Car Navigation Systems

[Phoenix84]

I’ve been researching buying a new car. I’m thinking of either a GMC Terrain, a Toyota Rav4, or a Mazda CX-7. I’m still doing the research and will likely wait until the 2012 models come out.

Anyway, one of the options they have on cars is the built in navigation system. It’s pretty expensive to add them to your car (over 1k). I was thinking I could simply buy a really nice Garmin or Tom Tom for a fraction of the price.

Has anyone ever used a built in navigation system? Is it worth the money?

[qofcc]

The way technology is changing, wouldn't you be afraid that in a few years it would be outdated like a casette player?

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

I used one in my friend's toyota. It was really annoying. You couldn't input information while the car was in motion (I know it's to keep drivers from being distracted but if you have a passenger who can input stuff, it would be nice to let them). It also seemed to be really behind in calculating where we were to give us directions. We ended up just using the map feature and not using the "turn by turn" directions...I would just go with the Tom Tom or Garmin.

[sheilaincali]

We have an in-dash navigation system in our Volvo XC90. I really like it. There is a small computer type thing under my seat that they can stick a new cd in to update the maps every once and a while. It can be used while driving. Has buttons on the steering wheel and a remote control so that I can set it as well if DH is driving.
I really like it, no complaints or problems with in in the 3 years we have had the car.

[runewell]

Buy a portable one for a fraction of the cost. You aren't likely to need it when you're around town anyway.

[MN-Investor]

OT - Funniest cartoon I've seen - Car pulling a camper goes off the road, over the side of a steep mountain. Caption: "Recalculating, recalculating."

[Deleted]

Get a Garmin for $150. Then you can upgrade to the newest latest and greatest one in a few years when that's obsolete.

Getting an in dash navigation system reminds me of when I had a car with a built in phone. LOL

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Rune has a good point, phenoix. If you get the one in your car, you can't use it when on business trips or vacation (unless you drive everywhere). I would think that you are fairly familiar with getting around your own town so you wouldn't need it there. The only places it would come in handy would be long road trips and moves. How often do you do those? Save $$ and get a Garmin.

[simser]

I got a car that could accept an add on built in navigation player. And getting one was an amazing addition to my car. I use it more than my husband uses his stand alone version, and I can use it while driving (my parents can't- even if the passenger is doing it). It was also half the price. You may want to consider that option.

[8 Bit WWBG]

If you had asked me this question 5 years ago I would have said that the in-dash is the only way to go. With the advances in portable units, I would never pay $1k+ when I can get a superior product for $250.

Plus, on many cars (luxury mostly) you cannot get the navigation package unless you ALSO get the "premium package" which by itself is usually $3k+. I'd probably get the premium package anyway, but hot damn...

[steph08]

I would get a stand-alone version as well. Why pay $2000 when you can pay $200 for a Garmin?! I love my stand-alone Garmin that I bought about 3 years ago - it has both European and North American maps and I paid $150 this year for lifetime upgrades and I get the new maps 4 times a year. I can use it while walking, while on vacation, anywhere.

[thyme4change]

OT - Funniest cartoon I've seen - Car pulling a camper goes off the road, over the side of a steep mountain. Caption: "Recalculating, recalculating."

Or the Allstate commercial where meyhem (comedian Dean Winters) is your GPS and he recalculates. I love at the end "Recalculating!"

[reader79]

I have a TomTom and a Navigon. I paid under $200 for each of them. I definitely recommend a portable versus a built-in. I drive both my parents cars, my sister's car, and rentals frequently and being able to swap it comes in handy.

TomTom has a few new units coming out this summer, so I may upgrade to one with lifetime free traffic updates and a bigger screen.

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Sometimes nav systems are scary. I had one tell me make a u-turn on a freeway The scarier part is that there are people who will blindly follow whatever the machine says because "it knows better".... Ummm... if you are driving through the woods on a dirt road covered in snow looking for the nearest McDonald's, the machine is probably steering you in the wrong direction.

[reader79]

Yeah, being the Virgo that I am, I usually mapquest my destination as well and memorize the route just in case. I am going to St. Croix in a few weeks, and I have been studying maps of the island because I can't get a firm answer if either of my units will work there.

Airport - hotel - wedding venue - aunt's house - repeat.... I am also going to bring a compass.

[wodehouse]

It seems that a lot of the upscale cars offer option for back-up camera but only when you get the nav option. My spouse would love the back-up cam but then she hardly hardly hardly ever drives. And personally I would not be depending strictly on a back-up cam. But some cars (Volvo is one) offer a "forward view" camera which would be handy, say, when you're pulling out of an alley with buildings on both sides of you, common in urban areas.

Funniest thing is that Subaru (and some others) offer nav option on their inexpensive vehicles (under $20K) and all it is is a Garmin that pops out of the dash! ETA: Even Volvo has a dealer add-on Garmin unit that attaches to a special dock on the dash or window pillar. It's still much more expensive than going to your local electronics store (or Amazon).

[Deleted]

We have a Garmin Navigation system in each car and we have been happy with them so far. I bought mine for $250 3 years ago and when my wife bought her car last september the same model was on sale for $99 so we got that.

[azphx1972]

I would avoid paying for a built-in Nav system if I can. Standalone GPSs (and even smartphones, if you're within data range) work far better in my experience, and are significantly cheaper.

[Phoenix84]

Yes, you all have confirmed my suspicions. I figured a portable unit would not only be cheaper, but more versatile. I do have an old, off brand GPS that I’ll probably swap out for a new unit when I get a new car. Having a portable unit means I can take it on business trips, swap it out if I drive someone else’s car, and even take it hiking. I’ve recently moved to Colorado and I’d like a GPS unit to use on the trails out here. You can get a really nice garmin with lots of features for $250, which is less than a quarter of a in vehicle model.

[Phoenix84]

"Ummm... if you are driving through the woods on a dirt road covered in snow looking for the nearest McDonald's, the machine is probably steering you in the wrong direction"

I know what you mean. I was looking for my sister's hotel once, and it took me to a corn field 20 miles from anywhere. I"ve heard stories of people following their GPS's and getting stranded.

[azphx1972]

If you wait for sales, you can get really good deals on GPSes. I picked up a Garmin 5" GPS loaded with features, including lifetime maps and traffic, for $160 over the holidays.

[illinicheme]

I'd get either a standalone GSP unit or a smartphone with turn-by-turn directions. (We used to have a Magellan unit. Now we simply use our phones.)

[Deleted]

OK OK...now for the other side: All 3 of our cars have built-in Nav system. The absolute coolest is in my DHS Corvette and my Cadillac. The Honda is OK. But, combine On-Star and Nav, and you don't even need to input your info into the Nav system. I simply push the blue button, tell the person where I want to go, and they d/l the instructions straight to our Nav system.

We also have a Tom Tom that DH bought a few years ago. It's a real PITA as far as I'm concerned. You have to be able to stick it to the windshield or someplace equally inconvienent, so it makes looking at it difficult. Then of course, you've got wires dangling and power cords plugged in.

No thanks!!! I'll gladly keep the built in systems...Oh, and did I mention how absolutely COOL OnStar is?

[azphx1972]

I admit that OnStar would be cool if it was free. But I'm not prepared to pay $9.99 or whatever it is per month since I wouldn't utilize it enough to make it worthwhile. If they had a pricing model that charged on a per use basis, I may consider it.

[azphx1972]

BTW, Google Maps on Android phones allow speech input and will provide guidance with minimal touchscreen input. It's always up-to-date since it lives in the cloud, and is free. That is one killer feature that my iPhone sadly lacks.

[TD2K]

OT - Funniest cartoon I've seen - Car pulling a camper goes off the road, over the side of a steep mountain. Caption: "Recalculating, recalculating."


LOL. Like the Geico commercial with Mayhem.

[formerexpat]

Not worth it. I'd get a Garmin for $100-$200 and be done with it.

We just bought a Sienna and passed on the Navigation system.

[whoisjohngalt]

Well, we have one and I can't figure out how to use it, I like my Garmin 500 times better. That being said, according to my DH the one that came with the car can do all kinds of other fancy things (I don't know what they are either, bc I don't use it).

So, find out if you will be using other features and if not, I vote Garmin all the way!!!!

Lena

[Angel!]

Apr 14, 2011 20:12:23 GMT -5 azphx1972 said:

BTW, Google Maps on Android phones allow speech input and will provide guidance with minimal touchscreen input. It's always up-to-date since it lives in the cloud, and is free. That is one killer feature that my iPhone sadly lacks.

This is what I use. Frankly I think stand-alone navigation systems are going to become obsolete. With phones & other devices like Ipad, you can get the maps/navigation plus all the other features of the device. Why buy something that only provides navigation at that point?

[TD2K]

I would question what an in-car navagation system does over a standalone system to justify the additional cost, seems pretty high to me. The obsolete question is also a good one, I remember the upset customers when Onstar said the early generation analog systems would be unable to work any longer.