Bad experiences with CoPilot. Are there any better Satnavs? (1 Viewer)

[CRD]

We’re changing from our Malibu PVC to a 7.5 x 2.3m coach built in a few weeks and a reliable satnav will be important.

I was never impressed with CoPilot, not least when it took us down a very narrow, bramble filled, lane which turned out to be a dead end, with no GPS signal to disable the Vanbitz non starter immobiliser (before the app override).

So any satnav suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Whitebirdyman]

I use co-pilot and think it is the best option with a MH as you can plan the trip in advance, using as many "route throughs" as you need so the route is entirely predictable and doesn't go anywhere narrow or dead end. This can be researched on Google maps and street view. Even without that effort it is pretty good, eg it brought me to my current site via a small loop to avoid a steep, narrow hill. I have slightly exaggerated the length and width of the MH in the settings to help with that.

Of course it might go wrong if a road was suddenly closed by an accident but that would apply to any navigation system.

 

[Neil S]

I use a map in conjunction with Co-pilot , but if it directs me down any sort minor road or lane which looks doubtful I just ignore it and let it reroute .
Also preview the route when possible on line before leaving

 

[Verteuil Man]

We use the CAMC Garmin sat nav. Dimensions etc go in and not had issues with green lanes. In fact the opposite. If it does not have enough data on a road it will take you on a detour.

 

[CRD]

Thank you for the comments. It sounds like I was relying on CoPilot too much and should have done more research before setting off. I’ll have a look at it again.

We use the CAMC Garmin sat nav. Dimensions etc go in and not had issues with green lanes. In fact the opposite. If it does not have enough data on a road it will take you on a detour.

I’ve been thinking about the CAMC satnav. We had a Garmin satnav years ago, but it took forever to synch with the satellites. I imagine that has improved significantly since then, though.

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[Two on Tour]

I have been using Magic Earth for sometime now and have found it better than Copilot and Sygic.
You can input your MH dimensions and weight in the "Truck" profile, and it gives you traffic delay updates on your chosen route plus the app is a freebie, but it does use phone data.
The only time it has really given any duff roads to go down has been in Portugal, but I think that is only because of the poor road data it's having to work with.
Give it a try and if you don't like it then nothing lost as it's a freebie.

Magic Earth - Free Navigation & Maps App for Android and iPhone

Magic Earth is a free maps and navigation app based on OpenStreetMap data. Enjoy 3D maps, Satellite maps, Turn-by-turn navigation, HD Traffic, Offline maps

www.magicearth.com

 

[Landy Andy]

I use Sygic caravan/lorry version on my iPad. Can enter sizes, and connect to the camping apps such as search4sites. Didn’t get on with CoPilot.

 

[zac]

Tried them all but keep having to go back to Tomtom truck. Cost is £79 a year but to me it's the best there is. The cost includes live HD traffic as well as speed cameras.
Also allows direct routing from all the major camping apps so save having to input GPS coordinates. Much easier
Cheap doesn't always seem to be the best.

 

[CRD]

Thanks for more suggestions. I must admit that I am tempted to try Tom Tom Truck, as it does get favourable reviews.

 

[jumartoo]

I'm the navigator in our van, and I never got on with CoPilot. The number of times it wouldn't use a local road we knew to be perfectly good, didn't give me confidence.

For instance, it absolutely refused to use the N432 road from Granada, to Zafra, and on to Portugal. The routes it tried to send us were farcical.

I now use Google maps (and zoom in to see the status of roads) and a hard map to double check.

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[scotjimland]

I now use Google maps (and zoom in to see the status of roads) and a hard map to double check.

Likewise..

I sold my Garmin Camper 760 LMT Caravan and Motorhome sat nav. because I found Goggle maps better, and more reliable.. how so you ask.

Better at routing, better for finding places by just searching, better for linking to apps such as Camper Contact , Search for Sites et al, with live updates and traffic info etc.

I use it on a 9 inch Android tablet ..

no matter what sat nav. mapping app. truck or otherwise, if the last bit of road to your campsite is a down a narrow lane .. that's the way it will go..

common sense is not written into sat nav software ..that is where the user comes in.. plan ahead, look at the route, it's always the last few miles that can be troublesome.. not the 300 + miles you have done on the Autoroute or National Road .. so zoom in and check the last few miles before your destination..

and of course, no software or sat nav is perfect .. but used with some common sense, Google maps IMV as good as it gets..

 

[zac]

Thanks for more suggestions. I must admit that I am tempted to try Tom Tom Truck, as it does get favourable reviews.

I think for the first year you can get it cheaper but it's normally £79. I also have a sygic truck subscription and this made me miss a turn coming out of Santander in December due to the way it navigates so I pulled over and repurchased the tomtom truck subscription as I was trying to save some money but it's just not worth the stress. Ok in the UK but when abroad you don't want the added hassle.

 

[CRD]

Tried them all but keep having to go back to Tomtom truck. Cost is £79 a year but to me it's the best there is. The cost includes live HD traffic as well as speed cameras.
Also allows direct routing from all the major camping apps so save having to input GPS coordinates. Much easier
Cheap doesn't always seem to be the best.

I think for the first year you can get it cheaper but it's normally £79. I also have a sygic truck subscription and this made me miss a turn coming out of Santander in December due to the way it navigates so I pulled over and repurchased the tomtom truck subscription as I was trying to save some money but it's just not worth the stress. Ok in the UK but when abroad you don't want the added hassle.

Your point about Europe is an important point as we will be spending almost all our Schengen allowance in Europe this year. Thanks!

 

[GoldenVision]

I have been using Magic Earth for sometime now and have found it better than Copilot and Sygic.
You can input your MH dimensions and weight in the "Truck" profile, and it gives you traffic delay updates on your chosen route plus the app is a freebie, but it does use phone data.
The only time it has really given any duff roads to go down has been in Portugal, but I think that is only because of the poor road data it's having to work with.
Give it a try and if you don't like it then nothing lost as it's a freebie.

Magic Earth - Free Navigation & Maps App for Android and iPhone

Magic Earth is a free maps and navigation app based on OpenStreetMap data. Enjoy 3D maps, Satellite maps, Turn-by-turn navigation, HD Traffic, Offline maps

www.magicearth.com

I've used magic earth a few times and don't like it. Once it just dumped us in the middle of a motorway saying we had arrived! Another time it took us down a toll road when we had set it not to. It doesn't always seem to remember the settings you make.

If Google maps had camera warnings you would need nothing else.

Except physical maps and a large dose of common sense. If a low bridge or narrow lane hasn't been mapped, it doesn't matter how fancy your dimension-input SatNav is, it will still take you there, and if you just have blind belief in that app you will have problems.

 

[Kups]

no matter what sat nav. mapping app. truck or otherwise, if the last bit of road to your campsite is a down a narrow lane .. that's the way it will go..

The latest version of the Avtex (3) sat nav has a handy feature of showing the destination on Google maps satellite view. Useful for the final mile or so.

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[sgl5gjr]

I use TomTom Go..... and for trips I use the web version to do my planning and enter the Motorhome choice...there is a Truck and Car option....however....on the phone is uses a car profile ....but as as already been suggested....there is a Truck option.

 

[The big slipper]

Like some others, I also use TomTom Truck and find it to be really good
There was one instance last summer when it took us over the "snow road" past the Lecht ski centre, needless to say my Co-pilot was not amused

 

[GMLS]

I've tied and looked at a few options including apps but went for a Ohrex and very pleased with my choice.

OHREX Sat Nav 9 inch, N76 SatNav for Car Truck Lorry HGV LGV Motorhome, with UK Europe Maps 2024(Free Lifetime Updates), Speed Cam Alert, Postcodes & POI, Lane Guidance, Driver Alerts https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09J4W16TX/?tag=mhf04-21

 

[Nirvanauk]

Stopped using the Garmin and now just use google maps. never gone wrong yet.

 

[Two on Tour]

Stopped using the Garmin and now just use google maps. never gone wrong yet.

Good luck if you go to Italy and use Google Maps for non motorway roads.

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[JockandRita]

I gave up on Magic Earth when in 2 x days, it tried to send me down 3 x different 7.5T restrictions, whilst driv8ng a 44T Artic.
I deleted it, and downloaded Road Lord, which served me well on the days I needed to use it.

In the MH, I use a dedicated 9" Truck Sat Nav, which I update annually. Again, it serves me well, and is extremely accurate.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[CRD]

I gave up on Magic Earth when in 2 x days, it tried to send me down 3 x different 7.5T restrictions, whilst driv8ng a 44T Artic.
I deleted it, and downloaded Road Lord, which served me well on the days I needed to use it.

In the MH, I use a dedicated 9" Truck Sat Nav, which I update annually. Again, it serves me well, and is extremely accurate.

Cheers,

Jock.

HI Jock. Thanks for that. Could you say which dedicated 9" truck sat nav you use with your MH please.

 

[CRD]

Great replies and info in this thread. Thank you everyone.

 

[JockandRita]

HI Jock. Thanks for that. Could you say which dedicated 9" truck sat nav you use with your MH please.

Yep, no problem. It's a Chinese Mediatek, (Xgody X4 is the same, or X5 if you want Bluetooth), however, you have to be a bit tech savvy, as often they come with outdated maps, and no (.ftr) Truck files. This initially involves downloading the latest maps and Truck files onto a PC, then connecting the Sat Nav to the PC and backing it up, before updating the maps and files.

I appreciate that the process is not for everyone, hence me helping out several fellow Funsters, by updating their maps for them at Meets or Rallies, as do a couple of other Funsters.

Search Results

Search Results

xgody.com

Amazon or Ebay may be your best source. I see that an X10 model is now available, but I know nothing about it.

If in doubt, try Road Lords on you phone or tablet first, but like Google maps, it does use data whilst travelling, unless you subscibe and download maps for offline use.

HTH,

Jock.

 

[Guigsy]

I tried TomTom for a bit. I didn't find the mapping to be that great. I found several signed width restrictions that it had wrong. But I didn't get on with the routing instructions. When you're on the M6 northbound at the M6 Toll junction, it tells you to head towards Litchfield. That's not even on any of the signs. Why Litchfield?

I mostly use Google Maps over Android Auto and have done for well over a decade. No, it doesn't know about vehicle dimensions. But most of the time, that doesn't matter. Other SatNavs don't seem to be very reliable in that respect either, but have worse mapping. And Google's continuous marking of alternatives at junctions and how much longer they will take is very handy for making split second decisions. Although Google mapping has got worse in the past few months. The rumour is they're relying on AI.

I've also got Sygic Truck as backup on a tablet. The mapping is from TomTom, so the same weakness there. If I'm in North Norfolk or Cornwall, it can be useful to have them both running to have a second opinion. Google's routing is often better, it's got better ETA and traffic info.

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[Jim]

Always use my phone but keep my garmin as backup on the continent when I'm too tight to pay data charges. Always used Google Maps but in the last year or so I think Apple Maps has overtaken it. I find the mapping clearer, the routes, timing and traffic much more accurate.

 

[CRD]

Yep, no problem. It's a Chinese Mediatek, (Xgody X4 is the same, or X5 if you want Bluetooth), however, you have to be a bit tech savvy, as often they come with outdated maps, and no (.ftr) Truck files. This initially involves downloading the latest maps and Truck files onto a PC, then connecting the Sat Nav to the PC and backing it up, before updating the maps and files.

I appreciate that the process is not for everyone, hence me helping out several fellow Funsters, by updating their maps for them at Meets or Rallies, as do a couple of other Funsters.

Search Results

Search Results

xgody.com

Amazon or Ebay may be your best source. I see that an X10 model is now available, but I know nothing about it.

If in doubt, try Road Lords on you phone or tablet first, but like Google maps, it does use data whilst travelling, unless you subscibe and download maps for offline use.

HTH,

Jock.

Thanks, Jock. That looks interesting. I should be able to cope with the updates as my career was in programming/IT/Cyber etc.

I've watched a few of the how to update videos and they all use PC's not Mac iOS, but I assume as they use USB connectivity the laptop operating system won't matter.

It looks very good value, but have there been any comments or concerns about the possible tracking/intel gathering aspects of this Chinese tech? That may just be me with my Cyber Security hat on, though.

Other than that, it looks like a great product. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[CRD]

Always use my phone but keep my garmin as backup on the continent when I'm too tight to pay data charges. Always used Google Maps but in the last year or so I think Apple Maps has overtaken it. I find the mapping clearer, the routes, timing and traffic much more accurate.

When we ditched Co-Pilot we have just used Apple Maps, which has been great with our PVC, but it has directed us along routes that would have got us into trouble with the forthcoming coach built. The importance of pre-journey research, as many have mentioned in this thread, I guess!

 

[Jim]

When we ditched Co-Pilot we have just used Apple Maps, which has been great with our PVC,

Thats one of the bonuses of owning a PVC. Narrow lanes and tight turns are just part of the fun.

 

[JockandRita]

I've watched a few of the how to update videos and they all use PC's not Mac iOS, but I assume as they use USB connectivity the laptop operating system won't matter.

Sorry, I can't advise on that, as I am a Windows 10 user.

It looks very good value, but have there been any comments or concerns about the possible tracking/intel gathering aspects of this Chinese tech? That may just be me with my Cyber Security hat on, though.

If your knowledge and experience is that far advanced, only you can answer that question truthfully............rather than me.

BTW, if you do go down that route using Truck Maps.............for France, Switzerland, and Austria, set up another profile for Motorhome Car at 3.49T, but with the same dimensions as your MH, as many routes are banned to Trucks over that weight, and your Sat Nav will take you miles/kilometers out of your way.

Good luck,

Jock.

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