YOUR GUIDE COULD BE THREE YEARS OLD

A top of the range satellite navigation machine, given to us as a present at Christmas 2009, is not as new as it seemed.

I could download all sorts of useful elements that the model catered for, however, I was informed that there was a newer map, (note, it did not say a bang up to date one) downloadable at a price. I reckoned that as I had a pretty new machine, it was a fair bet that I could use the mapping within it for at least eighteen months.

It was when we travelled to areas, where we knew there used to be toll bridges and toll roads more than three years ago, twice in three months of receiving the gift, we realised how dated the in-built mapping in our 'new' satnav was. 

To me, this is sharp practice. It is difficult to raise the issues with the makers of the equipment, a real hassle I would think. I am very disinclined to try. The company must rely on new owners not being willing to face a hassle; perhaps they also rely on many of their machines being given and received as gifts, another solid reason why owners may not take the shine off the present. 

No doubt, when we do pay for a newer map, the satnav will choose to recognise where we live, which happens to be far longer than domestic satnavs have been available.