Garmin or Tomtom or? for reliable useable traffic allerts?

themib · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 13, 2008 Posts: 17

whats the best current most reliable, reception, information and integratration for a traffic allert system in conjunction with the GPS.

Any positive or negatives? Ive used a trafficmaster subscription service with work and it was awesome, but now paying for it myself, I dont want a gps to just take me to traffic problems and not warn me...

philpugh · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject:

Both suppliers systems 'work'. I have experience of the GARMIN solution. There is some talk on these forums about the TOMTOM system reporting all delays as one minute - which is a problem.

Which ever solution you go for you will need to pay attention to the aerial for RDS reception. You will get the best coverage by connecting to an external aerial (either the car's own or a separate aerial) and a booster amp/splitter won't go amiss either. The supplied 'piece of string' won't hack the UK signal levels / topography except when close to transmitter.

I have mine connected by an amp/splitter to the car aerial and have very good reception. It's got me out of jams a few times!
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gaj · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 10, 2006 Posts: 8

I've been using the tomtom one XL and Garmin traffic system over the last fortnight and have found both incredibly useful.

I have hit traffic on the M62 several times now one, when using the Tomtom the entire motorway was closed it let me know well in-advance that there was traffic but it only thought one lane was closed until later where it told me the whole motorway was closed but by then I had to follow the crowds. Overall though if I didn't have it I would have been lost.

The garmin hasn't been tested to the same extent but did warn me about upcoming traffic, when I forced it to redirect me around the traffic, it took me off the motorway slip and asked me to come straight back on, did save me a few seconds I suppose. However it did me it had already calculated the optimum route taking the traffic into consideration too.

I think these will be great going forward but as they become more common I can see local streets getting flooded with motorway traffic.

philpugh · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject:

[quote="gaj"]
The garmin hasn't been tested to the same extent but did warn me about upcoming traffic, when I forced it to redirect me around the traffic, it took me off the motorway slip and asked me to come straight back on, did save me a few seconds I suppose. However it did me it had already calculated the optimum route taking the traffic into consideration too.
quote]

Seems to be the thing with GARMINs. My 660/GTM21 does this to me quite often. It depends if you want the hassle of getting back onto the busy motorway again
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Phil

Holdfast · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject:

It is obviously a fine line between the two systems. I have been using TomTom for a number of years now and its got me around a number of problems on long runs from the North East to London and Manchester. One of my clients told me the he liked going across to Manchester Airport with me as we always go a different way, I asked him if he had ever missed a flight? No was the answer. I do think that TomTom appear to have the edge due to the upcoming HD Traffic system. They appear to be concentrating on the must have applications, rather than the cute tricks of Garmin.
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