In-Car Nav System report

 

Seems that less owners are satisfied with their In-car Nav Systems than before, according to J. D. Powers.
See:

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/01/22/vehicle-owners-bec...

I'll stick with my stand-alone 660, for now.

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Metricman DriveSmart 76 Williamsburg, VA

Not Me

I'm very satisfied with the Nav system in my BMW. As with all Nav systems, it has its pluses and minuses. However, overall, it is a good system and I really like the LARGE screen and the convenience that it is always there.

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Shooter N32 39 W97 25 VIA 1535TM, Lexus built-in, TomTom Go

New Subaru

When we bought our new Subaru the Salesman said he Wouldn't get the Nav system

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Will nuvi 265W, Vista HCX, amateur radio

Portable Seems Best

Once you purchase the in-car GPS you are captive. Best to stay portable.

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romanviking

Apples to oranges!!!

You can't compare the portable units to the in car systems. Two different animals... My Lexus Nav system is great.. I don't try and compare it with my Garmin I use in my second car. They both have pluses and minuses...if I had my choice between the two I would choose the built in unit... A personal preference of course.

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Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

You lost...

Opencanoepaddler wrote:

When we bought our new Subaru the Salesman said he Wouldn't get the Nav system

I think you made a decision on someone else's recommendation. I hope you tried it out and decided on your own experience whether to get it or not. The system is a good one.

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Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

I agree, my built in GM unit is far more convenient to use

farrissr wrote:

You can't compare the portable units to the in car systems. Two different animals... My Lexus Nav system is great.. I don't try and compare it with my Garmin I use in my second car. They both have pluses and minuses...if I had my choice between the two I would choose the built in unit... A personal preference of course.

I agree, my built in GM unit is far more sophisticated and the convenience of not having to mount and unmount the unit whenever I enter or leave the vehicle is a huge plus. The fact that the nav directions are also displayed in the windshield heads up display makes it heads and shoulders superior to my 3790lmt. The 3790 is by far the best Garmin I have owned but I use it mainly as a back up, when I'm on foot or in another vehicle with no nav.

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Garmin Drive Smart 55 - Samsung Note 10 Smartphone with Google Maps & HERE Apps

Lack of custom POIs

My issue with most built in GPS units is the lack of ability to load custom POIs. I know that the Subaru I was looking at specifically did not include that capability.

Mostly I use the GPS to find out of the way trail heads. I use Google and BaseCamp to find them, then I load them onto my GPS as a custom POI. If I can't load POIs easily, then the unit is mostly useless.

(Actually, I also do use the GPS for long trips. But those don't happen all that often. I just drove to Baltimore and back for Christmas. This spring is a college tour road trip with my younger daughter: Florida to U of Michigan to Oberlin, to Manhattan School of Music and Mannes, then return home. But these trips aren't often.)

My secondary issue is the cost of map updates is significantly higher than aftermarket indash units or standalone units.

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Kenwood DNX710EX (powered by Garmin) Garmin eTrex 20 Florida Trailheads POI File

GPS

I like the fact that I can transfer my Garmin from my vehicle to any other at will!

Friends never had one and never wanted one, they invited me to join them on a 1000 mile trip for a one week vacation. I said I will bring my GPS and both said we don't need it, we have AAA trip-ticks.

After we came home he ran out to buy a GPS, he was so impressed with the Garmin.

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Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

Talked with a Ford Tech...

...a couple of weeks ago. I asked him what it costs to update an in-dash unit on the new Fords. He stated that it cost $200.00 to do the update. Seems they use a flash drive to do the update. Sounds kind of expensive to me.

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With God, all things are possible. ——State motto of the Great State of Ohio

I have averaged around $10-20 dollars a year net map update cost

maddog67 wrote:

...a couple of weeks ago. I asked him what it costs to update an in-dash unit on the new Fords. He stated that it cost $200.00 to do the update. Seems they use a flash drive to do the update. Sounds kind of expensive to me.

The GM unit in my vette uses a DVD map disc that can be used in many different GM models and is not tied to any one head unit.

I buy the new map update and then sell the prior years map disc on eBay. So far I have averaged around $10-20 dollars a year net yearly map update cost for my GM unit.

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Garmin Drive Smart 55 - Samsung Note 10 Smartphone with Google Maps & HERE Apps

In-Car Nav

I agree. I'll stick with my portable. Updates are free and frequent.

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an94

Potential is there

I think potential is there to be better than stand alone units, but I am not sure if it will ever be realized. I just don't ever see car companies allowing frequent, cheap upgrades. I would love to be wrong on this.

Not yet

I won't say I'll never have an in-car system, but my Garmin is more convenient and easier to use than any system I've seen so far. Granted, it could be a matter of getting used to the system.

I do like that I get to program POIs before leaving for my business trips so I don't have to mess with the ones offered by a rental company.

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nüvi 750 & 760

That was my sentiment exactly..

spider_elliott wrote:

I won't say I'll never have an in-car system, but my Garmin is more convenient and easier to use than any system I've seen so far. Granted, it could be a matter of getting used to the system.

I do like that I get to program POIs before leaving for my business trips so I don't have to mess with the ones offered by a rental company.

until a year & half ago when I bought a Genesis. To get the other options that I wanted, the package included a nevigation unit. I wanted to hate it, but the darn thing grows on you. Last week I got a VOLT & I did not have that staunch objection to the nev unit anymore.

I still think they're way too much money, but an OEM unit does have it merits.

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-Garmin Nuvi 760 & 765T-

Free??????

an94 wrote:

I agree. I'll stick with my portable. Updates are free and frequent.

Nothing is free.... You paid for the lifetime map updates in the cost of your unit or if you bought the lifetime maps separately....

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Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

I still...

think you have to have both! My phone nav system sure isn't/aren't a replacement for my Garmin(s).

My whole family have them...WITH in auto nav systems. My sister bouught a new Avalon with a nav sysyem, it is so complicated...nothing doing, I'll stick with my trusty 'ol 350,360,370,760,7765 and 775....

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"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight, make me a child again, just for tonight."

"One way or another...

farrissr wrote:
an94 wrote:

I agree. I'll stick with my portable. Updates are free and frequent.

Nothing is free.... You paid for the lifetime map updates in the cost of your unit or if you bought the lifetime maps separately....

...you always pay to get in"

"Sleuth" Lawrence Olivier to Michael Caine, 1972

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"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight, make me a child again, just for tonight."

"One way or another...

farrissr wrote:
an94 wrote:

I agree. I'll stick with my portable. Updates are free and frequent.

Nothing is free.... You paid for the lifetime map updates in the cost of your unit or if you bought the lifetime maps separately....

...you always pay to get in"

"Sleuth" Lawrence Olivier to Michael Caine, 1972

--
"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight, make me a child again, just for tonight."

RE Custom POIs and Cost

fcoulter wrote:

My issue with most built in GPS units is the lack of ability to load custom POIs. I know that the Subaru I was looking at specifically did not include that capability.

My secondary issue is the cost of map updates is significantly higher than aftermarket indash units or standalone units.

I can load custom POIs to my BMW nav system, so that's not a problem.

It is expensive to update the maps; not something I'll do every year.

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Shooter N32 39 W97 25 VIA 1535TM, Lexus built-in, TomTom Go