Would anyone who has experience of using both TomTom and the FL2 Sat Nav system care to do a quick comparison? From what I can understand from looking at pictures etc, the FL2 system appears more basic, with just a map-style view rather than the 3D view that the TomTom offers?

I'd particularly like to know how the RDS-based live traffic information that the FL2 system uses to avoid traffic jams etc compares to the GPRS-based TomTom traffic subscription service.

Anyone?

You are correct in the things you say. I would also add that the Tom Tom is a lot more intuitive but does not have some of the sophisticated aspects of the LR system. I would recommend looking at the sat nav manual in the LR Owner info website to see what it can do. Note, every time the LR system is switched on there is a disclaimer question to answer (presumably needed for the US market), after which you then need to choose the sat nav option. This gets quite wearing after a while.

With respect to the traffic info, my experience is that it warns of even the slightest delays. It is also slow to remove the warnings after the traffic jam has been cleared. So much so that I have started to get double checks from the traffic info provided by local radio.

Thanks.

Hmm... I'm just in the process of changing my XS, and am thinking about upgrading to the SE, but it seems a bit pointless paying for the sat nav if I still find myself preferring to use my TomTom...

I believe that the TMS systems takes its information from Classic FM since they are the only station that broadcast the signal, one good aspect of the system is you can look at the traffic problems not just as the car displays them, but you can go into the menu and look at the whole journey / country (but I ask myself, why do I need to know about traffic problems in Scotland when I live on the south coast and travelling to the midlands!!)

Also there are other features like making the screen a big compass, GPS co-ordinate entry, 50/50 split screen(s) so you can see the local roads and the whole trip etc etc etc

My wife has a Tom Tom Go and she perfers the system in the FL2 (when she allowed to play with it!) I think that the system is good (not as easy to use as the one in my old Honda CRV) but the cost is something else - unless you can good a good price on a HSE and get all the toys where the Stero is something special.

If you don't need the extra aspects of the LR system (mainly linked to offroad use), I would definitely recommend the Tom Tom.

In fact, save money on the sat nav and go for the auto option on an XS.

i agree with last post , I have an auto xs and and a garmin nuvi 660 which fits exactly into the freelander GPS slot,

themanhimself:

Please be so kind and a picture of your Garmin Nuvi 660 on the forum?
I am very anxious to see how it fits and looks, specially how you deal with the flip-up antennea.
Thanks,

Wheatonshunter

I hear what you're all saying, but I'm a sucker for nice, built in, truly intergrated stuff. To my eyes, there's a hole in the dash that shouts "There's meant to be a screen here", and even sticking a Garmin/TomTom in there isn't going to satisfy that in me. In the same way, I couldn't being doing with fitting a Parrot hands-free kit, I just NEED to get my phone working with the LR system.

To be honest, it's not just the Sat Nav that's tempting me to upgrade to the SE, it's also the sunroof and heated screen, and the Mrs loves heated seats.

I thought long and hard about whether to go for an SE over an XS as I have a very good satnav (Mio 269) which has served me well for a few years, particularly with its street-level pan-european mapping.

After a day's test drive with an SE, using the built in Satnav, I opted for an SE, and have no regrets. The Traffic system is really good, and having a larger screen is also a benefit.

The FL2 system may be more sophisticated than portable GPS units as, according to the manual, it does not use only GPS for positioning, but also relies on senosors on the wheels (?). The manual states that you may need to recalibrate the system it if you use a ferry or motor rail. However, during a recent holiday to europe, a recalibration was not necessary as the car location was correctly identified when I exited the ferry in Zebrugge.

There are many other good factors to the system, such as postcode destination entry (works with foreign postcodes too), choice of 3 alternative routes, good POI integration and automatic split screen modes for junctions, motorway exits etc.

dmck wrote:

...The FL2 system may be more sophisticated than portable GPS units as, according to the manual, it does not use only GPS for positioning, but also relies on senosors on the wheels (?). The manual states that you may need to recalibrate the system it if you use a ferry or motor rail. However, during a recent holiday to europe, a recalibration was not necessary as the car location was correctly identified when I exited the ferry in Zebrugge...

Yeah, I used to have a professionally installed Alpine system on another car, and as well as using the GPS signal (which is accurate to roughly 10m), it used vehicle speed sensors and gyros to monitor the vehicle's movement and direction, so even if you lost satellite contact, such as going through a tunnel, it still did a very good job of keeping track of where you were.

I think the only thing that lets the LR system down is, like most built-ins, it doesn't do a 3D map despite the fact that all of the major after-market ones have been doing this for years. I'm also not convinced that the FM-based live traffic information system is as good as the GPRS one, though I don't know why I think that.

And I suppose I'd be left with nowhere to put my sunglasses and money for the M6 Toll

How about the ability to download custom POI files, typically that feature is not available in factory fit units. Does that then exclude the factory fit units from say speed camera databases? Interested to hear from those that have the built in device.

as far as i know, from what i have read and also asked the SATNAV is unable to have any downloaded POI's, such as McDonalds, Burger King, Speed Trap and KFC etc

I have heard people have been able to edit the DVD to include this on a BMW satnav but the FL2 works in a completely different way.

I would love to be able to so if anybody has/does find the way let me know  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

I have moved from a Becker standalone sat nav to the SE spec FL2 sat nav. The biggest advantage for me is not having to worry all the time about the security aspect of having an after-market sat nav, no more screen wipes to remove the sucker cup marks ect. I also like the clarity of the instructions, and the display in the FL2.

The down sides have been the move back to the itis TMC source (Classic FM), which as other have mentioned is a poor source of traffic reports. My Becker used Traffic Masters TMC source (many Independent Local Radio Stations), which was much better, and the Becker's routing was better and more logical in my local area, of course this makes me think the routing is poor in areas I don't know well.

Chris.