I'm wanting to swap my bolero with a nav device, either a Columbus or an Amundsen. I have looked at other posts and note I will need a Bluetooth module and mic etc, just after advice and personal experiences.... And help gratefully received....

Probably depends how much you wanna spend.

I have the Amunsden+ and it does everything I need it to.

I've a feeling that the Columbus may well be the easier unit to get hold of - especially second hand.

 

I've got the Amundsen+ in my Blackline and am very happy with it. After having a bit of a play with the Columbus that was fitted in the vehicle I took for a test drive I'm happier with the sound quality in mine as well (that said I only had a relatively quick play with the test unit). I'm not interested in having a DVD player etc either.

 

The plus points for the Columbus are that I'm under the impression that it receives mapping updates a lot quicker and more regularly than the Amundsen+ receives them. My Amundsen+ only required the Bluetooth option enabling in VCDS and a mic fitting to enable full bluetooth/handsfree though.

Thanks all, advice is appreciated....

Happy with my Amundsen+ from the point of view of user interface, sound quality, radio reception, integration with maxi-dot

When it comes to SatNav then it is OK but it isn't as good as my 6 year old TomTom One!

Why?

TomTom:

• 4 map updates per year - £30
• Can be moved car to car or stuck in my pocket for walking directions.
• I can select different voices
• Instructions are brief and to the point
• Speed camera warnings
• Can save categorised points of interest
• Can pre plan a route in my living room - I don't like to set off without having a rough idea of the route it is going to take me.
• Can plan a multi-stop journey
• Can select a destination by pointing to it on the map
• "Turn around where possible" is last resort if you stray from the route

 

Amundsen+:

• map updates £??? -- heard various figures up to £120 per pop
• Stuck in the car.
• No choice of voices - stuck with staccato woman's voice
• Instructions are excessively verbose - TomTom's "Turn right after one hundred yards" becomes "Please make a turn to the right after one hundred yards onto the A six thousand five hundred fifty seven"  by the time she's finished you are on top of the junction and she interrupts herself with "Now make a turn to the right onto the A six thousand five hundred fifty seven".  If there is another instruction shortly after then it gets really silly!  At one busy sequence of junctions, this prompted my 2yr old granddaughter to comment "Grandad's new car never shuts up talking"  In these situations it is only the maxi-dot integration that makes it followable.
• Speed camera warnings are not available
• Cannot save categorised points of interest - single list of saved destinations in alphabetical order.
• Cannot pre plan a route in my living room - I will be keeping the TomTom for a while yet!
• Cannot plan multi stop journey - just 1 destination and 1 "stopover".
• Cannot select a destination by pointing to it on the map
• "Turn around where possible" is first instruction as soon as you stray from the route, it then finds 2 or 3 more  places for you to turn around before giving in and just replotting the route.

For me the Amundsen+ was a necessary upgrade to the very basic Swing unit fitted as standard - SatNav wasn't a key to the decision to upgrade, I just see it as a useful extra.  If I had never used a TomTom then I would be delighted with the Amundsen+.