So I get this Email....... (factory installed nav system)

A couple of months ago I got a telephone call from our local Ford dealership - offering congratulations on the second anniversary of purchasing our Taurus, reminding me to bring it in for regular service, and advising me that I had not updated my in-car GPS.

I really like the car, but I have used the in-car GPS once in two years.

I have to agree with you. In my opinion it is a waste of space and money... but it came with the vehicle.

It is possible to buy a Nissan that is the top trim line and fully equipped but without the GPS. They have the cars on the lot. That is what I did! Not having the GPS saves $2000- immediately!

On the lower part of the dashboard in front of the center console is a cubby hole with a door where the OEM GPS would be, and that is where the 3597 resides.

dobs108

My wife’s top of the line 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara also has a compartment with a flip up lid built into the dash. The vehicle came with a removable Garmin Nulink 2390 which fits into the space but it does not have a free lifetime map subscription. Like you, I put my 3597 in the compartment instead of paying the $70 to update the 2390.

Unfortunately, Suzuki stopped importing vehicles to the US in 2013 so this is no longer an option.

If we had a Like button here, I'd be clicking it right now!

My wife's Taurus has the GPS and, like you, I've used it maybe twice. I much prefer my old Garmin nüvi 760. The only "saving grace" with the in-car GPS is that the package includes the hard drive storage for all of my wife's CD collection so she never has to carry the discs anymore. She just stuck them in once, told the car to save them, and then put the discs away.

I will never pay the $200 Ford is asking for a map update! I have lifetime updates on my nüvi.

We ordered an Escape Titanium earlier this year and put several options on it but no GPS. I can't see paying that kind of money for the original unit and then paying those kinds of fees to upgrade.

I have factory Nav in my car and do use it but even at one year old, I find the maps to be out of date in certain places. I have a Nuvi 2557 in both vehicles and that is what I prefer to use.

Got to love Factory GPS

Yes, the car company GPS options are generally not good. A USB port is all you really need for music. My truck has this, and an 8 gig stick holds all the music I can listen to even on a multi-day trip. It has a CD player, but I almost never use this.

For the creators of the maps to catch up with those who claim the end of the world is coming and for them to create celestial maps for our next form of travel.

a little left past the first star of morning routing?

I agree with you, thrak.... I've filled the hard drive in my Escape 70+% full! It was time consuming but I use that all the time...

Theres a pop out try center of dash where I installed the flip up try for a Garmin. It is supposed to use a Nissan/Garmin 700 but I use a 765T. I don't think they make/sell the GPS tray anymore.