Kabroom Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi Guys, This is to the people already over in Australia... What did the majority of you do....is it worth the expense or did you just find your way around the old fashioned way? Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve/helen Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi wendy,we bought a sat nav and got all the maps of oz before we came over and it was well worth the money.we have been here 10 months and still use it all the time.Hope that helps Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi wendy,we bought a sat nav and got all the maps of oz before we came over and it was well worth the money.we have been here 10 months and still use it all the time.Hope that helps Helen Hiya another question from me. I bought my hubby a sat nav a few months ago and its the euro version as we are off to France next week can anyone tell me if we can reprogramme it for OZ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Megss Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 We used our sat nav in oz. We just downloaded the Oz maps onto it, think it cost about £25. Well worth it, as driving in a strange place can be stressful enough without having to worry about directions also!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 We used our sat nav in oz. We just downloaded the Oz maps onto it, think it cost about £25. Well worth it, as driving in a strange place can be stressful enough without having to worry about directions also!! Brill I was hoping you were going to say that !:yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I'm a map kind of girl and having used the son's UK sat nav this week, I am still a map kind of girl. I really dont think it has improved my driving one iota - I really do need to know exactly where I am going. Between cities in Australia you really dont need one at all but in the cities I guess it could be useful until you know where you are going but even then I have never needed one (OK so now someone will make a crack about the circles in Canberra, I know). So, if you have a good sense of direction save your money. If you have lost your independence and are reliant on sat nav in UK then buy the Aussie maps and synch them to your TomTom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabroom Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 Well we don't use one in the UK so it would be a new experience for us, hubbie wants to get one but I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KazzE Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 We used a sat nav on our reccie - we were going all over the place to look at different areas It nearly caused a divorce ! ! I was reading the map (Melways), cos I am a map kinda girl and hubby (driving) was listening to the sat nav the trouble was the sat nav would say turn left/right as we were passing the road, I could see which road it was and I was reading the signs as we went along so I knew that the turn was say 2 roads away and would say we need the next turn, hubby would wait for sat nav and then miss the turn ! and then I would suggest a route to get us back on track and he would take the sat navs side and we would end up going miles out of our way I nearly wrapped the bloomin thing right round his head:arghh: Having said that, I think we will buy a sat nav (not the model we borrowed, can't remember which one it was now) as it could be useful when you are driving on your own without a co driver to navigate but I will also still use the Melways. Or use the get lost method - the easiest/quickest way to find your way around is by getting lost a few times and finding your way out:twitcy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ady and David Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi for the Guys out in Oz. What SatNav system do you have and which company did you get your Maps from? A friend has got a Becker system but I don't think I can get Maps for it - he bought his system in Germany. Regards Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bod Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 If anyone has a Garmin 310 they can have my Chip of Australia for nout. If you have not got one yet don't buy Garmin for Aus as it was crap. I understand Tom Tom are the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marie78 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi Wendy, I've been here since beg of April and driving for a month or so now! I've just started a job where i have to drive and I keep getting lost!!(I'm in the Gold coast) So I'm going to buy a sat nav this weekend as I've heard there is a good sale on!! I rekon it may be cheaper for you if you wait until you are here to buy one aswel! Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terendak Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I'll buy into this.!! I'm 73, and decided to go see my son in Adelaide, and pick up my daughter in Geelong, on the way, I live in Tasmania. I've had a GPS for a while, ( I love gadgets ) so I knew how to use it, (it takes a while to know exactly how it works) I wouldn't be without it now. Without it, I would still be looking for my daughters house in Geelong. I have heard that the best maps are NavTeq. I got mine on E-bay, (where else) very cheap but it really does the job well. What I like about them is that when you are touring, you put in the address of where you are staying, then go wherever you like, when it's time to go home, click on that address, and away you go. When I did my trip to Adelaide it took my right to the lane to get on the ferry on both sides of the Strait. Bloody marvellous things.!!! Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Redaussies Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Hi Wendy, We are in Brisbane and I bought a car and was lucky to get a sat nav thrown in. I had the Navman S Series, but would have bought one even if it wasn't free. But I have to say it's an absolute Godsend. Not only identifying a route for you, but also other things like parking, restaurants and some fixed speed cameras. But the thing I like the most about it is no matter where you go, if you go wrong, it recognises your wrong and redirects you to correct it. It's saved us a lot of time and stress. Travelling into the city can be a bit of a bore because of the traffic around Brissy and in the City centre its quite heavy, but easy to get around after a while. The Sat nav is well worth the money and will help you familiarise yourself with the area much quicker and help keep you safe. Sadly and tragically a lady was killed yesterday on the school run, as some of the trucks on the road here are massive. So anything that can help you keep safe is worth it. Good luck with your plans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bod Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I have a very good sense of direction, I'm good at getting around. But I relied on my sat nav in oz rather than myself. If for some reason I did not have the sat nav with me I was usless & could not find the next door neighbour, so I stopped using it. If I use it now I'll get myself from A to Y on my own and use the Sat nav to get me the final huddle to Z. Let me know if you want the chip of Oz for a garmin 310 John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LojaChica Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 WELL worth the money........................not having it nearly caused a divorce lol! Seriously................it really is very helpful.....................so stressful here without all that added hassle! Just my opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckerfa Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 We bought our sat nav in Oz and we are convinced the blooding thing has a LEFT fetish! Every time we use it (not very often these days, been here 12 weeks now), the sat nav wants us to turn left about 90% of the time, even though the maps say different. We let the sat nav do the driving, so to speak, the other day. It said we had reached our destination (down the Gold Coast). We were infact about 30 km away from where we should have been. On the plus side, when we have got lost in Brisbane City, we put it on and it guides us to the road we want (be it via a lot of left turns). As soon as we find the road we know, we switch it off. I know this doesn't help much, but it may help you to decide if your going to get one or not. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I have a very good sense of direction, I'm good at getting around. But I relied on my sat nav in oz rather than myself. If for some reason I did not have the sat nav with me I was usless & could not find the next door neighbour, so I stopped using it. If I use it now I'll get myself from A to Y on my own and use the Sat nav to get me the final huddle to Z. Let me know if you want the chip of Oz for a garmin 310 John Exactly what I thought after just a couple of days with the DS' tomtom. I am normally a geek girl and had seriously thought of getting one for its geek value but I really am much more comfortable knowing exactly where I am going and which way I am turning well ahead of where the tomtom lady tells me to go. Not going to be on my Xmas list this year as a result! I definitely dont need it in Aus, there arent enough roads to warrant it IMHO:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest juju Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 hi we bought our sat nav here in oz and its been a god send. We have taken it with us on hols to perth, melbourne and QLD and it has never let us down and we dont use maps. We are also bought it in a sale relatively cheep so go for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 We have never had one and reley on the old trusty refedex ,most familys that stay do seem to go and get one and then most also threaten to toss it in the pool within a couple of days!! i think they struggle picking some of the newer roads up,lol Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandra,Mike and boys Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Hi Wendy We were lucky enough to be lent a sat nav when in Perth and again in Brisbane. The first one was a tom tom and it was def better for us than the nav man which was the second one lent to us in Brissie. However both proved really useful. I do agree though that you can become really reliant on them and when using the old fashioned map method directions seem to stick better in your mind. However, we definately found it a help and even if it is primarily used in the early stages and then just occasionally once we are more established I def think it is worth it. Mike is currently researching best place to buy, deals etc. S X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Redaussies Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Hi Wendy, We are in Brisbane and I bought a car and was lucky to get a sat nav thrown in. I had the Navman S Series, but would have bought one even if it wasn't free. But I have to say it's an absolute Godsend. Not only identifying a route for you, but also other things like parking, restaurants and some fixed speed cameras. But the thing I like the most about it is no matter where you go, if you go wrong, it recognises your wrong and redirects you to correct it. It's saved us a lot of time and stress. Travelling into the city can be a bit of a bore because of the traffic around Brissy and in the City centre its quite heavy, but easy to get around after a while. The Sat nav is well worth the money and will help you familiarise yourself with the area much quicker and help keep you safe. Sadly and tragically a lady was killed yesterday on the school run, as some of the trucks on the road here are massive. So anything that can help you keep safe is worth it. Good luck with your plans TALK ABOUT MURPHY'S LAW,, just after I posted the above, that afternoon we set out for a look around, tried to programme the Sat Nav and have tried all weekend. No luck, no location found, no route planner nothing. Finally got hold of Navman in Australia today told them the problem and as cool as you like they just send send it on to us. So it's got to go back to them. Just gave me a ref number and said send it back with the receipt. Can't believe it, there I was saying how great it was and bang, broke and no explanation, just got to get on with it now as it will take about 3 weeks to turn around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rachelj Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 we brought a tomtom before we came out and just brought an australian chip to go in it. its been fantastic. especially when trying to find the kids friends houses as no one lives near. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 It has to be the Sat Nav for me. Have you seen the Melways Map for Melbourne it's larger than the BT Telephone Directory:wideeyed:. We started off with a Garmin and I loved it, just upgraded to the Tom Tom XL and first impression is that I don't like it as much as my Garmin. However it is early days and things take a while to get use to. With the Garmin I always got warned to turn right before the junction, the Tom Tom tells me after the junction:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terendak Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 TALK ABOUT MURPHY'S LAW,, just after I posted the above, that afternoon we set out for a look around, tried to programme the Sat Nav and have tried all weekend. No luck, no location found, no route planner nothing. Finally got hold of Navman in Australia today told them the problem and as cool as you like they just send send it on to us. So it's got to go back to them. Just gave me a ref number and said send it back with the receipt. Can't believe it, there I was saying how great it was and bang, broke and no explanation, just got to get on with it now as it will take about 3 weeks to turn around. Hope you get this before you send it back. A mate had one, same thing happened to his. I read the manual, ( as a last resort obviously) I re-set it, it had a little hole in the side and I poked a paper clip into it, and "SHAZAAM", back up and operating agan. Maybe yours is the same.!!! Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 We have never had one and reley on the old trusty refedex Cal x No Sat Nav for me! I`d end up throwing it out the window! My brother has one and has Basil Fawltys voice on it..............now that would be funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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