Having to take the Seat Altea back across Europe (brought it back to the UK to do some mechnical/bodywork ).

It had an old TomTom, which is basically knackered (battery is fecked and it takes ages to find the GPS signal when turned on), so there's no point in paying for any updates for it.

Basically I want something for camera alerts as well as nav. I don't mind paying for updates, but if its a subscription I don't want the alerts to stop working the moment it expires (current TomToms seem unclear on this).

Also I have number of other options : Smartphone app based...fine as long as it doesn't use the phone network; I don't want to rack up data roaming charges (even if they are being abolished...3G/4G signals in some areas of France can be patchy).

Or....Dedicated on-screen sucker sat-Nav

Or...replace the head unit with a Android powered RN510 clone. The RN510 is VAG's official sat nav...the Chinese "clone" looks similar in it'll fit in the facia and runs generic nav software. I've fitted a few, and been really impressed but not really tried them enough to know how good they are (or not).

Or..a double DIN head unit with Nav (Pioneer etc).

Obviously a smartphone app based or portable sat-nav is going to be the cheapest, but I'm just weighing up whats out there for now. Manufacturers don't seem to be that clear on the speed camera stuff.

 

Hi,
Garmin with the Cyclops camera database - it even works here in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (where there are cameras every few km on all main roads).
Cheers
Steve

 

I wouldn't like to say how strictly it's enforced, but aren't camera-warning options on sat-navs a legal no-no in France, and maybe elsewhere in Europe too?

 

I have found looking at pocketgps website to see if you can still download their database for UK, Europe and North America. I downloaded the lot when I had a subscription. Merge the files to create one file and put it on all my Garmin devices.

 

Cheers Steve, I'll take a look.

They are illegal in France, but there is a get around by having warnings for "danger areas"

 

On a recent trip across France we used something called Warez for cameras and general traffic updates

It's an App - and it did work (I think it backed off the maps to google - but not sure)

 

The only thing that is illegal in France is a dedicated radar/laser detector.

The satnavs with the camera databases aren't illegal.

 

Not trying to be a fuddy duddy but have you considered just not speeding, after many years travelling across europe I've found it's the best option, as it's just not worth the stress constantly looking out for cameras and speed traps or the cost incurred if you get caught.

But hey your money, your choice.

Beyond that my 10yr old navman still does a pretty good job of pointing me in the right direction at major junctions/ motorway interchanges, useful for reminding me of the speed limit and the warning if and when I stray above 130kph.

Speeding doesn't make any difference in journey time as you use more fuel and end up stopping to refill more often, so what ever you gain, you lose standing at the pump in the services.

 

OK, so in practice, how would the get-around work exactly? Is it just a matter of how you explain it to the friendly Gendarmes by the roadside, or that relevant navigation devices use special French-law-friendly wording for their features in that particular country? Hypothetically, of course, as I'd never dream of doing anything illegal, or encouraging anyone else to

 

Mark, just look at the Tom Tom website. All the info is there. Can't comment on the other brands as the Tom Tom is what I currently have.

 

Shortlist so far is:

Tomtom go 51 with "lifetime" updates.
Garmin with 1yr cyclops (not sure which model)

I may consider one with a built in camera and those android head units on eBay are severely temping as the current head unit is crap.

 

TBH, I go to France five or six times a year, and spend up to four months or more there in total.

I now never speed. The french cops are sneaky, even sneakier than our professional thieves, and take money off you on the spot, or impound your car if you haven't any on you. Speeding fines are high, and can even result in your license being taken away, so if you don't have another driver, they impound the car.

Just not worth it.

 

Please understand that this is not about intentional speeding.

Never had a point or fine on my license since the day I passed on 25/11/1996. So there is no need to tell me...I already know.

 

Does the car not have a cruise control? I make lots of use of mine over there, on quiet roads it's a god-send.

 

I stuck cruise on when I had it ,

 

If your doin Europe then you want what the Big Rigs use - after all it's there licence , job , income - why compromise
Snooper truck mate pro
Tom Tom pro live 5150
Other life savers are available

 

Trouble with using one for trucks is it gives truck routes. Cars can go where trucks can't.

 

Yea but you adjust the restrictions as your input ....
Bridge height
With restriction
Weight etc etc ... Then it will re calculate
/ plenty transit couriers darting around Europe too bud

 

Halfrauds were doing a 15% off deal on satnavs with click and collect so picked up a Garmin Nuvicam for £40 off.

Verdict? After 1500miles in 2 days my verdict is : Meh. It's ok but there's some design niggles which shouldn't be there on a device costing this much.

1 . it's huge, obviously that's a issue if you want to remove it and store it somewhere when leaving the car parked. It also restricts where it can be placed on the screen without obsuring vision. I didn't really realise how bit it was until I mounted it on the screen and realised it could create some nasty blind spots.

2. Speed alerts are a welcome feature. But with cruise control set it can coast by 0.5kmh over undulations, which sends it crazy every time the speed goes under /over the limit by 0.5kmh

3. Speeding alert tone is identical to camera alert tones. Can't seem to change this. Different tones would have been better to save looking at the display to find why it bonged. A different tone for mobile camera traps would also be helpful...the Spaniards are sneaky sods for these (usually a dark coloured unmarked hatchback).

4. Powerlead incorporates a DAB aerial for traffic alerts. Now the traffic alerts are ace, but the lead is just thick, chunky and the aerial is an afterthought with the connector box rattling against the dash. It also makes it very difficult to do a "stealthy" install where I would hide the wires behind the dash/a pillars.

5. iPhone app seems a bit pointless. Not explored it much but didn't seem to offer much beyond what the nav does internally. Plus if you kill the app on the phone. It badgers you to turn it on every time you turn On the satnav. Even after unpairng the phone it still badgers me: annoying.

6. Voice commands worked quite well, but you can't access all the menu features with it, which makes hands free operation limited. Annoying.

7. It still missed some well established speed cams.. That even my ten year old Tom Tom knew about

8.Finding my overnight hotel using the categories search was impossible. Ended up having to enter the address manually.

9. Built in USB socket doesn't charge the battery...it'll only charge via the USB on the screen holder.

10. No instructions. Yes its the trend for everything now and they are built into the Nav, but its nice to refer to instructions as you use the device...you can't do this with the built in menu. There is a manual on the Garmin website..but assumes you can get a internet connection at the time you want to look something up. If it were downloadable so it can be viewed offline , this could be mitigated.

11. Speed cam update service: doesn't say what version is current. The database inside my satnav is dated 2015. There is no mention if the one on the web shop is newer. It also doesn't say what happens after the subscription expires...does detection/alerts stop working? Or does it simply stop updating?

Plus points. Camera seems to be good quality, built in microphone clarity is superb (apart from I appear to breath like Darth Vadar at the moment -Asthma ). Screen clarity is good. Menus mostly easy to navigate, except some of the setting aren't organised how I'd expect. Traffic alerts seem to work ok (some numpty put his 4x4 on the roof on the M40 on the other carriageway and traffic on my side was backed up from rubber neckers ). And it got me to my destination with zero issues. Magnetic mount is ace.

So all in all the core device is ok, but the extra features aren't as well implemented as they should be. The power cable especially.

6/10