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-   -   Sat Nav (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/sat-nav-493125/)

Piff Poff Nov 10th 2007 4:50 pm

Sat Nav
 
I know this has been done before but for the techno phobe please explain!

What do I need in Sat Nav system?

Whats the best one at the lowest price possible?

Do you have to pay service charges like sat radio?

I'm thinking of getting hubby one for crimbo but we give each other lowish budgets to buy pressies on. I got him a Sirius radio last year but he took it back because he didn't think he'd use it.

He is a complete nightmare to buy for as if he sees something he wants he buys it - so he never wants anything. So I thought a gadget for the car would be good.

Otherwise it's socks, pants and some gummy bears:eek:

Thanks in advance.....

Kittykerr Nov 10th 2007 5:09 pm

Re: Sat Nav
 
they dont require any monthly fees. they are simply picking up a signal which is beaming down all over the world.

i have a tomtom. lovely to use. but i havnt got the Canadian maps for it yet. but in the UK it was great.

i believe Garmins are better for canada/usa tho! i just couldnt justify getting rid of my tomtom which was not very old when i can just change the maps..

get a touch screen, with voice turn by turn and preferably a good search level, ie full address/postcode. ie 1020 1st street, not just 1st street...

sorry to hijack slightly, but ive been meaning to ask does anyone have the Canadian maps for tomtoms? are they any good? where is cheapest to buy them?

Piff Poff Nov 10th 2007 5:24 pm

Re: Sat Nav
 
Thanks - that's not hijacking your on subject - every little helps too!

And what are you doing on here this time of night??????I can't sleep. But I'm gonna go and try.

bazzz Nov 10th 2007 5:24 pm

Re: Sat Nav
 
Why not get him one of those charity goats or something? Instead of wasting money on something he doesn't want, you could do something useful with the cash.

holbendem Nov 10th 2007 5:42 pm

Re: Sat Nav
 

Originally Posted by Kittykerr (Post 5539684)
they dont require any monthly fees. they are simply picking up a signal which is beaming down all over the world.

i have a tomtom. lovely to use. but i havnt got the Canadian maps for it yet. but in the UK it was great.

i believe Garmins are better for canada/usa tho! i just couldnt justify getting rid of my tomtom which was not very old when i can just change the maps..

get a touch screen, with voice turn by turn and preferably a good search level, ie full address/postcode. ie 1020 1st street, not just 1st street...

sorry to hijack slightly, but ive been meaning to ask does anyone have the Canadian maps for tomtoms? are they any good? where is cheapest to buy them?

Ive just got back to the uk having been on a recci trip to see where we want to live and I downloaded the map of USA and Canada for my tom tom i must say it was spot on in Lethbridge, Red deer, and all over Edmonton.
WE hired a car at the airport and it had a garmin in it I turned it off as it got me lost twice so in my opinion use a tom tom . hope this helps

dizzyliz Nov 11th 2007 12:17 am

Re: Sat Nav
 
The greatest invention ever.
We use our Tom Tom in Quebec and it has definately saved our marriage.(we women can't read maps - apparently):ohmy:
We also downloaded off the tomtom site - it costs of course, but is well worth it.:thumbsup:

steve666 Nov 11th 2007 1:22 am

Re: Sat Nav
 

Originally Posted by holbendem (Post 5539759)
Ive just got back to the uk having been on a recci trip to see where we want to live and I downloaded the map of USA and Canada for my tom tom i must say it was spot on in Lethbridge, Red deer, and all over Edmonton.
WE hired a car at the airport and it had a garmin in it I turned it off as it got me lost twice so in my opinion use a tom tom . hope this helps

In defence of the Garmin, I have a Garmin 660 and It's been great here around Ottawa, before I bought it I'd spend three quarters of my journey trying to find my way out of being lost (you don't get the pedestrians to ask like England), and spent much money on petrol/gas, now I go out with greater confidence, even if I take a wrong turning it recalibrates and gets me to where I want to go with no fuss. I have heard the Tomtom maps are updated more often, but I reckon if you got of the latest of either make and you won't go far wrong.

mclauchlan35 Nov 11th 2007 3:20 am

Re: Sat Nav
 
I have an old tomtom 300 I bought a Usa and Canada sd card for it on ebay for £50 and it was great for us in Ontario earlier this year.


Danny

daft batty Nov 11th 2007 3:36 am

Re: Sat Nav
 

Originally Posted by dizzyliz (Post 5540808)
The greatest invention ever.
We use our Tom Tom in Quebec and it has definately saved our marriage.(we women can't read maps - apparently):ohmy:
We also downloaded off the tomtom site - it costs of course, but is well worth it.:thumbsup:

I can read maps - fortunately as MOH can't. As I cant lipread and drive at the same time its always me as navigator and MOH as driver. Trouble is he gets his lefts ang rights confused so we still end up going the wrong way. :rofl:hey ho.

dizzyliz Nov 11th 2007 3:45 am

Re: Sat Nav
 
I can read maps too, but OH says you're not supposed to turn it upside down and round about.:confused: Who says!!!

Steve_P Nov 11th 2007 3:51 am

Re: Sat Nav
 

Originally Posted by dizzyliz (Post 5541177)
I can read maps too, but OH says you're not supposed to turn it upside down and round about.:confused: Who says!!!


Hey, whatever works for you. :)

DAVIE_MAC Nov 11th 2007 8:10 am

Re: Sat Nav
 
We used our TomTom 910 when we went to NS & PEI and it was mega.

The 910 comes with all N.America maps pre-installed on the harddrive. It has MP3 player built in, Bluetooth to use as a hands free phone and loads of other stuff.

Realy realy easy to use and you can download Points of Interest from various websites and install them easily.....ALL of Tim Hortons locations for e.g. mmmmmm what more do you need

Prior to the the carwe now have we had a Chrysler Grand Voyager which had Alpine satnav kit worth £1000's in it....great piece of kit but total nightmare to use so over complicated...TomTom is a godsend.

Cost about £210 I think it was about 8 months ago.

Piff Poff Nov 11th 2007 8:13 am

Re: Sat Nav
 
Thanks for your replies - I shall check out the shops and see if I think it's worth while.

Hopefully I can come up wit something totally cool instead though;)

daft batty Nov 11th 2007 8:15 am

Re: Sat Nav
 

Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 5541975)
Thanks for your replies - I shall check out the shops and see if I think it's worth while.

Hopefully I can come up wit something totally cool instead though;)

Go for the $10 christmas, or at the most $20. Its saves all this sort of angst and you save money and the world too

NovaBoy Nov 11th 2007 12:04 pm

Re: Sat Nav
 
Bought myself a Garmin Nuvi 660 just after we landed in ON.

Best thing I ever did. On our road trip from ON to NS we had three stops along the way - Ottawa, Quebec & Fredericton - it took us to the front door of the hotel every time. The other good thing is, once you go and do your sight seeing bit in an unfamiliar city, you just tell it to take you back to the hotel - dead easy!

But probably as you know, it's not just maps! Amongst other things you can find the nearest banks/ATM's, resaurants, petrol stations and hotels - very handy!

Have also had a return trip to ON this time from Yarmouth on the cat (ferry) to Portland, Maine then through New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York state crossing back into Canada at Niagara - all done with the satnav.

Now, I wouldn't be without one.

:thumbsup:


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