Sat Nav Recomendations Please

[Barry k]

Hi,going out to by a sat nav this weekend,dont know to much about them except the huge price variation for different brands, i have been told to get one that shows sidestreets and satellite pick up is quick, is the most expensive always the best ??? Recomendations anyone.

Thanks

Barry

[crazyspoon05]

Before buying have a play around with demo models searching for newish streets, etc you know of to ensure the maps are relatively up to date

Some systems are great around the metro areas and poor around country/rural areas and others are great for rural areas and poor for metro areas

I'd also either ask a sales assistant to program in a quick route or do it yourself and check that the system has speed limits for most streets and not just the major roads (the latest Navteq map I've got for one of my GPS programs actually has less speed limits than the map it apparently superseded)

Failing all that there's a few manufacturers now offering free map updates for 'x' amount of years which can save you a lot of dollars

[edals]

I Have a Navigator By Laser, Offers free Maps, And has the best as they use council maps. So its very upto date.
Australian Voice also. Out of all the others like TomTom etc, think its the best.

[illusionalvr]

my tom tom seems alright. paid 170 for it 3 months ago

[ParkwayDrv]

I have a cheap tomtom, has never let me down

[Junny]

i dont like tomtom... you have to type in the right suburb...
unlike others how you type street name then you pick what suburb..
annoys me when people think they like somewhere but its boarder line

[Reaper]

I have used navigators extensively for the last 4 years doing around 50,000 km per year (more some years). IMO TomTom wins hands down. Garmen second and the rest are a distant third. As per Junny's post, the only negative comment I would have about the tomtom is typing suburb first and then the street. 95% of the time it isn't an issue but it can be annoying. I have found the maps over the last year or so have come along in leaps and bounds and are nearly always 100% accurate for Victoria.

Reaper

[billy bob]

What ever you do don't get a Navman. Got given one for christmas. When driving from Canberra to Harden it keeps saying to you over and over "turn around you are on an unsealed road". When the road has probably been sealed for 20 years. You keep going cause the signs say Harden.
It then tells you "unable to calculate destination, cancelling trip"
Don't use it any more

[Barry k]

What ever you do don't get a Navman. Got given one for christmas. When driving from Canberra to Harden it keeps saying to you over and over "turn around you are on an unsealed road". When the road has probably been sealed for 20 years. You keep going cause the signs say Harden.
It then tells you "unable to calculate destination, cancelling trip"
Don't use it any more

Many thanks for the replies,eventually bought a Tom Tom xxl 540, on offer from Dick smith, very happy with it !!! Again thanks ..

Barry