Tom Tom or Garmin - which SATNAV is the best?

[Polgara2]

Looking to buy a satnav but undecided whether to go for TomTom or Garmin. Anyone got any preferences and why? Also how useful is it to get one with Traffic information on it? Oh and what about the screen size 3.5 or 4.3 does it really make any difference.
Thanks in advance .

[zebramama]

The v4 TomTom Ones have a non-reflective screen that makes them a heck of a lot easier to use on a sunny day. The NavMans and Garmins both suffer from screen glare.

[juneybean]

Because the "important safety feature" diverts my attention from the road as it constantly beeps at me for going 70 on a dual carriage way (insists I should be going 60).

[ExterminAitch]

i think that's an important safety feature, why on earth would you turn it off?

[juneybean]

Flibberty you can turn off the beeping when you speed! I found it rather annoying!

[SqueakyPop]

Don't know which is better, but very happy with Tom Tom

[suedonim]

We've just bought a TomTom to use in the US and it's fantastic! The only extra I'd like is info about the best shopping bargains but maybe I'm expecting too much with that.

[Polgara2]

Right dh has decided to go for the Tom Tom - AND we've found it on offer in Comet.
Thanks everyone.

[zippitippitoes]

i have a garmin i dont rate it

i have used it in kingston and chelsea areas too

and it leaves it too late to say which exit on roundabouts for me

it sent me some daft way and then asked me to do a u turn at the first opportunity which i found weird

and in the countryside

i had an annpyance with it round merthyr tidfil where it was nonsensicsal

and it does favour back roads just because they are shorter however ridiculous they actually are

[bubblerock]

TomTom V3 has come down loads in price Good thread here

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Oh, and had another example where I put the postcode in for an address in Cheam. It tried to send me to Surbiton.

Checked the postcode, did it again - same thing.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Another one here who prefers a map!

I really use my satnav (TomTom 510) as a back up now, as I just don't trust it.

Had to go somewhere in Watford. Had been there before so had a vague idea where I was going. Tomtom kept sending me round the one way system, going away from my destination, and then sent me up a dead end.

In Wales earlier this year, destination was a few miles away from the end of the M4. On the map I could see it was two different roads, one that picked up from the end of the M4, leading straight to the other road. I put the satnav on because I wasn't sure of the directions to the cottage we were staying in.

Satnav chose a completely different route through windy country roads for no apparent reason. So I ignored it until we got near to the cottage when it finally decided to tell me where we should really be going.

I now really only use it when I have the kind of drive where I can't look at a map. But always have the map with me as well.

A very disappointing gadget IMO.

[DontNeedAnything]

We had tom tom software on a PDA and it was great.

It broke so we bought a dedicated Garmin ( the £100 europe one in Argos - Bargain).

It gave us strange routes, so we were sceptical - but we trusted it and we were actually quite impressed. However, what i miss on the garmin is the ability to tell it we don't like it's first choice - which we could with teh tom tom on PDA. On hte Tom tom we could also put roadblocks in (i.e. accidents etc.) our Garmin is very basic and inflexible - but that may be because it is entry level.

[MrsBadger]

we used the simple device of asking it to find PIL's remote Welsh house

only the TomTom managed it.

[catweazle]

The chap in Halfords recommended a Garmin rather than a tomtom. We've used it all around South Wales and from Kent to Scotland. No problems.

[QS]

Garmin is totally useless in Kingston (Surrey), as it does not know all the roads there,it keeps asking me to enter a main road. I am ON ONE! I am right outside the main shopping centre, and it does not even recognize I am on a blooming ROAD!

I wanted to go to a restaurant in Richmond, plotted the address, and it flagged it in the middle of the road on Petersham Road, I went there, no restaurant. Just an empty road....

I wanted to go to an address near Knightsbridge (London), and after being led through two circuits around Harrods I rang my husband in despair, he got out the old AZ and guided me there, when I threatened to rip the Garmin right out and throw it out the window.

He is very protective of his Garmin. Last time I threatened to throw it out of the window, he nearly came to get me on his motorbike. That was in Guildford. Guildford and surrounding areas seems to not really exist in Garmin land.

Oh, and dont even get me started on using the Garmin in Gran Canaria. It was insisting I go the wrong way in one way systems, it was insisiting I leave the road and drive through mountain rocks, seeing roads where there were none, and just generally leading me on a very stressful journey up and down residential streets in Zonnenland....or something like that.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DONT GET A GARMIN!!!!

[MummyDoIt]

We have a TomTom and I love it. I think I must rely on it too much, though, as the DSs went through a phase of chanting 'you have reached your destination' every time we pulled up in the drive!

[Paddlechick666]

oh and something that re-directs if there's traffic.

but only if it re-directed me in an American redneck accent!

[Lapsedrunner]

I prefer my Ordnance Survey map

[Paddlechick666]

I have a navman (basic model) and it's adequate but can get it's knickers in a twist and send me off on random jaunts!

if i was buying new my top priority would be something that i could get to talk to me in an American redneck accent!

[Blandmum]

tomtom

idiot proof

and I'm the idiot that proved it!

[Polgara2]

So that's a mixed reception for both then! AND I knew someone would throw navman into the mix . I am still nowhere nearer knowing which is the best you know.
Is it worth paying more for the tomtom then?
Hairy/Giggle - have you compared your navman to one of the other two or just had a navman?
What about the traffic alerts bit - no one has mentioned them - is that because you don't use them?
Oh I think I feel a headache coming on!

[HairyMaclary]

OH no! Apologies for completely incorrect use of ' !!

[HairyMaclary]

Well I would say Navman! WE have had a number of different navman's and they are great, best so far is F20 (not sure if they still sell it though, we got ours about a year ago)

DH works for them so I'm a bit biased, but they are good!

[superloopy]

We have a tomtom and I have never had any problems with it.

For the first year we had it we were in London and it was very helpful. Especially for my DH who has the potential to get lost while putting the rubbish out!!

We are now living in Australia and bought the Aust map online and loaded it onto the tomtom. I am equally happy with it still as I have no idea how to get around Melbourne by myself.

HTH

[QS]

I hope you never have to use it on the canary islands or some other bizarre place.... Hey, come to think of it, Richmond is pretty badly covered....