Tom Tom VS. Garmin
Mon, 03/31/2008 - 6:55pm
16 years
|
I had bought a Tom Tom Go910 about 1.5 yrs ago. I traded it in for a Garmin 260w. Was that a mistake?
16 years
|
I had bought a Tom Tom Go910 about 1.5 yrs ago. I traded it in for a Garmin 260w. Was that a mistake?
robin
Sounds like you work for TomTom. Most people know what model GPS they own. It's on the box.
nuvi 200 | lifetime maps
Nasty :-)
"It's on the Box" - I know it's true, but a low blow all the same
Ain't nuthin' never just right to do the things you wanna do when you wanna do them, so you best just go ahead and do them anyway ! (Rancid Crabtree, from Pat F McManus fame)
.
"It's on the Box" - I know it's true, but a low blow all the same
Maybe so, but my point was that not knowing the model he bought combined with the nature of the complaints and the positive mention of TomTom and the fact that he just joined before that posting makes me think that the whole thing was not genuine. I was serious about maybe he works for TomTom.
nuvi 200 | lifetime maps
We need more smileys
Or I must learn to use them better. My comment wasn't mean at all, just slightly sarcastic. Hey, it's Friday, and the week's been a long, arduous one. It's not even finished for me. So let's say I mis-expressed my sarcasm
On the good side, there's a Jazz concert in Juan Les Pins tonight, and I'm attending it ! Yay !!!
Ain't nuthin' never just right to do the things you wanna do when you wanna do them, so you best just go ahead and do them anyway ! (Rancid Crabtree, from Pat F McManus fame)
Love my Garmin
I started out with a Tomtom and it died reecently and my wife bought the Garmin Nuvi 765t and I was hesitant. After about a month of use, I would not give up my Garmin for anything else out there. I like the specialty maps that you can get for them, the ease of updating POI's and the over all look of the screens.
There are some things I do miss about T2; the voices are much better, Icons were displayed on the map as you drove so if you saw an icon for something you could touch it and go and others.
The Garmin units grab satellites MUCH faster too, that is a big plus.
I've had both
Greetings..
I've had Garmins for a long time. My last 2 were stolen, which is dumb since you can't unlock them, both oh well, whoever said crooks are smart.
I liked it, but that's a general term, in the same vein as i like going to the dentist.
I always found it was horrible at the shortest route and it would fight me on places I knew where I was going and certainly knew the shortest way to get there.
So, since I had to get a new one, I decided to try a TT540M.. Amazon has a great price on it, with lifetime maps, right off, it's already a good deal.
Out of the box, my first impression was how big it is..Really is an XXL..! Even though it's really only about 3/4" bigger, diagonal measurements are decieving and it really is a lot bigger than my 205w that I gave to my wife and my pair of 255w's i've bought...
Turning it on, it seems a lot like the Garmin, and has a lot of the same general features, which seems logical.. Both do basically the same thing.
The first thing I noticed was no street names, TT makes you turn it on, which seems odd, but no biggie.
On my first TT trip to my warehouse, it got the directions exactly as I go, something my Nuvi never did. It even had me take the shortcuts I normally take.
The first time on the highway, I loved the screen change when you come up on your exit. It looks like a highway cartoon, with the lanes clearly marked, the giant street overhead signs and a clear red line, so there's not any confusion where it wants you to go.
On 95 in VA, there's a stretch where the road goes on a 5 mile elevated trip, or it sure seems that way, and if you go the wrong way, you can't exit until you're wayyy down the road. I know the right ways of course, but thousands of east coast travellers get lost there. Even with 3 rounds of overhead signs. With the TT, it's clear as a bell where you need to go. The signs are just so cool.. Like someone took photos and animated them. They even have the same info on them the actual signs have.
But what really did it for me was finding I could download speed cameras all over the country. I live in VA, but the rest of my family lives in MD which have loads of speed cameras. My mom died recently, and needless to say I was going back and forth, and before the TT, I got TWO speed camera tickets, one of which I'm sure was bogus because I knew the camera was there and knew I was going slow enough.
But now, with the TT, 1/2 mile before the camera, it'll alarm and warn you about the upcoming camera. Even if you know it's there, it's a nice audible and visual reminder.
TT has quarterly updates on their maps which I personally think are better than nuvi. In addition, you can make corrections that TT will confirm and add to their next update if they find it to be true. My warehouse with BOTH nuvi and TT tell me i've arrived about 1000 feet before i'm really there. So, we'll see if TT ever updates as i've sent the info. It's not too easy to add map changes.
Commments about the base adding size, I agree. IT's also a little clunky getting it on the windshield. Even a little sideways pressure will snap the base off the back. I wasn't really a fan of it, but once I figured out how to put it on, it's not so bad. And unlike the nuvi, it never has come off once. The screw piece really sucks all the air out! If you carry it without the base, it's not too big, but I'm not sure why anyone would. Maybe it has trails and stuff in the woods, I've never tried so i can't say anything about it, but basically, it seems to just be a road GPS.
All in all, I'd never go back to my nuvi, and my wifes maps are outdated on hers, which doesn't even talk, so maybe it's time to get her one and get rid of the old 205..
I don't think either unit is a 'mistake', but the larger screen, better maps and those funky speed camera warnings just are better for me.
Oh, and I didn't even go into all the stuff you can do to customize online. Lots of stuff to add to it.. Even add Star Wars voices for a small fee.
RocD
PS.. Just for the skeptics, I don't work for TT, Garmin, or any companies affiliated with them. I'm just an end user.. I've had my 540M for a month or so.. Current pricing (8/22/10) on this on Amazon is $153 with free shipping. That's less by $6.00 than i paid a month ago.
PSS Did i mention i love the speed camera and ramp exit signs??
I'm off to NY on a wedding road trip later this week, so we'll see how it does as i have no idea how to get to Rochester..!
Rochester
Watch out for the red light cameras in Rochester!
dobs108
Thanks for the warning. Will
Thanks for the warning. Will have to see how the TT does with them. It's caught most of them so far..!
RocD
So far, I prefer TomTom
Well, after 2 car windows smashed, I am on my third GPS. The first was a Navigon. When that was stolen I got a Garmin 1350T. That was stolen and I got a TomTom 540M in a recent Amazon gold box sale.
Honestly, with the exception of the mount, I prefer the TomTom.
I terms of ease of use, I find both are comparable, but the TomTom has way more navigation features. I also found that the TomTom software was FAR FAR FAR better. TomTom One works well on my macbook. The Navigon software was useless and the Garmin software paled in comparison to TomTom's.
Yes, the celebrity voices are gimmicky, but I like the ability to change map colors, voices, icons startup screens, and to add poi's. All sooooo easy and fun on the TomTom.
Overall, I like the navigation finctionality better on the TomTom.
TomTom has lane guidance like both the others I had, but I think it looks nicer then the Garmin. The functionality is similar. One nice thing is that the TomTom doesn't warn me constantly not to get off my road at seemingly every exit. I swear on some roads the Garmin would tell me not to get off at every exit I passed...
The process for selecting the address was better on the Garmin, where it would remember the state and would autocomplete street and city names as you typed them. On TomTom, the process of entering the city and adress feels slightly more cumbersome.
But in terms of menu options, the TomTom is CLEARLY superior. Options for selecting poi's on the way, near the destination, near home. My old garmin can't do this (at least not as easily).
The display looked nicer on the garmin, but the menu is way more customizable on the TomTom, which means that although it doesn't look as pretty, I get to see what I wanna see, and I can keep ut what I don't care about!
Mount. The Navigon mount was meh. The Garmin mount was perfect. The TomTom mount is idiotic frustrating and annoying. Granted once it is set up you don't need to fiddle with it much, but pulling it down to hand to my wife to change while I continue driving and then putting it back when finished, a process that was second nature and no problem w/ garmin and navigon, has become a major hassle.
Overall, if I were offered any of the 3 for free, I'd take the TomTom, even though the other 2 are more expensive (or were when I bought em).
I have 2 TomTom units, and 2
I have 2 TomTom units, and 2 Garmin units.
Without a doubt the Garmin GPS units are far far superior to the pieces of junk the TomToms turned out to be.
I sincerely hope my TomToms get stolen so I can never have to use them again.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work
Has this claim been verified anywhere?
Lifetime Map Updates
TomTom’s Lifetime Map Updates feature allows users to keep their maps fresh by downloading, every few months, the industry's most accurate and up-to-date maps. The maps include one million more miles than competing maps and, in certified tests, rate highest in terms of quality and reliability. The road network changes on average 18 percent annually, so they are continually refreshed to include improvements across the entire road network and updates to Points of Interest.
Currently I am using a Garmin c340 and quite happy with its performance, and not willing to part with it. I realize at some point in the future for one reason or another that I will have to upgrade (can't load latest maps, completely stops working, etc...)
I am not brand loyal and willing to research all options, and saw a few Tomtoms that might be an option. The most important feature for me is up to date maps.
Does anyone know a link to verify the claim of having over 1 million more miles than the competition? I tried searching, but with no luck. I do a fair amount of driving in the US and Canada (about 1K a week to different destinations) and would be curious to know which roads I may be missing?
How many miles of roads are there in the U.S.?
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2009/hm...
4,067,396 (as of 2009) appears to be the total number of miles in the US.
If I am looking at this correctly, it seems that TomTom is claiming that other GPS systems are missing about 25% of the roads in the US, which does not seem accurate to me.
Am I missing something here?
Streetpilot C340 Nuvi 2595 LMT
misleading claim
Lifetime Map Updates
TomTom’s Lifetime Map Updates feature allows users to keep their maps fresh by downloading, every few months, the industry's most accurate and up-to-date maps. The maps include one million more miles than competing maps and, in certified tests, rate highest in terms of quality and reliability. The road network changes on average 18 percent annually, so they are continually refreshed to include improvements across the entire road network and updates to Points of Interest.
Currently I am using a Garmin c340 and quite happy with its performance, and not willing to part with it. I realize at some point in the future for one reason or another that I will have to upgrade (can't load latest maps, completely stops working, etc...)
I do a fair amount of driving in the US and Canada (about 1K a week to different destinations) and would be curious to know which roads I may be missing?
How many miles of roads are there in the U.S.?
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2009/hm...
4,067,396 (as of 2009) appears to be the total number of miles in the US.
If I am looking at this correctly, it seems that TomTom is claiming that other GPS systems are missing about 25% of the roads in the US, which does not seem accurate to me.
If TeleAtlas is claiming a million more miles of roads than Navteq, it has to be spread all over the world and not just North America. TT does have a feature where users can submit new roads through TT-Home, but that doesn't necessarily mean they get added to the distribution files.
Am I missing something here?
Illiterate? Write for free help.
Misleading Claim, or Blatant Lie?
If TeleAtlas is claiming a million more miles of roads than Navteq, it has to be spread all over the world and not just North America. TT does have a feature where users can submit new roads through TT-Home, but that doesn't necessarily mean they get added to the distribution files.
According to the text in their Premium Maps section,
"Using TomTom maps, you’ll have access to one million more miles of mapped road in the US that you would using other GPS brands."
When I first started posting my initial post, I didn't realize how many miles of roadway we have here in the US and thought that the claim could be reasonable. The more I look at it now I realize how bad this claim appears to be.
I think I need to avoid TT's website and go elsewhere for the truth about their products. May still consider their units, but their site certainly didn't help my research at all!
Streetpilot C340 Nuvi 2595 LMT
I am not trying to hijack
I am not trying to hijack this thread but how to mount your gps (TomTom or Garmin) is of interest.
We toured Italy & Spain in 2009 and used our friend's TomTom. It did a marvellous job and the only problem we had was trying to figure out how to detour. This TomTom used a windshield suction mount.
I decided to buy a Garmin because I already owned a Legend (for geocaching) and the ease of POI manipulation. When I bought my Garmin 1350 last fall I also bought a dash pad so I would not run afoul of laws dictating where mounts could be placed on your windshield. This pad worked well in my Passat and now my Edge and several friends now own this gpspad too. It stows in the glovebox so when I park anywhere no one sees a gpsmount...
FYI
http://www.gpscity.ca/gps-city-super-grip-dashboard-friction...
phlatlander
The only brand of GPS I and
The only brand of GPS I and my friends have not had problems with is Garmin.
I haven't had issues with Garmin either
The only brand of GPS I and my friends have not had problems with is Garmin.
My Garmin has been great for me as well, but when the time comes to replace my unit I'm looking for the best one for me at the time. More than likely it will be a Garmin, but I want to keep my options open in case I see one that is better.
Streetpilot C340 Nuvi 2595 LMT
Tomtom has a better route while Garmin map is up to date
I have beening using Garmin GPS units since Streetpilot 2720. The models I used include C340, C550, C580, Nuvi 350, 360, 650, 660, 260, 765T, 755T, 1450T, 1490T and more. Now I just have a Garminfone which has lifetime map update.
The tomtom I used include 510, 910, one, 340TM live.
Now I just keep the 340TM since it has lifetime traffic and map update.
Based on my experience, Garmin has a much simpler GUI and very easy to use. But the route is bad expecially after Nuvi 650, 660, 670, and 680. Somehow the old Nuvi 350, 360, 650, 660, 670, and 680 give a better route than latest models. On the other hand, Tomotm has a complex menu. But the route is much better than Garmin. Also the map on Tomtom is kind of dated.
Garmin rocks!
in my opinion, Garmin is far more better than any other gps out in market. Garmin has to resolve many issues with their devices. And Navteq is slow in updating maps and traffic. I hope Garmin improves more in coming years.
765T
I have a Nuvi 765T and I've had no real issues. There was a few times it crashed on me during a trip, but after the latest firmware it seems more stable, plus they finally fixed the typing bug (it would punch in characters that weren't even near your finger).
I have never had a tomtom, but I want to try them out and possibly use them in my second vehicle. They finally updated that ugly map scheme to something a little more polished...
Garmin maps
I agree with you on the map issues. Garmin has decreased the frequency of the map updates (I guess they believe they are right all the time). I am working in Houston and the final straw for me was the right turn my garmin called for through a concrete wall to an exit that no longer exists. This was not a temporary barrier, this was a genuine wall.
Tom Tom VS. Garmin
For me Garmin has better routing. Tomtom has better maps
As a long-time TomTom owner
For me Garmin has better routing. Tomtom has better maps
As a long-time TomTom owner, I can attest that they also have some map problems.
My personal opinion is that both companies appear to make a decent product, and that there is no single "best" unit for everyone. Priorities among features vary among individuals, and that can sometimes result in a very different "best" choice.
- Tom -
XXL540, GO LIVE 1535, GO 620
Been a Garmin man since
Been a Garmin man since 2008.
Had a stint with a family Navigon and said no way.
Nuvi 260 to Nuvi 1350 to Nuvi 3590 And now working with a Nuvi 3597.
Besides software kinks in the 1350 I've been relatively pleased.
(know this is an old thread)
I gave my brother-in-law an old Streetpilot 340...
...a number of years back. It died on him and he bought a Tom-Tom and tried to get it to route him to Case-Western in Cleveland. He said that this thing ran him around in circles and he never did get to where he was wanting to go. He stopped at Wal-Mart and picked up a Garmin. He punched in the address and got to where he wanted to go. He said that he would only own a Garmin after that little episode. (I have no idea what was going on with the Tom-Tom.)
With God, all things are possible. ——State motto of the Great State of Ohio