Camper Navigation System - What to choose?

• Reviews are good to very good (again but not as good as the Garmin camper version)
• Routes can be generated on the computer webpage and downloaded to the device (I couldn't find this option for the Garmin)
• Live long maps updates
• Cost is a wee bit less than the Garmin equivalent

• Device or App?
• Android Auto compatible?
• Is there a webpage to plan and generate routes?
• How do you do your updates? If you have a dedicated navigation system, do you still have to run an App on the mobile phone in order to get updates (for instance traffic updates), or can you connect your system to the campers WiFi router (of course if you have on installed)?
• If it is a dedicated device, where have you installed it? Window or dashboard (maybe even found a way to use the mirror to hold the device)?

Eber123 said:

Hello,

Only another 6x weeks to go before our trip to Scandinavia and the Balticum . Preparations are on their way and in hand.

Looking back to last years holiday I thought "wouldn't it be better to get a dedicated camper navigation system"?

We only used Google Maps so far. And to be fair, most of the time it worked well. But avoiding the French motorways it brought us to some small country roads which some of them I thought were just borderline acceptable.

As an alternative I searched for a Navigation Systems which were software based (Android mobile phone) and fully compatible with Android Auto, but obviously calculate the route based on the size of the camper.

It seems that there are not a lot out there. I thought Sygic would be the one, but I contact them, the camper version of their software will be compatible with Android Auto at the end of the year (the Sygic app for cars is already compatible with Android Auto).

Waze is good, but can't be configured for the campers size. OsmAnd seems to be good to, I even bought a license (was cheap), but I don't like it. TomTom's mobile phone software is no option, because it is only for cars (I tried the test version). Others like "CoPilot" are not compatible with Android Auto.

Because of that I thought I had to bite the bullet and invest into a dedicated Camper Navigation device. The obvious and most know devices are from Garmin and TomTom. So I watched a lot of reviews for those devices (TomTom GO Camper Max and Garmin Camper 795) . Both seems to be ok (Garmin a wee bit better). I believe now that the "TomTom GO Camper Max" might be the device going forward. As far as I see, here are the advantages of the TomTom:

• Reviews are good to very good (again but not as good as the Garmin camper version)
• Routes can be generated on the computer webpage and downloaded to the device (I couldn't find this option for the Garmin)
• Live long maps updates
• Cost is a wee bit less than the Garmin equivalent

I searched for the TomTom in the forum and in Caliboard to see what others think of the device, but I couldn't find a lot.

After all that my question is, which dedicated Camper Navigation system (calculating the route based on the size of the camper) do you use?

• Device or App?
• Android Auto compatible?
• Is there a webpage to plan and generate routes?
• How do you do your updates? If you have a dedicated navigation system, do you still have to run an App on the mobile phone in order to get updates (for instance traffic updates), or can you connect your system to the campers WiFi router (of course if you have on installed)?
• If it is a dedicated device, where have you installed it? Window or dashboard (maybe even found a way to use the mirror to hold the device)?

Regards,
Eberhard

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Eber123 said:

Hello @Trebor,

Thank you for the information.

I am very happy with the VW radio / media system. Even the VW navigation is good. But like Google maps the VW navigation won't take into account the size of the camper.

Last year Google maps guided us to very narrow streets and under a bridge which was only 2.6 m high.

To avoid this in the future I believe a different navigation system must be found.

Regards,
Eberhard

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MDY__________ said:

Garmin 890-MTD her.

Jeg tror du har rett om mangelen på offline planlegging. Jeg har ikke klart å finne et alternativ for å forhåndsplanlegge ruter på en pc. Men grensesnittet på selve satellittnavigasjonen er fint for planlegging, og det er et alternativ å lagre rutene dine på forhånd.

Jeg har brukt den to ganger på turer til og rundt høylandet, opp fra Sør-England. Så langt har jeg aldri blitt tatt noe sted jeg følte var for hårete. Absolutt ingen lave broer møtt. UI advarer deg om svingete eller smale veier på ruten.

Brukergrensesnittet er oversiktlig og kan tilpasses. Separate rammer viser kommende interessepunkter, bensinstasjoner osv.

En av fordelene med en egen enhet for satnav er at du frigjør varebilens skjerm til andre ting. Jeg kobler telefonen min (android auto) og dedikerer varebilskjermen til Spotify.

Plasseringen du ser på dette bildet betyr at 12v ladekabelen ikke trenger å rute rundt dashbordet. Holder seg ganske ryddig og diskret.

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MDY__________ said:

Garmin 890-MTD here.

I think you're right about the lack of offline planning. I've not been able to find an option to pre-plan routes on a pc. But the interface on the satnav itself is fine for planning and there's an option to save your routes in advance.

I've used it twice on trips to and around the Highlands, up from Southern England. So far I've never been taken anywhere I felt was too hairy. Certainly no low bridges encountered. The UI warns you of any winding or narrow roads on the route.

The user interface is clear and customizable. Separate frames show upcoming POIs, service stations, etc.

One of the advantages of a separate unit for satnav is that you free up the van's screen for other stuff. I link my phone (android auto) and dedicate the van screen to Spotify.

The placement you see in this picture means the 12v charging cable doesn't need to route around the dashboard. Stays pretty tidy and unobtrusive.

View attachment 107168

Click to expand...

MDY__________ said:

Garmin 890-MTD here.

I think you're right about the lack of offline planning. I've not been able to find an option to pre-plan routes on a pc. But the interface on the satnav itself is fine for planning and there's an option to save your routes in advance.

I've used it twice on trips to and around the Highlands, up from Southern England. So far I've never been taken anywhere I felt was too hairy. Certainly no low bridges encountered. The UI warns you of any winding or narrow roads on the route.

The user interface is clear and customizable. Separate frames show upcoming POIs, service stations, etc.

One of the advantages of a separate unit for satnav is that you free up the van's screen for other stuff. I link my phone (android auto) and dedicate the van screen to Spotify.

The placement you see in this picture means the 12v charging cable doesn't need to route around the dashboard. Stays pretty tidy and unobtrusive.

View attachment 107168

Click to expand...

Download BaseCamp | Garmin

Download BaseCamp™ software to plan your outdoor activities, organise your data and share your adventurers with others.

www.garmin.com

WelshGas said:

Have you used Garmin Basecamp?
Free software from Garmin for Windows and Mac computers. You select vehicle type, car, bike, HGV or RV and you can get a route from A to B and then modify it with specified waypoints. You can download and integrate POIs such as the Archies dataset of 30,000+ campsites across the whole of Europe.
It copies the maps of your Garmin SatNav to use and can download the selected route to your Garmin.
I’ve used it for years.
Click on link below.

Download BaseCamp | Garmin

Download BaseCamp™ software to plan your outdoor activities, organise your data and share your adventurers with others.

www.garmin.com

Click to expand...

• Reviews are good / very good
• Price is a wee bit better as the equivalent from Garmin
• I prefer the TomTom MyDrive (a wee bit similar to Google MyMaps)
• Dedicated Sat Nav for campers

1. On the dashboard
2. On the screen
3. Replace the mirror

• Easy to see for me, but also from my wife
• Easy to reach in case things need to be change
• Save
• Easy to get power to it

Eber123 said:

Hello,

I did a bit more research and checked the items mentioned in this thread. Putting everything together I decided to go for the TomTom GO Camper Max.

The reasons why I decided for the TomTom device are:

• Reviews are good / very good
• Price is a wee bit better as the equivalent from Garmin
• I prefer the TomTom MyDrive (a wee bit similar to Google MyMaps)
• Dedicated Sat Nav for campers

I hope I will receive it in a few days and can start with the setup. I will post some experience with this.

If the setup is done I need to find the best place to position the device. There are 3x options:

1. On the dashboard
2. On the screen
3. Replace the mirror

My requirements for the position to place the device are:

• Easy to see for me, but also from my wife
• Easy to reach in case things need to be change
• Save
• Easy to get power to it

I am toying with the idea to take the mirror off and put the Sat Nav there. What I need to check if the power that is there (from the Nextbase 412 GW Dashcam) can be shared with the new device. Important is that there is not too much power drawn from both devices.

Now the decision was made I am looking forward to get the Sat Nav.

Regards,
Eberhard

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AndrewCook680 said:

Do the TT and Garmin have their own internal mobile data connection and SIM card ?

My old TT for cars used internal GPRS and I’ve found it less reliable for getting data connection in Europe, I guess GPRS network being phased out maybe ? In favour of 3G, 4G, 5G

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Corradobrit said:

From my limited and cursory dive into sat navs I think it depends on the model. The Garmin Campervan updates maps when connected to a computer. If you want real time travel updates for hold ups, speed cameras etc you have buy a dongle that sits between the 12v outlet and head unit. The TT has builtin wifi and updates when it has a signal. So if you have a router setup in the Cali you're all set. Haven't figured out how the TT provides realtime info when there is no wifi.

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Eber123 said:

Hello,

I just wanted to give an update about the camper sat nav purchase.

After research and comparison I decided to get a TomTom Go Camper Max, ordered directly from TomTom.

When it arrived I started to test the device in the camper. At the end this is the best way, for me, to really find out if a product does what I want it to do.

First I did the firmware update (which was relatively quick) and then the maps updates (which took overnight).

Even though there were special pads to fix the sat nav on the dashboard it did not work in the camper. So I decided to place it in the middle on the lower part of the windscreen. Driving a bit I thought it works well, the screen of the TomTom is very clear, the sat nav does not obstruct to much of the view. But then I thought, if we wish or need to change an address we can't reach the device, because it is really far out of the way.

I got the power from the 12V socket in the dashboard. But it seems that both sockets are powered by the leisure battery. Because of this the sat nav is always on power. I didn't like it.

As a test I entered my daughters address (5 km away from me, in the next village, in an estate build in 2017). TomTom could not find the address. So I tried to add my address (a wee bit in the countryside, but only 40 km away from Dublin inner city) TomTom could not find it. Neither with the full address nor with the Eircode.

To sum up the experience a few things didn't work out which was not TomTom's fault, a few things were TomTom's fault and support was not very helpful. Because of this I decided to return the camper sat nav.

This years journey will be again with Google Maps. For the future I will wait for Sygic Camper to be Android Auto compatible (they say they work on it and it might be available at the end of the year). The advantage is that I can use the radio's screen (no extra device to install, to power on or off), the cost is cheaper. What I like with Sygic Camper is, that you can import a trip from Google Maps into the app (well, I haven't tested it, but I hope it will work).

Regards,
Eberhard

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