Car Sat Nav. What are the essential features?

[davidk65]

I have had my first taste of a car with a Sat Nav. It was a hire car in which we drove from Southampton to Cheshire. A TomTom 1 was supplied with the car. Normally on a long drive, my wife acts as navigator, which is always good for at least 6 or 7 arguments over directions. With this device, she slept and we never had a wrong word and the journey was great. I also felt that it helped to improve my driving as I was not hassled looking for which junction/ road signs. Is this a common experience?
Looking at the various features available on these devices what do you think are the basic "must have" feature and the features that are not essential when choosing a sat nav . If I bought one, it would be only for the UK and maybe ROI

[sigma]

The comment "I was not hassled looking for which junction/ road signs." shows up one of the faults of satnav systems. Don't follow it blindly, just because it says "turn left" doesn't mean that you can. Otherwise you could end up stuck in a ford, narrow lane or going the wrong way in a one way street. Always confirm the directions given by looking at the road signs.

[davidk65]

Very good point you have made.
I did check, but my comment was related to the part my wife would normally have played e.g. "Is this the road you want dear!" Pointing to the map.

[sigma]

no doubt while she was holing the map upside down !!!!

[chas2008]

been using a Tom Tom for a few years now, my advice to anyone is to look at the screen as well as listening to the instructions which quite often dont make sense without looking at the screen. You also need to update which i havnt done, quite often find myself according to the TOm Tom driving through a field.

[rov1200]

Even though I have updated my maps to the latest version it told me to turn right across a busy dual carriageway. I was only prevented from doing so by the crash barriers. I have had 3 sat navs and the Tom Tom came out best. This is because it recognises very small hamlets which the others do not. Also when I choose the shortest route it does exactly that and the plotted map is almost a straight line wheras the others do a detour and add miles to the journey.