Good Evening Everyone.
After having along break from class 1 driving, i am looking in to buying a Sat Nav for lorries just want a few opinions on them best worst, not looking for a top of the range at the minute just a fair price 1.
Any advice welcome 
Best advice would be to search the forum - Your question seems to get asked on almost a daily basis. Same query was posted just this morning: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=116630
I’m using a tomtom 5150, it’s been pretty good to me so far, easy to use and nice big screen, it does try to send me round some impossible corners sometimes and i have noticed if i need to go up a 7.5 for loading it will sometimes try to send me out over weak bridges, and it does trip it’s nut out in central London but i’ve never seen a satnav that doesn’t. On the whole i find it serves it’s purpose well and i’m quite happy with it.
Get a smart phone and use this, ukhaulier.co.uk and google maps that has a good little sat nav which will have all the up to date maps. You have to sign up but its free on the website and it will be more accurate than any trucking sat nav.
Afternoon All,
Yeh i did that that this question would be asked a lot, thanks for you replies though
I got a Billy basic poverty spec Garmin and a quality bridge map. Really all the Garmin does is pin point the address I’m looking for. If I need to take an unfamiliar route to that address I’ll check with the bridge map. Google street view is also good for getting a picture of what you’re looking for
I have to say i use to use a basic Tom Tom 1 which did the job and got me in the area where i wanted to be but it’s always nice to have a lorry sat nav this time around
human cannonball:
I’m using a tomtom 5150, it’s been pretty good to me so far, easy to use and nice big screen, it does try to send me round some impossible corners sometimes and i have noticed if i need to go up a 7.5 for loading it will sometimes try to send me out over weak bridges, and it does trip it’s nut out in central London but i’ve never seen a satnav that doesn’t. On the whole i find it serves it’s purpose well and i’m quite happy with it.
i have one i tend to find it loses its gps at times
sweeper1gg:
i have one i tend to find it loses its gps at times
That might be caused by radio interference in the cab, from e.g. a tracker or other device that uses mobile data.
Ghost01:
Good Evening Everyone.After having along break from class 1 driving, i am looking in to buying a Sat Nav for lorries just want a few opinions on them best worst, not looking for a top of the range at the minute just a fair price 1.
Any advice welcome
Many threads on this but Tomtom and Garmin are OK, but FFS plan your route using a map as the sat nav will get you in all sorts of trouble (yes even truck ones).
Funnily enough I have used the phrase ‘trusty map book’ but have never usede the phrase ‘trusty sat nav’.
I use the phillips map book with bridge heights, + sat nav + google maps on phone - if they all agree thats great but if in doubt turn the chuffin gizmos off and rely on mapbook and a bit of common sense.
Sat navs don’t understand weight and vehicle parameters very well so will plot routes using random B- roads.
Thats said they can be invaluable for the last few miles run in.
mmm, the number of times even in my 7.5tonner that ive glanced at the satnav route and thought ‘youve gotta be kidding… ■■■■off im going the other way…’ is unreal. and my satnav’s a snooper… having said that, as said, wouldnt be without one for that last half hour…
Morning All,
Some good comments being made, here’s another question, is it the shortist route or the quickest you have yours set on ?
The ‘shortest’ route will take you through every village and hamlet. The ‘quickest’ route is usually the most straightforward and utilising motorways and A roads.
Mine was Fleabay cheapie for less than £50. It is a truckers model with 7" screen and it has to be said it is a cracking bit of kit for the money.
I use Satnavs to take me the last couple of miles at street level.
I can’t recommend snooper highly enough - it’s a truck satnav so you programme in your vehicle length, height and weight (you save save regular dims as well so you just pick which size) so it (should) only take you on a route you are legally able to use.
It’s not infallible but then what is. I’ve had it from my first day and it takes a big weight off. Of course you still need to pay attention but it’s a boon to me!
I’ve got the snooper DB8500 and so has my other half who’s also Class 1 http://www.snooper.co.uk/truckmate-prosound-db8500.html
If a sat nav is hgv specific then it’ll do the same as all the others the map data is the same either navteq or teleatlas
alix776:
If a sat nav is hgv specific then it’ll do the same as all the others the map data is the same either navteq or teleatlas
To a point, yes. But the devil is (sometimes) in the detail. They all have the same information about restrictions - where they differ is in their treatment of roads which are not actually restricted but which are not best suited to large vehicles.
There’s usually a setting for that or its adjustable in the profile settings. I’ve never yet had one that’s thrown me a major curveball yet . Yes the routing algorithm is different for each manufacturer.
human cannonball:
I’m using a tomtom 5150, it’s been pretty good to me so far, easy to use and nice big screen, it does try to send me round some impossible corners sometimes and i have noticed if i need to go up a 7.5 for loading it will sometimes try to send me out over weak bridges, and it does trip it’s nut out in central London but i’ve never seen a satnav that doesn’t. On the whole i find it serves it’s purpose well and i’m quite happy with it.
I have one, has only taken me into one low bridge in just over a year. Downside is it seems to want to take the long way around everything. Avoids B roads even when they’re wide enough for 2 trucks and there are no restrictions of any kind.
The traffic is very accurate.
Snooper all day simple