Need advise on a new TomTom (what model)?

[Asher]

Hello everyone,
I am a new member but an old TomTom user. I purchased an original GO300 about 3 years ago (when ever these things where new)... It has been a very good unit to me, I literally have used it 10 hours a day and probably 330 days a year since I purchased it (drive a truck locally for a living) and personal trips on the weekends.

Well the old thing was starting to go crazy on me lately and battery went a long time ago... I have been starting to look at getting a new one, but really haven't had a reason until yesterday... On a plane flight back from Las Vegas, some how they managed to smash my luggage enough to crack the screen on the "old girl" . This thing has been beat, dropped from 6 foot on to concrete, rides a in very rough riding truck, fallen off the windshield and on to the floor more times then I could count, but still kept on working.... I was having a hard time shelving it because it has been so good to me, but now I have no option.

I need a new one, I am pretty sure I want the larger screen since it is very hard typing in an address with a bouncing truck, but other than that I don't know what else I want...

So if you where to buy a new TomTom (of course wanting to get a good deal, and not needing the "newest thing"), what would you go for??? I first thought the 330 would be good, then started seeing good deals (on-line deals) on the 720, and 920s... The blue tooth thing would be nice but, I don't really think it would be very usable in my truck since it is so loud inside although it would be usable during the weekends in my pick-up...

Do any of these units offer a way to plug in multiple address's and then configure the best order/route? Are any of these more durable then the others? Do some allow you to watch movies?

I have been on tomtoms site, but I am having a hard time trying to figure out what units are different then others, I noticed that they still have the "one" models, what makes them different then others?

Sorry for the drawn out questions, but I am really confused on what to get and plan on buying in the next day or two...

Thanks in advance,
Asher

 

[GAW]

I would recommend the 720, unless you may ever use it in Europe - the additional map on a 920 is a REAL help over there.

Check some of the recent posts on 720's - I think they are down to $169 - plus you get a free 30 day map upgrade. A like new (?) 920 has been located for $200.

Your are going to miss the sturdiness of your old unit - plus the battery life. TomeTom cut the battery capacity in half to fit it in the new units, and they are much more fragile then the older units.

I had some rough moments with my 910, and from what I have read on the new generation units - drop it once and you are most likely going to have something like a broken screen.

On top of that, if you break it (non-warranty), TomTom does not even repair them - you have to find a third party repair center for that.

Given your "rough" user environment - you might want to take a look at replacing the screen and getting a new battery installed. You could do it yourself, or cheek online for a repair site.

One big reason to get a new unit is that you may have very old maps on the 300, but if it works for you.....

 

[dhn]

A comparison chart of models here may help you.

 

[Asher]

Thanks to both of you... I am probably going to get a new one, but I also planned to try and fix the old one after I have the new one to use... (where can I get parts for the old one)? I am very good at repairing stuff, I just need to locate the parts, I figured a battery was easy to find, but the glass seems like it would be a little harder...

Thanks again...

 

[GAW]

The glass will be harder. There was a repair center mentions here in one of the posts. Otherwise, it will take some searching on the internet. A short while ago, I saw a vendor on eBay that had screens - but I do not see them now.

 

[dhn]

Here is one online repair place. You can check this out.

 

[46jimbo]

As a former owner of the original Go Classic (one model generation behind your 300), I can vouch for at least 2 major improvements in the newer units:

- Size. They are slim now and will easily slip into your pocket.

- The screen. Much less glare. You can see the screen much better in bright sunlight.

Other than that, navigation is pretty much the same as it's always been on all the units.

 

[Asher]

thanks for all your help and advise guys... I wound up going to best buy and getting them to match costco's price on a 730... I had to raise some cain, but they finally caved in.. (also grabbed a 2GB memory card)

I have been using the 730 for a couple of days. a couple things I have noticed is that when it recalculates it takes longer then my old one, and the thing already locked up on me once ... For some reason the vioce (that ask for the street name) keeps disappearing and all it gives is a tone response instead of a voice.... I can live with that...

One thing I like is the mp3's, the radio recieption in my work truck is terible and now I can play some music (bought one of those cassette adapters and play it through the tape player)...

Hopefully I can work out the little bugs, but all in all it is very nice not having to get my grubby work paws all over the screen any more....

 

[Buddharay]

thanks for all your help and advise guys... I wound up going to best buy and getting them to match costco's price on a 730... I had to raise some cain, but they finally caved in.. (also grabbed a 2GB memory card)

I have been using the 730 for a couple of days. a couple things I have noticed is that when it recalculates it takes longer then my old one, and the thing already locked up on me once ... For some reason the vioce (that ask for the street name) keeps disappearing and all it gives is a tone response instead of a voice.... I can live with that...

One thing I like is the mp3's, the radio recieption in my work truck is terible and now I can play some music (bought one of those cassette adapters and play it through the tape player)...

Hopefully I can work out the little bugs, but all in all it is very nice not having to get my grubby work paws all over the screen any more....

Fellow 730 owner here - I was able to fix the intermittent voice on mine. What firmware version do you have? It turns out that one of the updates caused this to happen to some 730's, but it can be solved - just depends on your firmware.