Columbus ... How is it as a navigator ?

[Nick_H]

I've had my trusty old TomTom 510 for about 7 years. Never let me down. How's the Columbus nav compare ?

[chadlington]

Better than I had expected. I miss the tom tom live traffic but the TMS is actually ok. A number if times I ignored its redirections and ended up in big delays.

[Nick_H]

My TomTom is ancient. Never had live traffic !

[john999boy]

I think the Tomtom is better at routing 'generally' and if you had 'live traffic' that would also be better than TMC. Can you see where I'm going with this.........

Mind you, what price can you put on not having cables strewn all over the dash?

[sworks16]

you can use google maps through car play can't you doesn't that then have live traffic?

[Brimma]

Better than I had expected. I miss the tom tom live traffic but the TMS is actually ok. A number if times I ignored its redirections and ended up in big delays.

Spot on with that, I've had occasions when I've ignored its re-routing and ended up regretting it - next time I'll take notice

[chadlington]

I think the Tomtom is better at routing 'generally' and if you had 'live traffic' that would also be better than TMC. Can you see where I'm going with this.........

Mind you, what price can you put on having cables strewn all over the dash?

Note to Skoda: Simply Clever - usb power sockets - 4 concealed in the dash under windscreen left, middle/middle right. 2 on either side of the huge camera housing at the top of the screen.

[Nick_H]

Chad is that a wish list or something you've found !

[old newbie2]

I've had my trusty old TomTom 510 for about 7 years. Never let me down. How's the Columbus nav compare ?

We still have a couple of Toms, but prefer the Columbus / RNS510 in my cars.

Especially kike the secondary Nav Display in the Maxidot, really useful as it shows the next "what to do" info in the drivers sight-line.

A head- up display would be better but pricey............

 

DC

 

The music is also good, & I like the ability to listen to a concert DVD whilst driving.

[Danny 57]

in 3 1/2 years I have always found the Columbus navigation to be accurate but like all of them they are reliant on the info fed to them.

[Dilz]

Especially kike the secondary Nav Display in the Maxidot, really useful as it shows the next "what to do" info in the drivers sight-line.

This feature sounds great - and I'm curious if anyone with SmartLink can confirm if the same happens when using Google Maps/Apple Maps? Do you get the next steps shown on the trip computer as well?

[chadlington]

Chad is that a wish list or something you've found !

Ha! No that's certainly a wish list on my part. It would be so easy to do, and so long as they were properly specced could provide power for everyone's accessories without the cable hiding nightmare we have today.

[drewpost]

This feature sounds great - and I'm curious if anyone with SmartLink can confirm if the same happens when using Google Maps/Apple Maps? Do you get the next steps shown on the trip computer as well?

Sadly it doesn't. I was using Apple maps during the test drive and the navigator on the maxi dot just showed the normal compass.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dilz]

Thanks for letting me know!

[BFG1]

I'll probably use Columbus until it lets me down but out of interest Google Maps on Carplay or does it have to be Apple Maps?

[drewpost]

CarPlay only supports Apple maps at the moment.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[InfiniteDreamer]

Ha! No that's certainly a wish list on my part. It would be so easy to do, and so long as they were properly specced could provide power for everyone's accessories without the cable hiding nightmare we have today.

Indeed....the USB position/qty in S3 imho is poor

[Booble]

On my 2012 octy amundsen+ it had a most epic failure moment yesterday which nearly resulted in physical injury of said Amundsen unit.

Following directions to Chester from m53, I was directed to leave at the next motorway junction staying in the right lane of the junction so I could bear right on the roundabout. The traffic was particular heavy and I was stuck in a traffic jam heading up the junction slip road in the left lane. Suddenly it recalculated and advised that I rejoin the motorway which I did. As I looked across the opposite side of the motorway I could see an equally congested junction for the southbound turn off. Smugly I followed the new route....until I realised it had decided that at the next junction I should in fact double back and join the southbound queue. Which would have placed me right at the back of a equally long queue. Argh. I decided to ignore everything it advised relating to its recalculated route and I excluded the m53. Eventually it took me to where I wanted to be via a town centre route and I arrived unfashionabley late for my meeting.

I've been dying to share this story all day...this thread seems apt!

I hope the Columbus version is improved.

[Booble]

I feel better now that's off my chest

[Sagalout]

There, there ol' chap. A nice cup of Horlicks and a malted milk biscuit and you will be ready to face the rigours of satnav travel again tomorrow.

[Booble]

Providing its a chocolate malted milk

[Gleemin]

Not had any issues with mine but would like to know if you can add speed, sorry I mean safety camera's to it rather than have to have my Tom Tom on as well

[mandp]

Not had any issues with mine but would like to know if you can add speed, sorry I mean safety camera's to it rather than have to have my Tom Tom on as well

You could always try keeping within the speed limit!

[BillyJim]

Not had any issues with mine but would like to know if you can add speed, sorry I mean safety camera's to it rather than have to have my Tom Tom on as well

Yes you can.

Find a speed camera database file in ASC, CSV, GPX or Google Earth format. Go to MyDestinations. Import and convert the file then save it to an SD Card. Put it in your Amundsen/Columbus and import it to your Personal POI.

If travelling in France it is unlawful to have camera locations shown using a camera symbol - but French law being as wonderful as it is, using a non-camera symbol (like an exclamation sign) is allowed.

I've not yet tried it yet, but I've read the new Amundsen/Columbus devices now support vicinity warnings too.

[FelisBengalensis]

Having used the system in anger for the first time this evening, and compared it against me Garmin I am not impressed. Both systems were set for the shortest route but the Columbus one was 6 miles longer and took several nonsensical diversions to come back to a common point. I suspect the underlying mapping database is the issue rather than the system.

It is also full of speed limit errors. Shows 40mph around here, but it's been a 20/30 zone for more than 16 years. My BMW mapping data is much better, so is the Garmin. My Garmin also uses DAB traffic which refreshes every 30 seconds. TMC is old and slow and I'm surprised that with a DAB in the car advantage hasn't been taken to link it to the Nav system.

Sorry VAG you need to do better.