Which sat nav to buy
We are looking to buy a sat nav that is caravan specific. Can you recommend the best unit?
Dave
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I have just bought a TomTom Go6200 Wifi. I chose this model finally because of a £70 discount direct from TomTom but was considering it anyhow. I am using it on our 'small' car as the daily satnav (the old one went out of service) but invested in this hefty model because I intended to use it, together with the add-on TomTom 'camper' map in our tow car (in place of the in-built satnav).
However I find:
1. the Go 6200 is not compatible with the add-on 'camper' map.
2. the camper map has to be used with the GO 'Professional' series of satnav - which are intended for truck, coaches and vans. (I had this clarified by TomTom support).
NOW! - I do NOT want to buy a truck satnav, because in reality 99% of usage will be with a day to day car - not towing!
3. However, all is not lost, because I have found that by using the GO 6200 with the smartphone MyDrive app, I then have the ability to plan routes as a car or motorbike or a truck. And in truck mode I can enter dimension of my towing outfit (width, height, length, weight, axle weight, max speed (60mph)). Thru experimentation on some caravan routes I know - and with bits to avoid - I have found that the satnav will route me correctly (I experimented with the route from the east to the Wharfedale site, if you are interested). And it is easy to leave the satnav in car mode and just chose towing (truck) mode as and when I need it.
I will say I think that TomTom's proposition to buyers is confused or unclear at best, and they are probably losing sales as a result.
I look forward to my first towing trip in early feb guided by the new satnav - and will report back!
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I agree that the important bit about Tom Tom is that those with the MyDrive facility make them ideal for caravanning and that by using this App you end up with a system that is far more reliable than any of the so-called dedicated truck and caravan satnavs. I have used it a few times now and by researching the route on Google Maps etc and then setting it up on MyDrive and downloading it to the Tom Tom device. you can be assured it will only direct you along the route you have selected.
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Posted this on another thread, but thought you might be interested.
I have loaded up a pic of some screenshots of my experiments with my recently acquired tomtom 6200.
having found I cannot put the Camper map on it, but having found the paired MyDrive Connect app has a configurable Truck option for routing, that can be set up to my car/caravan outfit vital statistics, I decided to try some options.
So I set a start point as Thirsk, and a destination as Filey, knowing that I needed to avoid Sutton Bank which is prohibited to caravans.
the screenshots show the suggested routes for car/motorbike/truck (configured to match my outfit).
I think it is a usable success - but then of course I knew about the Sutton Bank hazard - which was still one of the suggestions for a truck (lorries are allowed up it!).
So, have a look, and make up your own mind.
Incidentally, I have now planned routes and maintained (sync) my set of routes etc for the 6200 on 2 x smartphones, 1 x android tablet, and 1 x windows PC thu the web app (to which you need to log on). For my money it is much more usable on at least the tablet, if not the PC - simply for the size for my poor old eyes, and fat fingers. We always take our laptop with us on caravan hols so that will work ok.
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We have a narrow road in our village and it can be used as a shortcut BUT there is a high likelihood of meeting a resident’s car and having to reverse back. Lorries have actually got stuck on this road on more than one occasion. The point being that ALL the SatNavs route you down this road. They are all dumb and the software should categorise this (and one or two other local roads) as “access only”.
My point being that it pays to be sceptical about SatNavs that offer customisation for caravans, lorries etc. I doubt that the road mapping has enough information. Maybe the next generation will having learning ability.
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I can set my sat nav to avoid local roads and as long as the road is so categorised it does that unless it is the last road/s to the destination when it warns of this.
I set it to favour motorway and dual carriage ways, to be neutral about using major and secondary roads and to avoid local roads. Where data is used is in avoiding low bridges, weight limits, HGV bans and possibly very narrow roads.
peedee.
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I do the same but look at the final part of the arrival route on Google Earth an reprogram that part on my SatNav as necessary.
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Unfortunately my TomTom XXL IQ routes is now the it's end of life and no further map updates are available, however TomTom offered me 25% discount of its replacement plus a case. I rang them to see if I could use the discount on the GO PROFESSIONAL 6250 which they agreed to which makes it a comparatively good buy.
As I was already considering the Avtex Garmin CMC edition I rang them to confirm the arrangements for the updating of CMC and ACSI site information. which they confirmed is updated quarterly along with the maps rather than as and when the information is available, so the information isn't updated each time you log in.
I've now discovered that you can download all the CMC sites inc. CLs straight from the website in a format that TomTom can use so for me there's little to choose between the 7" Avtex 7 the 6" TomTom, however I'd appreciate any comments especially problems users of either unit have encountered.
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I have had the Avtex (caravan club etc) unit since its introduction in August last year.Set for fastest route in towing caravan mode it has not,as yet ,let me down.If I forget to remove the caravan ,when solo,it takes me a long way round.When in places such as car parks or my local road it gives me a warning about accesability.I am perfectly happy with it.(unlike the built in one in the car which I find quite annoying with its instruction to leave the exit after you have done as you are told and taken the third exit!!!!!
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Geezer, like you my XXL is no longer supported and maps have grown extensively over the years and I am in the 'map zone' category, which is a pain, so I got a Via 62 with lifetime maps and traffic via the iPhone.
however, POI management is poor, although I have managed to load 20+ files....one by one.....
im gradually being won over by MyDrive, I reran the route posted above and my smaller MH was routed over Sutton bank, no issue there, and the 'car' route was a tad different...
i did get it at a very good price and wanted something with more detailed maps, increased (and expandible) storage and traffic.
however, I do think the maps are being enhanced/polluted (depending on point of view) by the addition of millions of POI data items, the majority of which, most drivers won't use....although those they do use with be different for each driver and it looks like Tomtom are trying to cater for every 'interest'.
personally I'd prefer a much, much smaller provided data base and a much, much easier process for loading personal POIs which are of specific use the new owner.
still, warming gently, after a sticky start....
oh, and it has a smaller connection port so my old neatly installed cable won't do anymore.....and the clip for securing it to the mount is far more tricky than the previous one...
progress, eh?
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Avtex Garmin One Sat Nav.
I would just like to give my opinion on the Avtex Garmin One Sat Nav. I have actually tested this product and I can honestly say it is one of the best sat navs I have ever used. The nice thing about it is that you can use it for your car, car and caravan or motor home. By putting in the dimensions of your outfit the sat nav will calculate the best route for you and not send you down narrow roads, creating havoc on your journey. The setup is really easy to do on the touchscreen and like your smartphone you can expand your view by using the ‘pinch’ method with two fingers at any time whilst you are using the sat nav. You can actually pair the sat nav with your smartphone after installing the smartphone link app available on the app store for apple iphone or the play store for android. The app is also very useful for live traffic updates. Making and receiving telephone calls is a breeze and you can carry on with your journey without worrying to pull over to make or receive a call. I actually downloaded the manual for the sat nav. I just did a google search for the manual and easily downloaded it to keep for reference whilst using the device. I did this because the instructions that came with the sat nav were quite minimal. There are other features on the sat nav but for most people just using the basic features will be sufficient. It is a very good sat nav and I had no trouble using it driving from the South of England to the North. Thumbs up from me. We do have the sat nav tourer one available in our Club shop. If you click HERE it will direct you to our Club shop where you can purchase it.
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As Mandy Rice-Davies said .....
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Nige
Can I ask whether you have a direct comparison with TomTom products, particularly with a device using their Camper maps?
Thanks
David
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David, just to keep you in the loop with the Tomtom, I don't have camper maps on this device (but they are the latest v1005 editions) but the thing I'm getting into is to use MyDrive as the interface.
this is where you can put in the dimensions, and as MD interfaces with most recent (say 2 yr old) Tomtoms, so the device itself doesnt need this 'ability'...
you can set the figures for your van, including speed limits, and it's the MD software that does all the route calculations based on size etc, and even tailor the route by easily adding waypoints to ensure the route is how you want it..
my MH is smaller, lighter and has higher speed limits than Trevdewav's car/caravan examples above, so I got the same 'car' result for the Thirsk to Filey trip but a different one for 'our' MH compared to his 'caravan' route....
so, is this ability likely to be a substitute for the separate camper maps?
as I said, as long as the device can be linked using MyDrive Connct on a PC, it can receive a planned route from MD.
if the device is connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth (for traffic and hands free calling) it can receive the MD route over the net, via your phone without having to use a PC.
Good luck.
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