In-dash GPS units

With the Kenwood units, you can add custom POIs, vehicles, voices, and update the maps. Something else you can do that is nice: you can make your own splash screen to personalize it for your particular vehicle.

Sure been a long time since I was reading this thread. But it's one year later and still very happy with my chinese indash aftermarket.

The unit is an Audiosources AS7608 (09 Jetta TDI)that's now even cheaper than a year ago. They have a number of models for different cars.

http://www.audiosources.net/products.asp

Like I said, you can get the latest maps online or ask and I've customized my IGO8, with TTS, custom cars with headlights for the night screen, POI's, custom skins. Pretty much no IGO8 is the same once you start playing with it.

Any questions please ask and I'll stop in here more often.

BTW, I have no affiliation with Audiosources.

agreed go with the portable gps

With your new Ford, you don't need an onboard GPS. It comes with the Sync "Services", which includes directions to any place in the U.S.. The car has a GPS module in it, and directions are downloaded via your "primary" Sync-paired cell phone. I have it in my Ford and it is very accurate. Also includes traffic and weather - all free for 3 years.

I'm not going to get into the lexus vs cadillac debate...
PONTIAC would kill BOTH of ya hands down.
(Ya..ya..I know..they dont exist anymore.. )
My rides:
1998 Pontiac Formula
~498 HP crank HP (Dyno tested)
Proven 11.60 on the 1/4 mile

2002 Pontiac Formula
Stock 325 HP. COMPLETELY STOCK ISCA show car.
(One of 94 BSM Formulas, One of 901 TOTAL 2002 Production Formulas)
Proven 13.11 on the 1/4 mile

2002 Pontiac WS6 Trans AM
~514 Crank HP (Dyno tested)
Untested at the track.
Just the summer street thumper.

:D

But..(as I recall)...its just voice and/or a weak LCD single line display.
No 'maps' or any other goodies a full GPS unit offers.

Not sure what a "weak" LCD single line display means, but yes, there is no map display. It's really nice not having the distraction of a map display, and just relying on verbal directions (which, I repeat) are accurate. Trust me, I carry my Garmin in the car in case I need it (which I haven't yet). I suspect I'll use the Garmin once the free 3-year Sync plan is over.

I just saw a Kenwood ddx418 at Fry's Electronics and like the looks and features of it. Does anyone know if the in-dash Kenwoods can accept the custom pois from the POI Factory and how easy is it to accomplish that?

Why not look up the manual on Google?

Most Kenwood/Garmin units install by selecting the SD card in your computer as the destination when you run POI loader. Next you just start the Kenwood unit up, insert the SD card in the slot and when it sees the card it asks if you want to update the POI's and just select yes.

Too bad the car manufacturers can't make it that simple. That's one of the things that has always led me to not even consider factory installed units-the closed nature of them.

Thanks for the info. I was concerned about not having to load all the custom poi's from this site. I didn't know that the Kenwood/Garmin had a SD card slot, that's great! Definitive need to do more investigating

I know someone with an in-dash system in a Lexus. It's very smooth, integrates well with the other dashboard/MFD functions and has a great screen with very accurate tracking. Problem is it has no way of adding POI's or cameras, no SD slot, and upgrading the maps costs an arm and a leg.

Unless you're prepared to spend some pretty major cash to upgrade the purchased system you are better off with a hand held system. I have a 760 and can replicate most of his functions i.e. GPS, POI's, spoken directions, bluetooth hands free phone hookup, in car music etc. perfectly acceptably, and can take it with me when I'm out of the car walking in a strange city. Plus I have red light/speed cams and I can upgrade/update virtually all of the above functions at minimal or no cost.

I know which solution I prefer.

It works very well and is simple to do. If you download the manual for the model you are interested in from the Kenwood site you can make sure it meets all your needs before you buy it. They have a lot of different models that will work. The manual will also show how to load new maps and POI's.

It has CE 5.0 on it. Why dont you install Miopocket 3.0 on it and have some fun? Garmin Mobile XT works with Miopocket, so does IGO, you could even install Tomtom 4 on it if you wanted.

Head over to www.gpspassion.com

If interested by an In-Dash Nav system, I recommend You have a look on Advent OE products. I recently have one installed in my new Highlander 2013 and it is a beauty. Compared to the factory installed radio- Nav, You will enjoy Hands-Free Parrot, Unlocked GPS database etc. The Nav is by NaviEstras ans uses IGo Primo which is accurate and have excellent graphics.
Advent makes an OE for most Toyota cars. They are mostly Plug & Play installation.

http://www.adventproducts.com/oe-multimedia-solutions/

I have a Kenwood DNX710EX in my car. I can import POIs using an SD card. (One bit of advice. Follow their directions exactly when updating the POIs. Do not over think them. It took me a week to figure out what I was doing wrong.)

I don't like using external GPS units when driving. The screens are too small. The unit will fall at the worst possible time. And (as has been mentioned elsewhere) they're illegal in almost half of the states. Do you want to give local governments more revenue raising opportunities?

Now that's news to me. On what do you base this claim? There are only 4% of the states that have regulations about attaching something to the windshield by suction cup, and even then attachments are allowed with restrictions.

How well do the Sync custom POIs work for you. Does it let you know when red lights and speed cameras are near you?

Also, I go into the boonies a lot. Will the Sync Service know about trailheads that don't appear on a stock map? (Heck, Google Earth hasn't heard of some of them, either.)

And how does it work when you drive out of cellular coverage and need to change routes?

I don't know of any state that completely restrics use of a gps.

When I was driving my daughter to Waco, TX, for a college audition, I had to drive around a very large traffic circle. I needed the map screen to know when to move out of the circle.

I've also found myself at strangely designed intersections which also require a map, not just a verbal "take the turn that's 120 degrees to the left."

Sorry, but I need the map.

There was a thread here that claimed that 22 states -- I'm doing this off of memory -- have laws that don't allow them. Enforcement, on the other hand, is spotty.

If I gave the impression that GPSs were restricted, I misspoke. I am under the impression that blocking the windshield, either with an on-dash or suction cup unit is illegal in a bunch of states. (However, enforcement is spotty.)

In dash GPSs are not covered by these laws. Neither is having the GPS sitting on the passenger seat, although that's not very convenient. I suppose getter a copilot to hold one would work well.

California would account for 21 of the 22 with Minnesota being the 22nd. Those are the only 2 states with specific restrictions I'm aware of. There are other states that have restrictions about restricted vision, but then those laws could apply to everything from things hanging from the mirror to tint on the windows.

Perhaps I'm getting old. I could have sworn that I remembered Georgia on the list. Living in Florida, that's important if I want to leave.

Leaving aside the legality, I still like in-dash units far better than external units. They're larger and don't block my view.

On the other hand, I haven't found (in a separate thread) any factory units that equal after market units in terms of capabilities. So it looks like I'll have to decide between moving my current Kenwood DNX710EX to a new vehicle, or buying a new Kenwood and (hopefully) not breaking other vehicle functionality. Hopefully none of the other vehicle functionality will be dependent upon the GPS display.

I think you may have been referring to the FAQ here:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/34521

It says that 28 states and 6 provinces do not allow GPS units to be mounted on the windshield. However, one of the provinces classified as "No" in the FAQ is Ontario, and that classification was based on...

...and FWIW I've never heard of anyone in Ontario getting ticketed for that offence w.r.t. a GPS unit.

Can anyone tell me why the GPS that you buy with the new car is so so expensive?

My cynical side says "greed."

My open and understanding side thinks that it's possible that the reason that non-factory GPSs are much cheaper than factory GPSs is economies of scale. Garmin will sell a crap lot more of a model than Ford, and Garmin gets to spread its costs of mapping over far more units.

My cynical side says "that's a load of crap."

If you want a Lexus GPS, you have to buy a Lexus. They can pretty much charge whatever they want for the built in GPS.

On some models, the built-in GPS is bundled in with a premium options package.

Every year I get an "offer" from Honda to update the in-dash GPS with a new maps dvd (which actually goes under the driver's seat). Their special price is $150 or $199 (can't remember). Their system is not "live" in any way -- no traffic, no RLC, etc. No thanks, Honda.

I recently bought a Taurus that came with Ford Sync (backup camera, MP3/iPod connectivity, 10Gb Jukebox, voice command, etc.) and the GPS was part of the package. The whole Sync package was $2000 - $3000 and you could not get it without the GPS.

In many higher end vehicles, these things are "standard" options and you almost have to special order a vehicle without them! Have you tried to find a car without a sunroof?

Like so many things the profit margins are not as great as they used to be. Manufacturers create bundles of low-cost items with a few higher cost items and then tell you the package can't be split. We just bought a new car this spring. I would have liked some of the features in the next level up, like a moon roof, but it came bundled with GPS and leather seats which I didn't want. I'll do without the moon roof.

I have a GM factory in dash GPS, in addition to the GPS capability it also adds voice control for every function, steering wheel control, touch screen control for all functions, MP3, both XM sat channels, Onstar integration and the best thing of all and have found this to be a real safety feature is that in addition to speed, tachometer and warning messages plus all the radio and CD functions show up in the heads up windshield display including the turn by turn GPS instructions. It also automatically adjusts the radio volume and voice instructions for changing background noise levels to compensate for the cars speed and whether the top is up or down.

The GPS is far more capable and sophisticated than any Garmin I have owned including my 3790LMT.

How expensive are the map updates? Can you install custom POIs?

The map updates are on a DVD that is not tied to any particular head unit so the prior years map disc can be resold and works in multiple GM brands. The upgrade runs around $150 and it normally runs me around $10-20 dollars a year for the map upgrade after selling the prior years map disc on line.

I have also found that the GM built in POI database is more current and about twice as large as the built in Garmin POI database. The only feature it doesn't allow is adding custom POI's.

Of GM car do you have.

The Garmin SD cards are also not tied to a particular head unit, and cost under $100. I haven't tried selling the previous year's card so I don't know how much I'd get for it. (Although I question why a person would pay $130 for a year old database when the most current one is $150.)

I can't speak about the built in POI databases, but I doubt the ones I add for trailheads -- I spend my weekends tramping through the woods -- appear on the GM GPS. I know they don't appear on the Garmin ones.

(And I'm sure there are dirty old men who would like to download strip clubs, too. I guess that's just a different type of dirt from the mud I get here in Florida.)

Which of course brings up the question of factory GPS units on off-the-road vehicles which don't let you add new POIs for trailheads. I'm looking primarily at vehicles with four wheel drive that still run reasonably on the road. It looks like I'll have to add an after market GPS. (Yes, I can save the location after I've been there. But when I'm trying to find it in the first place is when I'd really like it on the GPS.)

I wonder if someone would make a GPS which could receive a location via a smart phone. You could use Google Map to send the location to the phone, which could forward it to the GPS. The new Kenwoods already can talk to my phone and connect to Pandora. This shouldn't be any harder.

Why would someone want to spend $300 - $400 per year to update their in car GPS when for a one time fee of $89.95 you could purchase a new GPS that has "Lifetime" map updates..!!..?

Nuvi1300WTGPS

In my case, I like the bigger screen of an in-dash unit while driving as well as the fact that it doesn't block my view of the road.

I have two different GPSs. My portable is an eTrex 20, which is optimized for long hiking expeditions. It also hooks up to my computer so I can drop in whatever files I want whenever I want. I use the free topographical maps available online as well as a free trail overlay map. (The trail overlay gets updated about once a month because people like me send the author corrections and updates.)

My car's in-dash GPS has a 6 or 7 inch screen, which works really well while driving. (Can you image attempting to use a 2 inch screen while driving?) It doesn't have free maps, so I update it every few years, generally before a long road trip.

When I find a new trail online that I want to check out, it normally doesn't have a street address that I can type into the GPS. Instead, I go through an annoying multistep process that involved finding the trailhead on Google Maps, sending the location to my eTrex 20, importing it to BaseCamp, saving the GPX file in my POI folder, then importing it as a custom POI onto my car's GPS. (I simultaneously add it to my Florida Trailhead POI file here so that no one else has to do this.)

Of course, if I already added it to my POI file, I don't have to do this. I can just punch it up on my car's GPS.

As for paying $300 to $400? I don't have that option. Garmin only updates the Kenwood maps once a year, for under $100.

Or is there an in-dash GPS with lifetime maps that I'm not aware of? If so, could you tell me which one? It's not hundreds of dollars a year, but it does add up.