I need a new sat nav, as my 12 year old TomTom is playing up.

I was going to buy another Tomtom but noticed garmin and another brand I can’t recall in Halfords.

All I’m looking for is picking up location quickly and clear navigation. Garmin appears to have a traffic update system which could be useful but not sure if that’s a gimmick or works. Online reviews for both makes are mixed.

Incredibly boring but anyone have any experiences? Thanks

Phone google maps or a app od somesort.

If you have a smartphone with gps why not just buy the tom tom app?

ETA: I went from a Garmin sat nav to this and its fine.

I like a standalone sat nav device. Saves the battery on your phone and having it plugged in all the time is not good for the battery either. Mapping is generally slightly better but the difference is very narrow now.

I have a TomTom Go 50 and it’s excellent. Tethered to a smart phone it has full and pretty effective traffic alerts and generally doesn’t send me on daft routes. The Garmin I had on the other hand drove me mad-it took such a silly route one day I went straight to the nearest Halfords and bought the TomTom.

I have Garmin. My TomTom was better.

Tomtom have by far the best GUI – Halfrauds still have them on bonkers cheap deals.
Just get the one you think is best value – UK or EU with lifetime maps.

We have Tomtoms supplied to us at work and they’re alright, if a bit slow to get a signal sometimes. I have a Garmin personally and take that to work instead as I prefer the UI on it, plus I know it’s up to date map-wise. My Garmin seems better built too.

Go and have a play with one of each then get the one you prefer with lifetime map updates. Then keep it up-to-date, makes a big difference.

I have a TomTom Go 50 and it’s excellent

Me too, I’d recommend it, not that I’ve tried anything else in the past couple of years. Mine came with “lifetime” UK and EU map updates, and the live traffic works really well IME.

Get the optional Speed Camera data pack if you want to know where idiots are going to be tearing past you then slamming their brakes on.

I got fed up of Garmin screens failing over time, got a Tomtom Go 5100 and in the relatively short time I’ve had it its been decidedly better than the previous Garmin. Good UI and the mapping is better.

There’s a Garmin with lifetime maps and traffic on offer in ALDI at the moment for £89.

What about waze on an old phone?. The live traffic is comparable ( using a sim with data) to tomtom 5100 I use. Once you get used to live traffic it does seem a pain to go back to one wthout. I like the fact you can see how long the jam is going to be and then find another route.

I’ve always had Garmins, so I can’t say if anything else is better or worse. But I do tinker with the settings, right now it’s biased towards main roads. I can ignore that and use rural routes if I know the area. Some of the OS updates have been annoying, but only briefly.

As others have said, Lifetime Updates. And a STFU button, if it’s an option.

Thanks all. Prefer a standalone unit rather than maps or apps on my phone.

I’ll have a look at the suggestions.

Much obliged

Having had either fixed or standalone sat nav for years, none of them come close to having Waze or Google Maps on an iphone/android.

Just buy a car charger and bracket for your phone for a tenner of ebay.

I’m looking for a satnav too, how do the ones that show live traffic work? Through your phone?

I’m looking for a satnav too, how do the ones that show live traffic work? Through your phone?

The TomTom Go 50 is tethered via Bluetooth for traffic etc.

The 5100 and 6100 have built in Sims and don’t need any further subscriptions

Phone is great but a lot of the time I don’t have any mobile data reception (darkest Westcountry) and therefore maps is useless. I also like having a bigger screen.

That’s why i use Here (offline navigation with a downloaded map on my phone) :

THanks to the recommendation of some one on here I am now a huge fan of android auto

Android Auto, failing that a Tom Tom with live updates, pointless otherwise.

Phone is great but a lot of the time I don’t have any mobile data reception (darkest Westcountry) and therefore maps is useless. I also like having a bigger screen.

Seeing as how I spend a ridiculous amount of time in and out of Devon, Cornwall, and south Wiltshire, where even a phone signal, let alone data, is hopelessly inadequate, I use apps on my phone which have all the maps installed on the phone. That way there’s no bother about trying to download a new route and getting nowhere. You get map and app updates and live traffic because it’s all on the phone. All you need is a £1.25 screen mount and a cable to keep it charged, either from a USB or 12v adaptor and you’re good to go.
I’d much rather use my phone than a standalone, there’s much less chance of my leaving it in a car, which one of my team has done…
I use Navmii and Here, currently Navmii, it seems to function rather better, and the maps are clearer. I used to use CoPilot, but reviews of the latest updates to the paid for version are less than encouraging. Navmii will give you alternative route updates on the fly, which is nifty.

Tomtom go 5100, superb piece of kit with accurate live traffic updates via built in sim. Re-routes very quickly and gives alternative routes on the go as the traffic changes. Lifetime world map updates as well. I used mine in Canada this summer nad it was invaluable on our trip.

You can download google maps to your phone so need for data connection

AS above i bought a Tom Tom Go 5100 – really like it now. Have taken it around the world and works fine and with lifetime traffic and maps. Data cost and small size mean i do not use my phone.