Sat Nav

Information and questions about driving in Andalucia, buying or importing cars and motorbikes plus legal issues surrounding taxes and licenses.
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Trooperman
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Sat Nav

Postby Trooperman » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:14 pm

Anyone use a Sat Nav device?
...and if so what, in your opinions, is the best one to buy for Spain.
Does it come with "free" updates to keep abreast of the rapid road development out here?
Presumably, it runs off the car battery/cigar socket and connects to a home pc for updates.

Sorry to be so naive, but I left the UK before these were popular so can´t pop down to Halfords to ask all the questions
nil illegitimum carborundum

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karandjon
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Postby karandjon » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:39 pm

Hi Trooperman,

we have just bought a sat nav. a TomTom.

if you buy from uk it comes with uk maps on.
if you buy from spain it comes with spain maps on

you can buy additional maps to put on via your pc.

you can charge it via your car ciggie lighter, or you can buy a home adapter and charge it there (some come with this)

you can get updates straight from the tomtom.com site.

buy a 2gb sd card so you can download extra maps onto that.

always do a back up of the original version of the maps your gps comes with, as soon as you get it.

i think that about covers it.

i have just bought mine and am awaiting the extra maps to arrive, so have not done this yet.

my 2gb sd card arrived last week so am gonna do a back up...as soon as my charger arrives.

i have only heard good reports about the tomtoms and having a quick browse on it when it arrived, looks very simple to use.

Hope this helps.
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie

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costakid
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Postby costakid » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:24 am

most top end nav systems come with europe already pre loaded and some like the tom tom 910 have all the world. I use a garmin nuvi with touch screen, very simple to use.

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Conehead
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Postby Conehead » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:50 am

Hi,

Regarding the TomTom:-

You can purchase it with All Europe maps already installed from here in Spain. You pay extra for that privilege but its cheaper than buying All Europe later or individual countries.

You can buy extra maps on line with immediate download. They require information from the TomTom unit, a code, which is installed into the download so that you "cannot" move maps between units. No comment on that though.

The All Europe comes with a 1Gig card and is nearly full. I transferred the card to my laptop and then just select what map I want in the card using the laptop. I have Canada and All Europe and they do not fit onto 1Gig but its easy to upload the maps to the card. No special software required.

Works well when re-calculating a route after you have made a wrong turn, saved us in Madrid once!

Its easy to use but I would check out the reports and comparisons between units now as there are differences. With TomTom, after a short time, you have to pay for updated maps, there is no free update service. Not sure about the other units.
Due to the high cost of energy, the light at the end of the tunnel will be shut off until further notice.

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Trooperman
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Postby Trooperman » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:12 am

Wow!

How many posts/topics run as smoothly as that!

A simple question followed by straight forward, detailed answers, direct and to the point.

Thanks guys.
nil illegitimum carborundum

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freecatsrus
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Sat Nav

Postby freecatsrus » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:30 am

Got a sony one for sale if u are interested?

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Trooperman
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Postby Trooperman » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:42 am

Thanks- I've sent you a pm.
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Alpujarra
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Postby Alpujarra » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:57 pm

I like the Tom Tom in particular bacause it never tries to send you down an impassable goat track, tell you to make a right turn that dosen't actually exist, tell you to turn right when on screen map shows a left, or sends you around in so many circles that you are in danger of dissappearing up your own arris!

Sorry to spoil the smooth posts.

Did I mention railway lines? :D

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keddyboy
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Postby keddyboy » Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:01 pm

Drove around south Cordoba yesterday and might as well have had carrier pigeon with a camera strapped to its b.m!!! New roads agogo and not a bit of advanced warning!! [taliking about N331 up towards Lucen]
Keddyboy
Never do today what you can leave until tomorrow.

andymc
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Postby andymc » Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:34 pm

used tomtom uk one with europe on it, absolutely brilliant even when driving up the mountains, lots of roads i wouldve have expected to be on it, didnt expect it to be as good over in Spain than it was, well worth the 180 quid it cost, was'nt even going to bring it on holiday with me

curatokid
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Postby curatokid » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:40 pm

I looked at all makes before deciding on a Garmin, their technical department are very helpful and speak simple language that even I can understand, I purchased the Nuvi 270 which covers Europe and North America which I need, very simple to use, throw away those old maps !!!

Alpujarra
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Postby Alpujarra » Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:19 pm

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Last edited by Alpujarra on Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

swerve
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Postby swerve » Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:28 am

You have reached your destination :lol: :lol:

Ive got the new tomtom 920 and its very good just depends on how much your going to use it i use mine as part of my job so i tend to go for the dogs bo**oks.
It always seems imposible until its done. Nelson Mandela

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Cassandra
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Postby Cassandra » Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:00 am

My sister and brother in law bought one recently, don't know what make, and decided to use it on a visit to my other sister.

The Midlands to Bournemouth, a straightforward enough journey that they had done many times before.

They got lost :lol:


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