Which SatNav is best for motorhome

[Trev133]

Hi. Looking for some advice on make/model of a good satnav to purchase for motorhome. The supplied version in Fiat Ducato is just a car version without the ability to add vehicle dimensions and has taken me on roads not suitable for motorhome. My research with so many versions available has left me confused. So looking for suggestions as to what has worked well for you.

 

[funflair]

I am pretty happy with CoPilot caravan version on my phone but it is still capable of taking you/me places you/we shouldn't be, this applies to any sat nav as they can only work with the information that is on the maps that they use.

I think CoPilot have changed the way they charge now so not sure how good value it is anymore.

 

[glenn2926]

Good question, you’re going to get many differing opinions here. Some will say you just use your phone/ tablet, some will say cheap Chinese ones are great, some will say Tom Tom are the best others will say Garmin. I can only give my opinion, which is I prefer Garmin as that’s what I’m used to. I have a Zumo 660 for the motorbike and a Camper 760 for the motorhome. I use Basecamp for route planning on the laptop and then upload the route to which ever sat nav I’m using. When on motorcycle tours with Mates I can send the Basecamp routes to the other riders via email for them to upload.

 

[Markman]

Trev, agree with you the satnav in the van is useless. Tomtom have a camper version and I'd prefer to not have a second screen. Got through to their second line support and its just not possible to upgrade/replace the rubbish one we have (only update the maps). Seems the decision is made by Fiat and their Uconnect system to not make the camper version available. Haven't yet got up enough steam to tackle them. Has anyone asked Fiat? Makes no sense to me. How many thousands of Ducattos do they sell?

 

[eddie]

Tom Tom Go Professional works very well. Having said that it rarely disagrees with Google Maps on the phone

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[Swifter]

Avtex Tourer two is pretty good . Has loads of camp sites pre loaded

 

[eddie]

Avtex Tourer two is pretty good . Has loads of camp sites pre loaded

To be honest that’s why Google maps is the best. It’s got EVERY campsite listed

As well as everything else

 

[Trev133]

Trev, agree with you the satnav in the van is useless. Tomtom have a camper version and I'd prefer to not have a second screen. Got through to their second line support and its just not possible to upgrade/replace the rubbish one we have (only update the maps). Seems the decision is made by Fiat and their Uconnect system to not make the camper version available. Haven't yet got up enough steam to tackle them. Has anyone asked Fiat? Makes no sense to me. How many thousands of Ducattos do they sell?

Apparently the new 2021 models have a revised version which allows adding dimensions albeit not much good for us.

 

[Langtoftlad]

How much do you want to spend?
To echo glenn2926 you can spend nothing using your own tablet or phone up to 100's of £'s

I've never been let down by the cheap Chinese ones - originally had a Nozatec 5" screen, now recently upgraded to a 9" Xgody X4
There's an FB Nozatec group which offers a lot of support & advice, if needed. And Bi-Annual map updates.

 

[Trev133]

I don’t mind spending a few hundred pounds to get a better option. Had a bit of a fright recently by Fiat Satnav taking me down a road which looked totally normal and after about 2 miles it reduced to a glorified lane with nowhere to turn.

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[glenn2926]

I don’t mind spending a few hundred pounds to get a better option. Had a bit of a fright recently by Fiat Satnav taking me down a road which looked totally normal and after about 2 miles it reduced to a glorified lane with nowhere to turn.

Ahh, at some point they all do that sir.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I don’t mind spending a few hundred pounds to get a better option. Had a bit of a fright recently by Fiat Satnav taking me down a road which looked totally normal and after about 2 miles it reduced to a glorified lane with nowhere to turn.

Even the "best", most expensive unit won't stop that happening as they all rely on the mapping data provided [Ordinance Survey?].
If no width/weight/height data has been measured - no SatNav will stop sending you down unsuitable routes.

Spending more money won't necessarily get you better route guidance...
Maybe the hardware might be 'better'.

Most of us, if planning, will check a paper map.
Mostly I check Google Street view to virtually drive the final local roads approaching my destination.

 

[eddie]

We sold thousands of Sat Nav systems since the became available, and every system could throw you a curved ball every now and again

We would say its an “aide’ to driving, not a replacement for common sense.

 

[Millcourt]

TomTom Camper Sat Nav currently on offer at Amazon. RRP £379,99. Offer price £249.99.

Amazon product ASIN B07BQ22FHW.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Google maps by a mile. It's years ahead of the sat nav units

Faster processor.
Satellite view.
Street View.
Tends to stick to main roads.

And it's freeeee!

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[glenn2926]

Google maps by a mile. It's years ahead of the sat nav units

Faster processor.
Satellite view.
Street View.
Tends to stick to main roads.

And it's freeeee!

Which is great if you’re the type of person that likes to stick to main roads. As I said I earlier there’ll be many opinions.

 

[DJA]

Further to @Millcourts post the Tomtom Camper includes ACSI , ADAC, and ANWB Camper and Caravan Campsite POI files and a Campercontact POI file which covers Aires. All of the aforementioned POI files should be updated from time to time and the POI's can be viewed on the Map with their own specific Icon, ie CC for CamperCar for example.

It is correct that all GPS units risk taking you down a wrong road for the vehicle combination concerned because the data is not available on the inbuilt maps. Personally I have found the Tomtom GO Camper unit better at routing than my Garmin 660 Camper, which is completely up to date, which until recently used to direct me through a shopping parade car park locally. That problem has been sorted except rather than just omitting the Car Park loop error from an otherwise suitable route it changed the latter half of the route adding 2 extra miles to the previously suggested route.

 

[Bernie P]

Google maps by a mile. It's years ahead of the sat nav units

Faster processor.
Satellite view.
Street View.
Tends to stick to main roads.

And it's freeeee!

And Google maps has the nasty habit of losing it's current position at critical moments and frequently shows you as being on a different road to the one you're actually on. I use google maps on my PC to get an Idea of the route to take and use a Garmin Camper 760 in the van.

There's also this thing called a "Road Atlas" it's a bit bulkier than a sat-nav but less fragile and doesn't need wires etc, but really good for an overview.

 

[LesW]

To be honest that’s why Google maps is the best. It’s got EVERY campsite listed

As well as everything else

Whilst it's good, Unfortunately there are still inaccuracies to be found on Google maps.

 

[Swifter]

Unfortunately there are still inaccuracies to be found on Google maps.

Indeed . Is it even possible to input the size of the motorhome into google maps ?

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[Dan and Jan]

Garmin Camper 760 and an old fashioned map. Plus a load of common sense and luck.

 

[Polar bear]

Best satnav is the wife in passenger seat with a map

 

[Trev133]

I’d definitely get lost

 

[Marmite]

That's a nag nav in our house!

The inbuilt unit on my MH allows vehicle type to be selected (e.g. 3.5T unit), but not sure how much that helps. It does seem to try and avoid the narrower roads, but I am a devil with those and always willing to give it a try

 

[DJA]

Best satnav is the wife in passenger seat with a map

If only I could say the same.

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[Driventemple]

I agree with OP regarding the UConnect system. It is of limited use to campers. I purchased a secondhand TomTom Trucker 6000 with lifetime maps and traffic. I have been very pleased with that.

 

[Richard n Ann]

There's also this thing called a "Road Atlas" it's a bit bulkier than a sat-nav but less fragile and doesn't need wires etc, but really good for an overview.

I agree, the way we do it is to have Google maps on to overview our position then follow signage to the next town, Ann likes to have the map on her knee too. She knew absolutely nothing about maps before she met me and now takes pride in her navigating

I sometimes switch to navigation mode for the last couple of miles.

 

[Trev133]

Thanks Guy's. Some really good input and advice. Tom Tom, Garmin and Google seem to be favourite. A couple of systems I had also read about were Snooper and Avtex.

 

[TDub49]

Garmin Camper 770 - takes all the dimensions etc plus has loads of UK and European campsite info plus free map updates. Top tip with this one - keep your GarminExpress updated or you might lose a country like we did whilst in France back in the summer when the satnav could tell us where we were but wouldn't except any navigation input. Once in Italy it was happy to guide us up through Switzerland and Germany and Belgium on the hop from Aaschen to the tunnel but as soon as we were in France it went back to sulking. The good people at Garmin were most patient and understanding and eventually came up with the solution which was to update Garmin Express and re-instal the maps. I'll know next time . . . . .

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Don’t waste your money on camper van / caravan specific sat navs, they only work from road information that you can read yourself. They won’t prevent you from going down single track roads with no turning, they’ll only avoid single track roads and can take you many many miles out of your way when there‘s no need. I spent £300 on one that we could put dimensions into and got diverted all over the place in France, sometimes I could see where we needed to be be a stupid thing wouldn’t go that way.
We have gone back to a standard Garmin and are very pleased with it, just keep an eye on signage and trust your own judgment.

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