Sat navs: Compare features & prices Garmin Nuvi 205WT review http://www.which.co.uk/technology/computing/reviews/sat-navs/garmin-nuvi-205wt/review/

I wanted to just update my UK and NI maps online , but Garmin apparently do not sell that package anymore.I was offered the Euro updates which I decided to buy. Having bought the package and started the download process I was told I did not have enough memory and needed to buy an micro SD card.This is sharp practice as I could not pull out of the transaction at this point.An early warning should have been issued.Garmin scan your device before recommending updates so should have known that there was not enough memory at the outset.A clever trick.

Although its a nice looking device with a good screen the main function is to get you from A to B. On this note this device isn't very good. I've entered manyn post codes in the london region and it failed to find the address and also failed to find via street name. I would say 1 in 5 searches fail. Not very good. Menu system also not great and couldn't find any option to display petrol stations. BTW I did all the updates. I contacted Garmin support and they took 2 weeks to get back to me, advised me to update even though I told them I had and suggested I log an issue with their mapping team everytime the stupid device couldn't find a location. Summary, ability to find places-poor, Garmin support-very poor. Am sending it back and wouldn't buy a Garmin again.

This is my first satnav, so I don't have anything to compare it with, but having bought it based on Which and other reviews I have no complaints. I have used it in the UK and northern France and it has generally got me where I want, with clear instructions and a pretty intuitive interface. My only problem was when a postcode wouldn't associate with the right street name and I ended up about a mile down the other end of the road, but I think it is unfair to expect these things to work perfectly every time. The traffic news has only kicked in once and it seemed to put me on an acceptable alternative route. On a journey through London, it apparently wanted to take me through the congestion charge area without warning - I chose an alternative route myself, but this might be worth checking if you drive in London. One other thing, the satnav records my speed as being 7% less than on my speedometer. Having checked a few websites it seems that most speedometers overrate your speed by anything from 3 to 10%, but this was a bit worrying at first. Finally, journey time appears to be calculated as if driven at maximum speed throughout, so shouldn't be relied upon. It's a shame they couldn't use a more realistic formula.

I bought the Garmin over similar priced TomTom mainly for the SD card expansion capability and the more substantial screen mount, also a useful "where am I" which inlcudes latitude/longitude as well as nearest sevices. Other reviewers have mentioned the traffic module, I would add to this: it is built into the power lead, and while the 255WT is the European model, the traffic unit only has a licence for one country. I initially bought from Pixmania, and the unit they supplied (with English instructions) turned out to have a French traffic module. Garmin wouldn't unlock this for the UK so I had to return it. The replacement (from Amazon) is fine. Only complaints are; the estimated time of arrival is optomistic - it seems to assume that you can travel at the speed limit all the time, also it can occasionally misinterpret which is the main road at some junctions, so you need to keep an eye on the map as well as listening. It is very quick at recalculating routes if you choose an alternative and I would recommend it.

I have seen sat navs in use and everyone has their own comments on these things but sadly most people have not really a clue about what they have bought. I shopped online and went into shops and buying the right one is a problem. The which best buy guide was a great start but when i went into shops and asked about the running cost of updates and what was free etc because thers is a difference between manufacturers... all assistants I spoke to just did not know. So after more digging around I think I ended up with a great piece of kit for the price I paid. A computer is essestial for getting the most out of a sat nav !! there is not much point if you ain't got one ! I loaded the the most up to date map and safety camera download which is provided free when you first register your unit online. Tested it thoroughly on local known routes and destinations plus the odd journey and found it very accurate and easy to use. Has the unexpected bonus of keeping you more alert when driving on your own. Having a post code is best for programming in destinations. A very useful web site to get a postcode is http://postcode.royalmail.com/portal/rm/postcodefinder?catId=400145Also you can use google street maps and download a destination direct to your favourites on your garmin. you can do this with tomToms too.The unit tells you which side of road your destination is when you arrive ! The garmin map updates are more expensive compared to a tomtom but garmin does a "lifetime" map update for £100 which is well worth it if you need the latest map for business. The FM traffic updates are great and free...it will re route you and give you delay times plus tell you of any problems on your journey route. The cost of updating speed camera info is a annual rip off of about £30, but if you speed then it will save you money and priceless points on your license! One plus... it has told me about mobile camera units where i live which i was not aware of. On the down side fm antenna is on the incar charger lead and looks a mess, and what seems common for other makes i have come across is the points of interest info can be out of date. Garmin does not seem to have a system where you can feed back more accurate info (i know TomTom does) plus the fun stuff that is with other sat navs is lacking with garmin. In that respect it is very boring as it is the fun stuff that can often give a product a selling edge and make it more interesting to use. I am amazed they have not got the grasp of that fact. But the getting from place to place is the real issue and it is very good at that. It does not have some of the latest features like lane guidance or voice control or blue tooth, but i do not find these a great loss or worth paying and extra £100 or £200 more...yet ! You do not get a mains charger for some odd reason, but you do get a incar charger. Never leave a sat nav in view when parked up ... it will get stolen.

I have had my 255 WT for just a few weeks and have found it to be a very useful tool. The display is sharp and easily read at a glance. The options for destination are good and easily created once you get to grips with the system. One issue I have is that the speed camera warnings are displayed in small print making differentiation between static and mobile camera warnings difficult to read quickly. The other is that the maps are slightly out of date (a new major road in my area was opened to traffic in Sept 2008 and is not present). It is not possible to update the maps (as it is possible to do for the safety camera information) at no cost in the first month of ownership. Depending on when the maps were installed on the satnav could mean they are quite a bit out of date unless you upgrade for £60.00 which seems a bit unreasonable for a new machine.No problems linking to PC but would have thought the small cost to include the necessary cable would not have been too much especially as you need the cable to power up the satnav for the first time unless you are prepared to "play" with it while plugged into the vehicle!Apart from these few gripes a good product.