Ok, please help me decide

I just don't know what to go for! Garmin zumo 550 or TomTom rider v2 Europe

I'm sure this has been done to death, but I need to buy one for my trip in august and I just can't bloody decide. I'm thinking the garmin purely because people on here seem to like it, and the TTR is only just out and has not had a lot of real rider reviews yet. The rider 1 seemed to be a bit troublesome. On the other hand, the Garmin is quite a lot more expensive.

What would you do?

Buy the Garmin. Good customer service and support vs. non-existent customer service and support. No contest.

Steer clear of the TTR, get yourself the Garmin. It really is no contest, TomTom aftersales service is disgusting, check out the posts on this and you will see what I mean.

Well I use a TT Rider 1 on my thumper of a 650GS. Surely if any Tom Tom was going to suffer the pin drilling it should be mine?

No, not a jot.

I assume that the people who have suffered it either haven't fitted it correctly or get lost after they get past the bottom of their street and therefore they use it all the time.

Personally, I like the design, it's reliable and looks good. A lonely vote for the Tom Tom

Johnny Dangerously said:

I just don't know what to go for! Garmin zumo 550 or TomTom rider v2 Europe

I'm sure this has been done to death, but I need to buy one for my trip in august and I just can't bloody decide. I'm thinking the garmin purely because people on here seem to like it, and the TTR is only just out and has not had a lot of real rider reviews yet. The rider 1 seemed to be a bit troublesome. On the other hand, the Garmin is quite a lot more expensive.

What would you do?

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Sounds like me that!!! I looked at the TT [well tried cos seems no one`s got any in stock to view!!] ended up with a zumo 500 from www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk I thought £350 a good price, and like you say garmin seem to have a better name.

ok, Garmin it is I think. Not saying the TomTom isn't going to be good, but its uknown at the moment as it won't have time to be properly tested before I go on me trips. The only thing people seem to have against the garmin compared to the TomTom is the price which I can live with.

Cheers for the help guys! Garmin it is!

I would go with the Zumo as well but make sure you test yours thoroughly before any trip just in case you end up with one of these.

Dead Zumo

Rigormortis said:

Dead Zumo

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O.K. To cut a long story short – There have been quite a number of Zumo550 (including mine) that simply refused to start up after having been working quite happily. Some have managed to restart them after a reset or by removing the battery (small allen key required) but others had to return them to Garmin for replacing. As far as I know most, if not all, have received brand new units (no hassle) within a very short period.

It might be worth registering with the site because there is a whole host of invaluable Zumo information available.

I can't comment on the TTR or the Zumo500 specifically, but I have had a Garmin Quest for ages now and my wife has a Tomtom 300

Bother are great units, but it is all down to what you are going to use them for. The quest goes with us where ever we go in the world (mostly cos I forget to take it out of the car before heading to the airport and don't like leaving it in the car while I'm away - that my story and I'm sticking to it!!!). My Quest has limited capacity for storing maps, but its worked everywhere we've been and given us a basic idea of where we are if we are trying to navigate ourselves. In Iceland we where able to find some custom maps that gave an excellent idea of what was going on which was great cos O/S doesnt seem to go that far )

The thing that lets my Tomtom down in the UK is map updates, lack of postcode navigation and no traffic link (I use it in the car and on the bike) but hey, small price to pay for a unit that is so portable.

E's TomTom is great for her as she doesnt really drive outside the UK, and the postcode and traffic is a bonus cos she know when to get to meetings etc.

Long story short - horses for courses, but I'd more than likely go for another Garmin over a TomTom - but then I can be a bit of a ludite when it comes to change.

tom tom is a far better unit in respect of usability and reliability. shame about the customer service. that said ive never had to ring them in 3 yrs. i have a 2610 now but i curse it all the time