Confused. Some advice please!

[chookman]

After nearly 4 hour's research my poor old clapped out brain is suffering from information overload!

My Problem:

In just over 6 week's time I have to travel to Italy for a family wedding. I am trying to decide if it's going to be worth buying a new TT device. I currently own two Go 500s and a Rider 2. The 500s seem to be getting a bit past it (rather like their owner!). But the choice of unit is now more than a little bewildering. When I bought my first device there was a simple choice - 300, 500 or 700, each with easily understood features. Now there are 12 to choose from and I simply cannot decide what to go for.

My Requirements:

Must have:
a) The simplicity of use of the 500.
b) Street level mapping for Europe (or at least France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy)
c) Something that will work with my replacement, accursed, athermic windscreen
d) Handsfree communication with a mobile phone - make and receive calls (not too fussed about 'txt' messages!)

Nice to have:
a) The ability to continue with the 'Liz' voice, downloaded from Ray's, now sadly, defunct site.

NOT needed:
a) MP3 player
b) Photo display
c) Up-to-date prices for camel feed in Timbuktu, Ulan Bataar and Alice Springs, etc., etc.

Specific questions:
a) Does the FM transmission feature act like the 'traffic programme' with car radios. That is to say can one be listening to e.g. a CD and if the TomTom wakes up with an instruction it mutes the CD and the TT instruction cuts in, or does one have to be permanently listening to a 'silent' frequency until the TT decides to issue an instruction?
b) Should I buy a new TT device or should I stick to a paper map?
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Colin

[pdauser]

'a) Does the FM transmission feature act like the 'traffic programme' with car radios. That is to say can one be listening to e.g. a CD and if the TomTom wakes up with an instruction it mutes the CD and the TT instruction cuts in, or does one have to be permanently listening to a 'silent' frequency until the TT decides to issue an instruction?'

the fm function is the tomtom's in built transmitter, it can only play voice instructions on your radio if you are playing a music file on your tomtom, your latter understanding of how it works is correct.

b) Should I buy a new TT device or should I stick to a paper map?

I would advise the use of any sort of sat nav as opposed to maps, mainly as my other half shouts at the sat nav rather than me when it gets it wrong.

When you've made you decison on whether to go for a new one, may I suggest you look at ebay. If you go for a 'new' 730, you get it at a reduced price due to it being a year old. Then once you connect to tomtom home it automatically downloads the latest maps for free.

[Daggers]

What do you mean when you say that your 500s are getting past it? Why are they not suitable for this trip of yours? Sometimes there can be a tendency to upgrade when there isn't a real need for it. (I know; I can be equally guilty myself ).
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Garmin DriveSmart 50 LMT-D

[mikealder]

As you want hands free for the phone and European mapping you will need either a 720 or 730, there is no difference in hardware (other than the printed label on the base) but the 720 units are getting hard to locate these days.
To use the FM Tx capability you need to either load a silent mp3 track to the device and set that looping or listen to music from mp3 files stored on the device/ memory card. Your car deck will be tuned to the same frequency the TomTom is outputing the sound on so you cannot use the CD at the same time (there are ways to do this involving additional hardware, but its not cheap, even if it does offer the best solution) - Mike

[DennisN]

One thing you've got with the 500 is reliability. At my age, I'm allowed to say things like "They don't make 'em like that any more" and in the case of the x00 devices, it's true! They've allegedly got bells and whistles, but in reality, the only decent improvement they've come up with is the wider screen. I allowed my GO700 to go to my son-in-law last year and regretted it ever after. I've recently recovered it (gave him a 720 in exchange) and now I'm back to reliable. This 700 took us all round Europe in 2006 and the only problems we had were the Italians who seem to build new roads deliberately to defeat the mapmakers!

I don't suffer from athermic windscreen, but the chip inside is not as good as the later ones. However, you can get an external antenna to beat that problem - MUST be the one for GO700/500/300 as it must include a replacement windscreen mount shoe. Probably get it cheaper than TT shop (where it's £50) on the internet.

You could get a new Western Europe map for £60 and if you don't want the bells and whistles which work sometimes and not others, you'll have a great bit of kit (with a decent loudspeaker too).

Having said all of which, my solution is pushing you towards £100 spend on existing old model. But my mate who bought my 300 when I got the 700 (Autumn 2005) is still very happy with it and doesn't have any of the problems so many newer devices give some people.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[Darren]

What's wrong with your 500 or RIDER2? The RIDER2 with a car mount and updated Euro map would tick all your boxes?
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Darren Griffin

[chookman]

Thank you all very much for your comments and advice. I guess that I will stick with the 500 for my journey to Italy!

Unfortunately I can't find a suitable car mount for the Rider 2 or that would probably have been the simplest option. I will, in any case, now have to get a replacement mount for a 500 as I clouted it and broke off the suction cup - time for a Brodit Proclip mount methinks!
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Colin

[Darren]

[chookman]

Thanks for that Darren, I looked at the TT website about a week ago and that mount was not there (or, perhaps more accurately, I couldn't find it!). I did look at getting one when I originally bought the Rider but decided not to get it as the 500s were both working properly.
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Colin

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