Columbus Sat Nav - are they having a laugh?

[Mph25]

I can't believe how bad the sat nav is! Admittedly I have only used it a handful of times but so far:

I was driving to a hospital (a route I knew) and it told me when I was 100 yards away that I was 20 minutes from my destination - followed by it saying "you have reached your destination" 15 seconds later.

On a long motorway trip it repeatedly told me there was a 75 minute delay on the planned route (which there wasn't) but then ignored me accepting the alternative route, repeating the message every few minutes. Selecting stay on the route or accepting the alternative made no difference,

It told me to make a U turn if possible - when the road itself was a U shape and simply required following. The next junction - it ignored and gave no instructions at all.

On the motorway it told me to take a junction 50 yards after I had passed it

And so on - and on and on! :(

My Tomtom is so much better it is ridiculous!!! What a waste of money!

[Too Tall]

It's dated and admittedly on the slow side - but i did a 600 mile round trip today to 4 places, and it worked just fine. Eta's were bang on, heavy traffic was predicted using the radio traffic updates and rerouted accordingly.

Tried resetting it?

[Mph25]

I feel like resetting it with a hammer!

What's the alternative method?

[ILOVEMYSUPERB]

Yeah, mine's OK. Admittedly not as good as my TomTom but not terrible either. ETAs are noticeably less accurate in A/B roads than on motorway journeys but I suppose you're much more vulnerable to slow traffic on single lane roads which must be harder to predict

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk

[mannyo]

Never had a problem with the Columbus Satnav in my old Superb and the Octavia before, its got me around most of southern Europe without a hitch including Spain, Italy, Portugal and France.

 

The ETA is a bit wild yes, but its based on what it knows with regards to speed limits, if it has no idea what the speed limit is on the hospital roads or those around it the ETA will be based on an approximate figure.

 

The traffic alerts are TMC based and sent by the highways agency, its quiet possible that the alternative routes available were all chokablock thus it kept repeating the traffic issue.

 

Mapping data is provided by tomtom, to me it sounds like you just need newer maps and firmware with some tweeks to the TMC settings.

 

You have to remember that the columbus has been around for 6-7 years now with only minor updates along the way.

 

FWIW I prefered the columbus to Tomtom and have only started using Tomtom again on my iphone recently as the Satnav in my A8 is even more antiquated.

 

The new Columbus in the Octy MK3 is streets ahead, all it shares is the name with everything else being brand new.

[ILOVEMYSUPERB]

I feel like resetting it with a hammer!

What's the alternative method?

Map and a Mrs (who can read maps - unlike mine!)

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk

[WaveyDavey]

Is it running the latest firmware and maps?

As mentioned previously the traffic info is received via TMC so it's not the units fault you would have had the same traffic info on a tomtom that was using a TMC receiver for its traffic info.

ETA's can be out but don't forget there is an option in the settings to say how fast you travel so changing that can change the ETAs

Since getting my car in June ive used both the Columbus and my TomTom for iPhone app and I've checked the routes both offered and they were in fact the same on each. The only benefit I have currently by using my TomTom app is the HD traffic subscription so the traffic info is a lot more specific than the TMC data.

Maybe a firmware and or map update is what you need.

Cheers

Dave.

[Mph25]

Don't know if it's the latest - but it is only 4 weeks old. I accept the data is from elsewhere - but why when I accept the suggestion for an 8 minute delay on an alternative route does it bloody ignore me and keep offering the same flaming information? (And there was no delay anyway)

Feeling less than happy - partly because I have just cracked the rear light hitting a bin while reversing up a mega-steep drive which is ruddy awkward in an auto! :(

[nellyboy]

Galaxy S4 and either google maps or Waze. I had a tomtom which was ok until it wanted an update. I was not going to pay for a bleedin map.

[ILOVEMYSUPERB]

Don't know if it's the latest - but it is only 4 weeks old. I accept the data is from elsewhere - but why when I accept the suggestion for an 8 minute delay on an alternative route does it bloody ignore me and keep offering the same flaming information? (And there was no delay anyway)

Feeling less than happy - partly because I have just cracked the rear light hitting a bin while reversing up a mega-steep drive which is ruddy awkward in an auto! :(

You can disable the dynamic routing thing so you don't get alternative suggestions for routes. Not ideal but a workaround at least

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk

[WaveyDavey]

Galaxy S4 and either google maps or Waze. I had a tomtom which was ok until it wanted an update. I was not going to pay for a bleedin map.

I wouldn't buy an actual tomtom again now the smart phone apps are out there. The tomtom app is around £35 if you catch it when its on offer and you get lifetime map updates. Then you just transfer it across to your next phone so it really is just a one off payment of £35.

I've had it around 18 months now and have had up teen updates with new maps included during that time.

Cheers

Dave.

[Mph25]

My 6" Tomtom was about £130 at most - and included lifetime map updates. I have disabled the dynamic routing on the Skoda - but that's a pity as if it worked properly it would be useful.

The previous time I did the same motorway journey it tried to take me of the motorway about 3 times citing traffic congestion - I ignored it and had my best time ever for the journey, rarely dropping below the speed limit. Go figure.

[StuartTunstall]

I went from York to Cardiff seemed more accurate that the RNSE in the Exeo, times seemed almost spot on... Only issue is the message about delays all the time, but next time I am going to try turning the dynamic off... 

 

When I go to Cardiff I always go the same way, M5 - M50 - M4 , the Superb took me that way first time, the RNSE always took me over the Severn bridge... First impressions seem good.

[ILOVEMYSUPERB]

When I take the car, I commute along the M8 and usually stick on the sat nav on to get a note of distance and time remaining. Often where there's a junction with a slip road up to a small roundabout and then an on slip back down, the Columbus will tell me to take it to avoid phantom a traffic jam.

But I guess that's more about the TMC info rather than the sat nav.

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk

[cnc]

Generally I find the Columbus pretty good, I do have the odd occasion where it keeps trying to re-route but not that often. I put it down to traffic beginning to move then stopping again a few hundred yards up the road but who knows - maybe it gets conflicting traffic info as I have mine set to 'Auto' traffic filter info not manual. I also have the ETA set to 'medium' (or whatever the middle speed setting is) and find it pretty good overall.

 

My wife has a Garmin with lifetime map updates and traffic. Great until the first time I went to update it and it told me internal memory wasn't big enough for the increased map info available - not happy. The traffic isn't any better than the Columbus either.

 

I had a new Octavia with the newer Columbus on test for a week and I didn't find it any better than the Superb Columbus.

 

Had a few cars with built in sat nav and the Columbus is one of the better ones 

 

Overall I like the Superb Columbus and I find it pretty good all round.

[Superb170]

I find the Columbus a bit hit and miss in Ireland but I recently used it all around the UK and it worked pretty well even on B roads. Destinations were very accurate as well. Only real complaint I'd have was the message about route being altered every so often but I just ignored that and it still got me there ( I know that was probably connected to dynamic route etc which I didn't bother with). Also one or two road layouts slightly misread but nothing major. Still more responsive while driving compared to phone apps or some other sat navs I've used in the past.

I also had my other sat nav sitting beside me with her map! Of course if we got lost it was the Columbus that got the blame :)

[Skoda4x4man]

+1 more for the Columbus

My unit hasn't been updated since it was bought in March 2013

Took me to Switzerland and then around the WW1 sites of Nothern France - NO issues

I don't even feel the need to update the system (maps & firmware) at the moment.

Chris

Edited 5 August, 2014 by Skoda4x4man

[Smudgers]

Columbus I would give 75/100, it works well for me most of time, I have to say that some of the configuration options are well hidden. Our fleet at work all use latest Tomtoms with latest firmware and maps and they are rubbish, they freeze the live traffic send the drivers off when roads are clear ! My wife has an old Kenwood double din unit in her MX5 and I recon it is still one of the best sat nav system I have used - its got to be around 6-8 years old. Interface is great and very configerable, ETAs are spot on - I just wounder if the modern units are going the way on mobile phones and trying to be more than just Sat Navs and in the process us the end users are now being given (at great cost for OEM units) units that are inferior to those of a few years ago

 

My configuration below:

 

My Firmware 5238

My Maps 7918

 

I have turned off the auto re route as UK in general does not have all roads monitored so its an incomplete system that will give bad results. EG Motorway (monitored) slow, takes you and everyone else off with auto re route on to smaller roads the sat nav thinks are clear because they are unmonitored - which they are not !

 

Also I think the TMC data is a lot like the matrix signs on the motorway - beautiful clear day and they say FOG ! - rubbish in  - rubbish out.

 

I have also set the speed to max for the ETA calc which I'm not sure makes any difference to ETA - I think it may have some effect on the initial journey calc time.

 

Have set auto zoom on and that works great for me.

 

Have set system to show three options for initial calcs so as I get the options fastest, shotest and what I think is Green or most economical route.

 

Have never experienced any spurious commands to make U turns or exit motorways when not needed also map keeps up well with live position of car no lag noticed.

 

Only other deviation from standard I have is the application of Speed Cam warnings from PGPSW which work great - just wish there was an option for an audio alert if required.

Edited 5 August, 2014 by Smudgers

[WaveyDavey]

Columbus I would give 75/100, it works well for me most of time, I have to say that some of the configuration options are well hidden. Our fleet at work all use latest Tomtoms with latest firmware and maps and they are rubbish, they freeze the live traffic send the drivers off when roads are clear ! My wife has an old Kenwood double din unit in her MX5 and I recon it is still one of the best sat nav system I have used - its got to be around 6-8 years old. Interface is great and very configerable, ETAs are spot on - I just wounder if the modern units are going the way on mobile phones and trying to be more than just Sat Navs and in the process us the end users are now being given (at great cost for OEM units) units that are inferior to those of a few years ago

 

My configuration below:

 

My Firmware 5238

My Maps 7918

 

I have turned off the auto re route as UK in general does not have all roads monitored so its an incomplete system that will give bad results. EG Motorway (monitored) slow, takes you and everyone else off with auto re route on to smaller roads the sat nav thinks are clear because they are unmonitored - which they are not !

 

Also I think the TMC data is a lot like the matrix signs on the motorway - beautiful clear day and they say FOG ! - rubbish in  - rubbish out.

 

I have also set the speed to max for the ETA calc which I'm not sure makes any difference to ETA - I think it may have some effect on the initial journey calc time.

 

Have set auto zoom on and that works great for me.

 

Have set system to show three options for initial calcs so as I get the options fastest, shotest and what I think is Green or most economical route.

 

Have never experienced any spurious commands to make U turns or exit motorways when not needed also map keeps up well with live position of car no lag noticed.

 

Only other deviation from standard I have is the application of Speed Cam warnings from PGPSW which work great - just wish there was an option for an audio alert if required.

I have mine setup the same as yourself except I have the speed set to medium.

I have FW4120 and the new v11 maps and like yourself have had no issues with the Columbus sat nav.

With regard the audible warnings for the PGPSW cameras there is a workaround that I have started using but it does mean you need to also use their CamerAlert app and you can then get audible warnings sent from your phone to the Columbus via Bluetooth.

I've posted about it in my Superb project thread on here.

Cheers

Dave.

[Smudgers]

 

I have mine setup the same as yourself except I have the speed set to medium.

I have FW4120 and the new v11 maps and like yourself have had no issues with the Columbus sat nav.

With regard the audible warnings for the PGPSW cameras there is a workaround that I have started using but it does mean you need to also use their CamerAlert app and you can then get audible warnings sent from your phone to the Columbus via Bluetooth.

I've posted about it in my Superb project thread on here.

 

 

Thanks Dave I'll have a look

[silver1011]

The foibles with the Columbus could easily be forgiven if Skoda didn't charge so much for it.

 

Value for money it is not.

[Mph25]

Still baffled! Did a journey today - on the way there it sensibly used two bypasses rather than go through two very congested towns - on the way back it tried to take me through the towns which no-one in their right mind would do. Completely illogical. Dynamic routing was off by the way.

Whilst it shouldn't affect this I don't know if my maps and firmware are up to date (though the car is only 4 weeks old)

Could someone tell me how to check - and which versions of maps and firmware are current please?

Thanks!

[Penpusher]

Still baffled! Did a journey today - on the way there it sensibly used two bypasses rather than go through two very congested towns - on the way back it tried to take me through the towns which no-one in their right mind would do. Completely illogical. Dynamic routing was off by the way.

Whilst it shouldn't affect this I don't know if my maps and firmware are up to date (though the car is only 4 weeks old)

Could someone tell me how to check - and which versions of maps and firmware are current please?

Thanks!

Perhaps you selected the fastest route on the way there and then the shortest route on the way back?

[Mph25]

Perhaps. I do have it set to offer 3 routes - and it's not always easy to work out the differences -though I don't think the first route I had used was an alternative. I'll keep trying but I wouldn't trust it in a journey where I didn't already. Know the best way!

Any help on the firmware/maps?

[WaveyDavey]

Perhaps. I do have it set to offer 3 routes - and it's not always easy to work out the differences -though I don't think the first route I had used was an alternative. I'll keep trying but I wouldn't trust it in a journey where I didn't already. Know the best way!

Any help on the firmware/maps?

 

 

The three routes are easily distinguishable by the little icon each one has and by the colour.. Red is fastest, Blue is eco and the third colour which escapes me now is shortest. The only icon i can remember off hand is the eco one which is a leaf.

 

The latest FW you could use will depend on what revision of Columbus you have. The latest maps are v11 which were released in late June this year. I would imagine your maps are v10 with the age of your car but the following thread may help you ascertain what you should have regards firmware....

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/253507-columbus-firmware-upgrade/

 

As an example my unit is from 2010 and i have updated it to FW 4120 and i have installed v11 maps. 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave.