The trials of living off the sat-nav grid

HELPDESK:Answering all your motoring queries

From D Mowatt: A few years ago I bought a Garmin Nuvi GPS. I was surprised to find my address was incorrect; it thinks I live in Hillside View, a place that does not exist. We are in a cul de sac that is part of Beach View.

I e-mailed both Garmin and Navteq but received no response. Two updates later, the address is still wrong. I e-mailed Navteq again following the article on sat-nav in Ireland in Motors (July 29th). No response.

This is a real nuisance as taxis and even council vehicles using sat-nav can’t seem to find us.

We contacted Navteq and a spokeswoman said the firm was “always keen to receive customer feedback” and was “concerned to hear about this complaint. It has been investigated and I can confirm that the database has now been corrected”.

Navteq says it welcomes feedback and corrections and the best way to make contact is via the website, navteq.com and the “map reporter” section. That allows you to look at all maps in detail and pinpoint a mistake that can then be reported.

There may, however, be delays between Navteq updating its information and sat-nav device firms updating software. The customer must also download the latest maps for changes to filter down to the driver.

The reality is, most people don’t update their maps very often and car firms in particular can be slow to keep up. For example, two weeks ago we travelled to Cork and the in-car sat-nav didn’t know about the M8 that opened two months earlier.

Yet there must be forecourts full of new cars with 2010 plates that won’t have the M8 – the major artery to Cork – on the sat-nav. How unhappy will the new owner feel about that, particularly after a €1,500 outlay for the optional in-built sat-nav?

From J Dutton: I am totally confused about the most appropriate oils to use in my cars – a 1971 VW Beetle and a 1989 Porsche 911 930. Are there any advantages to using synthetic oils in both engines? Each car covers about 4,000 miles annually. The VW is used daily and the Porsche at weekends. I do an oil change once a year and use semi-synthetic in both cars. Can you shed some light on the subject?

We turned to our in-house expert on such matters – Bob Montgomery – and he advised us that the Beetle would be best run on non-synthetic oils. Synthetic oils are designed to improve performance by using a thinner film of oil on the engine parts. However, the Beetle was developed before such oils, and is likely to have different tolerances to modern engines. So, while the Porsche is likely to be fine with synthetic oil, you’re best to opt for something like Castrol Oil for Older Cars in the Beetle.

From M McCullough: Some authorised brand dealers are selling pre-registered 2008 or 2009 UK vehicles. They have low mileage and claim one previous owner. How can I check a 2008 model is of reputable origin? What other concerns should a potential purchaser have?

There are plenty of opportunities for you to check the background of UK cars. Several Irish websites offer the facility, including cartell.ie and motorcheck.ie. You can also opt to go to one of the original car check sites, hpi.co.uk, for a detailed history of the car. You will also be able to check for outstanding financing.

From TA: I’m considering getting a new car but I was reading the cost of ownership reports in Motors in recent weeks and I’m shocked at the drop in value over three years. How can I justify those levels of depreciation on what will likely be a small town car? I have a 2004 Mazda but I’ve been very disappointed with the valuations I was given for trade-in on it when I went shopping six months ago. I decided to hold onto it for a few months but I’m not sure things have got any better.

Depreciation is a fact of life for every purchase these days, even houses. However, while trade-in valuations fell dramatically this year, there does seem to be something of a short-term shortage of used cars on the market so you might not suffer as badly as industry averages would have you believe. I would suggest you return to some dealers and see if the offers have improved.

Also, the market is rapidly turning towards small hatchbacks and city cars, so you should benefit from buying in these particular segments.