08 Avensis Satnav

[sproutdreamer]

Is it me or is it really poor and un-user friendly. I was trying to find an address but there was an accident and police blocked off the roads. It seemed incapable of finding an alternate route and no maps in car. Drove round and round for an hour and I would have torn out the wires hadi not been driving. I have had an old Navman cheapo satnav for ten years and it was fine, also used aTomTom basic model and that was great. Previewing routes is poor you cannot prefer motorways only have as an option , clutter on the screen. To be fair I have not used it much but not being able to put in a full postcode only the first part and the number and then inputting the street name to complete the destination. What if you do not have the street name. Grrr....

[Heidfirst]

a) what model satnav does it have?

b ) is the firmware up to date? I know that when I sold my 2007 a few years ago full post code input had been added.

c) at least in parts of Scotland sometimes there are no alternative routes ..

Interestingly the satnav in my current, then top-of-the-range, Avensis looks more impressive/prettier but imho the TNS700 was more intuitive/had better utility for actual routing.

[sproutdreamer]

Interesting, the maps are dated 2010 but I do not know about the firmware-how do I check the model and firmware date-thanks.

[Phil Leeds]

I have a 2011 Avensis with built in satnav and I find it not very intuitive, even my kids say it's too complicated. I can enter a postcode but then have to press 2 or 3 other buttons (which do not have title I would expect to see) - then the posh sounding lady will give me directions, I would have thought once the postcode is put in I just need a button saying something like "Take me there". Screen is too crowded with heaven knows what functions.

A good point I like is when you are approaching a junction it gives you a split screen of a diagram of it and a bar counting down the yards (might be metres) to go.

I don't like the way the screen's top bit is always North, so if I am travelling South, the direction arrow is moving from top to bottom. Maybe I can change this, so if there is an idiots' guide out there I could use it

[Heidfirst]

Phil, you usually can change that to direction of travel. Which satnav do you have though as there are several generations on just the T27 Avensis so far ...

You should have a manual for it & if not it is available from Toyota's website.

[Heidfirst]

Interesting, the maps are dated 2010 but I do not know about the firmware-how do I check the model and firmware date-thanks.

The unit should have a model. no on it & you should have a manual (if not it should be available from Toyota's website). The manual will tell you how or perhaps another forum member can tell you (I can't remember for my T25).

If it's a TNS700/B9010 then the firmware updates are on the same disc as new maps so that when you updated maps you automatically got the latest firmware available when the disc was produced.

[Phil Leeds]

Thanks, its a TNS510. I have the manual when I got the car just over a month ago but it is huge and mentions functions I doubt I would use - it just seems to me there are too many functions that get in the way of providing a basic level of use which is all I'm after

I've worked out how to change the direction of travel now, so thanks for telling me it is at least possible