TomTom Go 520/T or 530/T, is the extra worth it for 'T'?

Gazza_UK

Just sold my trusty TomTom One V1. Had it ages and apart from sometimes taking a while to lock on to the satellites, it was very good. I have sold it I was I want a newer/better model with widescreen too. Want to stick with the TomTom brand, so not interested in other brands.

I really like the look of the new 530 model and the 2 new features appeal to me very much.

Are the traffic versions of TomTom worth the extra money? And is it worth the extra money on the new 530 models over the 520 models?

Current prices I have found via the sat nav comparison site are:

520 @ £159.99
520T @ £187.93

530 @ £212.58
530T @ £234.99

Advice appreciated.

Many thanks,

Gazza.

pcaouolte · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:42 pm Post subject:

The T bit is Traffic. Traffic information can be received via a small receiver that plugs into the tomtom. The receiver has a long wire for an aerial which is long enough to reach the full width of your windscreen, this wire needs to be positioned along the top, bottom or up the side of the windscreen (or some combination of these places) in order to be effective. It sticks to the screen with several suckers. Positioning varies from car to car so experimentation is needed to get the best signal. The wire can look fairly untidy as it doesn't usually work when it's within 2 inches of the metal bodywork.

Reception varies around the country with some dead areas where no signal is received. You do not need a continuous signal for the unit to be effective, receiving a signal every 10 minutes or so is adequate.

The quality of traffic information varies, it is better during weekdays and working hours than at weekends and nights. Information is confined to motorways and A roads. Info is usually at least 30 minutes out of date due to the time needed to collect, process and transmit it.

The tomtom will show traffic information on screen and you can choose to route around the holdup or it can be set to automatically re-route you onto a quicker route if one is available. This can involve routing you onto minor roads that have holdups which the tomtom does not know about.

In practice I have found the unit to be effective and I consider it to be worth the money. It has saved me time, fuel and frustration. There are no on-going fees for using it.

Gazza_UK · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject:

So I just have to decide if the 530T is worth some £50 more than the 520T.

Not overly keen though on the idea of this unsightly wire in the car.

pcaouolte · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:59 pm Post subject:

It is possible to cut the wire and connect it to your existing car aerial if you're handy with a soldering iron, this can give a neater appearance and also better reception. There are instructions on the forum somewhere. Kiss goodbye to your warranty if you do it though.

Mine actually works best laid out along the bottom of the windscreen along the dahsboard so it's not too ugly.

Is it worth £50? you decide. Very Happy

If you get the non-T version of the 530 you can always but the T bit later, I think they can be found for about £30 on the net.

mikealder · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject:

If you purchase the x20 unit and update the software to vs8 AND update the map to a version 8 map you will have the same capability, but this will save you no money as the map will cost £50 so go for the x30 device IF you want the IQ routes and Reality view/ Lane assist.

As for the RDS-TMC it works very well with the latest version 8 software, but the data is still somewhat suspect - is it worth the extra £30? - when it works great, when it performs as normal it is a waste of money - you can get the same information over the radio for free and it is generally more accurate - Mike

Gazza_UK · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject:

The 530 it is then Very Happy

Thanks for the quick responses, much appreciated.

Gazza_UK · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject:

Purchased one today from The Link for £202.58 (using latest voucher) and went through a cashback site to get another 2% off... happy days Very Happy

mikealder · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject:

Make sure you fully back up the device to the PC's hard drive and then burn the data to a DVD for added protection - if the device fails for whatever reason the back up is the only way to recover the data - Mke

Gazza_UK · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject:

Did that with my old one, thanks for the tip though. I also have an external drive that monitors my main HDD, it will back up the TomTom as soon as I copy to the main HDD.

You can never have too many backups Very Happy

Zarch · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 15, 2008 Posts: 4

First Post - Please be gentle!! Laughing

I don't think i'm bothered about the "T" model. But i'm deliberating over either the 520 for £150 or the 530 for £205.

A quarter of the price less and for what?

IQ routes and some nice arrows on motorways? Is that it? Should i bother? We are only going to use it on a casual basis for day trips and holidays.

I'll need a case, as well as an extra car charger and windscreen mount for our lasses motor, so i might just get the 520 and spend the extra on the accessories pack at £30.

I've seen that there is a chance you can update the 520 to the 530ish with a few clever mods, so thats an option longer term, but i'm not bothered right now.

My only worry about the 520 is that the map might be out of date? Do you get a free initial update when you connect upto TomTom?

Any Thoughts?

Zarch · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 15, 2008 Posts: 4

Oh, and is it worth buying a 1gb or 2gb SD card for the 520 to allow expansion in the future?

mikealder · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject:

The IQ routes are well worth having but you only get these with version 8 maps, if you purchase an x20 you do get a free map upgrade to the latest version 7 map which cantains the same detail in way of road structure but doesn't contain the IQ routes and reality view details. There is nothing clever about changing an x20 to be the same as an x30, all you do is purchase a version 8 map when they are made available for the device.

Welcome to the forum, I am sure others will have a view on the x20 vs x30 debate, but if price is the main consideration the x20 will serve you well, and you hve the option to update at some future point - Mike

Zarch · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 15, 2008 Posts: 4

Thanks for the fast reply Mike.

Yes, price is a slight issue, mainly VFM.

The official accessory pack and a 4gb sd card comes in at over £40. So the whole 520 + pack comes in around £210. Rather than £260 for the 530 + pack!

Is the new styling and instant availability of the new features on the 530 really worth the extra £50? Especially for a couple who won't be using the unit on a daily basis?

I'm not sure.....

To clarify my understanding. To upgrade a 520 to a 530 in the future you only have to purchase a x30 map? And this will add IQ routes etc to a 520?

GPS_fan · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject:

Remember that the 530 will come with v8 maps straight out of the box, but the 520 will need v8 maps separately and the maps alone are likely to be more than £50.

On that point alone, you might say it's worth the 'extra'.
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Zarch · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 15, 2008 Posts: 4

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