TomTom advice for a noob please.....

Vizbox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 18, 2005 Posts: 29

Hi guys.

I'm considering buyer a Tom Tom in the near future but unsure which version to get. I want the car version, probably the 300 or 500.

I will only really be using it a few times a month. Rolling Eyes

I 'may' take on holiday once a year so maps other than UK not essential.

Is there a great deal of difference between the models ?

From this forum i see that i should upgrade the SD card, but what else should i expect to pay out for ?

The 500 / 700 models say that they work in tunnels, does the 300 not have this feature ( not mentioned on the Tomtom website ) ?

Thanks in advance....

Tom
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linrew · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:56 pm Post subject:

hi

the main difference between the 300 and 500 is bluetooth, major roads of europe and a faster processor

the 500/700 dose not work in a tunnel but has ASN which basicly guesses where you are in the tunnel based on your speed before going into the tunnel

if you will only be using it a few times a month the you have to justify the extra 100 quid for something that you may not use that often

the main questions you should ask yourself is do you need it to calculate the route quick(most short routes <10 seconds-long routes<45 seconds) or very quick and do you need(and will you use) bluetooth

the best advice is to buy a 512mb card then you will have plenty of space to upgrade in the future but again not necessary but very handy

linrew

HairyBoy · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 20, 2005 Posts: 34

Vizbox,

I have a Go300 which I use every day for business (2-3 routes planned per day across the North of England).

My 300 calculates most routes in under 5 seconds so the processor speed isn't any issue at all.

I bought a 256MB SD card which is only half used even with all the speed camera files and 6 voices loaded on it. As has been mentioned the cost of 512 MB cards is such that maybe its worth paying a couple of extra quid for future proofing.

Given your explanation of using it a couple of times a month I wouldn't consider spending the axtra £100 for the 500 and would plumb for a 300.

The only other extra you may need to build in is an external aerial if your car has an athermic windscreen (which can block the GPS signal). Basically, buy the Go and if you have problems picking up/keeping the GPS signal you can then buy the aerial (around £50) which most people seem to fit internally at the rear of the car (the rear parcel shelf for example which gets round the front windscreen blocking the signal - if you have an athermic front windscreen).

Good luck and, whichever you go for, you won't regret it. The Go is a fantastic piece of kit Laughing

mikeossy · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2005 Posts: 52

As already stated by heairyboy, the justification is down to you, but looking at them all I plummed for the 300 aswell, not being able to warrant the extra for asn euro major roads and Handsfree function that just wont get used.
I too bought a 256mb card and its nowehere near used up yet, the GO has to be the best pre £400 protable satnav unit on the market and makes all the rest look relativly hard to use.
On the subject of it being used a few times a month - this is what i thought untill i founf the excellent Pocket GPS World speed Camera POI's which are FREE and a god send, and I now take my GO everywhere as its now a camera detector and Satnav in one!.

Go on buy it you wont regret it..........

Mike
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Vizbox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 18, 2005 Posts: 29

Thanks for your replies....

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

300 does not have ASN, but it's not that good anyway on the other models, in my experience.

If you want more maps you can get each country on another card and change cards as you cross the border. Each country map comes with a link map of the major roads of other countries in Western Europe.

Or you can buy the countries of Western Europe on a set of CDs and a big SD card to copy them too, but still only individual countries. You would need to switch maps at the border.

Or by the time you've bought the CDs and the card(s), you may find that a 700 was cheaper all along!! (and the detail maps are all in one with no changinf at the border).
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Freebird · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 03, 2005 Posts: 7

Vizbox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 18, 2005 Posts: 29

I don't intend on buying for driving abroad. But if i go on holiday i may take with me if possible.

So the extra £100 for the 500 will basically only give me bluetooth that acts as speaker for my mobile phone ?
It does seem that verything else isn't really worth the money for my needs Confused

Thanks again
_________________
Never buy a stupid dwarf -
Its not big and its not clever.

Bobm · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 04, 2005 Posts: 42

Vizbox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 18, 2005 Posts: 29

Thanks, will remember that !
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Never buy a stupid dwarf -
Its not big and its not clever.

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