Smartnav Reviews

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Smartnav
★★☆☆☆
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Latest Reviews

“Expensive, Pointless and Unpleasant. ”

★☆☆☆☆

written by geoffbutcher on 25/09/2016

If you require a navigation system, then the worst on the market is SmartNav. By far the worst aspect of the system is the aggravation, couldn't care less attitude and outright non-cooperation of the young operating staff, who seem more interested in amusing themselves and one another, than providing any kind of customer service. All in all, an absolute disgraceful rip-off against it's huge expense. Any advantages that SmartNav might have (which I can't think of) over a traditional, simple, inexpensive, self-operating system, are just simply not worth the frustration of being dealt with in this way. Best advice: go to Halfords and get a mid-range dashboard system...

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“brilliant bit of kit ”

★★★★★

written by Joyce354 on 16/06/2016

Smartnav had been installed in a car I purchased 10 years ago during that time I've used it many many times and it has never let me down. I think it's a brilliant bit of kit I used it on a pay as you go deal £25 up from which a small fee is deducted every time you use the system I can honestly say the system never let me down.

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Geoffbutcher's Comment

Written on: 25/09/2016

I simply do not believe that this review was written by a genuine customer of SmartNav. I had the system for 14 years, it was never noticeably updated (see other review comments with regard to that) and over that period it has become antiquated, inaccurate, time consuming and unpleasant in operation when dealing with the call-centre staff.

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“NOT VERY SMART NAV”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Mick.ginger on 13/08/2015

This is the worst nav system ever as it uses a mobile phone system which in many places does not get a signal particularly when you are off the beaten track and need it you will not be able to use it. This is also the most distracting and intrusive system on start up it lists every road you are going to use and anounces every road you are using again at every junction it just never shuts up go through an area with lots of roundabouts like Milton Keynes and the commentry from this unit is continuous do not buy if it is fitted to a vehicle you are buying insist it is removed for your own sanity. WORSE THAN POOR BUY A MAP

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“Smartnav (yeah right) 10 year old technology”

★☆☆☆☆

written by howling69 on 17/10/2014

I received this device with my new company vehicle, after nearly 30 mins trying to register it with the call centre and then using for my first trip, the co-pilot app on my phone is far superior. Smartnav no not very, it very rarely connects to give me any directions really poor customer service and the maps look they have been downloaded from the original ipaq (anyone remember those) Save yourself £500 plus a boat load each year for the subscription and buy an app for your phone much better.

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“The worlds worst Satnav?”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Caseyb1983 on 12/09/2014

I have driven 20 miles before i have received a route, i often get diverted around traffic jams that do not exist, or get told there are no delays when i have been stopped with the engine off for half an hour. I recently delivered to a RDC that had been open for 18 months, so the roads to it must have been there longer, but they did not appear on the Smartnav's map. The only reason that this sat nav is in my van is because it was fitted when it was imported, i often feel like throwing it out the window as it is not fit for purpose, and is truly awful. If you have the choice, choose another sat nav, as Smartnav will drive you mad.

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“Smartnav - journey over”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 23/08/2013

My Smartnav journey began back in 2004, when it was included as a trial offer with my new Mitsubishi Grandis. At the time, it was innovative, and my friends were duly impressed when they heard me call the Smartnav concierge for a route, instead of struggling with a touchscreen device. But Smartnav have allowed themselves to be left behind. The service is expensive. I was paying £210 a year for UK navigation plus speed camera alerts, and each time I visited Europe, it was another £9.99 on top. That’s around £2,000 over the years. If you call yourself ‘smart’, you need to live up to it, and Smartnav doesn’t always. When you phone their customer services, you’re ironically often put in a long queue. Their live traffic doesn’t fare much better. There were times when I had to inform them of major road closures (such as the Blackwall Tunnel on one occasion) as they were blissfully unaware. Quite often, I would be advised ‘there are no serious traffic problems on your route’, only to take my place at the back of a gridlock moments later. When you have apparently taken a wrong turn, re-routing takes an age, as Smartnav goes through a laborious routine of ‘you are no longer on the planned route… Smartnav is calculating a new route to your destination….your route of 30 miles will take you on the A35, A30 etc etc’, during which time you’re screaming with frustration about where the heck to steer, and have probably compounded your deviation from the route still further. Of late, I noticed the system becoming flaky in many locations. For instance, it persistently tried to send me north up the A3 into London, when my destination was south of London. I just had to ignore it until the penny dropped and it gave proper directions again. Also, it finds it hard to cope with city centres (once, Maidenhead was too much for it – and in parts of parts of East and West London, it just stops working). For years, it didn’t recognise most of an entire motorway in France, the A28. As for the concierges, they are mostly pleasant and helpful (though one or two lacked basic UK geographical knowledge). It was largely the same staff year in, year out, so you kind of got to know them. Smartnav is a nice-to-have, if you don’t mind shelling out an awful lot of money for it every year. However, the service is becoming increasingly inferior to that provided by even budget ‘windscreen’ devices. Which is why, after nine years, I have cancelled my subscription in favour of a Garmin.

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“Terrible”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 30/06/2012

Like another reviewer here - this came free with my new van - not surprised its offered for free - its awful. Rarely connects to its database - the diatribe of where you are going to drive is ridiculous - the UI is clunky - you would be better off with a map and an A to Z - seriously! Only bummer is that the wiring has all been hidden but wont fit my Nuvee Navman (which is brilliant) He ho. Truly dreadful product. avoid. Regards Tommo P.S I gave 'value for money' 5 stars because it was free!

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“I cannot understand the comments and experiences of...”

★★★★★

written by BrianBN on 08/05/2011

I cannot understand the comments and experiences of some of the people reviewing this system. I have had it ever since it available. I have had it moved from car to car and it is so releibale I never had any problems. I use it for work travelling all over UK. Best syetm ever. Traffic jams ahead! Fantastic time saver and stress reliever. Never bothered to upgrade to colur screen.

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“I have this Free with a company van, The unit will...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 09/02/2011

I have this Free with a company van, The unit will inform you to continue, then tell you you are "Off Route", the recalculation takes forever, then you are told every road you will travel on, I want to know where to go next not after I have travelled a great distance.It will also attemp to get you to turn when there are no turnings. Road numbers are sometimes wrong.
Typing in an address & postcode takes to long, I hate predictive text. You are unable to set a favourite and have to call to do this.
Good point the traffic camera warnings.
I would never pay for this service and I have only had it for 1 week
I prefer TOMTOM

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“Smart Nav promises a great deal on the face of it but...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 27/01/2011

Smart Nav promises a great deal on the face of it but in reality delivers very poor performance. Very unreliable and eratic network connections to central control centre with poor download times of information to the car. The system does not give any initial directional instructions untill journey has commenced so causing one to very often set off in the wrong direction. Customer service is non existent- they clearly don't understand what this means!!!!!! The system is ridiculously expensive and frankly wouldn't install it if it were free. Smart Nav - you need to get your act together and listen to what your customers are saying or fail!!!!!

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“I have had trouble getting directions, being directed...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 13/01/2011

I have had trouble getting directions, being directed - in one case 35 miles +, what the mileage should have been. Was instructed to make an immediate u-turn on the A10 when that is not possible! When I tried to ring in my complaint it has taken 4 days, 86 mins on the phone ( for which they charge a premium rate) waiting, at no 1 on every call - how odd as the message always says that they are experiencing a large volume of calls - should I not be 4th or 12th or 100th in the queue?) for attention over 6 calls. Phone has been put down twice. Promised a call back 4 times - still waiting. They have no managers , just supervisors. Customers have no access to a person - manager, - director etc who may eventually be able to deal with complaints even after given the agent several chances to respond.
I pay quite a lot of money each month for an appaling service.
Please be warned that they try to get you to upgrade your device as the only diagnoses they recommend is that there is a fault. I did upgrade,last year when I was having the same problems, but the engineer told me there was really nothing worng with my previous device.
Do not try to ask for a CEO or the director of the company's name as they are not allowed to disclose this - I will get this info from Companies House! Maybe they think they can fob customers off. Think very carefully before you invest in Traffic Master services it is the worst service I have ever had and I pay for it - but not for much longer!

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“Used to think Smartnav was good until I had continual...”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 01/10/2010

Used to think Smartnav was good until I had continual problems where the route would not download but the Speed camera function and Tracker were both working fine.
After repeated attempts with Customer services to send update to box that all failed I agreed for an engineer call out at £120.

The engineer has just visited and told me that the fault was at the centre and not with my car. Something to do with account set up.

I have found customerr services and sales very unhelpful and obnoxious and not bothered that I may take my service elsewhere even when I have just phoned them to confirm what the engineer told me.

I definitely will not recomnmend Smartnav to anyone. Shame because engineer was very helpful and polite.

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“I have had smartnav for over seven years in the...”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 11/09/2010

I have had smartnav for over seven years in the beginning it was brilliant,when i started the service was excellent and although expensive to buy and install the annual subscriptions were reasonable and they even introduced continentalservice (at a cost). the system was user friendly and the ability to discuss and verify your route with a real uk operator was invaluable. Sadly since it's excellent inception it as been down hill all the way, Clearly smartnav are intending to go out of business they are now very expensive the sales staff are indifferent and technicle support is dissmssive. Smartnav are now intending to increase customer satisfaction by deleting 3 year call packages with expensive annual deals which severly limit the number of call routes - when I challenged smartnav they said don't worry you can use your touch screen - but you have to be stationery and THER IS NOT ANY VERIFICATION OF THE ADDRESS - smart navs response is: you must have the correct post code and you can pay 89p each time you make a call (on top of your subscriptions). This all seems negative but I really like the cocept and if they would respond to these concerns I would stay with them. I don't have much hope of a reponse so I am looking at other systems. Yours dissapointidly Nicholas

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“I USED IT ONES NEVER AGAINE IT JAST BRAKES DOWN LOOSE...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 23/08/2010

I USED IT ONES NEVER AGAINE IT JAST BRAKES DOWN LOOSE GPS WHEN IS NAVIGATING

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“Ive had smart nav 7 years and its great, it can be...”

★★★★★

written by on 21/07/2010

Ive had smart nav 7 years and its great, it can be moved from car to car (mine been in 3 cars) very simply by your car dealer who will probably do it free rather than the charges placed on you by doing it via Smartnav technicians.
Customer service is absolutely diabolical,I had a very simple billing issue that was not my fault and could of been sorted out in minutes, they just did not want to know - I got a complete and total blank. They also stopped my speed detection option because my years subscription was up, They were right of course , my subscription had run out, but instead of ringing me and telling me I needed to renew they just pulled the plug. That cost me 3 points. I stay loyal to it because "it does what it say on the tin" and in my particular case never given me any trouble at all in seven years. Conclusion :- if thier people were as good as thier system they would be unbeatable

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“Wonderful system - when it works! Has saved me many...”

★★★★☆

written by on 09/04/2010

Wonderful system - when it works! Has saved me many hours of time when it has detected a prang ahead and re-routed me - works better than my colleagues sytems for this. But appalling customer services when it doesn't work, very difficult to get through to them on the phone.

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“I would not recommend Smatnav to anyone at the current...”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 16/11/2009

I would not recommend Smatnav to anyone at the current prices they charge.
Very expensive subscriptions and equipment. The screen is terrible unless you pay a premium for the colour screen. Even though we have two systems and hev been customers for 3 years, they wanted to charge me £480 just for a colour screen. The real rip-off is the fact that this is just a screen, the unit in your vehicle contains no map information at all. This leads me to another problem - often you have to wait ages for a route to be downloaded. I atr least get a decent GPS signal now, but only after spending more money to get another engineer to come out and replace my antenna. Other systems do not need an engineer! This explains the problems experienced by other reviewers, the unit thinks you are going 'off-route' has to dial in for a new one and takes ages to come through, not great in the middle of London!
However, Smartnav in its favour does have the best traffic information and its routing to avoid jams on motorways/main routes is very handy, its just that this is not enough. Smartnav could be great if they improve the service and make the pricing more realistic. Every user should be able to see a map, not have to interpret and follow confusing shapes on a screen.

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“had smartnav in car for four years first time used it...”

★★★★☆

written by on 01/10/2009

had smartnav in car for four years first time used it let me down not installed properly once had it fixed has never let me down always taken me right to were i want to be would not have any other system fitted

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“I had a years subscription with my new car following...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 18/11/2008

I had a years subscription with my new car following which I decided not to renew.
On occasions it took forever to make contact and once that was done sometimes the delay in a route being formatted was unacceptable.
Far too often, for no particular reason, it would tell me I was on the wrong route and it would now calculate a new route. This would then go through the rigmarole of all the dialogue only for it to tell me shortly afterwards - that I was on the wrong route! and continue like this until I would give up out of frustration/boredom. It amazed me that it would do this on a stretch of motorway that I had been on for the past 50 miles. Even at half-price it would be too much due to its unreliability. Poor product, sorry!

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“The Smartnav sat nav unit came in my Rover 75 as...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 01/02/2008

The Smartnav sat nav unit came in my Rover 75 as standard and I am glad I did not pay for it. Pretty useless in Northern Ireland due to poor and out of date mapping. Not tried it in England so may be better there. Seems to get itself lost a lot and always recalculating the route. I live out in the sticks and it doesn't seem to have many of the roads I drive on in the right place in its mapping so seems to want me to drive through fields to stay on route at times. Not having a screen I find it very hard to follow the voice directions in town, especially at complex junctions. Often says I have arrived at my destination when I am still a couple of miles away. Have taken the pay as you go option in case I ever need to use it, but have pretty much given up on it.

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