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Zagato
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Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: Billingshurst West Sussex
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United Kingdom 
Rolling with laughter Thumbs Up
Post #135219 28th Mar 2012 7:44pm
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MrFlips



Member Since: 27 May 2009
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 682

Wales 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 PU Santorini Black
Sadly I was born without the vaguest sense of direction, so I think satnavs are the greatest invention ever. I love my TomTom, combined with Google maps it gets me wherever I want to go, and has never let me down. It all comes down to a spot of planning. Search on Google Maps and Street view for where you're going, click to get the Latitude and Longitude, and then enter them directly to your satnav as a favourite, and then check on the satnav's map that the place you have just added has the same streets, landmarks as showing on Google. Can't go wrong - at least I haven't. Peter
2008 SWB Truck Cab
1952 80" Soft top
Post #135282 28th Mar 2012 9:22pm
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2639

Scotland 
It's a tool and they can be very useful. But I would never just go on a journey somewhere I'd never been before and rely on just the satnav to get me there. Far too many people do this I fear, and then when there is a problem they're screwed as they've no backup!

For me it's written directions, Google maps printouts, road atlas, a sense of direction, and if I do get lost I can plug in the sat-nav and see if it can tell me where I am Smile
Post #135287 28th Mar 2012 9:28pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20300

United Kingdom 
Retroanaconda wrote:
It's a tool and they can be very useful. But I would never just go on a journey somewhere I'd never been before and rely on just the satnav to get me there. Far too many people do this I fear, and then when there is a problem they're screwed as they've no backup!

For me it's written directions, Google maps printouts, road atlas, a sense of direction, and if I do get lost I can plug in the sat-nav and see if it can tell me where I am Smile

I use the Sat Nav only but I also always carry an AA UK road atlas too in case needed. St nav is ideal for cutting down miles saving fuel and time and also getting direct routes. Mine also has fuel consumption and also logs your route's you've driven and can then be viewed later. Also give a fuel cost estimation.
Post #135296 28th Mar 2012 9:45pm
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2639

Scotland 
konabikes11 wrote:
I use the Sat Nav only but I also always carry an AA UK road atlas too in case needed. St nav is ideal for cutting down miles saving fuel and time and also getting direct routes. Mine also has fuel consumption and also logs your route's you've driven and can then be viewed later. Also give a fuel cost estimation.

Some very useful features there. I use Google Maps to find the best route and then a calculator to work out the cost of fuel based on 30mpg Smile

My only issue with my big road atlas is it doesn't have a large enough scale for if you get lost in a town or a village or somewhere like that. No problem on the trunk roads, but for more detailed stuff I like to have a printout of my intended route and the surrounding area to cover any eventualities.

The beauty of the sat-nav is it's ability to adapt on the fly. If you hit a road closure due to an accident or the like, it will find you an alternate route, regardless of the grade of road or the complexity of the local network. Very useful Smile
Post #135298 28th Mar 2012 9:51pm
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bm52



Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Havana
I have a Tom Tom. not used a lot in this country. But very useful in France and Italy especially when going cross country on the small roads. It has always been accurate and not caused any problems.

don't rely on it, carry a map and use it as a tool to guide you and don't treat it as gospel and you will find it is worthwhile. BM52
Post #135304 28th Mar 2012 10:21pm
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yaho



Member Since: 26 Nov 2008
Location: Bialystok
Posts: 200

Poland 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Keswick Green
Garmin 278c here.
Not using as a daily tool, but off-road and abroad is great:
- where there are no roads you can plan your route in Google Earth and follow it later
- you can save your tracks, revisit them later or share with friends
- if you make mistake while on routable map, it will quickly bring you back on right path
- detached from the car keeps operating for few hours, just enough for a day long trek in the mountains off the marked paths
- plenty of free maps
Off course it makes mistakes in route calculations or maps not always are updated but if you do not know your way it is faster way to navigate, than using paper maps, especially as you are only one in a car.

ps. Is that true, that all ladies keep maps oriented 'direction-up' (opposed to 'north-up)? Very Happy Janusz
www.yahodeville.com
Post #135341 29th Mar 2012 7:12am
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MartinK



Member Since: 02 Mar 2011
Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border)
Posts: 2665

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Orkney Grey
Yep - agree - they have their uses, but also they can make you lazy.

4 years ago I had a change of job, and had to go out on the road visiting companies in places I had never been to before. I bought a (£100 Tom Tom) Sat Nav - it was great for getting me where I needed to go (especially around the outskirts of London - an area I don't know).

Also useful for your ETA...will you get there in time? The Sat Nav helps there...

Last year, we toured around California (San Francisco, Yosemite, Sequoia, Hollywood, Pacific Coast Highway) - we bought a new Garmin just for the trip...awesome! Found every hotel, no wrong turns, allowed us to be tourists and look around without having heads in maps all day Thumbs Up

But for general use, no, especially at night I find the display distracting. Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's)
Post #135344 29th Mar 2012 7:21am
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Go Beyond



Member Since: 30 Jan 2012
Location: Headcorn, Kent
Posts: 6678

United Kingdom 
MartinK wrote:
Last year, we toured around California (San Francisco, Yosemite, Sequoia, Hollywood, Pacific Coast Highway) - we bought a new Garmin just for the trip...awesome! Found every hotel, no wrong turns, allowed us to be tourists and look around without having heads in maps all day Thumbs Up



We did the same trip last year, ahhh The Big Sur, now that is an awesome drive !

Did the same thing, took our old Tom tom with us having bought the US maps off Ebay, made the whole trip a breeze ! Highly recommended (Sat Nav and the California trip Thumbs Up )
Post #135352 29th Mar 2012 8:07am
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8580

United Kingdom 
Sat Nav is for the guidance of the wise NOT FOR THE OBEDIENCE OF FOOLS


Driving anywhere?

As well as turning ignition key, engage BRAIN and use Mk 1 EYEBALLS


So if sat nav tells you to turn the wrong way up a one street ignore it!


Recalculating, recalculating!


Brendan
Post #135358 29th Mar 2012 8:22am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20300

United Kingdom 
leeds wrote:
Sat Nav is for the guidance of the wise NOT FOR THE OBEDIENCE OF FOOLS


Driving anywhere?

As well as turning ignition key, engage BRAIN and use Mk 1 EYEBALLS


So if sat nav tells you to turn the wrong way up a one street ignore it!


Recalculating, recalculating!


Brendan

I'm not going to say all but useually women in Corsa's and Fords and such like Whistle As I said not blaming all but some let the car drive them Rolling Eyes
Post #135379 29th Mar 2012 9:38am
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JWL



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Hereford
Posts: 3443

England 2002 Defender 110 Td5 SW Coniston Green
konabikes11 wrote:
I'm not going to say all but useually women in Corsa's and Fords and such like Whistle As I said not blaming all but some let the car drive them Rolling Eyes


Bit like the stupid girl that allmost became a trophy on the front of my Defender last night Evil or Very Mad The only reason it wasn't a head on on a blind bend on a narrowish road out of our village was me visiting the hedge and her boyfriend in the passenger seat grabbing the steering wheel Shocked
It really amazes me that these eejits can squeeze between parked cars at speed in built up areas but out in the countryside they're unable to drive in a safe manner Rolling Eyes
Post #135392 29th Mar 2012 10:10am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20300

United Kingdom 
JWL wrote:
konabikes11 wrote:
I'm not going to say all but useually women in Corsa's and Fords and such like Whistle As I said not blaming all but some let the car drive them Rolling Eyes


Bit like the stupid girl that allmost became a trophy on the front of my Defender last night Evil or Very Mad The only reason it wasn't a head on on a blind bend on a narrowish road out of our village was me visiting the hedge and her boyfriend in the passenger seat grabbing the steering wheel Shocked
It really amazes me that these eejits can squeeze between parked cars at speed in built up areas but out in the countryside they're unable to drive in a safe manner Rolling Eyes

Well I've only been driving for just over two years and never behaved like it.I can't even understand how they even manage it. To be honest it's the countryside that takes it up a level with vehicle handling at a higher speed. My pet hate is people aproaching round abouts when your doing everything correctly and they don't even slow or stop Rolling Eyes Shocked
Post #135407 29th Mar 2012 10:50am
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Laurie



Member Since: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Sussex, England
Posts: 2897

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Bonatti Grey
I bought a sat nav whilst on holiday in Oz recently which I tried when I got home, but the bloody thing doesn't work. All it says is "Follow the yellow brick road... Follow the yellow brick road..." 
Post #135409 29th Mar 2012 10:54am
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
Location: staffs
Posts: 10379

United Kingdom 
I call them 'chav navs' !
Yes I have one.... came free with the A5, because the standard Audi 'in dash' one is the cats ass!!
Post #135420 29th Mar 2012 11:26am
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