Why is the new Go Camping so user unfriendly
Surfer
Posts: 7 [Master Explorer]
We bought the new TomTom Go Camping in April 2019. It is the worst TomTom unit we have ever had to use and is not user friendly like the previous model Camping and Caravanning 1005 version. On delivery we had to update it straight away. Within a few days of receiving the new unit in April it locked up after just one trip. On contacting the supplier I had to do a reset to get it working again. To do the reset I had to hold down the button for over a minute.
On our most recent trip it worked fine for a couple of days and then one morning refused to work even after trying to do a reset. Of course this was the morning with the caravan on the back going to a new destination. I had to use the “in car sat nav” which is not geared for a caravan being towed. Eventually I got it working again. The next trick was for the voice to disappear and the only way to get it back was to go to "Voices" select another one and then you had voice.
Although set to "Car with caravan" and all dimensions for caravan inputted, it took us down an unsuitable road on the way to a CL. On setting it back to "car" and trying the same route again without the caravan it took the correct route using a decent road and other trips back to the caravan site without the caravan. Tried it again in "Car with caravan" setting and it avoided the unsuitable road in question? Voice still disappears.
Another issue is that you cannot change or adjust destination while moving and have to come to a complete stop which is a hassle especially when it is the passenger is setting up the unit and you are on a motorway!
Lastly at the bottom there is normally a banner showing the speed restriction and your speed even when no destination has been inputted. This banner now only comes up on occasions.
We are very disappointed in this version of the TomTom Go camping which we only bought because TT told us that our old Go Camping 1005 unit could not be fixed. We have since had it fixed at a cost of under £25!
On our most recent trip it worked fine for a couple of days and then one morning refused to work even after trying to do a reset. Of course this was the morning with the caravan on the back going to a new destination. I had to use the “in car sat nav” which is not geared for a caravan being towed. Eventually I got it working again. The next trick was for the voice to disappear and the only way to get it back was to go to "Voices" select another one and then you had voice.
Although set to "Car with caravan" and all dimensions for caravan inputted, it took us down an unsuitable road on the way to a CL. On setting it back to "car" and trying the same route again without the caravan it took the correct route using a decent road and other trips back to the caravan site without the caravan. Tried it again in "Car with caravan" setting and it avoided the unsuitable road in question? Voice still disappears.
Another issue is that you cannot change or adjust destination while moving and have to come to a complete stop which is a hassle especially when it is the passenger is setting up the unit and you are on a motorway!
Lastly at the bottom there is normally a banner showing the speed restriction and your speed even when no destination has been inputted. This banner now only comes up on occasions.
We are very disappointed in this version of the TomTom Go camping which we only bought because TT told us that our old Go Camping 1005 unit could not be fixed. We have since had it fixed at a cost of under £25!
0
Answers
I note your comments and would advise the following.
It is only to be expected that you need to update on purchase, which I have had to do with all my GPS including Garmin, considering the time between manufacture and actual purchase. This is made more likely now they are now updated maps 4 times a year .
Regarding not being able to change whilst moving I trust if you do go for the Garmin, which from experience I would not, then I trust you will comply with Garmins recommendation for the units operation which is as follows:-
"Do not input destinations, change settings, or access any functions requiring prolonged use of the device controls while driving. Pull over in a safe and legal manner before attempting such operations."
Doug
Unless it is your passenger who is operating the unit as is often the case in a motorhome.
No issue with updating however why does it have to be continually reset. I can understand after an update, but why does it randomly require an update?
It is my passenger that inputs destination data and if this is required on a motorway I cannot pull over especially if towing a caravan.
On out Camper & Caravan 1005 version, if an alternative route was available due to traffic conditions I was given the option. This does not happen with the current Go Camper.
I am now wondering if the unit bought off Amazon was perhaps one of the original units and "old stock" however doing the updates should have resolved the problems.
If I was in your [osition I would do a Factory Reset.
Tap menu
Tap Settings
Tap System
Tam Reset Device.
This will put the unit back to how it was when you took it out of the box except it will not change the Map or Software versions you have on the unit.
You will lose all the Data from the unit ie your Favourites (MyPlaces) Recent Destination and any Poi and Route files you may have loaded via the the My Drive Webpage. If you open the MyDrive webpage and log in to the account you currently have input on your GO Camper you should see all the Data stored there. When you have completed the reset and input your Wifi and Account details all the data will be resynced back from your account onto the GO Camper. In effect My Drive is your backup and if you had to do a Reset away from your Wifi the data will still be resynced using the inbuilt Mobile Sim.
Your GO Camper should give you alternative routes depending on the settings you have.. It may be that you have got the Alternative setting at Always Take the Fastest Route and so the unit automatically changes the route when it sees the need and you may not have realised it. If you Tap Settings, Tap Route Planning there are 3 options you can set. The first is When No route is Planned to Suggest Destinations. The Next Option , the titles are rather faint, is When a Faster Route is Available, and if you want to be notified for you to decide then you need to select Ask Me So I Can Choose. the 3rd Option is the Type of route you want planned and that is where you would normally select Fastest Route.
I would also recommend that in Voices you select a Computerised Voice as that will give you more detailed routing information. So in voices I have selected Serena, you don't say what. country you are in so you may need another voice. and selected all the Read Aloud options below. Now if you go to Sounds and Warnings in Settings I have changed the Warning Type to Read Aloud rather than Sounds. I have then selected virtually all the options offered including Traffic Jams Ahead and Read Aloud Traffic Warnings. By doing this you get verbal advice of the Traffic warnings rather than a sound and you having to spot in the Route bar that a faster route is available.
I would assume that you are up todate if you have been downloading all the updates offered. If you Tap Menu then Tap the ? in a Blue Circle then Tap About you can see if your Traffic and Cameras Subscriptions are Activated along with other information regarding your unit. If you are at Home when you do this then the GPRS will show as Disconnected if the unit is within Wifi range. This should show connected when you are out and about.
Hope this helps.
Doug
I am in the UK and have selected Serena however when her voice disappears to get her back I select one of the other voices and then Serena again. No issues for a couple of days and then without warning the voice disappears again.
besides all these annoying glitches the big issue is the unit not starting up and it does this randomly even after the factory reset. You use it a couple of days with no issue and then for no apparent reason it will not start no matter what you try. Leave it a couple of hours, do a soft reset and magically it is working again.
TBH I suspect there is a fault with this unit and it needs to be returned to Amazon. If I do buy another TT Go Camper I will buy direct from TT and hope their after sales service is just as good as Amazon.
Definitely sounds like a problem unit and I would return it to Amazon as faulty and ask for a replacement. I got my GO Camper unit from Amazon, in fact I got a GO5200 from them last week that was £90 below what they are quoting for a new one today. I assume it was a returned unit or a refurb either way it is unmarked, in fact the only thing is the box was a bit bashed about, and it works perfectly.
I am surprised you had to reload everything again. That suggests it is not connecting to your Account from My Drive in the unit. If you Tap Menu, Tap Settings, Tap My Drive does it say Log in bottom right or does it say Stop Syncing. If it says the latter then it is logged into your account.
All the best
Doug
What is CRA 2015
I would just get Amazon to replace it If I was really cheeky and they had offered a refund I would reorder it at the £300 they are currently offering it for Prinme or even £258 for the returned ones like the GO5200 I just got.
Doug
Its up to you. I would speak to someone at Tomtom and tel l them about the problems you have had and they may offer you a discount. Regarding the reviews whilst they can be useful I am fairly suspect of many of the poor reviews as to whether they really knew what they were buying or how to operate it fully. I got my GO5000 years ago from John Lewis because someone had returned it because it did not do something they expected it to do. If they had been looking on this forum beforehand they would have known that the option was not then available.
I have the Garmin 660 and would not buy another. There are some good features on it but its routing has been diabolical. Over the last 2 years the routing has improved but it still directs me through a Shopping parade car park before turning back to the turning I need but it ignored when it passed it. Also it traffic is not as good. The later units are using the same mapping but just have extra features such as Wifi connection etc.
Hope you get sorted.
Doug