UK/ Italy Sat Nav use - Garmin or Tom Tom?

[Seanscot]

I have been researching the forums for a couple of weeks now and am still as confused as ever. I would like to buy a sat nav for use in the car both here in the UK and occasionally in Italy (in the more remote areas of Tuscany (eg Garfagnana).

I am considering either Tom Tom One XL V2 Europe or either the Garmin 255W or 265W or 760T.

My major concern is the accuracy/detail of the maps - especially in the more remote areas of the UK and Italy.

Can anyone offer any opinions either on the choice of sat nav or more especially on the map content?

Thanks

[mikealder]

Why not name the area / street in Italy then we can take a look at the local map coverage and post up some screen shots so you can see what its like? - Mike

[Seanscot]

Thanks - here are some village names - they are all in the province of Lucca (LU) - Fornovolasco, Parco Orecchielle (National Park), Campocatina (near Vagli Sopra), Renaio, Alpe Sant'Antonio, Piglionico.

What I'm particularly interested in is to discover which mapping (NT or TA) source has the best cover if you set one of these as destination. When I use GoogleMaps it's quite successful but in MapQuest the roads seem to come to an end before reaching some of these destinations.

[eyeQue]

Garmin CityNavigator 2008 on the PC.
I do not have this area loaded in the units.


_________________
Garmin Oregon 300 + Garmin iQue 3600
My Zoned Speed Camera Icons, available here.

[mikealder]

A few screen captures after searching for the locations on the TomTom 940, there were at least two that it didn't find at all, and the road coverage to one or two that it did find look rather sparse to say the least:








-Mike

[Seanscot]

Thanks Mike and eyeQue. The TT seems to be best but I realise that eyeQue could only try on a PC. If someone with a Garmin Europe could try some of the locations it would be greatly appreciated.

One or two of the locations I gave you are quite remote and along very narrow country roads but it's always difficult in Italy to determine the relative importance of a road by its width! All of them however, were on tarmac roads as opposed to 'white' roads which are unfinished.

FWIW - I tried to locate these on MapQuest but wasn't very successful whereas Googlemaps were better.

[eyeQue]

Garmin CityNavigator Europe v2008 on the PC is the same as on the units!
The detail is the same. On top of that you plan the routes to those remote locations on the PC and transfer the routes to the unit.

Garmin CityNavigator Europe v2009 has just been released.
_________________
Garmin Oregon 300 + Garmin iQue 3600
My Zoned Speed Camera Icons, available here.

[eyeQue]

These are links to view Garmin maps yourself:-


http://www8.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/webmap.cgi?p=18612225&l=0&u=1&v=0&cp=4B09DE3053180CDA&z=25&x=300&y=225&w=600&h=450&d=2&rz=0&k=1&sc=0

http://www8.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/webmap.cgi?p=18612225&u=1&z=2&w=480&h=360&rz=0&k=1&sc=1

They are a bit sticky and you might have to right click and reload!
What you see zoomed in is what you get on your unit.
_________________
Garmin Oregon 300 + Garmin iQue 3600
My Zoned Speed Camera Icons, available here.

[Seanscot]

Many thanks to all for your help and advice.

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