Another bloody satnav thread...

OK, the usual questions:

Garmin V Tomtom?

I need:
Lane guidance
Bluetooth hands-free
European maps.


I would like:
MP3 player (fm transmitter)
Traffic alerts

I'm looking for an in-car unit, preferably, as the prices of Zumos and
Riders seem a bit steep... unless anyone knows different...

 

there were some factory refurb zumos on amazon last week - still there
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=zumo+550+newly&x=0&y=0
they have full 12 month guarantee

bluetooth but no FM transmitter

 

Garmin. Simply on the basis of the warranty offered - apparently
TomTom always want the unit returned for repair, whereas Garmin want
you to take it into a shop, then they'll authorise the retailer to
refund you or give you a replacement instantly. I did this and it
worked - just like that.

The Garmin nuvi 1390T does all you require and has just crashed in
price:

http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=184053

That's the cheapest one I could find that appears to be brand new, as
oppoased to a lot of retailers passing on 'remanufactured' items. This
isn't much more expensive than them and it is the 'T' model, which does
the traffic thing for you. On the bais of recommend what you have, I
have a 1390T and it rocks. The 'PhotoReal' pic of the motorway
junction you're approaching is always amusing when it pops up, and it
makes complex junctions a piece of piss to navigate through.

I paid getting on for twice the current price and it still represents
half-decent VFM: for a new one at that price I wouldn't hesitate.

 

What is this 'repair' of which you speak?

I'm probably tempting fate in saying that.

 

Given that my TomTom rider hasn't been a model of reliability I think
I might indulge in one of these.

Someone talk me out of it within the next few hours or I'll be
spending money that would be better spent on alcohol.

 

If a Garmin needs repair, just contact them. Zumo 550 standard repair charge
£120.
For that you get a complete replacement including new mounts by return
courier. You only send the unit back not the mounts etc.
The new mounts can earn nearly the repair cost on ebay if you don't want to
keep them.
I have had 1st hand experience of this!

It's Garmin for me every time.

 

Do it, then you just need a BT headset....

 

I've never had a sat nav that needed repairing, so the matter doesn't
arise. Admittedly my total experience is one TomTom....

 

Don't do it. Buy booze.

That help?

 

I've been really happy with my Zumo 550 and Cardo Scala Rider FM
headset. I've used the Zumo daily in the car when I was in my previous
job and it's very easy to use with gloves on the bike, and the headset
gets used every morning and evening for phone calls and listening to
the radio on my way to and from work. Both have been 100% reliable and
do exactly what they said they'd do. I'm glad I bought both.

--
Lozzo
Versys 650 Tourer, CBR600F-W racebike in the making, TS250C, RD400F
(somewhere)
BMW E46 318iSE (it's a car, not one of those 2-wheeled pieces of shite
they churn out)

 

Yep.

I can actually afford to get seriously pissed for a long time and buy
the satnav so I might do both. I'm currently on two weeks jury service
then I go back to work for three days then the break (1) begins and I
might over indulge a couple of times when I'm off.

(1) Cadwell Park for two days followed by a week in Italy then as soon
as we get back from there I've got four weeks off sick with a couple
of pins sticking out of my finger. I might go back to work after a
week on the sick but that depends on what new games are released for
the Wii.

 

I've got one from the TomTom Rider but I never use it. I don't really
want to listen to music when I'm riding and I certainly don't want to
answer the phone.

I think I killed the Rider when we did the Elefant because first of
all the cradle packed in so it wouldn't charge on the bike but I
replaced that and all was fine. Then the satnav unit decided it didn't
like charging through any cradle but was ok on the mains charger so I
found somewhere that could fix that for under £100 and was going to go
for it until yesterday when the screen started to look as if it was
suffering from some kind of electronic 'interference' and went very
blurred with lots of horizontal lines across it.

It's still just about useable because said lines have dropped so
they're only at the bottom of the screen but I'm not going to have it
fixed. I'm pretty well convinced that all these problems are because
of the shit weather I used it in and the fact that even though it was
off the bike it was in a damp case in my tent for a few days. I like
the TomTom in use but it's just not robust enough for what I want it
to do.

 

Evern excluding warranty I still reckon Garmin. When I got the Golf
they were doing a free satnav offer, and a few weeks later a Nuvi 255
showed up - it's been faultless, whereas my tomtom v3 used to need a
pin reset about every 5 uses, and regularly locked up if used in the
tankbag[1].

[1] bit of a bummer if you're on an itallian Autoroute and don't
notice the 50KM to the exit you need was actually 75KM back..

 

After spending many hours painstakingly putting all the potential
routes in for the Alps run before leaving, my TomTom[1] lost the lot by
the end of the first day. My old Garmin Emap otoh has coped with years
of being bounced around & covered with mud & water when off-roading
without ever missing a beat. So that's another vote for Garmin then.

[1] A PDA with TomTom software, so it's not just their hardware that's
flakey.

 

I remember that, and what a jolly soul it made you.

Damn, I want to go on another road trip now. That alps run was
brilliant.

 

Whereas my TTR2 has been pretty much faultless since I bought it.

Pyrenées.

 

OK, I'm in. (that took a lot of convincing didn't it) Presumably
there's not a mailing list yet?

 

You think someone else is going?

 

Yes, I'd imagine someone with a bike.

 

I had/have a TT R2, it's pants compared to the Zumo 550. The zumo with
it's x country" follow a bearing mode" is the just the very thing for
the discerning proto- desert rat.
Helps stop that georaphical embarassment that was mentioned ^^^^
somewhere, a while back.
Their customer service is excellent compared to TT, which, TBF seems to
have improved somewhat. TT did however start from an extremely low
position.
The phone thing is ueful as well, does away with the need for radio, if
one is riding in an 'extended bunch'. Fuckall use in the desert mind,
much the same as a Tom tom.