350-XLTM not even close to being accurate

[Gaffpro]

I'm a longtime Garmin user and needed a 2nd GPS...the TomTom 350-XLTM was on sale at Best Buy, so I thought I'd buy it.
This unit has a major defect and customer support can't figure this out. Let's say I hit the "Home" icon.....it'll take me to the street but NOT the house number & street. I actually had to drive about a 1/2 mile after the voice (Susan) said "You have reached your destination")

It did the same thing when I was out of state last week...the GPS would find the street but wasn't even close to finding ANY house numbers at all. Anyone else have this problem or did I buy a piece of junk? Sorry TomTom, Garmin is better, I'm really sorry I bought a TomTom

 

[canderson]

Seems Teleatlas (TomTom's mapping service) hasn't quite got addresses correctly geolocated in your area. 1/2 mile is quite a distance. I'd be curious to know an address in the area that is so far off so that we can research that a bit.

If Garmin is better, you can thank Navteq (the mapping folks Garmin uses), not Garmin.

 

[Gaffpro]

Thanks for the reply: I was told at Best Buy that TomTom and Garmin use the same maps.....I'm in South Florida on an established street and my old Garmin Nuvi 660 has no problem getting me right to my door. I used it to drive to New England last year...very accurate.
The TomTom was frankly worthless as I'm driving through New Jersey, Philadelphia, etc. Lucky for me I'm very familiar with those areas. The TomTom is cheaper but if it can't direct me to where I need to go, then I guess I got what I paid for

 

[Rick F.]

Hi Gaffpro (you sound like a fisherman?),

I didn't have the half mile off error, but I found if I changed my 'home' position to my current position, it was more accurate. I went out to the front of my house then clicked...

1. change preferences
2. change home location
3. 'right arrow probably
4. My location

TomTom and Garmin use different maps, not the same.

BTW, I also live in S. Florida... Lake Worth.

 

[canderson]

Thanks for the reply: I was told at Best Buy that TomTom and Garmin use the same maps.....

Taking the advice of a salesman at a Best Buy ... ah, will we never learn? Yeah, OK, you gotta go with what the guy tells you. Would be nice if they would find a way to hire floor personnel with at least a little product knowledge, but then they'd have to pay 'em more than minimum wage.

Each of the two major mapping companies has strong and weak areas around North America. Some differences seem to be regional and others are nearly down to the subdivision level. Teleatlas does better in some, and Navteq does better in others.

Specific street addresses can be tricky. None of the mapping services is going out and geolocating each and every address. They often take information provided to them by governmental agencies that identifies the range of addresses on a specific block, and interpolate between those two points. If the input data is junk, so is the output. If the spread of addresses along a block is particularly non-linear for some reason, there's also nothing that can be done for that.

I'm surprised you had trouble in Philly. On the two occasions that I've had to use mine there, it's been fine. Have also used it for fairly long runs from Long Island, through the city, and on through to upstate NY and had no issues. Always thought TT's maps were OK there.

 

[Gaffpro]

Rick: Thanks for the advice...I agree, best Buy is not the place to get advice, I just thought because the TomTom had lifetime traffic + maps, it was a good deal.

It's funny, I used to hate when the Garmin would state "recalculating"...now I miss it because on the TomTom, if you miss the turn, the voice doesn't say a damn thing and if I have to look at the GPS when I'm driving, it kinda defeats the purpose of having a voice on there, doesn't it?

 

[canderson]

It's funny, I used to hate when the Garmin would state "recalculating"...now I miss it because on the TomTom, if you miss the turn, the voice doesn't say a damn thing and if I have to look at the GPS when I'm driving, it kinda defeats the purpose of having a voice on there, doesn't it?

Oddly enough, that's one thing I don't miss. If I blow the turn, I blow the turn. The verbal instructions that come next are designed to get my butt back on track to the destination anyway. To me, "recalculating" always sounded a bit like a nag ... the equivalent of "OK, stupid. You didn't take my route. Now I have to go through the process of coming up with another one for you. Try to get with the program, OK?"

Equally, it was when I was required or felt the need to deviate from the preplanned route that the "Recalculating" felt like a reprimand for thinking for myself for a moment. I really don't miss it!

 

[Gaffpro]

Canderson: What you're saying makes sense....but on mine for some reason the audio doesn't seem to come on to redirect me for quite some time. I don't know if all TomToms are like this or if my unit is defective

 

[beppig]

I have an old Magellan and it was about 4 houses off from the correct location of my house and my new 350 also shows my home at the same location as my old Magellan.

I have noticed that this new 350 consistanly shows me 15 to 20 yards from the intersection turn when I am turning.

 

[canderson]

Canderson: What you're saying makes sense....but on mine for some reason the audio doesn't seem to come on to redirect me for quite some time. I don't know if all TomToms are like this or if my unit is defective

Dunno == there will be a short replanning time when you blow the turn. But just as soon as your TT has computed a new solution, it should start giving you turn by turn directions immediately based upon the new course.

 

[Gaffpro]

I solved the problem with the TomTom by simply returning this utter piece of junk to Best Buy and getting a Garmin 1300 (with lifetime maps and traffic). It cost $50 more than the TomTom....but it works as advertised! I can see why Garmin will remain the industry leader, lol.