XXL 540 - yes or no?

[Rick F.]

dhn is correct as usual ... about the traffic antenna being built into the charger itself. You can read a very informative review on the Amazon.com website you linked to above. Read paragraph 5 about 'life-time traffic':

5) This unit includes lifetime traffic data. The value of this data will depend on where you live. Major cities have great coverage. Smaller cities frequently get poorer coverage. The traffic data is also sometimes incorrect. But on the whole, the traffic data is good, and reasonably reliable (where you can get it). It is transmitted over the FM frequency, and an antenna is built into the auto power adapter cord that comes with this unit. The REAL value of the traffic data is that the unit incorporates the data when calculating routing information. I was skeptical at first, but have been VERY surprised at how well the unit picks the "right" route (not just the route that is shortest in land miles, or shortest based on posted speed limits). This is an A++ feature.

Amazon.com: David Pearlman "sound...'s review of TomTom XXL 540TM World Traveler 5-Inch Wid...

About 'life-time' map updates. According to the following review the life-time map is only for US_Canada_Mexico.

The marketing information clearly implies that if you buy the "TM WTE" edition, you get lifteime updates for the maps included in the product, i.e., North America _and_ Europe. However, buried in the TomTom support files you'll find this hedge:

"Lifetime Map Updates cover the countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico. Updates are limited to the regions that are pre-installed on the device.

If your navigation device has maps of other countries, for example, Western Europe, these will not be updated through Lifetime Map Updates."

Really pretty cheesy, and makes me hesitate to buy what otherwise looks like a good-value product.

Amazon.com: Profile For Raoul Picante: Reviews

 

[pinkano]

Wow, so the thing I want the most - lifetime updates for European maps are not included. They are kind of lying to customer about lifetime updates for the whole device, aren't they? I have canceled the order and now I have to find other solution.. but don't know which one.

 

[Rick F.]

Wow, so the thing I want the most - lifetime updates for European maps are not included. They are kind of lying to customer about lifetime updates for the whole device, aren't they? I have canceled the order and now I have to find other solution.. but don't know which one.

There was one reviewer who had success in getting his Europe map updated, but said that TomTom said it was a courtesy.

Link for Stapler review:
Amazon.com: Stapler's review of TomTom XXL 540TM World Traveler 5-Inch Wid...

I watched a YouTube review of the XXL 540TM and the outside of the box only showed USA_Canada_Mexico as getting the 'Life-Time' map updates.

Hope this helps.

This is the TomTom I'm considering... although I really don't need Europe... but like the 4 gig memory, lifetime maps and traffic.

 

[pinkano]

US support told me, that the lifetime updates are only for the USA and Canada. That I have to buy European ones separately, so I don't want this product.