Sat Nav Reviews - Does Your Spankin' New GPS Really Suck?

Only rarely will it get a mention in the odd car navigation GPS review but for many portable GPS buyers this irritation only appears on their radar once they've parted company with their cash.

I suspect it goes largely unnoticed because reviewers in the course of testing spend only a few hours with a unit unlike buyers who - once they've handed over their cash - are stuck with their purchase for a few years at least.

Let me set the scene.

You're driving along minding your own business when, for reasons best known to itself your navigator, without warning, suddenly parts company with your windscreen.

By the time you look down your costly gizmo is either nestling in the comfort of your lap from where it continues to issue its instructions or it's trying to do so from the dark depths of your foot-well.

If it wasn't the first time it probably came as no surprise. So more than likely you spent the preceding 20 minutes or so getting wound up and distracted waiting for the dreaded moment when you're going to have to pull over and sort the thing out yet again.

We're talking here about budget navs in the main but even at the top end there are the occasional horror stories.

Plainly, low end navs are built to a price and aimed at buyers on a limited budget. That's fair enough. Not everybody can afford or even want a no expense spared top of the heap GPS after all.

Look, budget navs are a compromise. Makers will always give you the basics sure but they lock down costs by throwing the more desirable (and expensive) features found on top of the range models over board.

But despite the need to keep costs down, you wouldn't think that manufacturers would compromise on an absolute bare-bones necessity like providing a suction cup that really sucks up, would you?

Well, it appears that some do just that. The result? While some cheap sat navs really sucks others don't suck hard enough.

So you've made extensive use of the car navigation review search button, read up on loads of sat nav reviews and ended up with a good all rounder that refuses to suck up, now what?

First off get practical, make sure it's not your windscreen. Try again after giving the area you intend your nav to live in a good clean.

If you don't get any joy (very lightly) moisten the suction cup with a little water and try again.

If it sticks like super glue all well and good, if not my advice is to do your blood pressure a favour and apply the ultimate cure - shove the thing back in its box and return to sender forthwith.

Now save a few more pennies, hit the car navigation GPS review search button again and go for something that's a little further up the sat nav food chain and less of a compromise in build quality.

Copyright (c) 2008 Tony Elliot

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Tony Elliot is the "Keep It Simple Stupid" writer and technology enthusiast. Want to learn how to read GPS reviews like a pro before parting with your cash? Download our popular free 20 page guide. Click here => Best GPS Review

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