# How good was your tomtom in Spain ?



## 107198 (Sep 23, 2007)

Hi all

Off to Spain on 16th March Portsmouth to Bilbao. We are planing one night stop in Arunda de Duero and then straight down to Granada for a longer stop over, before moving onto the coast.

My question is "How good is the Tomtom navigation software in Spain ?". I have a tomtom 720 with the European maps. Its just I have nightmares of it taking us straight through the centre of madrid.

Has any body used there tomtom to take them around Madrid on this route, and if so did it use a sensible route.

Many Thanks Andy


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## takeaflight (May 9, 2005)

Hi Yes and Yes 

enjoy the trip.

Roy


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## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

*tom tom in spain*

we are just back from spain using our tom tom 720for guidance, It was brilliant,
no complaints at all, just a point I allways look at the map ( on tom tom) at roundabouts ect to see which exit to take as extra exits seem to appair
occasionaly, Acording to relatives who live there a roundabout can appair in the xmas break away, anyway have fun, I'm sure you will
Don


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

Buona sera, used my TomTom GO710 'bout a month ago, but since learnt that my map is out of date (1 year old?). Evidently road layouts in Spain changing at about 20% per year. Didn't touch Madrid, but TomTom was certainly fooled by the new bypass around Valencia, and didn't cope well with the one way systems in Granada. For the rest was OK as far as satnavs go (I don't trust them completely!) 
saluti,
eddied


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## 107198 (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks Don,

I always check the map on the Tomtom for islands/ Junctions as I agrea with you the spoken instructions can often be slightly misleading.

Regards Andy


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## 107990 (Oct 30, 2007)

There are no roundabouts (glorieta ) on the Madrid ring road. Don't bother looking at the sat nav, follow the signs. I reckon at the widest point there are 24 lanes, 12 each way. Try to avoid the rush hour, i reckon mid morning is the best time to go through.


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## 104477 (May 13, 2007)

Hi M5ZAP,
Most of the time ours behaved, however, we found putting in waypoints took us the better route, avoiding Madrid. The first time with TomTom was via Madrid was a nightmare, with a whole motorway closed for repairs and no diversion signs, the GPS was taking us in circles. Even local drivers were having problems! Last year a similar problem arose when a road was closed, again no signage, and good old TomTom took us down a dead end road with cars parked all over the place and a piece of orange string acting as a barrier to a 40 foot shear drop!!! Thankfully we had installed a rear view camera system, as we had to make a sixteen point turn to get out. Since then we have sorted out the use of the road block avoidance set up and would advise going for the longer detour just to be sure. Tom tom is great as long as the locals don't throw in road closures but I will pre plan our route to avoid Madrid every time. Use it as an aid and not rely 100% on it. Have a great time over there.


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## 109011 (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Andy,
To be honest, from Bilbao to Granada is quite straight forward - unless you want to avoid the toll roads. 
In January I went to the Algarve from Bilbao (AP68) towards Vitoria-Gastiez then AP1 to Burgos, A1 towards Madrid, M50 around Madrid, A4 to Seville then on to Portugal. If you take the same but come off the A4 and on to the A44 just before Cordoba I'm sure you will be fine.
I seem to recall that my TomTom did want to take me towards Madrid but I ignored it and went around the new ring road (the M50). Apart from that it was fine.
I use a TomTom One (Europe) by the way.

Have a good trip.  

Allan


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi

I always use the TRAVEL VIA option when I want my Tom Tom 500 to take me a certain way.

steve


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## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

Hi Andy
Tomtom work just fine from a-b in spain,however i used the campsite poi's as it has a lot of the campsites already in, lastest mapping  i thought, to cut a long story short it took me to a very remote place up a single track road, you have arrived  NOT brick wall with 7 cars facing me all wanting me to reverse a 9mtr MH 8O 
The moral of the story A-B great, built in poi's NO lol, Andy take some HF gear 20mtrs has been open here in spain to Asia   
Brian M0NSI


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## 107198 (Sep 23, 2007)

Hi All

Thanks for info, I will have a route planned and use the Tomtom as an aid. This is more or less how I use it in the UK.

Brian - I was toying with the idea of taking my fishing pole and a couple of dipoles/inverted V's.I am meeting up with my son Robert M0TTT (he works in Gibraltar) and could do with leaving some kit for him.

Andy M5ZAP


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## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

M5ZAP said:


> Hi All
> 
> Brian - I was toying with the idea of taking my fishing pole and a couple of dipoles/inverted V's
> Andy M5ZAP


Andy
Forget all them and get one of theses,80mts 2 10mts will take 1kw rf power :wink:

http://www.hamcq.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=2

have great trip,weather good at the moment in benidorm
brian & Lisa


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

The link to the Ae site doesn't work

= DE GW4XXF +


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## 110279 (Feb 29, 2008)

*Tom Tom in Spain*

I am currently in Spain - I have a Tom Tom 700 and keep it up to date via the campsite WiFi, we travelled down to Cadiz via Burgos, Salamanca, Merida route and told TT not to avoid tolls, this route has a new motorway being built and some bits are open, with new sections being introduced all the time. TT did fly in the fields when a new bit was open they didn't know about and we kept getting told to "turn around when possible" just ignored Jane and continued until TT picked it up again. The Euro map seems to be about 4 mths behind real life.
We drove home for a month in January and it was much the same, we returned at the end of Jan and used the Burgos, Madrid, Sevilla route this time, we travelled round Madrid on a Sunday morning after overnighting in Burgos, the motorways were deserted and TT took us perfectly round the Madrid "M25". Several other campers here have confirmed Sunday is the best time to do Madrid.
I like all others ignore the voice instructions on rdbts and watch the map, it does seem exit counts vary from brain to mouth. Its no use changing to a male voice, he still makes the same mistakes as Jane, so it must be the scriptwriter who is at fault.
Currently residing La Rosaleda, Conil de la Frontera.


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## 97201 (Jan 7, 2006)

Much the same as everybody else except I have Michelin Via. They built a new roundabout outside the campsite in Guardamar. It only took them 2 weeks from start to finish including landscaping. So just be prepared!

Ian
Three Green


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2008)

M5ZAP said:


> "How good is the Tomtom navigation software in Spain ?".


I guess I remember the bad bits. The route Bilbao to Nerja is simple enough and was written on a sheet of A4. I was hoping TT5 would get us out of the docks quickly.

Of we go, I know the first big place is Vitoria then Burgos. We hit the main road, TT silent. I see Vitoria so carry on, and on and at the motorway junction I turn without the help of TT.

I've no idea why she was silent.

Motto is "whenever possible have your route roughed out just in case" and personally I don't think you can beat Autoroute for this.

Another reason to choose MAP is that for every motorway there seemed to be a free pristine condition dual carriageway alongside whereas the inside lanes of some motorways were well worn.


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

Hi. I use TT700, no problems in Spain apart from the new roads and roundabouts, they are improving the road system at an alarming rate. I was told by a local that they have slowed down on the house building and are concentrating on the infastructure.
What fooled me was going around a roundabout there is often a slip road going off along side the main road which sometimes Jane counted it and sometimes she didn't.
All in all she was a godsend.
Cheers Sid


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