Are stand-alone Sat-Nav units a thing of the past?

[PetrolDave]

But the tom tom and the garmin software (and probably others) include the maps already.

You buy the app, install it, update the maps over wifi at home and don't have to worry if you have no data on the road at all.

Same with the CoPilot app, which is what I have used for several years (I have both the Europe and US maps downloaded onto my iPhone).

[Tilt]

Maps are about 750mb and stored on my SD card on my phone, they only update over wifi as well, so no worries there. As for data usage, I haven't really noticed it eating into my allowance. According to their website having traffic on consumes about 1mb of data per hour of use, although it can be used completely offline as well.

It's nice of TomTom to tell me my 2GB sd card doesn't have enough storage for future map updates, so they are no longer going to provide these for my device. (see #11)

I only have, and want UK maps, too.

[Ttaskmaster]

So would I want the GPS, Car or Professional version of Sygic?
I'm not sure what the differences are between them and the website isn't good at comparing.

I doubt my mkI Octy has anything computery with which it can integrate...

[Ryeman]

More on satnavs 

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/why-all-sat-nav-systems-are-not-created-equal-53873

[VWD]

More on sat navs- I've NEVER had one, as in my 45+ years of family motoring I've always had a Sit Nag ,who could read a map.

aS SOMEONE POSTED ON HER A WHILE AGO

"

I have a little Satnav, it sits there in my car. A Satnav is a driver's friend it tells you where you are. I have a little Satnav, i've had it all my life. It's better than the normal ones, my Satnav is my wife.

It gives me full instructions, especially how to drive "It's sixty miles an hour", it says, "You're doing sixty five". It tells me when to stop and start, and when to use the brake And tells me that it's never ever, safe to overtake.

It tells me when a light is red, and when it goes to green It seems to know instinctively, just when to intervene. It lists the vehicles just in front, and all those to the rear. And taking this into account, it specifies my gear.

I'm sure no other driver, has so helpful a device. For when we leave and lock the car, it still gives its advice. It fills me up with counselling, each journey's pretty fraught. So why don't I exchange it, and get a quieter sort?

Ah well, you see, it cleans the house, makes sure I'm properly fed. It washes all my shirts and things, and keeps me warm in bed! 

Despite all these advantages, and my tendency to scoff, I only wish that now and then, I could turn the bugger off."

 

Mine makes a pretty decent curry, fries up a decent steak ,egg & chips , makes a decent cuppa, cuddles me nicely . What dash item could do all that.

 

[Macdemon]

On 1/12/2017 at 20:40, BlackAndBlue said:

Hiya guys,

 

I'm just wondering, are stand-alone sat-nav units a thing of the past? I used to sell them when I worked in the trade but with the amount of vehicles with navigation installed, and the amount of apps available, I'm wondering if people are still buying and using the TomTom and Garmin units. I'm in the position that my car doesn't have it installed, and I would like the capability without having to mess around with my phone.

 

What is everyone else using?

 

Wouldn't use anything else.

 

I LOVE my Garmin Nuvi 1490TV 

Edited 6 April, 2017 by Macdemon

[Guest]

On 19/01/2017 at 13:43, Ttaskmaster said:

 

I've been reading some reviews of Sygic by people more 'techy' than me, many of whom run multiple SatNavs in parallel to compare like-for-like journeys...

They complain of poor routing choice, wildly inaccurate ETA calculations, lack of essential (because you'e driving/riding) hands-free features like rerouting and roadblocking, and frequent app crashes...

 

It sounds great on paper, though....

I use both a TomTom (TT) sat nav (Via 135 bought in 2013 with lifetime map updates, apparently with TT this equates to 10 years) and Sygic satnav on my phone, Samsung Galaxy S5.

 

If I am on a long journey I use the TT which also benefits from 'real time' traffic updates via the joint TMC receiver and charger, and leave the S5 for phonecalls. 

 

For short journeys I prefer using the Sygic on my phone (I use the M74 on a regular basis and it has Average Speed Cameras in place for approximately 8 miles).  Even though it uses TT maps, the layout is much clearer and has a more user friendly interface.  For instance if I wish to cancel a route on Sygic I hit a button on the bottom of the screen which brings up a sub menu for cancelling route or muting the sound, change it to HUD display or to switch to walking mode.  To do that with the TT I have to go through several submenus which can be distracting, especially if you hit the wrong icon and have to go back.  There is also the option to report Police, Traffic, and other incidents with the press of a button.  Something I lack on my TT, BUT as stated above it is already four years old.  Newer TT models offer similar but cost a lot more than what I paid for Sygic.

 

The Sygic traffic is pretty accurate, and I don't have to use a dedicated receiver to use it.  I have a 'Lifetime Licence' for Premium European Maps with Traffic, I think I paid approximately  £30 for this.  It also gives me the option to have the directions in a 'Head Up Display' style and use my phone as a dashcam as well as sat nav.

 

I do not know how much data Sygic uses as I have unlimited data tarrif and use approximately 30Gb per month, so it is not something I have to worry about.

 

The Sygic has crashed a few times, (fingers crossed, not for a while) but I put that down to the fact my phone is considered quite old ( I believe it came out in 2014 and am waiting to upgrade to an S7), I run a LOT of apps of my phone; HIVE home heating, the tracker for my Scout, the tracker for Hadley, and a few others besides.

 

Sygic normally offer special prices around the holidays which is worth waiting for.  They used to offer a one week free trial for their full system for you to test the waters so to speak.  I cannot remember why I had to contact them, but they responded promptly.

[VWD]

Other weekend, we headed off to Echills Wood Rail  ( where they've had a spate of vandalism , where Gnomes donated by the public have been smashed - and this is an un mitigated plug for publicity for them), and after we'd ran around, daughter took the lead using the sat nav on her phone. Twenty minutes later we found it. It was where i'd have looked using a map. Last week we decided that we needed a new coffee table and headed off to a place I'd spotted on line. In went the postcode ,and maps on my phone took me round a roundabout- almost like "one more time round Piccadilly Circus- driver follow that bus". In the end I used my brain ,and lo or loo,and behold I decided to go where I thought it was. So after almost 50 years of "being told where to go " by er indoors- I'd sooner trust her than any bit of technology.

 

[Jackie-Lancs]

Just purchased a stand alone Garmin to replace my elderly version. My (new to me) Scout has a great radio but was unable to link my android phone and fitting a satnav system to the bolero looked ominous. Also wanted to communicate easily with my son in law during his attempt at Land's End John O'Groats as have been designated support driver. The unit can receive texts and calls, has much more navigational info re my old one and a front facing camera (trivial but will be able to follow him for short distances for the blog). An additional benefit is that I can use it in my other transport (a primitive Renault Trafic camper). Can also download my own points of interest.

 

Have tried the phone on occasion but not impressed. Recently was 100m from a desired location but was sent round a 1.5k loop!

[gadgetman]

Google maps is pretty up to date. 

 

If you need travel updates and speed camera warnings, use Waze. 

 

Low data allowance or need to protect against loss of signal? Jump download the map or route for offline use. 

 

Both apps are free, and more up to date than the majority of sat nav units. 

 

You just need a cradle and charger same as a sat nav. 

[Jackie-Lancs]

Thanks. Decided on stand alone set up to use between my two vehicles. Has built in dash cam plus hands free including text message read out. 

[CWARD]

Is it the Garmin one? If so I have one too and we’ll impressed with it. 

[Jackie-Lancs]

Yes - vert impressed so far.

[Rich2]

Echoing what others have said. Using a phone won't affect your data limit because if you down load the maps required over wi fi when at home and heed the warnings of them becoming out of date every 6 weeks or so, all you have to do is plan route while connected to wifi so that you get any delays factored in, pair up with car and off you go. OK, if you leave the phone connected to data you will use a little on traffic updates. Will definitely be cheaper than buying a new subscription for the inbuilt one in the car. I would go so far as to say that inbuilt maps are a complete rip off and only designed for the unwary to purchase ongoing updates when the free ones run out to supply the car manufacturer with another, totally unnecessary income. 

[Aspman]

On 11/11/2018 at 04:30, Rich2 said:

Echoing what others have said. Using a phone won't affect your data limit because if you down load the maps required over wi fi when at home and heed the warnings of them becoming out of date every 6 weeks or so, all you have to do is plan route while connected to wifi so that you get any delays factored in, pair up with car and off you go. OK, if you leave the phone connected to data you will use a little on traffic updates. Will definitely be cheaper than buying a new subscription for the inbuilt one in the car. I would go so far as to say that inbuilt maps are a complete rip off and only designed for the unwary to purchase ongoing updates when the free ones run out to supply the car manufacturer with another, totally unnecessary income. 

 

What you'll find now is that map updates are part of the connected car services to help with the upsell.

 

BMW wanted £160 a year to updates the maps and include traffic updates and few other services. I've let it slide.

IF, big IF, I was regularly driving long distances I probably would pay up. the car was good at picking up on accidents and rerouting on the fly away from them. The routes it came up with were often garbage but you still knew you had some obstruction to drive around.

 

I'm sure that some of teh stand alone sat navs do this to (and possibly better) but that would be yet another device to stick to the screen and after the largish touch screen, dashcam, and second satnav it would be increasingly hard to see the road.

[gadgetman]

9 hours ago, Aspman said:

but that would be yet another device to stick to the screen and after the largish touch screen, dashcam, and second satnav it would be increasingly hard to see the road.

My next car will have to have android/apple car connections. 

 

Being able to use Waze or Google maps on the go from the infotainment, along with being able to reply to messages via voice is brilliant. 

 

Best feature of the works van 

[Ryeman]

My device blends in to the left edge of the C4P upper centre display perfectly giving me 3 info screens with constant info without having to joggle between displays and not held hostage to a manufacturer.

Edited 12 November, 2018 by Ryeman

[Dave3283]

I still have a Stand alone Garmin, bought it just after buying my vRS as it only had the standard Bolero headunit,

I have mine setup in the dash cubby hole with the power cable running behind the dash and the Sat Nav when in use props between the open Lid and dash.

However I think this will be the last standalone I have, as I use it so little and I expect my next car will have it inbuilt as standard or a link to My Android smart phone to use Google maps or some other Nav App.

Edited 15 November, 2018 by Dave3283

[Ryeman]

My next car will probably need this service -

https://www.tomtom.com/automotive/products-services/connected-services/tomtom-ev-service/

[Ryeman]

If we go overseas on holiday, I can preloaded all of my preferred destinations and waypoints into the device.

The alternative is one of insecurity as to what I’m going to be given........no matter what I booked.

[JohnRS]

I have a TomTom for my bike and us my phone in the car. My phone is 6.4" so plenty big enough and I actually prefer the portrait view. I use the Google Driving app which means the maps are bang up to date and it gives live traffic info, plus you can download the area you're going to so it doesn't eat up your data. 

[Lady Elanore]

I still use my TomTom 6000 even though my cars have built in sat nav. The BMW satnav is really quick for rerouting and the ability to zoom in and out is way quicker than the TomTom, but the traffic info and accuracy of the data is better on the TomTom. I've tried Waze too, but still find TomTom to be the best overall (plus it has a camera data base which is pretty good so far). So I am sad enough to use 2 satnavs at the same time

[Ryeman]

My only complaint with our GO 620 is the relatively slow processor and a current occasional ‘blue line’ dropout.

But traffic, suggested diversions, speed cameras and regular map updates all included plus a more line-of-sight position too makes me want to hang on to it.

You can’t preplan an overseas trip with a built in either.

[Ryeman]

I’m fantasising about a trip through the Alps twin France/Germany and Italy etc.

We can preplan it all and carry it with us.

No paying for that unknown extra.

True portability.

[VWD]

Some time ago ,I bit the bullet and got myself a Nokia Lumia phone. One app is Here maps + W10 maps. Free download of maps for anywhere in the world. 90% of the time, I only use it to help me on the lastbit of a trip, and for the rest use my knowledge of the area. I'm amazed at how often it tries to take me the long way round . I'm convinced ( and so is Swimbo) that it's got an obsession with U turns.

Edited 11 January, 2019 by VWD
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