Garmin Camper 780lmt-d

[garry55]

Has anyone any experience of using one of these units? Ticks all the boxes for us, guessing it is especially useful at preventing us from taking roads unsuitable for our van?

 

[eurajohn]

Yes we have one OK but like most or maybe all sat navs they can sometimes lead you astray, do find it better though than our previous TomTom camper unit which we had to replace with a 770 when a TT update killed it
Our 780 replaced our previous 770 I had to leave in old van when we sold.

 

[Vic]

I have a 760(?). Re width, weight and height restrictions, the device is only as good as the information supplied by counties and countries. Taken us down some interesting roads ,but have a map handy just in case.

 

[GJH]

I have a 760(?). Re width, weight and height restrictions, the device is only as good as the information supplied by counties and countries. Taken us down some interesting roads ,but have a map handy just in case.

I agree. We had a 760 which we left in the van which we just sold.

 

[Guigsy]

I have a 760(?). Re width, weight and height restrictions, the device is only as good as the information supplied by counties and countries. Taken us down some interesting roads ,but have a map handy just in case.

In the majority of countries, there's no central place that contains this data. Mapping data is almost always collected by mapping companies like Google, Tele Atlas and Navteq. There are very few mapping companies. They then sell the data on to all the satnav providers. At present, the mapping companies aren't focused on width restrictions and road widths as this doesn't make a lot of money for them (very few customers need it), so the data is normally pretty poor. I've used quite a few satnavs and all of them so far have still send me towards width restrictions, or told me I can't go somewhere that I knew I could because they had the restriction the wrong side of a junction.

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[BikerGraham]

I use a 780 and generally it is good. But like all systems it will occasionally lead you down an arrow road. So awareness remains important.

There have been times when I have wondered why it appears it take a strange route. Only to later realise there is either a height restriction or weight restriction. So it has got it right.

 

[Guigsy]

The problem with narrow roads is that they are perfectly legal for your van to drive down them. You may have to drive down one to reach a campsite. So satnavs can't totally block them from being used in their route finding. When they get narrow enough to need passing spaces, then it really depends on how busy they are and how good the view to the next passing spot is as to how stressful they are to use. It's tricky!

So the only thing the satnav can do is artificially make them slower to traverse in the route finding algorithm. But by how much? If a short length of narrow lane saves you 15 mins, would you risk it? And this also exposes other issues with the mapping, like streets through housing estates won't have great data, so won't have the same penalty, so you end up with odd routes.

Basically, narrow lane route guidance is hard.

 

[garry55]

Has anyone used this sat nav with the dedicated Garmin BC40 wireless reversing camera?

 

[Dilwyn]

Yes, works very well.

 

[fat haggis]

Has anyone used this sat nav with the dedicated Garmin BC40 wireless reversing camera?

Yes that’s my setup. Can’t complain. It just works well.

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[Brianmor]

Yes I have 2 at high and low level which you can switch between depending whether the bike rack is up or down

 

[flyboyprowler]

The 780m now seems to have been superseded by the Camper 1095. We use the 760 and as others have said, sometimes goes a weird way. Always have a map to follow!!

 

[TDub49]

Has anyone any experience of using one of these units? Ticks all the boxes for us, guessing it is especially useful at preventing us from taking roads unsuitable for our van?

We use a 770 home and abroad without any major problems thus far but I would advise that you keep the Garmin Express app updated and also update the satnav before each major journey. Like others who have posted on this thread, we always have a good old fashioned road map of reasonable scale on board (plus, of course, various apps on each of our 'phones) as backup.

 

[garry55]

Yes, works very well.

Do you have any problems with it losing the camera image due to it being a wireless set up?

 

[DaveyT]

We use our 780 with rear camera to see toad we have in dash sat nav but not easy to upgrade

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[DaveHobson]

We have a 780 Garmin, which died last weekend after 15 months, so I wouldn’t recommend it, based on that experience. That said, Garmin have agreed to replace it (with a refurbed device). I suppose any electronic device can fail, but 15 months seems rather a short life for a £300 device. We’ve generally been quite happy with it, despite some hiccups - for example, when set to avoid motorways in France, it also avoids main N-roads. (Our mistake, to be fair.) The narrow width thing, as I understand it, only avoids roads with a width restriction (ie in this country with a circular width restriction sign). And it seems to choose some weird routes - we always cross-reference with Google maps on the phone. Where it’s very useful is in displaying the current speed limit (in mph when abroad, if you prefer), and reminding you when you’re exceeding it. Hope that helps.

 

[garry55]

We have a 780 Garmin, which died last weekend after 15 months, so I wouldn’t recommend it, based on that experience. That said, Garmin have agreed to replace it (with a refurbed device). I suppose any electronic device can fail, but 15 months seems rather a short life for a £300 device. We’ve generally been quite happy with it, despite some hiccups - for example, when set to avoid motorways in France, it also avoids main N-roads. (Our mistake, to be fair.) The narrow width thing, as I understand it, only avoids roads with a width restriction (ie in this country with a circular width restriction sign). And it seems to choose some weird routes - we always cross-reference with Google maps on the phone. Where it’s very useful is in displaying the current speed limit (in mph when abroad, if you prefer), and reminding you when you’re exceeding it. Hope that helps.

It does - thanks

 

[flyboyprowler]

I would be interested to know if the campsite database in the later models has improved. We rarely use the 760 for sites and although the ACSI info seems fair, the stop-over ones are poor and better to use park for night etc.

 

[corconx]

We had the 785 which included the dash cam but my problem was updating it as they sadly no longer support Macs. I now only have iPhone and iPad. Wi-Fi and broadband here is less that 10 (flipping slow!)

Carol

 

[dochiley]

We find the 780 very, very flexible and flexible in setting up and changing routes. However, if you set the size of the vehicle it will avoid roads that you could manage with 'care'. So often we use with a map to see if there are some routes that we think possible but it does not think to be a 'good idea' and then we use our judgement to decide which way to go.

Normally the route it suggests is a longer route so if you have plenty of time and don't care which way you go then just follow it and don't get involved in map reading and no decision are necessary

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[garry55]

We find the 780 very, very flexible and flexible in setting up and changing routes. However, if you set the size of the vehicle it will avoid roads that you could manage with 'care'. So often we use with a map to see if there are some routes that we think possible but it does not think to be a 'good idea' and then we use our judgement to decide which way to go.

Normally the route it suggests is a longer route so if you have plenty of time and don't care which way you go then just follow it and don't get involved in map reading and no decision are necessary

Thanks for the info.
We have plenty of time (2 months) so the longer routes won't be problematical. I hope..............

 

[Gellyneck]

Been using a 760 and 780 for a number of years with no major issues. Also pre-plan routes on Garmin BaseCamp and load to sat navs from there.

 

[WoodysTravels]

Has anyone any experience of using one of these units? Ticks all the boxes for us, guessing it is especially useful at preventing us from taking roads unsuitable for our van?

Love it, however oddly couldnt find couple of sites including bonterra! So got to benicasim then used google bit annoying or maybe its me but i typed in all the diff search fields

 

[garry55]

Thanks all for your replies - based on these, I have purchased a new Garmin 780 Camper sat nav and a BC40 camera and mounting bracket.
This is what forums are all about - cheers!

 

[dulvil]

The only problem is the time it takes to re route when you go wrong I.e. keeps trying to turn you round when you know there’s another way

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[garry55]

The only problem is the time it takes to re route when you go wrong I.e. keeps trying to turn you round when you know there’s another way

That's no different to the factory fitted nav system in my Toyota! She / it is VERY insistent that I do a u-turn!