To Satnav Or Not To Satnav

[Opifex]

In another thread Jan&tone wrote

…… SatNav may be out of date, …..I only use it for the last 2 or 3 miles of a journey .......everyone knows that London is in the south ……. and it's stupid to get in the car and rely on an electronic gizmo entirely - look at a blood6 map before you get in the car, you will then at least head off in the right direction.

Agreed up to a point.

If I’m in a strange town I may not actually know which road takes me to the trunk road network, and, taking your example, if I'm going to London during the day I can tell which way is south by looking at the sun but I’m in trouble after dark.

Much of my driving is across country, negotiating unfamiliar roads through small villages linked by dubious French signposting. I do look at a map to get a rough idea of which way I’m going and how long it's likely to take but it would be impossible to memorise all the village names and the route through each one. This is when I find the satnav much easier and safer than trying to read a map or list of turns, particularly with the head-up display to show me which way to turn at the next junction and exactly how far away it is.

Even if I do know the route I sometimes switch on the satnav to tell me what time I’m going to reach the destination, and it's always useful to have a warning of hold-ups ahead and automatically work out an alternative route. I was a relative latecomer to satnavs but now appreciate what a help it is in making an unfamiliar journey less stressful and safer.

[Doesn'tExist]

I fully agree. I normally switch it on even regular journeys as well. If not for the traffic info to keep an eye on the time I arrive, are be ready to be guided around the backroads when coming off a main road.

And like you, I love it in combination with the HUD, that makes a real difference. I'm all over the country and it is just great to have it with you. We have it built in in both vehicles.

[Jan&tone]

Indeed, hopefully my post wasn't misunderstood! I always switch the satnav on, even for longish journeys that i do regularly for the traffic news, not the directions... Many times over the years it has helped me miss jams, especially on the M25 which unfortunately is a great friend(?) of mine, wherever we go we have to use some of it and the satnav is a great help.

My main point was that whichever brand you have they will always be a certain bit out of date, but unless you happen to be unfortunate enough to use a new bit of road which your satnav doesnt have then it doesnt really matter??

For example, they are presently rebuilding the a13/a130 junction in south essex. Unless Jock from Aberdeen is going to visit Southend in the next two years, does it really matter that it won't show on his screen? No.

Equally if the A98 (somewhere in Scotland?) is on my list of places to visit and has a new roundabout that doesnt show, does it matter to me? No.

I would rather have a fitted satnav built in than a tomtom that could get nicked, or even have the car broken into in case it's in the glovebox

- if that means that it is expensive to update and possibly out of date then I will accept that - it is my choice!

[Sweens]

I agree 100%. I'd much rather use the built in satnav. So much so that my tomtom is consigned to the Man Drawer in our house! The benefits of not having to place it and remove it each time you get in and out, plus thr absence of trailing wires, plus the built in free traffic info, all outweigh the opposition IMHO.

[Doesn'tExist]

And ofcourse it is a rather academic discussion as it comes as standard with the best trim level the T-Spirit :-)

[r04drunner1]

Horses for courses, guys.

I decided to save my money and go for a T4, using my Garman Sat-Nav on those few occasions when I need one. It doesn't do the traffic updates and it's not integrated into the HUD. Aside from that, it's fine and meets my functionality needs. Plus it means if I am in another car - like a hire car - then I can use it. A fixed unit would not be so versatile and would take my eyes further off the road when using it (HUD directions excepted). Plus I heard that the fixed Prius Sat/Nav can't be programmed while moving, whereas my Garmin does allow that. (Passenger permitting, of course. )

The auto-park and the reversing camera I reckoned I could do without, as well, so that made it easy to decide against spending the extra on a T-Spirit. Although it's a fine car!

[Doesn'tExist]

To correct you, you can programme the Prius satnav whilst driving, I do that all the time using voice control. And whilst that is done the radio/cd automatically mutes as well, like when receiving voice guidance and incoming telephone calls the voice guidance mutes ;-)

For other cars I do have a TomTom, a Navigon, an iPhone and an Android phone I tend to use the Navigon when abroad in a hire car for a longer period, the iPhone every day and trips in the UK etc.

[sjrainsford]

I've been looking at the Sat Nav updates for my 2007 model, and on the site they reckon that with the latest update it enables programming the sat nav whilst in motion.

[timberwolf]

I've been looking at the Sat Nav updates for my 2007 model, and on the site they reckon that with the latest update it enables programming the sat nav whilst in motion.

It does on the version of sat nav discs that came with my late 2008 - I think I was lucky as I believe that version was the first release without the "nanny" lockouts.

[sjrainsford]

I've been looking at the Sat Nav updates for my 2007 model, and on the site they reckon that with the latest update it enables programming the sat nav whilst in motion.

It does on the version of sat nav discs that came with my late 2008 - I think I was lucky as I believe that version was the first release without the "nanny" lockouts.

Don't fancy copying them do you? Hehe!

Only joking, I know that's not allowed!

[Peter Sale]

I will be interested to see if this is the case when I pick up a 57 plate T-Spirit on Saturday. As part of the deal I managed to get the dealer to agree to supply the latest sat-nav update.

Would be pleaed not to have the lock-out even though I have read about wiring mods.

Better not mention the reverse beep though - I know that is a sore subject in the UK !

[timberwolf]

I will be interested to see if this is the case when I pick up a 57 plate T-Spirit on Saturday. As part of the deal I managed to get the dealer to agree to supply the latest sat-nav update.

Would be pleaed not to have the lock-out even though I have read about wiring mods.

Better not mention the reverse beep though - I know that is a sore subject in the UK !

I don't know if the wiring mods will work on the UK model.

I guess I am lucky because the Gen 2 reverse beep on my car has never annoyed me, it's there but I don't really notice it, and often I completely forgot about it.