.

Cheers, really appreciate your thoughts. I have a VERY old Navman which does the job but I'm heading to Auckland and thought I should probably have more up to date maps than 1990. And map updates cost half what a brand new unit with "lifetime maps" is going to cost me!

My Navman says "Perform a U-turn when possible" - I never found it funny lol. Why do you think that's so funny and what does the Tomtom say instead? :)

ZollyMonsta

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#704450 21-Oct-2012 20:46

We found it funny as the Navman on a trip in OZ said it so often! We just had a trip in oz recently and from Adelaide to Melbourne. Our Tom Tom maps haven't been updated for at least a couple of years (the AU ones never) and we had no problems.

Yep, same issue.. Not prepared to pay nearly the cost of a new unit for more map updates.. So will continue to use the unit until it becomes unreliable :)

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

ahmad

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#704453 21-Oct-2012 20:53

ZollyMonsta: We found it funny as the Navman on a trip in OZ said it so often! We just had a trip in oz recently and from Adelaide to Melbourne. Our Tom Tom maps haven't been updated for at least a couple of years (the AU ones never) and we had no problems.

Yep, same issue.. Not prepared to pay nearly the cost of a new unit for more map updates.. So will continue to use the unit until it becomes unreliable :)

It's a bit crazy that they advertise "lifetime map updates"

then in the fine print say that it's for the "usable life of the unit", which is defined by them, and defined as when they cease to support it with firmware updates.

That could potentially be very very misleading when in 2 years time they decide to drop support for it and you lose "lifetime" maps after 2 years even though the unit itself is perfectly functional.

They can't really call it "lifetime" IMHO.

scuwp

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#704483 21-Oct-2012 22:20

I am also firmly in the Tom Tom camp. I have seen too many frustrated Navman users, and the one at work sits on the shelf as no one wants to use it. After 3 replacement Navman GPS my brother gave up and brought a Tom Tom, he also loves it. Reckons the search and locate features of Navman were terrible. I am on my 3rd Tom Tom (no issues - just updated to newer models) and each one was better and better. I wouldn't bother with any other brand now.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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#704633 22-Oct-2012 13:37

We had a TomTom OneXL for 4 years with no real problems and loved the fact it had an SD slot for other maps. Sadly it got stolen from our car in our garage. :( but the replacement, a TomTom Go Live 2005 is excellent.

Just back from touring British Columbia and Alberta and the unit never let us down, even when on BC Ferries. Lol.

Love the HD service and lane recognition. In short, a great unit. Hope this helps.

Nety

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#705110 23-Oct-2012 14:05

Have a Navman and will never get one again. Searching for street addresses is a PITA as they use are rather then town. Also they burned me when I purchased a country and local map update. In theory I still have a call open with them from a couple of years ago now.. never heard back and spent weeks trying to get it sorted before we left. I have not used a TomTom but have heard they are good.

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#705132 23-Oct-2012 14:35

ahmad:

P.S. As an aside does anyone know how the Tomtom "HD Live" traffic subscriptions get sent to the unit every 2 minutes? What technology allows this? Is it sent over FM? Or via the GPS satellites?

It uses a SIM card, so over the GSM networks to get its updates.

I personally have had TomTom since my first GPS and have loved them since.

I like how the TomTom will tell you which lane to be in on multi-laned roads, which is really handy when you dont know the roads. I noticed that when i was in australia my ex's mum's navman wouldnt tell you which lane to be in.

I also like the map corrections, and the updates that come down frequently.

mattwnz

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#705139 23-Oct-2012 14:53

I have a tomtom go750, which is about 3 years old, and I recently applied some software updates via the tomtom software on my pc, eg gps fixes, and now it doesn't work, it goes through a restart loop. Also the battery in it is really poor. So I couldn't really recommend it, as it hasn't had that much use Also have to pay for map updates. The pC software is also not great. But it maybe the best of a bad bunch. I quite like the garmin ones, but at the time when I was chosing a gps, you couldn't download maps for the garmin, they had to send them to you on a card.The tomtom however would allow you to download maps.

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