In car GPS.

[Dray_Templar]

Hi All,
I'm looking into, getting an in Car GPS, but having trouble finding a good comparison, there dosn't seem to be a clean leader in the market!

if you know of a good site, that shows whats the best and why could ya please post a link. Also if you have a GPS, or tried a few, could you please let me know your recommendations.

Thanks All.

[dc2dc2dc2]

seems that most people on here from what i've read have reccomended mr. tomtom

[Fr3aKi3]

TomTom One XL FTW!!!!

There's only like 4 GPS units on the market which have the latest maps (Version 14). Those units are the TomTom One XL, Pioneer Avic2 and the 2 new Garmin units (250 and something else, Garmin names their maps differently but they've got 2 units which have the latest mapping). Navman are offereing free map upgrade (average cost is about $150) for any Navman units purchased in the Month of August, not sure if this is for everyplace that sells Navman's or just JB Hifi.

PC World gave the OneXL a 4.5/5 rating in their review. I've got the Tomtom One-A and it's a fantastic little unit. User interface is very intuitive so it's extremely simple to use. Loading points of interest (speed cameras etc) from PC to GPS only takes a couple of minutes. The One-XL has a faster processor speed and the larger screen (which is handy).

The Pioneer is somewhat overpriced for what it offers, it does look a lot sexier than most of the other units out there but the interface isnt quite as simple as the TomTom's. The new entry garmin unit is very basic, it's also little laggy.

[Kiz_EG6]

Agreed, the pioneer is VERY overpriced for what it does, they only really bought one out because they dropped their contract to distribute TomTom in Aus!!

It is kinda down to what you wanna spend...

Navman and TomTom have two of the best reputations i would say and Autobarn would sell more of them than anything else.

As far as build quality and hardware/software, just steer clear of the no namers from "stupid cheap auto" and the $299 specials at JB or simalar, these are often either inferior or outdated products.

If you can still get ur hands on a "street wize" branded one from Autobarn, then you have got one of the best value for money ones out there, although it seems generic, they are manufactured by a the same company which makes Destinators (more well known in the US), although accessories are lacking for this one compared with TomTom/Navman.

[ludecrs]

^^^^

hahaha at Autobahn.

I walked into an Autobahn 3 months ago. Navman F20 priced at $699. Supercheap - $499, and thats without the 25% I get on top again. I laughed at the guy. They too sold the DigiTalk 3000 for similiar mark up price... Again I larfed at the guy and walked out.

Quite often you will find the "no namers from "stupid cheap auto"" actually do more functions than the Tom Tom One / Go 710 / G0 910 / Navman F20 / N40i / ICN 72o.

[xenonkuraz]

TomTom One XL FTW!!!!

There's only like 4 GPS units on the market which have the latest maps (Version 14). Those units are the TomTom One XL, Pioneer Avic2 and the 2 new Garmin units (250 and something else, Garmin names their maps differently but they've got 2 units which have the latest mapping). Navman are offereing free map upgrade (average cost is about $150) for any Navman units purchased in the Month of August, not sure if this is for everyplace that sells Navman's or just JB Hifi.

PC World gave the OneXL a 4.5/5 rating in their review. I've got the Tomtom One-A and it's a fantastic little unit. User interface is very intuitive so it's extremely simple to use. Loading points of interest (speed cameras etc) from PC to GPS only takes a couple of minutes. The One-XL has a faster processor speed and the larger screen (which is handy).

The Pioneer is somewhat overpriced for what it offers, it does look a lot sexier than most of the other units out there but the interface isnt quite as simple as the TomTom's. The new entry garmin unit is very basic, it's also little laggy.

I picked up a TomTom One XL myself for $499 at Dicksmith Powerhouse. Compared to my friend's ones; Pioneer Avic-S2, Hitachi, Garmin...it is so much better! Don't get the TomTom Go 910, too many problems and too chunky!

[tRipitaka]

f20 was sold at my work for $388.. pos i'd say..

go for the tomtom's..
tomtom one or tomtom one xl.. very easy to use..

only real difference between the tomtom one and the xl is that the xl come with 2007 maps, compared to tomtom one which have the 2006 maps.. and screen size of course..

got the tomtom one for sale at work at the moment.. 399, including a free map update worth 179.. very good value :thumbsup:

[ICACHA]

Hi All,
I'm looking into, getting an in Car GPS, but having trouble finding a good comparison, there dosn't seem to be a clean leader in the market!

if you know of a good site, that shows whats the best and why could ya please post a link. Also if you have a GPS, or tried a few, could you please let me know your recommendations.

Thanks All.

By in car you mean fixed or portable?

Fixed, you cant beat the Eclipse AVN, portable we'd recommend Garmin, forget navman (too many customer complaints), no dealings with tomtom so no comment there.

[mugeneration]

I can recommend a couple to you, I sell the fuggin things every day!

Either go the Garmin Nuvi 660 or the TomTom ONE XL.

IMHO, the TomTom is a much better unit, because it is very easy to use, with a big screen and is very reliable. It DOES have bluetooth connectivity, but this is only to connect for data to update traffic etc, not handsfree calls. It doesnt have a built in HDD like the GO910, but to be honest, nobody used it anyway.

Now, the Nuvi 660 has a lot more features, such as bluetooth handsfree (as well as a trial of their safety software too if memory serves me correctly) and is also pretty easy to use. But I just find the TomTom to be a superior unit. It is also a lot cheaper too, going for around $499, wheras the Nuvi 660 is going for around $999.

[d15z1SUX]

ive got a hp ipac with tomtom. it lags by about 20 metres or so and f***s me up sometimes. then when im turn it on after having parked the car it doesn't know which way im facing but thats understandable. also sometimes tells me to turn at no right turns and do illegal u turns haha. sometimes it gets confused and reckons i exited the freeway or am still on the freeway, but only for a few seconds at the most.

[mugeneration]

Yeah the GPS receiver in the ipaqs isnt that great. Nor is its processor speed. Still, a fantastic unit, especially for the price :-)

[d15z1SUX]

yeh bit laggy but its good for work. coz i use it to download and upload job info too.

[aaronng]

ive got a hp ipac with tomtom. it lags by about 20 metres or so and f***s me up sometimes. then when im turn it on after having parked the car it doesn't know which way im facing but thats understandable. also sometimes tells me to turn at no right turns and do illegal u turns haha. sometimes it gets confused and reckons i exited the freeway or am still on the freeway, but only for a few seconds at the most.

What's your iPaq's CPU speed? I find that PDAs it needs an XScale processor of 624MHz to be quick enough to avoid GPS lagging.

[d15z1SUX]

i think its 400 mhz.

[aaronng]

i think its 400 mhz.

On my x50v, it usually sets itself to below 500MHz. But when I fire up the BT link to my GPS and the nav software, the CPU spikes to a constant 624MHz (max speed). Either it takes a lot of CPU power to run the software, or the CPU is not optimised.

[d15z1SUX]

ah ic. im pretty clueless. i don't actually own the pda it belongs to my company but we use them for work. i just remember my supervisor telling me they were as fast as our old ones haha. which i think was 400mhz or 433mhz or something.

[kyobibi]

I dont know much about the model names or such but I have used a TomTom and a Navman.

User friendly wise, it was TomTom all the way.
Switch the unit to On and you're off :)
All the point of interest stuff, browsing through the menu, and so on was very clear and very easy to use!

Where as the Navman did get confusing at times.
Setting your destination isn't as easy and more importantly as quick the Tomtom.

The Navman was a smaller and slimmer (and much prettier) unit compared to the Tomtom.
But this isn't enough to persuade me into buying one over the Tomtom!

[Antonio 84]

Actually the 2007 Mio range (C220 & C520) were the first in the Australian market to be released with the v14 sensis maps. Depending on how much you want to spend both are great at what they do.

The Navmans aren't worth looking at at the moment. Mio actually bought them out at the start of the year so I would say their future models will be better.

The C520 has the option for TMC which will be coming out in Australia very soon also. Real-time traffic info sent to your GPS to avoid congestion and accidents etc. Cool stuff.

[clem]

just bought my tomtom ONE from dick smith for 399 and if you buy it from July 16th to Octobor 16th you can get a free map upgrade 2007. Good value for money IMO. Great unit too. Just like the tomtom ONE XL but smaller, Cant really justify the extra 200 for a XL.

[BlitZ]

just bought my tomtom ONE from dick smith for 399 and if you buy it from July 16th to Octobor 16th you can get a free map upgrade 2007. Good value for money IMO. Great unit too. Just like the tomtom ONE XL but smaller, Cant really justify the extra 200 for a XL.


I bought 1 about 2min ago from harvey norman. told them the price at DS and tandy was 400 and got the same price..

Sent for the update, but was advised i already got it, even thgouh i had the old logo.


Big thanks to triptaka for advising me where he got it from

[clem]

Yeah just make sure its the V14 wheris maps. I got V13. Sending in my form tmrow

[Dray_Templar]

Thanks guys awesome help as usual.

Now i gotta go back and give rep points to about 10 of you good peeps :)

[Dray_Templar]

Thanks Again for your help Guys i Got a TomTom XL, very happy with it thanks for the recommendations. :D

[mugeneration]

I got one too hehe :-)

[traumatized]

just for everyones knowledge i have a tomtom new edition which is the model before the XL came out. what i have found to be a downside to the tomtom is that the battery life isn't all that great but the incar charger resolves that issue.

also i would recommend to install the tomtom home software onto your computer and once every few week connect your tomtom to that to get the update gpsfix data loaded on your tomtom this will speed up the time it takes your tomtom to pick up satellites.

[Borg]

Just a warning for those with GPS units from the Victoria Police.

They have cautioned people with GPS units to take care when leaving their cars in public places or outside their homes, as thieves are targetting cars with them.

Thieves look for the telltale sign that a GPS unit may be hidden inside a car, such as an empty suction cap or holder on the car window or dash.

[Marc2020]

Yea thats quite true, I have heard a lot of people getting them stolen out of their cars. But the crooks tend to stay away from cars that have visible signs of alarms. That said I think one still has to be cautious

[Dray_Templar]

Just a warning for those with GPS units from the Victoria Police.

They have cautioned people with GPS units to take care when leaving their cars in public places or outside their homes, as thieves are targetting cars with them.

Thieves look for the telltale sign that a GPS unit may be hidden inside a car, such as an empty suction cap or holder on the car window or dash.

Thanks for the heads up.. i hadn't thought about it.. and had been leaving it suction capped to the windscreen, then a mate told me ppls are looking for them to steal because they can get easy money for them, Grre bad peeps are so annoying no i have take it down and hide it..

I agree also the battery life on them sux's :( not good... leave mine plugged in to incar charger on long trip.. been doing the Sydney to Wangaratta trip every weekend 6.5 hours.. thats getting the k's up and giving the GPS a good work out :)

Great Work guys.

[civic88]

i got a tomtom go710 trust me it works a treat easy to use touch screen and very clear

[DC5TYPER]

Roadangel is suppose to be good but not cheap at all.

I rekn its worth getting a little more info on these.

[wilzee]

I've got a tomtom 910 and i reckon it pretty good. there's a bit of a bug playing mp3s. Best way to go around this is to upload playlists on it. I figured it out the other day. fancy that when i had it for 6 months...

[94dc2tegz]

Mio c520!

You get all the features of a higher priced unit at a decent price.
It's also easy to see with the widescreen + sidescreen for extra info without getting in the way of the map.

[clayton4115]

hi

i read that the Mio C520 only has the speed camera feature for 1 year, then after that you have to subscribe to it, is this true?

i too am leaning towards a Mio C520.

[94dc2tegz]

not too sure about that cuz i think it's just preset.
There are some fixed speed cameras (newer ones) that don't appear on my gps although u can easily add it in 5seconds.

[clayton4115]

sweet, so do you like the Mio C520? im very keen on buying this model, ive read about the TOmTOm and Navi et al, however i am leaning towards the Mio as it has much more features, where from and how much did you get your for?

[94dc2tegz]

I went to JB hifi and it was going for $480 bux at the time can't remember if it was on sale or not but got it down to $430 which was sweeeeet. but that was then and it's probably cheaper now? haven't been keeping an eye one it. But it's sweet. Gotta love the widescreen.
Oh and if u really cbf taking it out and sticking it on ur windscreen all the time (cuz obivously u don't leave the mount on ur car 24/7 for obvious reasons) i find it's ok to leave it on ur dash board (for temp use) just infront of ur speedo cuz u get a speedo on the gps anyways. so (Y)

just my random 2c

[clayton4115]

hey thanks, thats really really good price, i can find the cheapest for $445 here from some online store, hey you got a really excellent idea placing it in front of the speedometer - dash!!

excellent !!

[d15z1SUX]

i found using a gps on a cruise a lifesaver once. coz i was following sumone and they went past the meet point. then i noticed we were already on the next leg of the cruise coz i saw the road name we were on. then i just set coordinates for the meet point and got back there in time.

also its good for blind corners because it will show u the general shape of the turn. good if you don't know the roads well. also maybe its a bit pussy too lol.

[geekmonkey]

i've got tomtom one months ago but then I sold it to a friend, since i have inbuilt gps in my euro...to be honest, tomtom is more easy to use than honda built in and it has 3d view and of course speed cam and red light cam....they dont have it on my honda.....sucks

[terryansimon]

one extra word of caution with regards to keeping the suction cup on.

I've heard of cases where people's car got broken into even though they've taken the suction cup away. apparently they look for another tell tale signs such as the mark left behind by the suction cup...

[clayton4115]

update

i just got the Mio C520 from JBHiFi for $520 they are having a stocktake and their price was $537 i haggled and got it for $520.

Havent used it yet, need to charge it for 8 hrs, will do this overnight and play around with it tomorrow.

does anyone know of another option than the suction cup holder to keep this in the car while i need to charge it on the go, thanks

[ryanc]

bought a bluetooth gps reciever for my phone - cost about 50bux for a good quality one thats v accurate (i did a lot of research) off ebay

got my hands on the tomtom software, as well as the australia maps... and put it on my phone

now all i need is a brace or osmething for my phone, although to be honest i cant be bothered looking off the road, i just listen for directions, or the loud BEEP when a speed camera is coming up

couldn justify spending so much on a standalone gps system when:
- u spend 400 bux less
- the features are pretty much identical (ok no mp3, or picture stuff or video stuff but i have my aux input and ipod video for that, and anyway who needs to look at that when ur driving???)
- same accuracy.. i haven't had any problems with getting satellite signals it's always close to max for me
- doesnt show in ur car (thieves less likely to target it) - i just put the receiver in my glovebox
- portable so u can even take it when u are looking for a restaurant etc when ur walking in the city!

[pintorulz]

Hi guys

I was looking at GPS units on ebay and i found the two below
apparently they use route66 maps and from what i read in reviews the map is pretty good and the 7 inche screen can be hooked up to a tv tuner/dvd player

wat do u think???

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/7-Portable-GPS-Australia-Map-2GB-MP3-MP4-player_W0QQitemZ170169372586QQihZ007QQcategoryZ342 88QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/New-3-5-GPS-MAP-SirfIII-Samsung400MHz-N-385-0830_W0QQitemZ110193505547QQihZ001QQcategoryZ34288 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[clayton4115]

well im very happy with my Mio C520, go for that if you can afford the $400 or so.

[Psy]

I've always loved TomTom One XL, i had one before but my brother forgot to rub off the suction mark and a thief broke in and stole in.

Because i work in retail, i told them about the sitaution to my boss and he gave me the TomTom One XL at cost which was around $370.

Anyways to avoid the suction problem, there is a item at Dick Smith which mounts to the air vent, like a mobile phone holder but turns to be used as a GPS holder.

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/477cc321041688962741c0a87f9c0714/Product/View/E8101

the unit comes with the base if u want to stick it to the dash, the suction mount and also springs for the air vents.

Definetly recommended buy because having the GPS on the windscreen kind of blocked my vision at that particular spot, but now that problem is gone and the suction cup mark problem is fixed...

definetly buy it.

[ludecrs]

Whatever you do, do NOT buy a Navman S50.

My recommendations as follows:

Tom Tom Go 720.
Navman S90i.

Both have TTS technology.
But the Go 720 you can talk into.

If you don't want to part with the RRP or $699 for each, then I suggest a Tom TOm One or XL, perhaps even an S30.

Both Tom Tom and Navman have their advantages and disadvantages equally. Best way to find out is to play with one yourself and see which user interface you prefer.

Apparently Tom Tom have just released a new one again. Hopefully to replace the aging Tom Tom One XL, but I presume it will become the new range topper to replace the Go 910.

Happy to answer any questions, I sell this shit for a living day in day out.

Just.... don't buy the Navman S50.

[Psy]

Whatever you do, do NOT buy a Navman S50.

My recommendations as follows:

Tom Tom Go 720.
Navman S90i.

Both have TTS technology.
But the Go 720 you can talk into.

If you don't want to part with the RRP or $699 for each, then I suggest a Tom TOm One or XL, perhaps even an S30.

Both Tom Tom and Navman have their advantages and disadvantages equally. Best way to find out is to play with one yourself and see which user interface you prefer.

Apparently Tom Tom have just released a new one again. Hopefully to replace the aging Tom Tom One XL, but I presume it will become the new range topper to replace the Go 910.

Happy to answer any questions, I sell this shit for a living day in day out.

Just.... don't buy the Navman S50.

recent reviews have been pretty bad about the GO720, we had a special one day where we selling them for $470 for only 4 hours at Dick Smith Powerhouse. Should have just purchased some and sold them on Ebay hehe. The only catch was, only staff could buy it.

The S30 and s50 are pretty much the same thing except the screen size, why do you choose the s30 over the s50?

Btw the new Hp Ipaq 312 GPS is pretty darn good too!

[ludecrs]

The S50 has many software problems.

Refer here where I discussed this with other forum members on another forum:
http://www.boostcruising.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=251956

[steve88]

i got the aldi one for about $200. ****ing SEX gps! (had to hack it and put decent gps software on it though ;) i now can run windows hahah

[mrshibby]

i got the aldi one for about $200. ****ing SEX gps! (had to hack it and put decent gps software on it though ;) i now can run windows hahah

Which model did you buy and how did you hack it? :D

[EK4R]

ok revive this thread...
anyone tell me which TOM TOM is this sucker? cant tell from the pix

http://i8.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/e6/b6/4f63_3.JPG

http://i24.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/e6/b6/5000_3.JPG

[Drew]

That's a TomTom Go 300

It's like 3-4 years old now

Compared to the units of today its pretty shitty... The navigation display is similar to the current models but the rest of the interface is like living in the '90s again as well as the GPS receiver is as weak as shit cooperatively

I'd pay maybe $50? MAX for it

[02ZZI]

Hello if anyone can give me a hand im after a new gps. From looking so far all i have come across is the tom tom 1 version 3 ($298) and the garmin nuvi ($368) those are wow prices. Does anyone have any info about these 2? does anyone know any good places that do good prices on these apart from wow, jb, autobarn? internet sites etc? anyhelp will be greatly appreciated

[geekmonkey]

Try this:

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/D4223WEB

They have a good deal at the moment...or join Optus from strathfield, and you will get it free

[LD_Mart]

this might of been bought up before but can u cut the cigarette lighter charger and wire it straight to ur battery...
im guessing there is just a positive and negative cable in there...

[stanleym]

i recently bought the clarion max676vd headunit and am planning to get the sat nav option that is plug and play with this device,, so baciscally i get double din and flush sat nav in my dc5..

[Psy]

Btw the new Hp Ipaq 312 GPS is pretty darn good too!

I take my comment back!

I bought one on special at DSE for $199 and refunded it a couple days later.

What a piece of crap they call GPS.

It wanted me to do U-Turns in the middle of a highway, it wanted me to turn right at a no-right turn. Everything was shit about it. I originally thought the software was the problem, but i modified the windows on it and put TomTom on it but gave the same problem.

Avoid like the plague!

Oh i did however buy the Go720 about a couple months ago for $480, loving it. No crazy directions like the HP *spit*

[mrshibby]

Do yourselves a favour and buy one from Ebay. Mine has a 4.3" screen bluetooth, plays avi, mp3's, has AV in and all for $200. Plus you can hack it as said above and put any software you want onto it! ;o)

I have hard wired it behind the cigarette socket and mounted it in the centre console, looks the nuts!

[Magic_box_australia]

I got an I-mate Jamin put tomtom and iGo both work perfectly.
External GPS reciever from ebay for $35.

[dahon]

just wondering, are there any GPS's out there that have live traffic updates displayed aswell?
and if there are, how much would it be around? cos i always hate getting stuck in traffic and would love if my GPS would route me to another route/show me a less congested alternate.

[DC4Integra98]

just wondering, are there any GPS's out there that have live traffic updates displayed aswell?
and if there are, how much would it be around? cos i always hate getting stuck in traffic and would love if my GPS would route me to another route/show me a less congested alternate.

I have the tomtom 720 which does this through updates via computer/internet. Otherwise you will have to use your phones gprs for it to be 'live'.

Also I would like to ask, do you guys always take off your GPS units once you've parked the car, i.e. at the shops?

[ludecrs]

All TomTom and Navman offer live traffic updates. Optional cost.

[dahon]

is the cost upfront or like monthly/ongoing?

[ludecrs]

you'd have to hit up the manufacturer's website on that one, I'm not sure.

[mrshibby]

I have the tomtom 720 which does this through updates via computer/internet. Otherwise you will have to use your phones gprs for it to be 'live'.

Also I would like to ask, do you guys always take off your GPS units once you've parked the car, i.e. at the shops?

Mounted it in the centre console (Accord Euro), just close the lid, all gone!

[ludecrs]

Mio are offering a free 2008 map upgrade on all their units atm, so just a heads up for any potential buyers out there.

[thescotty]

MIO, there real good...beats tomtom

[dahon]

I have the tomtom 720 which does this through updates via computer/internet. Otherwise you will have to use your phones gprs for it to be 'live'.

Also I would like to ask, do you guys always take off your GPS units once you've parked the car, i.e. at the shops?

definately dood, and also wipe the mark made by the suction cup off the windshield. my uncles volvo suv thingy got broken into just because they saw the suction mark. they stole the mount, but he took the gps with him.
crazy aye.


i checked up the navman site, live traffic updates/diverts isnt avaliable for australia.. how gay... :(

[hondajazz2005]

im aftering a set of gps, looking for a 4.3" screen, but have no idea which to buy, any recommend

[azure_maverick]

I just bought the Tomtom one Xl for $340 in JB Hifi after a bit of haggling. First impression is that the during the first time it was booted up, it took ages to get a satellite lock (i.e. 5 minutes at least). However, after that, it took seconds to get a couple of satellites (i.e. less than 5 secs :D). Also, I tried to install the suction cup for an hour and took it off a couple of times and it doesn't leave a mark. Good for evading the thief :)

In term of the navigation, it certainly did the job well and get you where you wanted, though bear in mind it can sometimes ask you to do illegal right turn and there's a slight different between how far really are from a turn and the distance displayed, but still bearable.

Overall, I think it's a really easy GPS to use (it's my very first GPS, and I can use it without reading the manual first). Definitely worth the money, really please with it too :)

Hondajazz2005: as it's a 4.3" screen too, I reckon it'll get the job done. Just my 2 cents.

[jeffske]

gregory's street directory is the way
honestly how often do you need gps (unless you travel for work around NSW) its not as if you dont know the usual areas you always travel

[dahon]

if your a courier then yes :D
finding friends places that you havent been before aswell
and also if the traffic update thing worked in australia (hopefully itll be up soon) then it would defnately be a big help going around the big incidents.

[hondajazz2005]

hi azure, which JB u bought it from? and which year of map they gave you? i saw on DSE brouchers, they are giving 2008 map, but i don't know whether it is true .....

[dahon]

hi azure, which JB u bought it from? and which year of map they gave you? i saw on DSE brouchers, they are giving 2008 map, but i don't know whether it is true .....

show them the brochure and if they dont give you the 2k8 map, show them your receipt, the brochure of the item showing they have to provide 2k8 maps and voila. they HAVE to provide you that item, otherwise you can complain saying its false advertising.

[hondajazz2005]

one of my colleauge just got one tomtom xl from DSE with 2008 map upgrade for 328.... damn.... that is awesome