Satnav

[Lazzzydog]

We leave this weekend on a road trip to Italy to attend the annual get together of the Italian Z3 owners club (Z3 Mendi). Most cars come with satnav built in these days and it has made me dependant on the darn things as entering the postcode of your destination takes you right to the door with no stopping to check maps and street maps. I did not fancy going back to the old days of folding maps this way and that and then the arguments that follow when map reader and pilot reach boiling point so I have invested in a cheap portable satnav to use in the Z,s. It is an Xgody 712 which has a 7" screen, 2 power cables, a removable sun visor and begger all instructions.
Once I had configured it after much head scratching it fired into life and seems to work ok on the short test runs I have made within a 25 mile radius of home. The graphics are not brilliant but they are simple and easy to make out. It has an fm transmitter built in which greatly improves the sound when played through the car radio. Several voices are available in various accents and languages within the menu or it can be muted altogether. Route planning is simple and tolls, bridges or various other items can be avoided. It can also route for off- road, bicycles, pedestrians and trucks, even including a drivers hours function to give a 5 minute warning when nearing a driving time limit.
How do they do it for £43 quid delivered. ( maybe it will pack up after a few hours)

 

[Lazzzydog]

In mine

 

[Lazzzydog]

In the wifes

 

[EssexZed]

Sounds well featured - if only it could measure your blood pressure too

 

[gookah]

interested in this I see you can connect a reversing camera up to it also..
Need to know how the satnav performs now..

 

[Lazzzydog]

I should have said that the non slip mat is from Wilko at £4 a roll and the weighted pad for the suction to stick to is from Halfords for about £12. Worth it to avoid those ugly sucker marks on the screen which are a dead giveaway to the light fingered that there is a satnav somewhere on board. It's not exactly pretty but if it does it's job it can always be stowed in the boot until needed again.

 

[Lazzzydog]

interested in this I see you can connect a reversing camera up to it also..
Need to know how the satnav performs now..

I will update this thread when I have given it a good try out. If it keeps me sorted on this trip I will be well pleased.

 

[Dino D]

You can also download 'offline areas' in google maps to your phone so it works without cell signal (but in Italy I found cell signal amazing when on trains, even in tunnels) and data is cheap when roaming in Europe (for now!)

 

[Dino D]

Ps that looks an awesome event, hundreds of Z in Italy, can't really ask for more! Not jealous!

 

[Grumps]

Be interesting to see the how long It lasts. Some work mates of mine have various different Chinese made sat navs and haven't had any trouble with them. Does it have an itinerary planning feature?

 

[Lazzzydog]

It does let you plan routes in advance if that's what you mean. It only comes with a very basic little booklet and I am not the most techno minded, more of a dinosaur type but I expect to get to grips with what it can do as we go along.

 

[bessieblue]

very jealous of your trip love Italy

 

[Lazzzydog]

very jealous of your trip love Italy

We have never been to Italy before so we are excited at the prospect of going somewhere new. A little bit nervous about being the only Brits at an Italian owners club annual get together but hopefully we won't let the side down.

 

[Lazzzydog]

Currently lying awake in a budget hotel in Dijon so I thought I would update on the satnav. So far so good, it does everything the more expensive ones do and is way better than the fitted one in my XF.
The M is surprisingly comfortable considering it is lowered and running on updated springs and drew the first car park compliment before we even left the UK from a chap who's wife talked him out of buying a low miler a couple of years ago at a steal of a price.

 

[Lazzzydog]

Now in the Shadow of Mont Blanc in a superb hotel. Or we would be if the sun was out and the clouds beggered off. Hoping to wake up to glorious views tomorrow. No motorways at all today and the M proved to be great fun through the mountains and surprisingly still comfortable. Covered in road grime and brake dust though so a wash and brush up is in order before Friday.
Mont Blanc is up there honest!

 

[Peter M]

I sort of like my '97 Z3 for what's not on it - actually have to decide when to turn on the headlights ..... and if you put the top down, you can see exactly where you are by looking all around ...

 

[Lazzzydog]

It was there when we woke this morning.

 

[Paul Rice]

Stunning pictures, Glad to see your enjoying the Z. More pics please! Perhaps on a different thread?

 

[Lazzzydog]

Good idea Paul. I will do a write up with costs and pictures on a seperate thread when time permits, but in the meantime this is where we were yesterday. Talk about luck of the Irish, we managed to park on the roadside about 100 yards from one of the busiest tourist traps in Italy.
This afternoon we have watched a hotel car park fill up with an assortment of immaculate Z3's. These guys are keen and there cars are mint. The welcome here has been fantastic only matched by the warmth of the weather.
Off to get ready now for the first nights hooley over in the restaurant.

 

[Lazzzydog]

interested in this I see you can connect a reversing camera up to it also..
Need to know how the satnav performs now..

The satnav was an absolute godsend compared to maps and especially better than guesswork when finding your way round a strange town in a strange land full of foreigners driving like loonies on the wrong side of the road. I would not hesitate to recommend it at the price it cost me. Like all things computerish if you put sh1t in you get sh1t out but once you are used to setting it then it is pretty much faultless.
If you are unsure gookah you are welcome to borrow this one to try it out. I am over in Telford quite often so just say the word and I can drop it off.