Satnav or Cellular

[Symcity]

Garmin satnav or Android phone using Google maps - which is better for a European trip

[Bluebottle]

I find my Garmin better than my phone (iphone with Garmin app)

It recalculates much faster and has more functions (useable not gimmicks)
The screen works better - suffers less glare/reflection, bigger screen, easier to read and does better split screen and 3d views of motorway junctions/big interchanges so you can identify your lane earlier.
It’s waterproof without any special case.

*** most important of all - the icon/pointer thingy is a guy on a scooter !!!

My phone is OK as a back up but prefer the Garmin if I’m going to be relying on GPS.

[MrGrumpy]

Well....the phone apps are free, whilst posh satnavs are expensive! No doubt the pukka SatNav is much better but It depends on how much you'll use it and depend on it. I have a phone app, but only have it as a backup or for occcasional needs (eg if I'm ever brave enough to go to Leeds!)

[rayb]

I have a Garmin satnav with European maps, so I'd use that but for other countries I use my Samsung Galaxy and Navfree.

[Snail]

One thing to be aware of whichever you choose, make sure it has longs and lats on, no postcodes like us, some cheaper end models don't have it, 2 of my previous TomTom didn't, longs and lats can be in three different formats as well! So be vigilant when setting a route, you may have different co ordinates in different guides or websites and have change selection in the settings

[rayb]

And be careful setting the long and lats. I once set mine for the disabled parking spaces in Bristol Airport. Because it wasn't near a known road, it lost the plot completely. It didn't help that I'd decided to take back roads that I hadn't used for 25 years.

[smeghead]

I remember when I was first introduced to sat navs. I was nattering with my mate in the office, he was directionally challenged and talked about the Tomtom sats navs. He then told me a little story, he'd been to a meeting in Birmingham and was making his way home. He eventually ended up in a motorway service station up in Cumbria, I think it was close to Carlisle. At this point he thought he'd ask a copper who was there, directions home, after much mirth the coppers assisted his progress home, back to Sheffield. Oh how we laughed.

[Taipan]

I use Waze over google maps. With free apps like Co-Pilot, it downloads the maps so you dont use data. But I still like my old Garmin...

[Taipan]

I use Waze over google maps. With free apps like Co-Pilot, it downloads the maps so you dont use data. But I still like my old Garmin...

[StephenC]

For years I have used the co-pilot app. I paid for UK+EU maps and both the app and the maps have been updated many times since. It has the advantage of not needing a data signal after you have downloaded the maps you want for whichever journey. The UK and Ireland is 480MB. You get a year's free traffic when you sign up (or it seems, when you load the app onto a new phone/tablet but that might be a glitch).