Sat Nat/GPS
#1
Sat Nat/GPS
Dear All
Since I will be going home to the UK mid Aug for 2 weeks, I will be hiring a car for the full duration. The cost of including a sat nav is frigging crazy - something like £11 a day (more than the hire of the car) and since i'll be hiring the car for a good 2 weeks, that's almost £150 odd for just the sat nav.
So now I'm thinking it's probably cheaper and better in the long run if I just buy a sat nav from here and take it with me.
Does anyone know if I do buy a sat nav/tom tom, whether I can use it as soon as I land in the UK, or would I need to have the software updated to include the UK? If that is the case, does anyone know if there is a sat nav which won't need that doing?
Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Since I will be going home to the UK mid Aug for 2 weeks, I will be hiring a car for the full duration. The cost of including a sat nav is frigging crazy - something like £11 a day (more than the hire of the car) and since i'll be hiring the car for a good 2 weeks, that's almost £150 odd for just the sat nav.
So now I'm thinking it's probably cheaper and better in the long run if I just buy a sat nav from here and take it with me.
Does anyone know if I do buy a sat nav/tom tom, whether I can use it as soon as I land in the UK, or would I need to have the software updated to include the UK? If that is the case, does anyone know if there is a sat nav which won't need that doing?
Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
Nope.
Buy a UK sim card. Top up and do a deal for internet (eg; top 10 quid and get 5Gb of data etc).
Use google maps, free.
Buy a UK sim card. Top up and do a deal for internet (eg; top 10 quid and get 5Gb of data etc).
Use google maps, free.
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
I like to use Waze rather than Google Maps. Generally find it better as its users add info in realtime so crashes, jams and coppers hiding behind walls are shown too.
#4
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
thanks folks - my only concern is, won't the data be used up quickly and hence i'll be spending just as much on top ups?
#5
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
also I only have 1 smart phone (iphone) and if I put a local sim in it, then I won't be able to access my UAE contacts, emails, etc
#6
Banned
Joined: Oct 2015
Location: Luton
Posts: 1,162
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
Buy a UK Sat Nav for like 30 quid. Go Halfords and buy the cheapest.
or WAIT
Buy a map
or WAIT
Buy a map
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
If you put a UK sim in you will still be able to access your UAE contacts and have access to your emails....
And if you 100% need your UAE number active buying a cheapy smartphone would be cheaper than renting a satnav. Or borrow one. Someone you know must have an old spare one floating about.
As for data useage, sat nav apps don't use that much and data deals in the UK are cheap as chips.
Another route would be to ensure you get a car with built in satnav.... most do these days.
And if you 100% need your UAE number active buying a cheapy smartphone would be cheaper than renting a satnav. Or borrow one. Someone you know must have an old spare one floating about.
As for data useage, sat nav apps don't use that much and data deals in the UK are cheap as chips.
Another route would be to ensure you get a car with built in satnav.... most do these days.
#9
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
If you put a UK sim in you will still be able to access your UAE contacts and have access to your emails....
And if you 100% need your UAE number active buying a cheapy smartphone would be cheaper than renting a satnav. Or borrow one. Someone you know must have an old spare one floating about.
As for data useage, sat nav apps don't use that much and data deals in the UK are cheap as chips.
Another route would be to ensure you get a car with built in satnav.... most do these days.
And if you 100% need your UAE number active buying a cheapy smartphone would be cheaper than renting a satnav. Or borrow one. Someone you know must have an old spare one floating about.
As for data useage, sat nav apps don't use that much and data deals in the UK are cheap as chips.
Another route would be to ensure you get a car with built in satnav.... most do these days.
Jam's point is good though, most cars have it built in and hire cars are generally high spec for better resale and a lot of the ones I've used have had it. What are you hiring?
#10
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Riyadh
Posts: 204
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
Or download one of the offline maps apps. Here Maps is good. You can download mpas by country over wifi in advance and you have full GPS navigation when you arrive without using data.
#11
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
Mission - no, googlemaps doesn't use loads of data at all I don't think. Plus, the 10-15-20 quid sim + data thing means you can access UAE contacts, emails and all that jazz as well. I've never hired/bought sat nav and drove from Heathrow to Mums to Oxford to Wakefield to Darlington to Glasgow to Prestwick to Cheshire to Oxford to Mums to Heathrow without ever using anything other than google maps.
Jam's point is good though, most cars have it built in and hire cars are generally high spec for better resale and a lot of the ones I've used have had it. What are you hiring?
Jam's point is good though, most cars have it built in and hire cars are generally high spec for better resale and a lot of the ones I've used have had it. What are you hiring?
Thanks SCAMP, much appreciated.
#12
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
maybe I being blonde here but don't you need wifi connection to access the download and I'm not going to get that in a hired a car
#13
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
If you put a UK sim in you will still be able to access your UAE contacts and have access to your emails....
And if you 100% need your UAE number active buying a cheapy smartphone would be cheaper than renting a satnav. Or borrow one. Someone you know must have an old spare one floating about.
As for data useage, sat nav apps don't use that much and data deals in the UK are cheap as chips.
Another route would be to ensure you get a car with built in satnav.... most do these days.
And if you 100% need your UAE number active buying a cheapy smartphone would be cheaper than renting a satnav. Or borrow one. Someone you know must have an old spare one floating about.
As for data useage, sat nav apps don't use that much and data deals in the UK are cheap as chips.
Another route would be to ensure you get a car with built in satnav.... most do these days.
#14
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
Sim is normally about a tenner, then I normally buy a 10 quid bundle for 5gb (or whatever) of data (keep in mind my package here is 5gb for a MONTH, most of the time you just use wifi - yes, you can in this day and age ask for friends / family wifi passwords wherever you go, it's like asking if you take your shoes off).
That'll keep you going.
Failing that, if it's not what you fancy then I suggest driving to the nearest halfords, without a map, and buying this;
Halfords, 50 quid satnav
Can always give to someone after or keep for future trips.
#15
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Sat Nat/GPS
Paperclips work and phone shops have the things to do it, but useful to have your own.