Tom Tom Go 500 to upgrade or not?

[bw2020]

Hi folks,
looking for advice.
Have a TT Go 500 with latest map update service (due to expire soon)
Have subscribed to TT Traffic this year (expires Feb 2010), found it useful advice on longer journeys. Don't have a long daily commute so would require traffic facility for annual holidays - day trips etc.
With a few refurb deals around wondering if it would be good idea to upgrade?
No need for euro models - will buy regional map for any future holiday to USA (Florida) etc.
Thinking in 520, 530 or 540?
I see there were a few RDS TMC antenna deals around.
Upgrade refurb 520 with map update service? Add TMC aerial?
The HD traffic on TT routes looks quite handy - on a 540 can you subscribe month by month (like pay as you go?), just take out a live subscription prior to annual holidays for a month?
If it is out of subscription does the small aerial on the 540 shoe revert to RDS TMC for other times?
Is it any good?
Or would I need a proper RDS-TMC aerial?
I take it TT traffic does not work with Go 540?
Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.
_________________
Samsung A71 Android 10
CamerAlert v1.4.0.876

[DennisN]

Keep the 500 - the GO has gone downhill since the x00 series!!

LIVE service is priced per month, but getting out of it is so tortuous that it's something like three months plus notice! - Monthly pay as you go simply isn't on. There are discussions on the forum about it.

With LIVE service ruled out, a 520 is as good a bet as any if you feel compelled to "upgrade". You might manage to lay hands on one for which the Latest Map Guarantee would work. Find a deal on the RDS-TMC antenna if you're only interested in occasional traffic information - no point subscribing and paying data charges over the phone if you don't want it all the time.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[mikealder]

You cannot take out single month Live services, this in as area some users have been complaining about as it can take three months to cancel a Live subscription. The service is intended for continued usage by a high mileage driver, it is not really viable for occasional use unless you are prepared to pay all year for a service that you are not using.

When overseas you could employ the RDS-TMC but to be honest I wouldn't bother, with an x40 device you would need to spend a further £30 for a mount that has the socket fitted to it fo the RDS-TMC to connect to, if you are in the USA its a subscription based service that needs a USA specific receiver. If you are overseas (European mainland) then the x40 device will use its Live services after the end of this year, but only in countries that support the service. If you take it to the USA I have no idea whether it will work or not.

To give you an idea how good the Live Traffic service is, yesterday I drove from Blackpool to Manchester, the Live traffic display was blank indicating no issues on the route. The motorway gantry signs were indicating a serious problem on the M61 (part of my route), stupidly I followed the device down the M61. When I got stuck for 90 minutes due to the road being closed the biggest delay indicated on the TomTom was 18 minutes, the traffic issues were only displayed on the device AFTER I had come to a stop.
I used to employ a system where the TomTom Traffic had to agree with the motorway gantries before I would believe it, yesterday I was just plain stupid for relying on the device - Its good, but its far from perfect. A couple of hours later when making the return trip the device still want to use the M61 which I knew was still closed - I made my own route up for the return leg of the trip.

Out of any of the hardware produced since the Go-x00 range I would look at the 520 or 720, I still consider these devices the best produced with the best range of features/ capability and it has the all important memory card slot for adding USA mapping. You will find the x20 is better for GPS reception than your 500 and widescreen display is better.

If you don't want loads of bells and whistles on the device or have no use for the FM Transmitter, Handsfree, Bluetooth, mp3 player etc then I would consider the XL IQ Europe version, you would have to get the Euro version to ensure it has enough memory to accept USA maps at a later date. The XL doesn't have any of the extras you get with the x20/ x30 ranges but its a very capable performer.
There is also the XL IQ Live, but I hope following reading this you have decided Live might be a rather costly option due to how you want to use the device for a signle month per year - Mike

[bw2020]

Thanks guys for the swift replies. Great advice as ever! Consolidated my thoughts and laid to rest any doubts.
Have been mulling this over a for a wee while but finally took the plunge last night having recommended this to a friend recently who hadn't used sat nav before and this time ordered myself a refurb 520 with free delivery and free case.
Will hang on to LMG for a few days to see if TT release their new maps before taking advantage and then use map updates feature in the future which i took advantage of with my go 500 this last year.
My traffic sub should still work on my account until Feb10 so gives me time to keep an eye out for RDS-TMC bargains as Currys have just finished their offload of round pin type.
Quite keen to test out the arkon bean bag and mount for the dashboard as my car has a dashboard tray/shelf 210mm x 160mm so hopefully bean bag just fit within it?
Go 500 sat beautifully on the tray negating use of the the window mount sucker!
_________________
Samsung A71 Android 10
CamerAlert v1.4.0.876

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!