Tom Tom Go on test

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Yesterday I had my first chance to use my new TomTom Go in anger. Once I had done my dailies, I set up the Go.

This was simple and only took a minute. Just press the mounting suction cup against the windscreen and pull a lever to make it grip (like a vice). Then connect the power lead between the mount and the cigarette lighter and finally click the Go on to the mount and switch on.

In seconds it had got my GPS location whilst I was digging out the address of the first drop. I was sat in Banbury, and put in the address of a store in the centre of Ipswich. It took 30 seconds to then calculate the route.

The unit itself is a chunky palm size and seem very solid. The screen is bright and clear (and has both day and a dimmer night mode). You can choose to operate in either miles or km. As you approach a juntion, the unit speaks in a very clear voice (the female one, Jane is best) saying something along the line of “In 300 metres, cross the roundabout 3rd exit”. Then as you make your final approach (about 100 metres) it says again “Cross the roundabout, 3rd exit”… The screen is showing a 3d view of the r/bout with a bright green arrow going round it and highlighting the correct exit. It is so quick to update, that during you travel around the r/bout, you can see where you are on it and so can see as you reach the correct exit.

When travelling at speed along a m/way for instance, the initial warning to a junction comes much earlier allowing you plenty of time to move over if needs be. What was also nice, was that as approaching a junction where the left lane peels off leaving 2 lanes, it tells you to keep left or keep right.

Anyway, the sat nav guided me directly across the country and took me into the heart of Ipswich. Having never been there before, it would have been a comparative nightmare using a map. As soon as I could see the final destination on the screen, I kept my eyes peeled for it. When I saw the store I pulled up to phone for the exact location of the loading area. As I rolled to a stop, it told me I had reached my destination. I was about 20 metres from there underground loading bays!!! Not bad from Banbury.

After tipping, I put in the location of the next drop, and it took me straight out of Ipswich - with no mistakes. Something that would have required quite a while working out by hand with a map and only REALLY safe and possible with a mate. When testing the unit out the other day, I deliberately took a wrong turn at a junction, within 10-15 seconds it had worked out a revised route - so there would never be worries about cocking up.

I have downloaded a list of speed cameras, locations used by mobile traps etc and installed them as ‘Points of Interest’ in the unit and marked them to alert me when approaching. So although I do not deliberately speed, getting a warning bell 250 metres from a camera or possible camera location really helps.

The maps can be upated periodically - my one didnt show a bypass out Chelmsford way I think but as soon as I hit the next junction and got back on to a road it new, it located me and revised the route in seconds.

I got the unit for £365 from Curries online with a voucher.

Styling 8/10
Accuracy 10/10
Voice 10/10
Price 9/10
Confidence factor (of getting there!!) 10/10

I had read many reviews on GPS systems before choosing the TomTom GO, the only downer that I saw reported was that the screen, as it is glass, is too reflective. Well I didn’t find it so as I have left the initial screen protector plastic on. Besides, you don’t actually NEED to see the screen most of the time, the voive prompts are good enough 98% of the time, and if you do go wrong, its just redirects you.

All in all, I think that the unit is fantastic - I will not drive without it. It saves both time and grief, gets you straight there in a relaxed manner. Get one!!!

2

I’ve got the full PDA with TomTom Navigator 3, but it’s essentially the same software.

Anyway, I have noticed a few minor niggles:

Sometimes when turnings are very close together, it occasionally doesn’t tell you about the second one - I was approaching a junction in Swindon which I basically had to cross, but because it was staggered I had to turn left then right; it never gave the “turn right” instruction. Just as I left the junction I glanced at the screen and saw that I’d gone the wrong way, but it recalculated fine.

It’s definition of “left”, “right” and “cross” at roundabouts are a bit different to mine. For example, an exit at about 10:30 on the clock face would be “cross the roundabout”, whereas I’d say “turn left on the roundabout”.

It struggles a bit on the really large motorway junctions (e.g. approaching the M4/M5 Almondsbury Interchange from the M5 South, where lanes split off and rejoin all over the place). It only seems to have three commands - “Keep Left”, “Keep Right”, and “Take the Exit”, and these aren’t detailed enough. In this situation, a quick glance to the screen is useful to see (a) which road number it wants you to take and (b) the 3D view which gives you a good idea of where to be.

3

Where did you get the voucher from :smiley:

Mick

4

Hi Mick, I got it on this site!!! I can’t remember who posted it or what section of the site it was in.

I ordered it from Currys on line. I will keep an eye out and see if I can spot the code again.

Cheers

5

Did you need a special adapter to change from 24v (truck) to 12v standard and if so where did you get it from. Only i’m thinking of getting one in the new year and as i’m agency i will be swapping trucks all the time

Stuart

6

The Tom Tom Go is dual 12/24 volt so you can plug it in either socket in a truck. Check this link which lists the contents of the box and look at number 9 for conformation.

7

Thanks coffeeholic, I was looking at it today in a major high street store and they were not to helpful in that department, just wanted to check before shelling out my hard earned cash

Stuart

8

In several of the trucks I have driven, there appears to be two (or more) connectors. One is a standard cigarette lighter size, the other(s) appear to be smaller and look like the socket for an antennae. So whats that then? I thought that they were 24v connectors.

Cheers

9

They are known as Hella connectors and can be 12 or 24 volt John. Some accessories you buy have a plug on the end with a red cap on. With the red cap it fits a normal cigarette lighter socket and without it fits the Hella type. The standard cigarette lighter sockets tend to be 24 volt.

10

Thanks for the info Coffee. So can I get an adaptor for those? My TomTom fits a cigarette lighter, but the one on the truck today was duff :unamused: :unamused: So a connector would have meant that I could use the other one.

(It does great on it batteries though!)

I presume as you are posting a lot that you are home for Crimbo - hope you are, and that you have a good one.

11

You can get adaptors at most of the truckstops or truckstuff type suppliers.

I am home at the moment, got home today and ship out Sunday as usual.

12

Well enjoy Christmas day! ( and drive safely). Have a happy new Year - whereever you are.

13

If you get an adapter, make sure you wire it up the right way round. You don’t want 24v at the wrong polarity going into your Tom Tom. :smiley: :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

14

Can i ask a simple question with tomtomgo?
What do you key in for directions i.e. street or postcode?
what about names of industrial estates?

15

Comet are selling go for under £400.

comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/204692.html

16

David14:
Can i ask a simple question with tomtomgo?
What do you key in for directions i.e. street or postcode?
what about names of industrial estates?

It’s the street or first part of the postecode. It doesn’t have industrial estates listed. Won’t do a full postcode lookup mind :unamused: .

17

Liberace:
Won’t do a full postcode lookup mind :unamused: .

that’s handy - what do you do use a map for the last bit :question: :question: :wink:

18

Denis F:

Liberace:
Won’t do a full postcode lookup mind :unamused: .

that’s handy - what do you do use a map for the last bit :question: :question: :wink:

Nope, you refuse to move until you get a decent address for the destination :laughing:. I.E. Street Name (which is a rarity I know) :unamused:. Having said that, the Phillips OS maps are about the most detailed I’ve found and you have to flick through the pages with them, they don’t give it either in the index :wink: .

19

Just ordered a Tom-Tom Go from comet from the
link that daxi posted as I went to comet at parkgate
today and they was £449 and only £397 on line with
free delivery between 5 - 7 days. I have also ordered
the hour guard now as my instructor also
recommend them but did now what they was. In his
words he said there is a little silver clock thing that does
your hours but I don’t know what you call it.

20

Did you checked out the Tom Tom mobile ? sounds the bis if it does what it says…