TOMTOM IS BEST OF BOTH WORLDS news, deals & events
FIRST TEST Tomtom GO51 sat-nav
Price: £149 Contact: www.tomtom.com Rating: ★★★★
THE £299.99 Tomtom GO6100 – Best Buy in our most recent sat-nav test (Issue 1,415) – may be too expensive for some potential buyers. Meanwhile, the lack of live traffic alerts from the cheaper Start range will put off others. The good news is Tomtom has just released a sat-nav that combines the best of both worlds: the GO51.
The five-inch unit starts at £149 (the six-inch will set you back a further £20) and, as with our test winner, has lifetime speed camera alerts and world maps, plus advanced lane guidance. However, whereas the GO6100 uses a built-in SIM card to deliver traffic updates, the new device taps into your smartphone’s data plan in order to access Tomtom’s services.
Although the GO51 does without the pinch, zoom and swipe functions of higher-grade models, it’s intuitive to use. Instructions to pair it with our smartphone were clear, and it took a second to connect to our iphone 4 via Bluetooth. After that, it connected automatically.
Another plus is Tomtom’s Mydrive set-up. This allows you to plan routes on your laptop or smartphone and send them to the GO51 before heading off. Distance markers to fuel stations and speed cameras are displayed on the right side of the screen, while the speed limit and your current rate are shown at the bottom.
The voice guidance is clear and well timed, and the advanced lane guidance helped us navigate some difficult junctions. As with the GO6100, the GO51 can show the type of traffic on your route (such as lane closures or roadworks) as well as in the surrounding area; it then adjusts the route accordingly.
Bag a bargain with new Ginetta holdall
YORKSHIRE-BASED race car maker Ginetta has slashed the prices of its bespoke holdall as part of a flash sale on its branded range.
The holdall (above) is designed to swallow a full set of racing gear, but is just as easily suited to a weekend away, and isn’t easily mislaid thanks to its bold orange straps. A handy pocket is designed to keep a tablet safe, too. The bag is available from www.ginettashop.com and is £195, down from £295, while stocks last.
Pirelli Porsche tyres have a period look
FORMULA One supplier Pirelli has taken note of the amazing statistic that shows about 70 per cent of all Porsches ever built are still on the road – which means there are lots of classics in need of tyres from their era.
The brands have teamed up to produce a new range of tyres which combines modern compounds and construction for performance and safety, but with a period look to match any classic. Now there are 32 tyre designs available for Porsches built from 1959 to 2005. They’re available at Porsche Classic centres.
Roll up for charity supercar thrill ride
DUNSFOLD Park in Surrey will play host to more than 150 supercars on 2-3 July, as they line up ready to take petrolheads on a series of ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ passenger rides.
Tickets are available for classic car or supercar rides; there are even helicopter trips over the track. The event is in aid of The Children’s Trust, the UK’S leading charity for children with brain injuries. Booking info is available at thesupercarevent.com.
Know an event coming soon? Contact products@autoexpress.co.uk
Products
Price: £25 (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Rating: ★★★★
ANY classic car owner probably winces at the thought of repainting – a trip to the spray shop can be very expensive. This book aims to soften the blow, providing a genuinely useful guide to repainting your car without the expense and equipment. Instructions are simple to follow and it’s backed up with clear pictures and diagrams to help make sure the finish is up to scratch. Vital for a restoration on a budget.
Kit for the cold
SCRAPING ice off the windscreen on a winter’s morning with a credit card is slow work, as well as bad for the fingers and plastic. Make sure your car is ready for that first cold snap with a de-icer. Prestone’s range has made a big impact in the UK market and is available in many big chains for under £2 ( www.holtsauto.com).
Complete the job with a scraper – look for one that not only has a sharp edge for the ice, but also a rubber blade to shift any melted frost and de-icer from side windows. We like Halfords’ £2 Ice Scraper, Squeegee and Sponge ( www.halfords.com).
Kit to keep moving
DURING any annual service or maintenance check, oil is likely to need refilling, but modern engines are fussy about not just the right rating, but also the marquespecific blend. Make sure there’s a litre bottle of the correct oil for your car in the boot.
The same goes for brake fluid and coolant, yet more likely to need topping up is the screenwash. Our pick is Angelwax Clarity ( www.angelwax.co.uk), which comes in a boot-friendly one-litre bottle for £7.95. Perfect for the whole range of British seasons.
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AQIfthenoiseonlyappearsunderbraking,it couldbethatyourbrakepadsareworn. Alternatively,wornwheelbearingscould alsocausethenoise.ifyouhaveacarjack, liftupyourcarandseeifyoucanrockthe rearwheels–lotsofmovementmeansit couldwellbetimefornewwheelbearings.
What is GAP cover?
I’M about to finance a new Jeep Renegade, and my dealer has tried to push me towards GAP insurance. What is it, and is it advisable to have it?