TomTom Via 280 (page 2 of 4)

I bought this Fabulous Device Few Months Ago.. It's Classic, Looks Beautiful, It's Fast, Easy to Use, and User-Friendly!!

Maps - Accuracy: 99.9%, Reliability: 99.9%
Signal Strength: Excellent!!!
Updating the Device: Easily Updated Maps and Premium Camera Detect Multiple Times (Fast and Easy Steps)
Installation in Vehicle: Easy and Strong Mount on the Screen (Far Better and Stronger than Other Competitors)

Score: 5/5

January 14th 2018 Update: TT VIA 280 - Best Ever GPS ...

I have similar experiences to those already detailed about slow to connect to GPS. This device is not a GPS......
It is total crap......... Each so called 'quick GPS update' results in slower time to connect. Now you can consider yourself lucky if you get a connection once every few days, and even then it is lost after few minutes, and it can not even follow the route you are taking.

It is time to get a real GPS from an alternate supplier.

Had similar experiences, not sure whether to ditch my VIA 280 and go to competitor, most unreliable GPS keeps on searching for Valid satellite signal, have to constantly update my VIA 280, if you are on a holiday you are stuck unless you have your PC to udate

Don't have anything to do with Tomtom it is a crap product and a worse company. I bought an update - they took my money and did not deliver. o customer support of any kind. Only a fool would deal with these liars. Tomtom is a dishonest company, there are much better products available. Save your money and buy a paper map from honest people - not Tomtom.

I've had my via 280 for around 3 years. Lifetime maps and I subscribe to camera updates annually. I'm quite happy with the maps themselves but that's about it. Every time TomTom update the program at their end, I have the devil's own job of resyncing so that my laptop tells me if there's an update when I start it up. When I renew the maps annually, I can get no confirmation on the unit that the renewal has taken effect. for example, renewed maps on 17th Feb 2016 - finally got them working last week, two months later. Can't get them on the phone...

Whilst I have not had the problems that some speak of regarding slow acquisition of satellites, except in the canyons of high rise cities where it is to be expected, and have found the maps to be pretty reliable; I was a little surprised when I purchased my new unit, complete with speed cameras and lifetime maps, to receive an email two days later telling me that my subscription to the speed camera updates had expired and asking me to pony up an extra $50 to renew it.

Bit tough TT!

I'm able to use it sometimes. I said sometimes because most of the time, it can't detect the places I been keying in. The software really needs to be updated and I had my son do it for me but he said it doesnt connect. Also the touch screen is slow for me. can anyone here recommend a better brand that is not too expensive

I had a previous TT model that worked in the UK for years, when arriving in Australia almost 3 years ago I purchased the Via 280, has always been slow on the uptake to find GPS and has got slower ( 20 mins driving to find a satellite signal ??) . Decided to update the software - when I finally bit the bullet to attempt to navigate around the website - ( poor experience by the way) and update my product, it worked marginally better for a week and now its not finding any satellites at all no matter how long I leave it hunting for them.

I n...

I have owned my TomTom Via 280 since December 2012. This GPS is generally reliable and fairly accurate. Patience is often needed on start up as there can be quite a delay in locating a GPS signal. I am happy with the Lifetime maps included in the purchase price. The downside of TomTom is their product support. Their update site is baulky/clunky. Updates have rarely been a smooth process in all the time I have owned my TomTom. The TomTom mydriveconnect application is overloaded with advertising connect which appears to stop mydriveconnect from f...

Can't get a signal at all. I installed all updates from the computer left it by the window for 1 hour still not signal. Got it exchange twice repeat the whole thing even tried factory reset never worked. I recommend everyone not to buy it 148 bucks wasted down the drain.

I've only had my TomTom Via 280 for a number of weeks but am finding it very useful. Only one mistake so far - it told me to go right round a roundabout back the way I came but when I kept going it picked up the route again! My complaint (and I may not have found out how yet) is that when I reach my destination, I cannot put in 'reverse' for it to guide me back to my starting point, which would be very useful if returning to a place other than 'home'. New gadgets need some getting used to and I'm finding out how to get over some of the little frustrations.

It takes very long time to connect find the saterlight. Nowadays I need to carry another standby Navigator. I was unable to make the return trip to home very often. When you travel with family and children all of you will be in trouble and may need to sleep in the road. I was unable to return to the hotel after going out. Very un-trustable product. Normally TomTom is not such a bad product may be this model is not a good one.

Very good product, clear road pic, voice reminder, and double pic with one of real road map to somewhere for easy lost, speed alarm, school zone alarm, etc very nice one. Life time free map, and at least 4 times update per year. fantastic. Best GPS for AU. You won't be disappointed by buying TOM TOM.

I have a Tom Tom and the maps are very outdated. I gave up paying for new maps because they too were at least 10 years out of date. My Tom Tom shows my home in the wilderness, even though I have lived on the same bitumened, named road for 30 years. You cannot contact Tom Tom by any means. The speed limits are out of date, you can find yourself doing 60 when obviously the road has been 100 for at least ten years because of the age of trees on new roads. If you enter that you do not want to avoid Toll Roads, it will direct you to a toll road...

It took over 1 week to get the unit operational through Tom Tom web site as it would not recognize that I had an account and wished to record a new model. Operation very slow in linking to the satellite and frequently sends you on the wrong direction . Tom Tom assistance website are not interested

This is the third Tomtom I have had, the Via 280 works well. There is no problem with the set up and changing accounts form the old device is simple, it has features that the GO 500 does not have. I bought the unit from Harvey Norman for $134. This is a very good device, there is no need to buy the more expensive units if you intend to only use it in Australia

The device was good at the first few months and then just become dead! The screen is on but just do nothing, but the blue tooth is still working. I can receive in coming call through the device. But the primary function of GPS has disappeared, it just gives a dead light up screen, not give and direction at all. Very disappointed

What dreadful service. There is no tech support. Only displays error. No phone contact. Very difficult website to navigate if it works at all. Impossible to buy live services, just displays error /en_au/system/errors/404/index.html missing. The house numbers are always on the wrong side of the road. It directs down dead end streets. Do not buy one.

Happy with old TomTom - apart from slow GPS connection time - so upgraded to Via 280M with free maps. Instructions say all you need to do is go to getstarted website to register. So simple?. Needed a lit magnifying glass plus reading glasses to be able to decipher serial number. Getstarted website did not recognize it, or list the Via model as an alternative way to get in - and offered only Mac connections - no Windows.

Tried a different way in, to create new account for new device. Serial number accepted and device recognised on this scre...

tom tom or dud dud.
Quicker to walk to location than for dud dud to find a satellite.
What an absolute pile of crap.
Lifetime maps are no good if the unit lasts 6 months
Tom Tom never again
Happy to recommend anything else.

I purchased the tom Tom to find my way from Gosford to & from Rose Hill. On the way home it put me onto the M2 tollway.!! that was bad enough then in a three lane section it kept telling me to stay right then suddenly said "take the next left after 50 meters".!! Fortunately I did know not to do that as it would have had me out near Dural.!! Scarey.!! With peal hour traffic trying to get from a three lane right lane over into the left lane. Crazy stuff.

I have the unit plugged into a socket that comes on an off with the cars ignition. (normal in most cars)
Its great features to me are
a) turns on and of with out having to be touched. When it turns on it goes to where it was before turning off. You don't have to touch any agreement or whatever, t just goes back to where it was.
b) it connects very quickly to the satelites.
c) It will warn when approaching red ilght cameras. Every possible camera may not be in the maps but with a press of a button you can add them.
d) It shows the loc...

Have to agree with you .i could not be happire with my tom Tom.
Far better than my old Tom Tom GO500

Only had this lemon for 8 days ...programmed trip Collie to Thomson Brook W.A., a distance of 34 klms, alas, the Tom Tom wanted to take me on a 2:29 hrs trip around the south west of Western Australia. Luckily I stopped at a farmhouse to enquire as to where I should be heading, I was in fact heading in EXACTLY the Opposite direction !...I am taking the unit back to JB Hi Fi for a full refund.

I had a other brand GPS until now. I thought it might be the time to upgrade to expensive unit.

1. It's extremely difficult to update map! Win 7 can't install the driver initially. I am still working on it.
2. Touch screen is very dull. It took one second to response at every hit.
3. For the fist time use, this GPS cannot find a street existing for ages.
4. The data cable plug design is poor, it's ridiculously angled into the machine makes it's really hard to pull out.
5. The voice search function is completely useless. I tried several times but it just can't do the job.