Car SAT NAV Navigation

Hi allein m, you don't specify which one you are looking at on Ebay so cannot comment except to say that when I was looking to purchase one I looked at numerous on Ebay and decided that, while some of them may be OK, many lacked sufficient detail/specs. I think it is a case of being extremely wary. A major consideration with these devices is warranty i.e. do they provide an Australian address for servicing. Also many of them have no provision for updating maps and/or info which is fairly important IMO. I did have a look at a couple of Ebay cheapies that mates had purchased and while one had reasonable graphics and menu the other was just a junk toy. It really comes down to what you can ( or can't ) afford and how serious you are. Most of the posters on this forum seem to have 'name' units such as Tomtom, Garmin, Navman and the ExploreOz apps and programs. Others will post after me and may give you more detailed info. Good luck. Cheerrs.

Allein

Are you looking at in-dash systems or stick on the windscreen type?

I have no experience of the in-dash type, but friends who do are totally frustrated by them because they have to stop to make any changes. Yep, not even the passenger can do anything. Manufacturers say it's for safety, but my cynical side says it's more to do with legal liability in case of distraction.

On to discrete small devices you hang off the windscreen - To tell you the truth, I'm not a big fan of dedicated satnav devices like Tom Tom and others. They are expensive and looking at friends' devices there are plenty of holes in Aus map coverage, as in roads and tracks missing from the database.

I use CoPilot Live in my Android smartphone and tablet (only one licence required, bought from Playstore, $35 or so) and recommend it without hesitation. Best coverage of roads, minor roads and even tracks like firetrails. Yes, like them all it has a few quirks, but it has the road coverage that many of the others lack. Updates are pretty frequent and free. There is a map error reporting system if you're interested. They use Navteq maps, which I think are better than the oft-used Whereis.

Cheers

yes sorry I was looking at some of the ones you do put onto the dash

so for example Broken Hill to Tibooburra area and beyond what sort of quality map do they provided

I have not looked at a specific one as yet I have no idea what to look for

On to discrete small devices you hang off the windscreen - To tell you the truth, I'm not a big fan of dedicated satnav devices like Tom Tom and others. They are expensive and looking at friends' devices there are plenty of holes in Aus map coverage, as in roads and tracks missing from the database.

that is what I am worried about getting out there and the map has little or no coverage of the area

my wife and I often just head out of town Broken Hill and do some photography so quite often just head down different tracks sort of thing

Hi mate I'm currently looking at an in dash unit from vms which is plug n play for $995 at the moment, does absolutely everything u could want, I'm going to order a reverse camera with it as you can hook one to your car and one to the van rear too

Hello I have had 2 Chinese above dash units that run Igo8 street directory and also OziExplorer with hems maps. Both units are 5 years old an I have bought 4 others for mates and set them up for them. Both run reverse cameras. Initial cost for 7inch screens is under $200 then oziExplorer and hema maps so all up under $500.

I bought a Garmin a few years ago for $250, it was rubbish: maps were hopelessly out of date and the touch screen was hopeless . A few months ago I bought a 7: from China for $70 with free maps. Terrific, maps are up to date, the touch screen works a treat and it does a few other things the expensive brand names don't. Best of all, if it does break it only $70, but break it hasn't and it still works great. The Garmin is where it belongs now - in the bin.

A breadcrumb trail will allow you to backtrack

yes that is what I would use most thank you

never to old to learn some thing new

Hi allein m, we had a VMS unit installed in-dash 'a few' years ago. Back then they came with all the Hema maps and Australia wide topos in MemMap format. OziExplorer is also installed, but as pointed out already, I'd need to pay a license fee (MemMaps were included free). Generally it has been very good. A couple of things I don't like about it are:
1) when using the nav system, it occasionally comes up with an igo8 error - perhaps this has been fixed in later models,
2) it was sold as being iPod compatible, however it turns out they are not compatible with our iPod Touch, but it is compatible with a friend's iPod Classic, and
3) occasionally, when hitting a sharp bump (could be a spoon drain around town, a corrugation offroad, or the sharp tug you get when snatching another vehicle), the system restarts and so loses the map it was on. I presume my model has a hard drive, and this has possibly been rectified if they now use SSD's.

There are some holes in the map coverage, and in some cases the mapping s/w does not seem to be very accurate, eg. driving around on the main sealed roads around SW Vic, and according to the map we're off the road and driving through the adjacent paddock. However I believe that is not a fault of the VMS, but in the mapping definitions themselves.

I've had to call their tech support people a couple of times, and they've been helpful each time.

We haven't used all of the features of the VMS (eg. Bluetooth telephone, CD player or DVD player).

Would I get another? Probably. But then I'd also need to work out what to do for mapping on the new one.

Two years ago, I purchased a 7' screen unit on ebay after the guys on lcool recommended the product and the seller. He had models to suit various car types inc. my Toyota 200 Series.

The unit has radio, phone/bluetooth hookup, ipod controller, DVD, navigation (I have a 32GB SD card in it running Oziexplorer CE), USB port, movies etc etc

It was over $1000 though.

Willie.

Thank you so much for your replys I have now got a much better idea on what to look for and feel it would be better in the long run to buy some thing here in Broken hill that way I can ask questions and see the thing working

some things I think you can buy via ebay other s well you are taking a chance

If I cannot buy some thing here I shall wait till we go to Adelaide