Recommend a SatNav for my g/f

extra-ordinary_

My g/f is pretty bad at directions so I thought I'd get her a SatNav for her birthday - just what every girl wants!!:D

Can anyone recommend a simple to use but effective model?

What's the general preference - Garmin or TomTom?

ShayK1

I just got one for my Dad last week. From my research the Garmin seems to be the better option.
Have a look at the Garmin Nuvi 250 or 255 and whatever you do.... Don't ask for help in the GPS forum on here, its a waste of time!!!!

chris85

Garmin Nuvi are good. Just dont get the limited pink one as women sometimes get pissed off with technology and this way you can take it off her hands if she doesnt like it. Win win situation.

There are other options available on the satnavs like bluetooth for answering calls handsfree and mp3 player. The bluetooth option looks good.

biko

Definitely Garmin

seamus

Pink Nuvi, If she's into pink.

But I'd definitely recommend a Garmin. I bought a 250W for my generally tech-shy parents about 3 days before they headed off on a caravanning holiday and they loved it.

td2008

I've the garmin nuvi 250 which is great, nice and compact, has all of europe on it aswell. Only 200 quid or so when i got it in halfords.

DublinDilbert

td2008 wrote: »

I've the garmin nuvi 250 which is great, nice and compact, has all of europe on it aswell. Only 200 quid or so when i got it in halfords.

+1

I think the navi 250 is down to around €150 now, well worth it. Also it has a LI-battery so you can take it walking if your in a foreign city...

extra-ordinary_

Thanks for the replies. I went for the Nuvi 300 off elara.ie - €170.

Hopefully she''ll like it!

G-Money

I have a TomTom One that I got from Argos and it was about £115 if I remember correctly, although I think it's slightly cheaper now.

I've found it to be quite good and I can't really complain too much about it. On occasion it doesn't take you the fastest route to your destination, even if that's what you've selected. For example I was driving home from Monaghan to Armagh and I knew the fastest route myself from driving it for years. I decided to use the SatNav to see what it suggested and it stated that another route was faster. Curious as to whether this was indeed a better route, I tried it out and it was awful. It took me down twisty country roads where you couldn't drive in a gear higher than 3rd. Eventually the route it suggested merged with the route I would have driven myself and my route was definitely faster and safer.

Having said that, I've used it a lot and have found it to be very good. At one point I had to drive from Armagh to Derry and at that point, I had never been to Derry before in my life and didn't know the route. I typed in the details into the SatNav and it took me right to the door where I was going. I double checked the route it suggested against a real map and it was indeed the way to go.

I read reports about the update feature of the TomTom screwing it up. However I've updated it several times and have had no problems.

I bought one of the less expensive TomTom models, although if I was going to buy a new one, I'd maybe go for one with Bluetooth/MP3/phone connectivity.

I've never had a Garmin, so I can't recommended them one way or the other.

The SatNav is great when you are driving in unfamiliar cities or on unfamiliar roads. You can keep your eye on the road ahead and not be distracted by trying to look for landmarks or where your turn is, as the voice in the SatNav gives you warning before you need to turn etc. That's where I find it really handy. You don't even need to look at the screen once you plan the route, it speaks all the instructions beforehand and just as you reach the junctions etc.

Although I am paranoid enough where I often check out the route it suggests on a map first, just incase

Big Nelly

Bought Garmin Nuvi 250 with European maps last week from http://www.satnaveasy.co.uk/1-day-i9.html

Worked out 130 euro give or take with delivery, I done alot of checking and couldn't find it any cheaper, was up in ar*ehole of Leitrim at weekend and fired it up, brought me up all this back roads etc and bang straight onto main road, can't beat it.

Also borrowed a Nuvi 310 last time I travelled to UK, was drivign over on boat and it was brillant, cant complain about it, deal this week at same website is good: http://www.satnaveasy.co.uk/1-day-i12.html

I have tried the Tom Tom V3 I think it was for a weekend, just around Dublin and it was grand, didn't see much difference to be honest and rather the Garmin, the Tom Tom seems to be more expensive so Garmin all the way!!

Big Nelly

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I went for the Nuvi 300 off elara.ie - €170.

Hopefully she''ll like it!

Should have waited!! see below:eek:

Cookie_Monster

I bought a Garmin 250 recently and while in general it quite good there are massive sections of nearly every main road in the country missing, and thats with the 2008 maps.

To date it has missed parts of the N1, N4, N6, N11 and a few other i can't remember

And it couldn't get me from Fethard to Wexford town recently, although on the way back it found the route no probs:rolleyes:

landydef

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I bought a Garmin 250 recently and while in general it quite good there are massive sections of nearly every main road in the country missing, and thats with the 2008 maps.

To date it has missed parts of the N1, N4, N6, N11 and a few other i can't remember

And it couldn't get me from Fethard to Wexford town recently, although on the way back it found the route no probs:rolleyes:

ive the same problem with the garmin nuvi 310, no matter how many times i update it it still has a chunk of the M50 missing between sandyford and bray despite this road opening about 3 years ago, and thats just one example
i emailed garmin and they sent me the standard F-off email

Cookie_Monster

The "best" mistake it made was on the N4 just past Carrick-on-Shannon.

I was looking for a turn off in the area and so took the one the GPS said, only to drive along a shallow semi-circle round and rejoin the N4 about 1.5km later and continue for another 1-1.5 km before the actual turn I wanted, wft??

Run_to_da_hills

Anything in the mid to top range Garmin. Dont touch Navman they are absolute rubbish.