GPS

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156charl

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What options do we have when it comes to GPS for cars? I only see Garmin and TomTom.
Thinking to get a 2nd hand car next year and needed GPS just in case I run into some dodgy areas. :wtf:

Any suggestion?
 
Using a phone could be a solution but I'd rather have a full time equipment to do the guiding :)
 
I don't get why you would consider something other than using your phone. Google Maps (with offline maps), Waze and another plethora of other (free and paid for) smartphone navi apps all but negate these standalone GPS units.
 
Cheap android tablet, car charger, prepaid sim or hotspot from phone. Cheaper than a "dedicated" GPS, always updated, live traffic routing ala Waze.

Yeah no car GPSes are dead :)
 
agentrfr said:
Cheap android tablet, car charger, prepaid sim or hotspot from phone. Cheaper than a "dedicated" GPS, always updated, live traffic routing ala Waze.

Yeah no car GPSes are dead :)
Click to expand...

Disagree. This is said like somebody who has never owned a high-end dedicated GPS with built-in SIM for live traffic.

My vote is with TomTom: I've had a 5100 for three years and it's served me really well.

No worries about data or phone battery, plenty of screen real estate in a better aspect ratio than narrow smart phones, and a better live traffic service than offered by Google.
 
I have HERE WeGo installed on my phone as a backup for navigation. You download the maps for the region you are visiting, or you can download the entire South African map for offline use.. It uses the same map provider that Garmin uses. I prefer to use my Garmin, but this is a very good alternative.
 
backstreetboy said:
This. Can also cache a larger area with Google maps now and it gets updated automatically.
Click to expand...
Something contradicting there. If you want to use locally stored maps, you certainly don't want to be updated automatically.
 
sajunky said:
Something contradicting there. If you want to use locally stored maps, you certainly don't want to be updated automatically.
Click to expand...
I certainly do (when I have access to Wifi). The world is not a static place and roads/businesses are constantly moving and changing so I'd like my maps to do the same.
 
backstreetboy said:
I certainly do (when I have access to Wifi). The world is not a static place and roads/businesses are constantly moving and changing so I'd like my maps to do the same.
Click to expand...
So you seems to like idea to give Google to decide when to update your maps. Every time when I want to use it having no Internet connection, it says *outdated*.
 
sajunky said:
So you seems to like idea to give Google to decide when to update your maps. Every time when I want to use it having no Internet connection, it says *outdated*.
Click to expand...
Only after 30 days will you be required to update it which is more then enough time for me to find a place with Wifi. Also most Android phone comes with Android Auto if you download the app from the play store.
 
We have thrown away out gps's - use our phones now.

they dont last - mission to update them, better to get a smartphone and install google maps on - you will be fine

I run around for our company - that's all i use - obviously make sure you have data and a car charger - proper one - sorted
 
Use my old Samsung S2 with a windscreen mount and the Here WeGo app.

Don't get foxhounds narrow screen comment, can use it vertically or horizontally.
 
supersunbird said:
Don't get foxhounds narrow screen comment, can use it vertically or horizontally.
Click to expand...
Dedicated GPS screens have a different aspect ratio to smartphones: high-end units also have 5-inch or 6-inch screens, but they're a bit wider than smartphones (which are narrower and longer). What that means is you get to see more road context around you.
 
Thanks for the suggestion all. I've used my phone before with Google map, but seems it can only direct you to the "fastest route' and not your "most preferred" route. I'm looking for a system that can have different route options to get to the destination.

Maybe Google map has that feature I just didn't know?
 
156charl said:
Thanks for the suggestion all. I've used my phone before with Google map, but seems it can only direct you to the "fastest route' and not your "most preferred" route. I'm looking for a system that can have different route options to get to the destination.

Maybe Google map has that feature I just didn't know?
Click to expand...

156charl, I think you need to trust your GPS. If you have a preferred route that you know well enough to follow, then by all means go ahead and follow it. What I'd often do is use my GPS with live-traffic to show me the best route through peak hour traffic, and then follow that same route (which would generally experience the same traffic conditions because people are creatures of habit) from memory later.

However, using my TomTom device, the whole point of using a connected device is that you're going to trust it to pick up congestion that you won't know about (e.g. from accidents or roadworks) and then successfully route you around that. I can tell you this works: while I'm driving, my TomTom will warn me if the congestion along my route changes and then offer me the choice to take a detour (and it will even estimate how much time I'll save by taking that detour).

If you'd like to get more of a sense of the TomTom live-traffic ecosystem and routing, you can check out https://mydrive.tomtom.com/en_za/
As you'll see it does offer you the opportunity to create your own route and save it as a .gpx file (and you can then send this route wirelessly to your connected device), so if you really insist on having total control on a specific route then you have that option too. Good luck!
 
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