Sat Nav

108,000 miles, 27th July 2009

I do not have a natural sense of direction. I can read a map, but not whilst driving at the same time. So why it has taken me so long to buy a sat nav I do not know. They're great! I bought a Garmin nuvi 205T from Halfords a couple of months ago. With 10% discount from being a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists I got one for £99.

I have used Garmin sat navs previously when in the US and had always found them very easy to use. The 205T is a fairly basic model but has everything I wanted plus included a traffic information receiver. It fits really well in the my Mk V. It came with a suction mount for the windscreen which I find is the best way of fitting it. The traffic information receiver and charging cable connect very easily and tidily into the cigar lighter power socket just in front of the gear lever. The antenna for the traffic information receiver (a 60cm length of wire) can be stretched quite simply across the top of the dash. It does take a minute or two to set everything up but it's worth it for all but the most routine of trips.

Alternatively, a much quicker and easier way of positioning the sat nav is to just lean it up against the back of the centre storage compartment on top of the dash. (Your Mk V will have this storage compartment if you do not have the Climatronic air conditioning system.) It's still quite easy to see the screen from there and hear the voice prompts. I have used a couple of small pieces of blue tac to help position the sat nav and also to stop the unit slipping forward during acceleration. Works great.