More Thoughts From A New Nuvi 310D User

[RDS]

I've now had a Nuvi 310D for two weeks and after regular daily use I'm still satisfied with my choice over comparable Tom Tom models.

Firstly, the compact size has meant that taking it when leaving the car, although a pain, isn't really an issue as it all packs down, mount included, into a small pack.

The whole operation is pretty simple and intuitive and so far the route planning has been excellent.At least two new quicker and traffic free regular routes are now regularly driven. Impressively the accuracy of the estimated arrival time has always been within a minute or two.Also quite neatly the Nuvi tells you to stay right at motorway junctions where the left hand lane becomes an off ramp ie jct's 9 & 4 of M40.

Bluetooth connection to my Nokia phone has been troublefree and a really useful option.

Downloading of custom POI's and Speed Camera database has been fairly easy although a few minor issues had to be overcome.

Although possibly useful to few a (very few I suspect) I find the whole 'Travel Kit', i.e. language guide, travel guide, audio book player, clock, calculator etc., to be totally unneccessary and would've preferred much more development of the GPS side (see below)

Anyway despite my general overall satisfaction a few of my initial concerns (see earlier post) still remain. Namely,

The voice prompt distances could certainly be improved upon. On A/B roads at least three/four 'countdown' prompts can be given of an approaching turn.The final instruction is then given 100's of yards before the turn and often with other potential turns still to be passed before the intended turn. Conversely on motorways there is generally just one voice prompt about a mile before the junction. At motorway speeds this is nowhere near early enough and doesn't give time to safely change lanes. Ideally a voice prompt should be given just after the previous junction and another around three miles before the motorway exit.
Of course it is true that that the map, which is always the most accurate, and top of screen text also provide information however I believe that as voice prompts are offered they should be more appropriate.

Full seven digit postcode search should be available. This is undoubtedly more accurate than just the five. Five digits can only search to an area or neighbourhood, seven will narrow it down to a maximum of 80 addresses.

The whole TMC debate is covered on the relevent forum but I find it fairly satisfactory. When the traffic info signal is present the Nuvi does provide alternative routes.However I believe the supplied GM12 TMC aerial to be really flimsy and have doubts as to how it will stand up to regular use. I would also like to see an indicator on the main navigation screen when a traffic signal is being received. At present unless a warning triangle is displayed you have no idea if traffic information is being received without returning to the main menu.Not great when you have to keep checking.

There has to be a neater option to having power cable and traffic USB lead draped across the dashboard. Because of the security risk we're advised to remove all parts of a satnav from your vehicle. Although no different from other GPS this involves unit, mount, power lead and TMC lead. Because the Nuvi uses two USB sockets I'm unsure as to how it will stand up to the constant connecting/disconnecting. I'd like to see something relatively inexpensive and replaceable, ie the mount, take all the wear and tear.

Anyway don't let my thoughts or concerns put you off the Nuvi 310D. It really is a neat GPS unit and for me is certainly among the best available. I have absolutely no regrets in buying one.

[pushandpull]

I cannot speak for the Nüvi310 as I only have the 300 but as models are always improved you've got me puzzled! viz-a-viz:-

Postcodes....my 300 does have 7-digit postcodes. When it asks for City or Postcode simply enter the full postcode (spaces optional) followed on the next screen by the House number. (Tip: if you don't have a house number enter a "-") It then takes me to within a few feet of the required destination. Having WAAS/EGNOS on or off doesn't seem to make much difference to the accuracy but I believe this is because the system isn't fully operational in the UK. The last I heard was (if I remember correctly) that it was due to go "live" towards the end of this year.

Warning distances..... I think your wish for a 3-mile advance warning is a bit excessive (unless you're doing 200mph!). On the Motorway I always get the advance warning at .9 mile which I have always found sufficient to change from the outside lane to the nearside lane even in heavy rush-hour traffic.
My experience seems to show that advance warnings are dependent on the speed limits. For instance, if travelling in a 30mph limit I get a warning at 300 feet, but if I (inadvertently of course) do 40mph then I'm virtually at the turn before it comes up!
Perhaps the ideal solution would be an "Advance warning notification" option with a choice of distance or time.

With regard to cabling etc. On my Citroen Berlingo I have wired a cigarette lighter extension socket in parallel with the existing one, stuffed the excess cable under the dash with the business end coming up in the bottom right corner of the dash. I always take the Nüvi out of the car as it's lovely shape and size really does make it fit comfortably in the pocket (unlike the Tom-Toms!) but leave the mount is situ with a small note under it saying, "I'm not stupid, I've taken it with me, so don't bother!" This has worked fine so far!

[If any other Berlingo owner is considering wiring up this way take my advice - don't! - as you have to dismantle the whole centre console to get at the existing cigarette lighter! Instead, drill a small hole through the engine bulkhead, put a grommet in it, then wire the extension socket directly across the battery with an in-line fuse in the wiring. This would be much simpler!]

The only Travel Kit I use is the MP3 player which I like as you can still have the map displaying your route and the player is automatically interrupted by any voice prompts and then carries on playing again. I have replaced my SD card with a 1Gb one so have lots of space available for MP3s.

Have had mine since December last and having previously had two Tom-Toms and an i3 I consider the Nüvi to be an excellent bit of kit and am totally delighted with it. My only regret is that I didn't hang-on a bit longer and get one the later models. Still, it's my turn to win the Lottery this week so who knows?!
.

[cantgetlost]

My reason for having a Nuvi is I travel a lot, have not got any travel cards yet. But the talking books, MP3, Calculator and money converter are good for me.
I'm at a loss as to why motorway prompting is not enough, it's fine for me and the faster you go the further away from a junction you get a prompt. So over 70 mph in Germany the prompt will came in at a mile or 1.1 or 1.2 miles.
Seven digit works fine for me, the only problem I've found is wityh new industrial areas where new building share an old post code and road system.
No doubt that will improve when new maps come on line.
I mount the nuvi to the right of the steering wheel as It is nearer my line of sight and nearer to road centre for maximum chance re signal not being blocked by buildings. I use a double thickness non slip rubber matting with under layer cut to take cable, when parket the cable is then hidden by the matting.

[RDS]

Firstly, how I dumb am I ?? As you rightly, say the Nuvi does indeed have full 7 digit postcode search. What threw me is that the results of a postcode search only shows the details of an address and the first 5 digits of the postcode. Thanks for clearing that up.

Despite your thoughts I’m still of the opinion that a warning of less than a mile before the need to leave a motorway is generally too short a period of time. At motorway speeds to safely move across possibly 3, 4 or even 5 lanes of high speed traffic requires as early an indication as possible. Also on the motorways I use most often, M40, M4, M25 and M1, the queue to exit can very often stretch back much further than a mile. In these situations the verbal instruction to turn is really too late when you have a lane, or lanes, of stationary or slow moving traffic to contend with. It’s often the case that drivers who are familiar with the busy junctions are often making the appropriate lane changes much earlier.
It does seem odd that on roads with maximum speed limits of 30-40 mph, and where no lane changes are necessary, the Nuvi can give up to four warnings of an approaching turn, some more than 2.4 miles away, yet on 70mph multi lane motorways just the one warning is given.
As I have said previously although the map and visual turn directions are undoubtedly more accurate surely when voice prompts are provided as a feature and when at speeds where it is only correct that as much of your concentration as possible is on the road it can only be right that verbal turn instructions are as accurate and as early as possible.

[cantgetlost]

I live near the M25 M3 junction and often use the same roads you mention far to often RDS. The prompt has never ben a problem and I drive fast, my wife is a fast but very cautious driver and critical of any new gizmo.
Driving to Pudsey to our daughters she has fallen in love with satnav and finds it fine. I will be on my way home from Germany Friday morning and I'm VERY fast on the stretches of unrestricted Autobahn and turn prompt is fine I find.
ps
Avoid the M25 and lower M1 like the plague, substitute M1 and M25 use buy using A43 between M1 and M40 and use the A404 between M40 and M4. Cutting over or inder the M25 is often far better than getting on it even if it adds a few miles.

[RDS]

Certainly agree with the M4, A404, M40, route. It can save a lot of time by avoiding the M25, although I'll be glad when they finish the roadworks at the Handicross roundabout at jct 4 of the M40.

I'll think we'll have to agree to disagee about the distance of voice warnings on motorway though. Yesterday when travelling down the M40 jcts 9, 4 and 1 all had queues that stretched back further than a mile and the verbal instruction only kicked in after there were stationary/slow moving lines of traffic on the inside lane.

[swing]

[Gibb]

Why do people talk about the excessive wires and the Traffic aerial being flimsy?

I drive a Picasso, and I have my 310D mounted on the right of the drivers steering wheel (on the windscreen).

The power lead comes down to the centrally mounted cigarette lighter, and the aerial goes up the right hand side of the windscreen, using the two supplied suckers. If you put the second sucker towards the bottom, then there is very little play with the lead and you just plug it in to the Nuvi when you mount it.

Easy, tidy, and useful! :D

[RDS]

I feel the GM12 TMC receiver is quite slight.
I'm someone who daily makes some fairly lengthy journeys but also I have to leave the car up 5-6 times a day. Because of the security risk (or to put it another way, thieving scumbags ) when leaving the car I remove everything, unit, mount, aerial and power lead. Because of this constant connection/disconnection, which probably isn't that unusual, I have concerns as to how robust the aerial and USB socket are and whether they'll stand up to daily use.

As a part solution I'd would prefer the lead between the bulky part of the receiver and the USB socket to have been much longer. This way the whole receiver/aerial could be placed in a more permanent position hidden behind dashboard and windscreen trim. With it being tucked away out of sight and to ensure decent reception the aerial itself could also be 2 or 3 times the length. Currently there's no other choice than leaving the obvious part on display and if cars are being broken into because of a tell tale sucker mark left on windscreen then this isn't an option.

I'd also prefer all connections to be made via just the one rear socket on the Nuvi, with the TMC receiver and power lead plugged into the car mount. Should wear and tear cause damage it's cheaper to replace a mount than the GPS itself. For use at home a similar mount/docking station could be provided.

[n4nick]

Hi RDS

I agree with your comments...I am quite careful but even so have pulled on the receiver a few times now as I have disconnected the nuvi from the mount and forgot to disconnect the TMC receiver first. It is a flaw in the design and it looks so flimsy. The new tomtom TMC receiver will plug into the docking station.

Nick

[swing]

[n4nick]

Hi Swing

Yes you are correct but unless the system is hard wired into the stereo then I doubt many people connect an ipod. Lets hope the legal issues with FM transmitters are resolved soon. On the other hand with the problems with TMC maybe there is not point in connecting this either?!

Nick

[swing]

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