Grateful For Some Advice Please

[cbjroms]

I am new to this forum and have browsed through a number of topics and threads trying to sort things out in my own mind.

I appreciate that everyone will have particular views, likes and dislikes about all the products. Also that the perefct system has yet to be produced. But I am finding it very difficult to differentiate between the different satnav models available.

Basically, I want a unit that I can use in my car and also the work's van. I want it to be reliable in terms of its mapping and directions but I am not too concerned about the 'bells and whistles. The only essential 'extra' is that I want the unit to be capable of navigating through France later this summer and want the full coverage rather than just major routes.

The TomTom GO710 seems to have what I need but also has a lot more 'extras'; I dislike the suggestion that TomTom's backup is very poor. The Garmin nuvi310 also seems to fit the bill but, once again, is is a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut'?

Grateful for some advice.

Chris (Hampshire)

[fuel925]

You will find that sat navs that come preinstalled with street level european mapping also come with lots of gimmicks, to justify the price you pay. If I were you, i'd get a solid, reliable little unit like the Garmin i3 for £99.99, then buy just the France street level mapping on a microsd card which I think is about £85.00. You are getting everything you need for well under £200, and this way you aren't paying for gimmicks you will never use. Use google to check for reviews of the Garmin i3, people raved and still are raving about it.

[robertn]

Shop around - the kit above will cost 185, but you can almost ceratinly get the rest of Europe for about the same. Look at some "end of life" units - they work but are missing the latest bells and whistles. Navman 510/20 or 550 are examples that are going cheap.

Consider the Navman 320 as a good little starter, althogh I don't know what maps it comes with and how much extrs cost.

I know the Navman range better than the others, I am not suggesting only look at Navman, what I say goes for the other brands - go for one of the older models thats been discounted. Be careful - the prices are falling so fast that 50% off an old model could still be more expensive than an equivilent new one.

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