Tom Tom or Garmin?

Creag

Creag

The Boar's Rock
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I have a Garmin Nuvi (about 7 years old now) and horribly out of date. I have tried updating the thing but it seems to be a perfect way to flush R350 down the loo with updates I tried to do.

Being out of date with current tech in Sat-Navs, which would be the better route to look at right now?

Tom Tom or Garmin?

I have heard some good reports about Tom Tom, but no personal experience with it. Any recommendations to look at? Although I could use by cell phone, I would prefer a dedicated device for this. Thank you.
 
Garmin, also take a look at a cheap Chinese tablet with a gps I've seen people using those.
 
McT said:
Which one are you using?
Click to expand...

Well not me, but my dad.
The GO LIVE 1535 M - Live traffic is awesome.
Also I find there is a big difference in the screen quality. the garmin just looks flat and bland... not sure about the new ones tho.
 
If you have a smartphone it is almost unpractical to buy a standalone GPS. Garmin Navigator is now free on the Android Play store with a paid subscription for advanced features such as Live Traffic & Speed Cameras (R720pa). TomTom South Africa costs the same but has no free version with basic features.

Waze and Google Maps/Navigation offers a lot of the premium features that the 2 above offer but the maps not offline, meaning you need a data connection, and things like speed cameras/traffic are user generated, meaning that as others with Waze/Google Navigation drive it updates the traffic conditions.
 
lcbxx said:
If you have a smartphone it is almost unpractical to buy a standalone GPS. Garmin Navigator is now free on the Android Play store with a paid subscription for advanced features such as Live Traffic & Speed Cameras (R720pa). TomTom South Africa costs the same but has no free version with basic features.

Waze and Google Maps/Navigation offers a lot of the premium features that the 2 above offer but the maps not offline, meaning you need a data connection, and things like speed cameras/traffic are user generated, meaning that as others with Waze/Google Navigation drive it updates the traffic conditions.
Click to expand...

My Garmin is gathering dust in my under-the-seat drawer, ever since I started using Waze.

I bought a Phone Cradle and a nice long flexible car charger, I'm sorted.
 
agreed there is no need for a stand alone, saying you prefer one is basically saying "I have an iPhone and my maps app sucks"

because that is the only reason to still use a standalone.

but if you must choose one, i would go with Garmin. its the older brand that has had a longer run, no point in supporting the (relative) start up in the dying world of standalone gps.

also every time I have used a Tom Tom it has sent me to the incorrect location, where the Garmin got it right first time (same reason why i use google navigation rather than Waze....)
 
I'd definitely say TomTom. The UI is really nice and the maps are great. Have a built-in unit on a Renault Koleos, my whole family has it on their android phones. I tried the garmin app but I just stuck to TomTom. As others have said, it really makes more sense to use your phone if possible. Otherwise a cheap Chinese tablet or if you want a fairly reputable brand, the MSI Enjoy 7 Plus (though the touchscreen isn't great) - they go for about 1200, then get the free Garmin app - For R400 more than the cheapest GPS at Makro, its definitely a lot more useful outside the car;)
 
Definitely Garmin and the most expensive one at that. What's the point of sticking something on your windscreen for the world+dog to see if its not show-off quality?

I mean, that's the point of a dedicated GPS right?
 
Rouxenator said:
Definitely Garmin and the most expensive one at that. What's the point of sticking something on your windscreen for the world+dog to see if its not show-off quality?

I mean, that's the point of a dedicated GPS right?
Click to expand...

Lol what?
 
Good grief... people still use dedicated navigation devices?

Use any smart phone!? My Lumia for example comes with Here Drive which includes traffic etc. Android / iOS / Windows Phone etc all have options for voice enabled turn by turn Navigation.
 
McT said:
I have a Garmin Nuvi (about 7 years old now) and horribly out of date. I have tried updating the thing but it seems to be a perfect way to flush R350 down the loo with updates I tried to do.

Being out of date with current tech in Sat-Navs, which would be the better route to look at right now?

Tom Tom or Garmin?

I have heard some good reports about Tom Tom, but no personal experience with it. Any recommendations to look at? Although I could use by cell phone, I would prefer a dedicated device for this. Thank you.
Click to expand...

If it is about 7 years old, it most probably is a Nuvi 200 with Garmap version 1.0 or perhaps 1.5. It most definitely is possible to update it. I did one about a week ago, and currently is "on holiday" somewhere around struisbaai. I updated the maps, speedcamera info and firmware.
 
Try co pilot.

A few months ago I moved from Durban to Joburg and had 3 GPS devices with me during the drive:

An old Garmin, which couldn't figure out that I was not in Durban anymore for the entire trip,
an old Symbian based Nokia that worked well enough for most of the trip but couldn't find the house in Joburg I was driving to;
and co pilot, which worked flawlessly, and is still my preferred app for navigating around Joburg.

If you have a smartphone already, it doesn't make sense to buy dedicated hardware just for navigation.
If you're the sort that likes talking on the phone while driving, you can have co pilot navigating for you while you're talking (you can switch between the navigation and phone apps)

EDIT: Here's the Play store link for it.

I've only provided links to the Android version, but it's also available on iOS and WP
 
Last edited:
Baxteen said:
but if you must choose one, i would go with Garmin. its the older brand that has had a longer run, no point in supporting the (relative) start up in the dying world of standalone gps.
Click to expand...

Garmin 1989, TomTom 1991 (with a subsidiary dating back to 1984).

Bit much to call tomtom the "relative start up"?
 
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