# best sat nav?



## who ru (23 Oct 2007)

hi all,

have done a bit of research online into best sat nav system for ireland.

Garmin nüvi 660 seems to be the best option. it's available on komplett for 420e.

was wondering if anyone has this system and what their thought are on it.

all the best.


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## DaveD (24 Oct 2007)

You'll find refurbished Garmin Nuvi 300's here for €154:



Uk and Ireland mapping, full warranty. Seems like a good deal.


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## NHG (24 Oct 2007)

I would also be interested in your replies as looking to buy one for the OH for christmas, I was also looking at the 660 as I like the idea of the being able to bring it on holidays and that it plays over the car speakers for the hands free phone.


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## BillPoster (24 Oct 2007)

I just had a Garmin 660 fitted. Advantage over the 300 is that it is widescreen and also comes with FM transmitter enabling you to tune the hands free on the sat nav into an FM radio station on your radio. If you select the option to have the hands free through the car radio you still have to press (touchscreen) button on the sat nav and select the radio station button hear the call. Not as handy as it should be. Sound quality from the sat nav or via the radio is only average. As yet I haven't had much need to use the sat nav itself but I was advised not to register the unit with Garmin until next march as the maps etc will be updated before then and then I should get the update free. Apparently Garmin have the best maps for ROI.

If I was to buy again I'd buy the 300. Then if you do want to have the thing tuined into the radio yoiu can try (& then buy) an FM transmitter separate.


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## rjt (24 Oct 2007)

Garmin 250 with europe preloaded now down to €250 in curry's I think. (I paid 300 only 6 months ago!) have used all over Ireland and in parts of Spain, France, Germany Slovenia and Croatia. (Have a job with good hols!) Found it to be excellent in Western Europe and Slovenia, and in cities in Croatia. Compact too. Would recommend.


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## tosullivan (24 Oct 2007)

I have TomTom One Europe and find it also excellent.

Have a look at both and see which user interface you prefer.  They are both much the same


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## kmelvin (24 Oct 2007)

Garmin 200 NUVI (the smaller 3.5 inch screen) is €229 in halfords.

Also, Garmin 250 NUVI (4.5 inch screen) is €269.99 in halfords.


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## tosullivan (24 Oct 2007)

don't get carried away with the widescreen versions...they are just gmmicks


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## redchariot (24 Oct 2007)

You won't go wrong with the Garmin nuvi 300. It is the basic satnav without all the flashy extras, but else do you need a satnav for. This unit still does the job perfectly fine.

If you were living in England, I would say go for one with the traffic alerts or locations of speed cameras, but even though you can buy these in Ireland those features do not work here, unfortunately.


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## bacchus (25 Oct 2007)

My wife... while the acquisition cost was resonnable, the running cost is veyr high...


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## who ru (25 Oct 2007)

thanks lads for all your replies, much appreciated. all considered the garmin nuvi 300 looks like the best deal.


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## RMCF (25 Oct 2007)

tosullivan said:


> don't get carried away with the widescreen versions...they are just gmmicks



Don't get carried away with SatNav's !!

I wonder just how many people in the world have a SatNav and spend 99% of their time driving routes they already know? 

I admit that they would be invaluable for sales reps etc, but I know people who have them and rarely do anything other than drive around their home town, from their house to work or house to in-laws or house to supermarket.


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## redchariot (25 Oct 2007)

RMCF said:


> Don't get carried away with SatNav's !!
> 
> I wonder just how many people in the world have a SatNav and spend 99% of their time driving routes they already know?
> 
> I admit that they would be invaluable for sales reps etc, but I know people who have them and rarely do anything other than drive around their home town, from their house to work or house to in-laws or house to supermarket.



Have to agree, a satnav is a flashy bit of kit, but to be honest, most of the time I don't use it. It is great though if you are in a city like Dublin and you are a country bumpkin like me. Also great if you are travelling to another part of the country you don't know. 

Bottom line, I really don't need it a lot of the time but when I do need it, it is invaluable; that is why I said in a previous post not to worry about all the extras, just go for the basic version.


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## RMCF (26 Oct 2007)

redchariot said:


> Have to agree, a satnav is a flashy bit of kit, but to be honest, most of the time I don't use it. It is great though if you are in a city like Dublin and you are a country bumpkin like me. Also great if you are travelling to another part of the country you don't know.
> 
> Bottom line, I really don't need it a lot of the time but when I do need it, it is invaluable; that is why I said in a previous post not to worry about all the extras, just go for the basic version.



Totally agree. I wouldn't be going out spending €600 on one that has maps of Greece and other fancy nonsense that you will never use.

Get the cheapest that has street level maps of Ireland (that can be updated) and that should do you.


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## maso82 (26 Oct 2007)

Have a Nuvi 660 and reasonably impressed. Agree that the sound quality is only average. But then no worse than other units I've seen. Have used the navigation in both Ireland and the UK. The only problem I've encountered is that sometimes it appears to bring you down very minor roads rather than selecting Regional or National routes which would be safer and ultimately faster. However this aside I've managed to reach my destinations with the minimum of fuss!


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## Roscommon (7 Mar 2008)

*Re: Map updates for Garmin Nuvi 250*

Need to purchase a sat. nav. system as we are flying to Gerona Airport and driving to Tarragona in Spain.  We rented a sat nav from an irish company for our holiday to France last year and would have been lost (or divorced) without it.  Looking for a recommendation as to a sat. nav. that would have maps pre-installed for Ireland and other European counties.  I know there are numerous sat. navs. on the market but the amount is a bit mind boggling.  Has somebody purchased one lately? and would they have advice on purchasing one?  What should I be looking for?  What is the average I should expect to pay?  What brand is the best?  Really would appreciate any advice!


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## mathepac (7 Mar 2008)

*Re: Map updates for Garmin Nuvi 250*



Roscommon said:


> Need to purchase a sat. nav. system as we are flying to Gerona Airport and driving to Tarragona in Spain.  We rented a sat nav from an irish company for our holiday to France last year and would have been lost (or divorced) without it.  Looking for a recommendation as to a sat. nav. that would have maps pre-installed for Ireland and other European counties.  I know there are numerous sat. navs. on the market but the amount is a bit mind boggling.  Has somebody purchased one lately? and would they have advice on purchasing one?  What should I be looking for?  What is the average I should expect to pay?  What brand is the best?  Really would appreciate any advice!


Both ALDI and LIDL are advertising sat-nav units for around 300 euro at the moment with the ALDI one looking particularly good value.

I use a Garmin Nuvi 660FM which I find to be excellent, but cost about 440 euro, although speed camera warnings / locations in the UK are a little out of date.


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## Leo (7 Mar 2008)

*Re: Map updates for Garmin Nuvi 250*



Roscommon said:


> Need to purchase a sat. nav. system...


 
Roscommon, I've moved your post here, doesn't make sense to leave it in a thread about map updates.
Leo


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## baseplate (7 Mar 2008)

I recently bought a panasonic sat nav, model number cn-gp50 .
It has a five inch  wide screen display and full european mapping .
It also has  bluetooth and the sound quality from it is very good.
Paid 449 euro for it.


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## tosullivan (7 Mar 2008)

baseplate said:


> I recently bought a panasonic sat nav, model number cn-gp50 .
> It has a five inch wide screen display and full european mapping .
> It also has bluetooth and the sound quality from it is very good.
> Paid 449 euro for it.


keep the receipt...


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## SparkRite (28 Mar 2008)

Hi Roscommon,
I have just bought a Garmin Nuvi 250W with street level maps for Ireland/Uk and Europe (V10) preinstalled from Pixmania for 170euro (just checked,down a euro, 169 now). Paid 16.40euro for express delivery and got it within 36hrs.
Extremely impressed with map detail (even has roads mapped within the complex we stayed at in Ibiza last year) and clarity of display. If all you need is good sat/nav direction while driving I think this deal is hard to beat.

NB: I have no connection with Pixmania.


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## galwegian44 (28 Mar 2008)

*Re: Map updates for Garmin Nuvi 250*

Bought the basic Garmin Nuvi 250 a couple of weeks ago from www.elara.ie and it was invaluable in Portugal. Even when I drove newer roads that were not on the SatNav I always knew that 'Nuvi' would get me home. This happened in Lisbon and while I think it took me on the scenic route down by the River Tejo it eventually got me back on track and home safely. Great to have that level of confidence driving around a large capital city, even if you do encounter the odd new motorway.

BTW, the advice on buying a basic model is supported by me and this cost me an amazing €150....just checked ant it's still available @ http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECE1445677&productID=S4510599

I'll be testing it in the UK for the next 3 weeks.

Safe Driving.



mathepac said:


> Both ALDI and LIDL are advertising sat-nav units for around 300 euro at the moment with the ALDI one looking particularly good value.
> 
> I use a Garmin Nuvi 660FM which I find to be excellent, but cost about 440 euro, although speed camera warnings / locations in the UK are a little out of date.


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## Farger (28 Mar 2008)

I've heard that if you plan to use the sat nav for rural Ireland driving then it is better to get a brand that uses Navteq mapping as opposed to Tele Atlas. It seems that Navteq have done a better job of mapping outside the city's and towns. Garmin use Navteq and I think Tom Tom use Tele Atlas. Its usually written in the small print on the box.


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## clonboy (28 Mar 2008)

i used the tom tom once,, thought it was good in so far as it gave the choice of maotorway/main roads or fastest route,,
also asked if it was truck or car,,

i was suspicious that they will always send you the most direct route even though u know there is a quicker non direct route

are other models like this,,,

whats the opinion on Tom tom


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## colm (28 Mar 2008)

Tom Tom are way ahead of the rest in my opinion.
I had a garmin Nuvi610 & recently changed it for TomTom Go720.
Their community Mapping is a great idea. You see an error on the Map & change it instantly , upload it to Tom Tom & everyone benefits.
Why Garmin arn't going down this road (No pun intended) I dont know.


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## tosullivan (29 Mar 2008)

I just got back from UK and the guy that was driving us around had a Garmin.  Bloody hell, it was so annoying compared to my TomTom..."Stay left, stay right" in the same sentence on the motorway and it just didn't shut up.  We ended up putting in his glove box and using the TT for the rest of the time


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## mufc77 (1 Apr 2008)

Borrowed my brother's nuvi 250w for driving in England.  Once we realised that it was on the "pedestrian" setting, we changed it to automobile, we had no problems with it.  I am thinking of getting one and this is the one I'd buy.

we got a Neverlost with Hertz car rentals a few weeks back, waste of time, none of the machines they gave us worked.


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## kbie (1 Apr 2008)

Got loan of basic Navman & Garmin. 

Navman was good on routes but points of interest very poor and out of date. Liked detailed house numbers in estates. Lot of locations were in Irish and could not change to English. 

Garmin wanted to take me off main roads and motorways continously and on to minor roads and through towns. Also did not name what street to turn into. Would like to try Tom Tom before I purchase


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## z104 (2 Apr 2008)

Garmin 660t fm is about 280 delivered from ebay. The fm allows you to use your car speakers. It also calls out street names.


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## tiger (2 Apr 2008)

Lidl have one coming out for €199.  Has navteq maps for europe and a large screen.
[broken link removed]
Would be worth checking the boards.ie bargain alerts & gps forums for more info.
Won't be purchasing myself, as I prefer to get lost the old fashioned way!


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