quest experiences

[birdseye]

Just bought one and used it for a few journeys. First impressions are mixed, so I thought I would see if other users had found the same things.

On the positive side, the screen is clear and the screen routing directions are good. There is no problem on the road from the smaller size of the unit as I had feared

On the negative side, the voice instructions are not very good. I even had the voice telling me to turn left when the screen was showing turn right - and the screen was correct. Anybody else found this?

Seems to me that to plan a route on the quest itself is not really practical unless you are prepared to give it a start, a finish and maybe one or two waypoints. The software for selecting waypoints is cumbersome, and the find often cannot find locations that are in the cartography. (Incidentally, mapsource also has trouble finding some places that are in the cartography) So if you want to use C roads through the backwoods (as I do) its only really practical to do the routing in mapsource on a decent size display and then transfer it. Ideas of sitting in a hotel and working out a route through interesting French backroads are dead and gone without the lappy.

The quest is also poor at calculating a route from afresh. I gave mine the job of working out a route from south wales to peterborough by the shortest, and 20 mins later it was still calculating. I gave up before it got there.

So to some up it seems to me to be an excellent bit of kit to give you visual directions en route, but poor at working out the route in the first place.

is that what others find or am I missing something?

 

[GrinningGSer]

the voice telling me to turn left

I wonder if the voice was telling you to take the third turning on the left (at a roundabout). This is how it manages roundabouts. Not a problem when you get used to it

It DOES take some getting used to, but well worth it in my opinion. I have not used automatic route calculation and prefer to set precise waypoints, because I am very fussy where I want to go on my bike... on Sat did a fantastic route (not too far from you Birdseye). A38-Birdlip-Uley-Horton-IronActon. 98.5 miles and took 4hrs.06 averaging only 24mph. Max speed-can't say. How is that for progress

I just love finding windy farm roads, love the abscence of cars- and the point is that I could not do this without the Quests help

May not be perfect- but love it.

& p.s. I don't have voice on the GS- just rely on the loud bleep

 

[Twotter]

I like my Quest very much and have never had a problem with the voice directions (only used in the car). Planning a route on the unit just takes a bit of patience. Make sure you have it set at the highest detail level to take advantage of all the back roads etc....when you're zoomed right in and make sure you've ticked the relevant avoidances (highways etc...)., makes all the difference.

I've not had any problems with the find, though I would like to view my found location on the map without having to save it as a waypoint first (maybe I'm missing something).

If you need a bit more screen size for your route planning then you can turn off the header bar and the info on the right hand side to get a full screen. As for you route calculation that sounds like a problem. Mine did a route from my home in Cambridgeshire all the way to Garmisch in a lot less time.

 

[Phil Thomas]

Quest

I too find the Quest somewhat "quirky" - one example:- Display instructs take 3rd Exit (at a roundabout) whilst the voice prompt says take 3rd Left.

I have got used to that particular quirk but have yet to try it in the Continent. The routing can be strange, so I have sometimes just put the final destination in as a Waypoint, used my own routing, and the just use the Find facility for the last few miles, which is usually the tricky bit of the journey.

One facility which I would really appreciate is Post Code search for the UK - trying to find addresses is a PITA.

Another annoyance, which I guess is common to all GPSs, and also to Microsoft Auto Route. Why can't we have Motorways shown in Blue? it would be visually much easier to see.

I have a feeling that after my forthcoming trip to France I will revert to Maps and Route Cards.

Regards to all,

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Hint : you always turn left off a roundabout in the UK

think of a very big roundabout


I have not used automatic route calculation and prefer to set precise waypoints, because I am very fussy where I want to go on my bike...

adventure eh ? - thats the spirit

...cos you can really tell how interesting things look from a map or if you suddenly decide to 'have a look' down that road ? .... you're stuffed !

 

[thauma]

I've used the Quest now for about 4-5 months. It has its quirks, but is generally reliable.

I tend to use it via mapsource if I'm being particular or have the time. I only use the routing when necessary. I have noticed that sometimes it will recalculate routes from mapsource on the unit, and take you a different way.

On the up side - it knows about the continental roundabouts and the continental habbit of driving on th ewrong side of the road.

It also seems o be prety good with one way systems.

 

[(RIP) sherpa]

turn left at roundabouts

Guys

Garmin backup and development is excellent!!

If you download the FREE updates for your units from the Garmin site you'll find that English Audio V3 update solves the turn left at roundabouts issue.

Sherps