Sat Navs
Is it worth buying a specialist satnav for caravanners/motorhomers rather than just an ordinary satnav and if so, what particular brand would members recommend?
Comments
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Agreed, don’t waste your money. Whatever bells & whistles they offer, they’re only as good as the source data and some of that isn’t very good - there’s only 2 primary data sources in Europe. I think most people who regularly tow or drive large vehicles quickly develop a 6th sense about roads that just don’t look right, despite the sat nav encouraging them to plough on regardless.
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I think the days where the data is not quite there have long gone. I believe it to be pretty comprehensive these days and whilst it is true there are only two sources of mapping data I suspect these are supplemented by others for road information. On my sat nav, Co-Pilot, I can certainly get different routes for different vehicles, truck or car and the truck routing has not let me down yet in over 5 years of use. I think these days how good a sat nav is, is down to how good the routing algorithms are. Some sat navs are certainly better than others and I have used three different types over the years. However, they all have there quirks and what was quirky a few years ago may not be now. Sat Navs have come a long way in 20 years with many more players than just TomTom in the market.. My own view is sat navs for caravans are worth having and if you have a large motrohome don't ignore the truck sat navs.
I think Co-Pilot is good but I don't like the pricing structure and of course you need your own hardware. I run mine on a Samsung tablet along with other touring Apps and guides and I am fortunate that I bought mine before the pricing structure changes
peedee
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I'm with AD and Bill and wouldn't bother. On the rare occasions the Sat Nav suggests I go down a dubious looking road I ignore it and usually find that it is only going to cut a corner anyway. I use my Sat Nav in conjunction with a good map and road signs, it keeps my OH occupied whilst en route
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Certainly agree about corner cutting. My TomTom habitually does that, favouring residential 20 mph zones and speed bumps over more suitable local routes. There are plenty of 6’ 6” roads in the UK, many folks would choose to avoid them in a panel van sized vehicle (2.05m) but the sat nav is unlikely to protest.
Also, if I remember correctly, TomTom will allow you to upload but not delete selected POIs. If you’re not careful the screen can get very busy!
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My first Tom Tom (old fashioned - not flat screen) was very good at taking just main roads while my new one always takes me, or wants to take me, down narrow streets through housing estates. I've tried all sorts of settings but to no avail.
I would use one with in conjunction with a real maps and/or google maps.
Just as an aside always follow the club instructions in the last few miles.
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Thank you for the replies.
I agree with what you say Cornersteady about following maps and the Club's instructions the last few miles but want a satnav for the instructions at roundabouts and junctions, especially in town or city centres with many different routes, as I am a single tourer and trying to keep an eye on the road, whilst trying to read multiple signs is sometimes rather difficult. I was given a satnav which was very good but unfortunately the battery no longer holds its charge, so I thought it would be better to buy a new one.
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Most, if not all, modern sat navs have clear picture and spoken instructions telling which exit to use at roundabouts and intersections. Suggest you go to an accessory store (eg Halfords) and have a look at what is available. Get one with free life time updates and Europe Maps.
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I use a Tom Tom 6200 which links in with the My Drive app on my computer. Having a somewhat large (and wide) TA van, I'm careful where I take it. I always research new routes on Google maps, including using Street View to verify that the route is suitable. I then replicate that route on My Drive and download it to the satnav where it is saved in "My Routes". I can therefore guarantee that the satnav will take me along the prescribed route without attempting any stupid shortcuts down unsuitable roads. Been using it for about 4 years now, like this, and it hasn't let me down.
It also has lifetime map and speed camera updates.
I have tried so-called specialist satnavs - including the one promoted by this Club but after finding that they still had a mind of their own - sent them back.
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I would not dream of using a standard car SatNag unless it had a setting for large vehicles. The unit in our motorhome knows the weight, length, width, and height vehicle so will keep me away from roads and obstruction that are not suitable and if I ignore it will warn of the problem ahead.
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I use www.viamichelim.com as it allows me to have via points and input a caravan etc. The on the road running times I have found to be very accurate. I believe it uses the same mapping as Garmin.
I run through the above on a road map to see the route.
On long runs/unknown territory it is then my Avtex/Garmin satnav. It is not perfect but it does make less mistakes than me. The mapping DOES differ to your car or normal satnav. It does adjust chosen route for a caravan. The towing option on a standard satnav does not, it simply adds more time to your journey.
Colin
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I have just replaced my old SatNav with a Garmin Camper 780 at £300,....... don't waste your money. First time out I loaded car and van length and put in our destination in Devon, I was directed thru one of the smallest (Abbotsbury) villages in Dorset with a terrible 90o bend, so I revised my van details and added an extra 6 mts to the length and tried again,,,,,same route suggested.
I now can't trust the brand new SatNav anymore.....SHAME
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£300 doesn’t buy you mapping date that’s any different from the Garmin budget version. If the underlying data isn’t good then that’s the best you can achieve at any price whatever bells & whistles are built into the sat nav. Some folks say but a lorry version, but I see plenty of then stuck under low bridges and in narrow lanes.
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Currently you cannot load POIs onto Co-Pilot if you are running the latest version of Android. A fix from Android is awaited. Co-Pi;lot have also abandoned seperate versions of its sat nav. One version can be used for all vehicles by setting up the parameters of the vehicle being used.
peedee
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I t replaced my old Garmin with a Garmin Camper 780 Sat Nav and found out on first trial that it routed my car and caravan through a well known bottleneck village in Dorset and even after revising the length of my unit by adding an extra 6Mts it still routed through the same village.... not so good - but I have now found out that after you put in a route you have the option of marking places to avoid and you can also drag the suggested route to a route recommended by a camp site.
Sat Navs are getting better but do your homework first.
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three points to add....
1) ensure any satnav is set to 'fastest route' NOT 'shortest route' which will try any shortcut to save you a few yards...
2) when using Tomtom's MyDrive, i found that once a route had been sorted on a PC/tablet, when transferred to the satnav the only thing it dis was to transfer the destination, in effect leving the satnav to recalculate the route....which defeated the object...any replication would need to be done again on the device with way points.
3) i used my old satnav for biking....one day i lent it to my daughter and she gave me hell when she got home....it was trying to send her down every narrow, safe leafy lane!
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Well, I invested in a Tomtom go Camper. Although the routing was pretty good, the display was quite dim, so even in the avearge sunny day you cannot see the screen. But sunglasses on and it was a definate no no. Yet the built in car one I could see fine.
Anyway, with my Amazon credit back, looking for suggestions on a better built, clearer display?
Have a caravan and quite large car btw.
Paul.
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"2) when using Tomtom's MyDrive, i found that once a route had been sorted on a PC/tablet, when transferred to the satnav the only thing it dis was to transfer the destination, in effect leving the satnav to recalculate the route....which defeated the object...any replication would need to be done again on the device with way points."
BB I don't understand that and I think you're doing something wrong. What I do, is first of all, select a route on Google maps and 'drive' any potentially dodgy bits on Street View and alter the route until I am satisfied that it's OK. Then I go into My Drive - select the route - which is invariably different from the Google one I have selected - but then manually alter it by dragging the 'points' so that it corresponds exactly with that which I have selected on Google Maps. Then, I save it to 'My Routes' and select the option to sync it with other devices and as soon as the Tom Tom is connected to Wifi, it's transferred in its entirety to the device.
Consequently when the Tom Tom is guiding me it takes me exactly along the route I have selected and it doesn't have the option of recalculating the route.
I know it's a bit long winded - but I have the time to do it and it's worked every time for the last three or four years.
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BB - I've just had another thought! Is your Tom Tom device compatible with My Drive? Not all are - mainly the older ones. If it is, there should be a menu on there called 'My Routes' and that's where your route is stored.
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Have you checked the screen brightness settings in Menu/Settings/Appearance/Display/Brightness? I have mine set at 100% all the time (since it's always plugged into power) and it's absolutely fine even in the brightest of sunshine.
I can recommend the TT 6200 and, using the My Drive App you can plan your route, download it to the device and guarantee you are taken on the correct route.
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