value in purchasing quarterly US maps?

[pegpaw]

Can anyone speak to the value in getting the upgraded maps quarterly ($9.95), etc.? We're taking a trip throughout a few MIdwestern states in a few weeks, and I seem to have had very good luck with my TomTom finding spots so far, just don't know if it's an extra bells and whistles that I don't need. What type of driving is best suited to these upgrades? Thanks.

 

[dhn]

You don't say what version your map is or your application. The newest maps/applications provide for Advanced Lane Guidance, IQ routing and Reality View.

However, if you've been satisfied with the performance of your map up to now, there is no desparate need to update, I would think.

 

[wasdvd]

Value in quaterly map updates

In my opinion, the value in these quarterly map updates won't affect your coming trip very much unless your map is pretty old. I feel these updates will be of great value on an ongoing basis.

Before these quarterly updates were available, the cost of the "loosely annual" update was up to $130.00.

You may not need an update today, but if you intend to keep your TomTom awhile, you will eventually want and need a map update. The quarterly update is thus a bargain. Many posts in this forum yearned longingly for the European style map subscription service to be available in the US. Well, this is it.

The only catch I know is, you have to bring your map up-to-current as you start the quarterly update process, Depending on how out-of-date your map is, bringing it up to date can cost up to a year's value. After that, the quarterly fee is what we have hoped to pay.

TT 930

 

[rpreuss]

Something that is not totally clear is how many updates I will get with a subscription. I currently have the current update, NA 8.25. If I purchase the quarterly update, TomTom says I will get 4 quarterly updates. Does that mean 4 more, or are they including the current one that I already have?

 

[dhn]

Four updates over 12 months. You start with the current map (which you have now). So, you would get 4 MORE maps if you subscribed today, for example.

 

[mvl]

Can anyone speak to the value in getting the upgraded maps quarterly ($9.95), etc.? We're taking a trip throughout a few MIdwestern states in a few weeks, and I seem to have had very good luck with my TomTom finding spots so far, just don't know if it's an extra bells and whistles that I don't need. What type of driving is best suited to these upgrades? Thanks.

Tomtom maps are improving very slowly, especially away from many cities. So the ability to find places isn't that much better with newer vs older maps. However, Tomtom is in the middle of building mapmaking automation, which will take all the "submit anonymous data" information from tomtom to auto-create/auto-correct roads. So it's possible that the maps could improve dramatically between now and the end of your subscription.

What has improved dramatically is the IQroutes (time-of-day road speed) data, causing tomtom's to have MUCH better directions and arrival time estimates. This would normally be worth the map upgrade. However it wouldn't be worth it for you, since you likely have a a non-IQroutes compatible device. The maps for non-IQroutes devices sell for a $9.95 subscription, where the IQroutes maps sell for an $11.95 subscription.