I don’t want, or need, one. Never seen the point, as I can always find my way to where I’m going etc. However, Mrs CFH has decreed that she now needs one. So, am here pleading for your tips and pointers on these infernal contraptions!

So, what’s the bestest sat nav to plug in to the car then? Ease of use for set up is paramount, as is ease of understanding directions. Arrows and pointers are essential, as Mrs CFH’s dyslexia sometimes means that she has trouble defining right and left, a problem exacerbated by stress (such as an annoying satnav!)

Oh, and of course, one that can be easily mounted OUTSIDE OF THE FIELD OF VISION ON THE WINDSCREEN! 😉

TIA.

Never tried any others, don’t actually own one myself but the g/f drives some-where new most days, so a ‘map’ is not an option in traffic.. that’s the point of them. .. TomTom, she’s had two (couldn’t locate a new power lead for the old one, the only reason it got replaced) can be mounted on your air vents.

Oh, and of course, one that can be easily mounted OUTSIDE OF THE FIELD OF VISION ON THE WINDSCREEN!

It amazes me where drivers mount their sat navs, some stuck right in front of them..

Do either of you have a smart phone, lots of ‘free’ or paid sat navs for them..

Pete, she’s adamant that she wants a standalone one. Had already tried that angle!

Copilot Live HD in iPhone here.

In use all day every day, never let me down, cheaper than standalone unit and always with me.

Fantastic

(Edit- just seen above post.)

Although, I’m sure she can be convinced.

It’s basically the same product in use.
It’s always with you when you need it.
You don’t have to carry anything extra around.
It won’t get nicked from the car.
Far cheaper so more money to spend on shoes.

Not sure about satnavs, having one already built in to the car, alongside the heated wing-mirrors. 😉

However, I picked up this mount on Sunday evening (for the vayn) before travelling to London, to give it a try, as I find anything that clasps the phone bloody annoying, especially if I need to take a call, make a text or post to STW while driving.

Sainsburys petrol stations are doing them for a fiver at the moment. It really does work. You don’t even have to press the phone up against it. It just grips it. Simply peel away (which is slightly faffier, but once you get used to the process it’s a doddle). Apparently, when it gets a bit dusty, you just wash it off with water and it’s good as new. Doesn’t leave any residue on the phone either.

So, any reason why she couldn’t use a satnav app? I just use Google Maps satnav, rarely lets me down tbh.

EDIT: Just seen that she won’t use a phone one. There’s no talking sense to some people…just another thing to have to remember to either take with you or hide. 😕

So, any reason why she couldn’t use a satnav app?

None that are valid, no. Apart from the fact that she’s adamant she doesn’t want to! (Women, eh? 🙂 )

Next car will certainly have one fitted, but for now, will just have to make do with heated wing mirrors. And heated seats, of course.

As there’s no point in arguing with her (you’ve already lost) just get a TomTom Start and you’re sorted

TomTom with traffic updates and full Europe mapping. Invaluable. Fabulous for finding street addresses and using route overview maps for traffic delays. I had an old Garmin and from time to time that came up with daft routes. Would never have found apartment we rented in Marseilles for RWC 2007 QF without Sat Nav 🙂 For long distances I think it’s best to look at a map and work out an overall plan. Has all the speed cameras too, very useful in France in particular where they are everywhere. Updated regularly online. When I use it I mount it on passenger side, GF prefers it next to her on drivers side as its easier to check traffic updates etc.

Quite a lot of people use jailbroken iPhones with free (dodgy download) TomTom app – screen mount and power cable. Or you can buy it officially. Issue with phone based is that they really need roaming data to work abroad. I use googlemaps app occasionally for in car nav if I don’t have Tom Tom or old Garmin.

Edit: I wouldn’t bother with one fitted in the car, we had one of the early ones, black and white and it cost £1000 obselete after a few years and stand alone unit can be swapped between cars, used when walking in a city etc. last new cars we bought in 2007 the sat nav systems where £3000 and £1500 options, we got the £300 Garmin.

Anything off the shelf by TomTom or Garmin will be fine. I use a TomTom Live 1005 because the traffic avoidance is excellent (and the sat nag in my Jag is shit).

Dash mounts from Brodit (http://www.simplymounts.com) are brilliant too, if you don’t want it on the screen. Simply clip a mounting plate into the dash trim somewhere and are all car specific, then attach a holder for the device.

Windscreen stickers leave a tell-tale mark for thieves. One of those weighted dash-top mounts avoids this, and is easy to move out of sunlight or out of sight.

I like Garmin, it’s probably a matter of what you’re used to. Go for lifetime updates if you can find an offer.

Garmin with lifetime updates

I have mine mounted on the passenger side, near the gearstick, using a Brodit mount. Basically where mobile phone car kits used to sit. I can hear the instructions, and it doesn’t obstruct the field of view.

And I like Garmins, but I suspect TomToms are just as good, if not better.

EDIT: And no circular marks on the windscreen!

Yup, Brodit mount ftw. Here’s mine on off the windscreen and out of the way…

image by bensales, on Flickr

Another vote for co-pilot live, I didn’t rate Tom Tom when I last used it. (Disclaimer this was 5 years ago!)

Get her a Quagmire voice for stress reduction (Giggety)…

None that are valid, no. Apart from the fact that she’s adamant she doesn’t want to! (Women, eh?)

When she forgets to take it out of the car, and comes back to find it missing and a smashed window, she might change her mind. Happened to a close friend of mine, who isn’t daft, (midwife), but just forgot and left it in the car.
I use CoPilot Live, have done for four years or so on my iPhones. I also use a screen mount, stuck dead-center, as close to the bottom of the screen as I can get it, that way it’s out of my direct field of view, but it’s in the corner of my field of vision, and just a slight sideways glance means I can see the map info, and still have a view of the road. Which is more than can be said for my car heating/aircon.
I leave the mount in the car all the time, along with the phone connecting lead, which makes it clear that radio and phone/satnav have been removed. Not had an issue for the four years or so I’ve been using the satnav.