Updating GO 500

[Wonderman]

My son recently gave me his old GO500 as he has changed to a newer model.

I've updated the device, but I also wanted to update the map for UK/Europe.

When I go to the Update page which offers 4 maps a year for ?19.95 I get the 'Buying' page for the complete map at ?39.95 totalling 116MB.

Is it because it is such an old model I need to replace the entire map?????

 

[dhn]

Welcome to TTF.

The map subscription is a component of two things:
1. The cost to get from your existing map to the current version (which is 865)
2. The cost for 4 updates to the current map

So, yes, that is why the cost is as shown. The older your existing map is, the more component 1 above will be.

 

[mikealder]

I updated a TomTom earlier this morning for a mate from work, the map installed was so old that it cost ?39:95 but at the moment TomTom are running a special offer (might just be for UK/ European users) and for the price you get the next map updates covers 18 months as it includes six extra months for free.

This works out that you get six new maps, one released every three months so each map costs you under ?7 but you have to purchase this upfront as its included in the ?39:95 price - Mike

 

[Andy_P]

Both the previous answers are correct...
But to give it from a slightly different angle:

1. EVERY map 'update' is a completely new map

2. You can either buy a single new map, or you can buy the "subscription service" which gives you four updates a year.

3. The price for the subscription service depends on how old your existing map is (as dhn explains above)
Due to TomTom's special offers and generally bizarre pricing policies, the update service often ends up almost as cheap as a single map.

4. The latest Europe maps (which include the UK) are now LARGER than the 2GByte internal storage memory or supplied SD card size on many models so the map is offered in five smaller "zones" if your device cannot fit it all in. You can download all the zones, but only install one at a time.

5. Your model can only use standard "SD" cards rather then the higher-capacity "SDHC" cards. SD cards are usually only available up to 2GByte, so unless you can find on of the rare 4GByte cards that are NOT SDHC, you will have to opt for the zoned maps.

 

[Wonderman]

Thanks for all the advice.