Six months ownership - a warning to Newbies!!

[SteveH]

Wow, its not done much since I sold it in summer '08. I think it was a little over 80k when it left me.

[Daveperc]

My old one was on 136K I think when it died...

[amanda1]

I have an e46 (05)ghay boy vert which has been booked in to get some work done after new year and I need a loan car and please bear in mind this car has 31,000 on the clock its going to cost me at least £2700 for tires and a service so it's not just Rs's

[imacool]

Dave, in your OP you've mentioned Road Angel (I bet that was the least expensive item on the list...). Which one do you have? Would you recommend it?
Thanks.

[Daveperc]

I have the Professional Connected which has now been superseded by the Gem I think.

I drive on unfamiliar roads a fair bit and certainly find the info it gives useful - saved my license a few times!

Dave

[SteveH]

I use a road angel plus that I bought about 7 years ago, use it nearly every day, has paid for itself several times over. not just speed cameras but also blackspots that it warns you about before you approach and find holes in walls and hedges.

[imacool]

Thanks.
I am considering to get Road Angel Gem, the only think I don't like is getting it on and off the dash every time... I know there is a decent sticky dash mount on the Gem, but it still may attract pikeys.
Is it a lot of hassle to use it on everyday basis?

Sorry for being a pain.

[SteveH]

the one i use had a very discreet magnet mount on the dash, so you really don't notice it and its no effort to use.

[imacool]

Thank you.
In reviews they say the Gem can last for 4-5 hours when fully charged, that sounds good. If you don't have to fiddle with cables all the time, it makes using the device easier.
I've got TomTom satnav and the battery in it won't last at all. I have to plug it in every time I use it, even for short journeys, doesn't matter if it was fully charged last time. Leave it unused for one-two weeks and the battery is dead. And it wasn't much better when the device was brand new. It's now 3 years old.
Quite annoying, as the satnav itself is still quite good.

[Shoppinit]

You can get new batteries for them. They are very variable devices. I have had several 750 GO LIVE and some batteries last for hours, some for 30 mins max.

[Daveperc]

I have mine permanently wired in and simply leave it on the dash! I figure that they'll break into the car on spec if they are of a mind to, so it's not really making much difference.

I have mine connected to an external aerial as the GPS doesn't pick up enough through the windscreen.

Dave

[Shoppinit]

You're a braver man than me, Dave. I learned the hard way not to leave anything whatsoever in the car.

You could use a GPS repeater to avoid using an external aerial. Mine was fit and forget.

[swannny]

is there one that picks up the mobile speed cameras?

i know the road angel can have a location of them manually input, which is then broadcast to other users, but i came so close to getting caught the other day by one of those gits on the side of the road, many thanks to the chap in the beat up dented rs4, if he's on here!

[imacool]

Where do you place the repeater to get the best signal, Shop?

[Shoppinit]

I put my antenna here:



The emitter goes in the glovebox.