Which is the best SatNav?

[colyboy]

About to buy a new Sat Nav, which one would you recommend. Mainly used more abroad Europe. I await you guidance and suggestions.

 

[Rob Hammond]

Your Phone

 

[125BEER]

My preferred choice is a tablet with copilot gps.
The Pioneer fitted is useless...Google maps

Cheers

 

[bigtwin]

We use the Tom Tom Camper which allows you to input weights and dimensions.

We’ve found it to be reliable.

Ian

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Not, a so called motorhome specific one.
We use Apple Maps or Google through the head unit or a fairly basic Garmin for use abroad when not wanting to use data.

 

[Figaro]

I used to use Google maps on a tablet and found it mostly ok but it started doing odd things, usually at the worst possible moment.
So I bought a Garmin 780 camper which allows vehicle dimensions to be entered.
But on testing it locally I found it was avoiding perfectly acceptable roads so I switched to car profile.
I probably should have experimented with settings but didn't.
I might do before next big trip at end of August.
Apart from that it's good once you get used to the difference operating system and best ways to program

 

[Riverbankannie]

I use google maps f ind them up to date with live traffic - and I should listen to it! Had it on recently going to meet my daughter in central Bristol. Why is it taking me all round Temple Meads to get to Baldwin Street? I know the way! I then proceeded to drive through a bus gate and nearly drove through a second, they were not there last time!

 

[125BEER]

I use google maps f ind them up to date with live traffic - and I should listen to it! Had it on recently going to meet my daughter in central Bristol. Why is it taking me all round Temple Meads to get to Baldwin Street? I know the way! I then proceeded to drive through a bus gate and nearly drove through a second, they were not there last time!

Briftol ain't like it used to be like

Cheers

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Steve N Tracy]

I use a Garmin Camper and have had no issues.

 

[Nirvanauk]

As said before just use your phone with google maps.

 

[dunnah01]

Garmin cheapo is the least bad - defo not Google maps for me.

 

[davanne]

Another vote for google maps on the phone

 

[dash300]

My preferred choice is a tablet with copilot gps.
The Pioneer fitted is useless...Google maps

Cheers

Agree the Pioneer top of the range fitted to my 2022 Van is useless even struggles to get radio signal. Just use the phone, as it works perfectly.

 

[scotzsue]

I use a Garmin Camper and have had no issues.

Worst sat nav i have ever used, it can't even get us from storage to the main road, so no way I can trust it abroad we have 2 old tom toms, rider and no idea which the other is. John tends to use waze in the car. But not compatible with my system.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

Worst sat nav i have ever used, it can't even get us from storage to the main road, so no way I can trust it abroad we have 2 old tom toms, rider and no idea which the other is. John tends to use waze in the car. But not compatible with my system.

Have used Garmin sat navs for more then 15 years and never had a real issue, but I always say a sat nav is a guide for the wise and fact for the foolish.

 

[seasideBill]

TomTom Go Camper supplemented with Google Maps on occasions when TomTom wants to go off-piste. Its never really let us down big-time, but likes to try & cut corners. Traffic info is generally very good and voice activation useful.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jev88]

Garmin Camper great features like pre load CL site map and also enter dimensions and weight limits. We bought 2nd hand refurbished.

 

[scotzsue]

Have used Garmin sat navs for more then 15 years and never had a real issue, but I always say a sat nav is a guide for the wise and fact for the foolish.

My point is if it gets it wrong when I know it is wrong, where is it ending me when I have no idea. Maps are ok but not so good for the finer points

 

[Guigsy]

My opinion (as someone who has previously coded maps and traffic data for satnavs and has a vague understanding of what goes into them) is that the vehicle size satnavs are mostly expensive placebo. They occasionally get it right, but that's weighed against them getting it wrong fairly frequently, and having worse mapping, worse routing, worse traffic data and worse user interfaces than the freebie phone based car navs.

 

[Bolti]

What now amazes me is how we ever got from A to B without satnavs.

 

[GoldenVision]

Google maps. Always. Why pay good money for something which, at best, is it's equal, and, at worst, is a waste of money.

 

[Orion]

Freebie Magic Earth app via Apple CarPlay to the Fiat Uconnect head unit. Has a ‘Truck’ mode which will take vehicle dimensions, overall and axle weight, and speed settings.

 

[bigtwin]

Google maps. Always. Why pay good money for something which, at best, is it's equal, and, at worst, is a waste of money.

Which Sat Navs have let you down?

Ian

 

[Gellyneck]

About to buy a new Sat Nav, which one would you recommend. Mainly used more abroad Europe. I await you guidance and suggestions.

As you've seen already you'll get a multitude of "what we use is the best" answers.

The best is dependent upon the functionality you require and how you plan to use it.

For us, it's always been Garmin with our current units being a Camper 760 and Camper780. We combine these with BaseCamp on desktops / laptops which has thousands of custom poi's loaded. Routes planned on there and transferred to the device.

Others will, of course, disagree as that's not how they would want to route plan.

Given that, suggest you think about the functionality (weights, dimensions, live traffic updates, etc) you want and how you will use (pre-planning, ability to load customs poi's, mobile data availability, etc).

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rosalan]

We have Renaul Master with its own TomTom, I do not like the image. We also have a Garmin, they sometimes give different routes. Waze works well and like Google maps is clear and works well too, Garmin managed to fall off screen and was crushed in door. Garmin replace, for a nominal fee, broken units.

 

[matbic]

Magic Earth app on phone (it’s free) and TomTom satnav (in Europe much better more up to date maps than Garmin).

When driving TomTom is on all the time. Phone gets used for so many other things when travelling so Magic Earth is just used occasionally to check TomTom is not going mad!

On TomTom we really like the two route options “fastest” or “winding”. “Winding” has taken us of motorways and lead us to delightful places on wonderful routes.

Then when parked up and out walking an app called OsmAnd (yes the name is not helping them get popular!) it’s full of paths and tracks that I have not found in any other (free) map app.

 

[Pausim]

My opinion (as someone who has previously coded maps and traffic data for satnavs and has a vague understanding of what goes into them) is that the vehicle size satnavs are mostly expensive placebo. They occasionally get it right, but that's weighed against them getting it wrong fairly frequently, and having worse mapping, worse routing, worse traffic data and worse user interfaces than the freebie phone based car navs.

Ever since I tried to get a sensible route out of Camper sat nav I have suspected that. Thank you for confirming it. Phone and Apple CarPlay (or Android Auto) are my preference. These days bang up to the minute traffic information is often the most important function of a navigator.

 

[Viennese]

I have had an Aguri for several years and am relatively happy with it at home and abroad.

 

[Brains]

Maps to work out where you are going.
Sat Nav to tell you where you are.

I been using satnav's since the 1990's (when they were first made legal)

The one I currently use on the moho is an "Avtex Tourer Three"
which is also sold as the "Garmin 795"

It works.
You can put in the dimensions and weight of your vehicle.
It also recognises realistic speeds, so it knows we can't do 100mph on the Autobahn, just because that is the speed limit.
It mostly uses larger roads, to avoid potential single lane road issues.
It has a setting to show campsites, which we have found very useful.

I also occasionally use the 'traffic' feature of Google maps, as it can be more up to date with live traffic data than the SatNav.
But I think anyone comparing a decent (£300+) SatNav with google maps has never used a decent SatNav. They are chalk and cheese.

 

[Gellyneck]

chalk and cheese.

Wine and cheese is better though!