PSA: Never buying a (Toyota) nav system again?

[REWahoo]

The one problem with these things is that there is more than just the radio in the unit.. it controls other components...

The increasingly complex electronic gizmos loaded into new cars are a growing reliability issue. From Consumer Reports:

One of the key problem areas in Consumer Reports' survey centers on in-car electronics, including the proliferating suite of audio, navigation, communication, and connected systems in newer cars. Of the 17 problem areas CR asks about, the category including in-car electronics generated more complaints from owners of 2013 models than for any other category.

 

[steelyman]

I bought a Garmin (with advice from here). It works great and I was able to drop it in a backpack when using a rental car (they wanted $11 a day for one of their GPS units!).

 

[Chuckanut]

Most of these NAV/Entertainment/Control systems that are all-in-one units are just plain expensive to replace for the reasons mentioned above. It's not unique to one auto maker. If repair costs are an issue, they are best avoided, IMHO.

So are cars with very fancy wheels. Replacing the tyres is another 'surprise' for some owners.

 

[steelyman]

Most of these NAV/Entertainment/Control systems that are all-in-one units are just plain expensive to replace for the reasons mentioned above. It's not unique to one auto maker. If repair costs are an issue, they are best avoided, IMHO.

So are cars with very fancy wheels. Replacing the tyres is another 'surprise' for some owners.

I agree. The one thing I did appreciate was Bluetooth to the audio. The GPS handled hands-off phone use. I think it's a Garmin 3590.

 

[Mulligan]

Especially in the dark!

It's amazing what you learn about a car after you have paid for it before you even looked at it. I just noticed heated seats for both seats today and blue tooth (though I don't know how to use it). A navigation system might be too much for my old school mind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Gumby]

I have a glove compartment, in which reside a number of folding paper maps. I've never needed more.

 

[steelyman]

It's amazing what you learn about a car after you have paid for it before you even looked at it. I just noticed heated seats for both seats today and blue tooth (though I don't know how to use it). A navigation system might be too much for my old school mind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I was new to Bluetooth. The thing to realize is you have to "pair" the devices correctly. Then they just do their thing. I discovered this while laying on the ground while a friendly dog was staring at me.

 

[Nodak]

There are after market units that will do the same thing for a much cheaper price. I have bought several from Crutchfield over the years and have had no problems with them.

 

[steve88]

If you elect not to buy their NAV system, do you get a price adjustment on the final price of the car?

 

[Calico]

It's amazing what you learn about a car after you have paid for it before you even looked at it. I just noticed heated seats for both seats today and blue tooth (though I don't know how to use it). A navigation system might be too much for my old school mind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I use the MAP nav system, same as Gumby. No GPS for me.

 

[bUU]

We love our built-in nav systems and feel we got a great value from them.

Not everyone has major problems with them, and not everyone has the same preferences and values as every one else.

 

[Hopeful]

Sad part is, I was just reading about how garmin type gps units are becoming obsolete. Sales have steadily declined despite rapidly falling prices. People are just using there smart phones. I know it is true for us. We have a garmin unit in each vehicle, and they just sit in the glove box. I now just use google maps on my iphone. I have a mount for it on my dash. The google maps totes and reroutes much faster. The estimated time of arrival is always spot on and factors on traffic. The traffic times seem much more instantaneous. Plus nothing to update, as it gets it's info from the Internet. I like how quick and easy it is to look up points of interest compared to a stand alone gps. These new phones are amazingly powerful and fast computers. Now I could see instances that a portable unit might have an advantage, such as poor cellular service, but my phone is my go to device now.

I agree that I would like to see some way to just display and control my phone in my vehicle. To have some kind of integration of an already owned device with already paid for cellular data would be great. Unfortunately when it does happen, someone else will want an additional monthly fee I am sure.

 

[bUU]

I'm not so sure. Unlike home broadband service, cellular broadband service is metered for most folks. With metered broadband service - at least - I think competition between service providers will preclude a separate fee, because the service provider is already getting money from you. The metered service might get pricey, depending on your usage.

Honda is supposed to be working with Google to put an Android-based or -like operating system on the dashboard of its vehicles. I would love to have maps.google.com be my GPS, have the device read me emails that come in while I'm driving, etc. When I use it (as a passenger) on my tablet with my Verizon Jetpack, it does a great job. If it could be adjusted to being used in a moving vehicle, like my current system (which does not only navigation but reads incoming TXT messages, etc.), that would be great.

 

[RunningBum]

The problem with relying on a smart phone is if you are in an area with no coverage. Probably not a big deal for most, and I think as long as you plot the course while you have coverage you are ok, but there are a lot of dead spots where I live. Still, that's what I use. Actually my first option is to look at Google maps at home in advance and draw my own map or write out directions. This way I can check if it is trying to route me an odd way. One map program always (or used to) routes me home via a side road and then a walking trail.

There's no doubt in my mind I would only get an external nav system rather than built in. It's lower cost, more easily upgradeable, and portable if I want to take it when I fly and rent a car.

To the OP, I don't see why you can't swap in a working radio and just sell the car without GPS? Most cars have GPS as an option or only on a high trim level so the dash can be with or without GPS so there must be a way to make it without.

 

[jon-nyc]

Google maps operates just fine with no cell coverage, just download the maps in advance.


By the way, am I the only one here who would pay extra *not* to have a screen in the car? I realize I'm a bit of an outlier, but I detest the proliferation of TV and screens in our world. Remember when you could go to an airport or a barber or a waiting room and not listen to the drivel of the day?


Now get off my lawn....

 

[RunningBum]

Google maps operates just fine with no cell coverage, just download the maps in advance.

By the way, am I the only one here who would pay extra *not* to have a screen in the car? I realize I'm a bit of an outlier, but I detest the proliferation of TV and screens in our world. Remember when you could go to an airport or a barber or a waiting room and not listen to the drivel of the day?

Right up until the time you forget, or you miss a turn despite the directions and google can't recalculate the route for you, or you have to detour for traffic or construction, or you decide to make a side trip, or you start your trip from somewhere without coverage, or... I'm just saying a smartphone isn't a total replacement because there's going to be a time where you didn't totally prepare in advance and if you don't have cell coverage then, it doesn't work fine after all.

I don't like the extra screen either, because it usually takes away from an extra storage cubby. But with backup cameras becoming mandatory, get used to having at least one display. I like the backup camera more than I thought I would, plus it gives a display for the trip computer and an index to my music on my USB stub drive I have buried so it's not all bad.

 

[jjquantz]

By the way, am I the only one here who would pay extra *not* to have a screen in the car? I realize I'm a bit of an outlier, but I detest the proliferation of TV and screens in our world. Remember when you could go to an airport or a barber or a waiting room and not listen to the drivel of the day?


Now get off my lawn....

+1

You are not alone but I fear we are a fairly small group.

 

[ERD50]

I'm not so sure. Unlike home broadband service, cellular broadband service is metered for most folks. ....

The problem with relying on a smart phone is if you are in an area with no coverage. ....

There are GPS apps that allow you to download the maps while on wifi and store them. The directions are calculated by the device just like the portable GPS units.

No cell connection required, no data charges.

OSMand is one open source one, there are others paid apps as well.

-ERD50

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Tesla uses Google maps in their cars and I believe Audi does as well. Someone mentioned to me that a few of the Cadillacs have a mount dock for iPads (don't know this for sure). I'm sure in the future, your going to see this more and more often.

Sent from my mobile device so please excuse grammatical errors.

 

[Koolau]

My newest car is a 2000 and I've lost my electronic tachometer already. Since it's an automatic, a tach is just a toy, but I do miss it. I rarely hear or feel the car shift, so it's nice to watch it happen on the tach. I checked to see if the unit could be fixed and my mechanic started rubbing his whiskered chin. When he does that, I know it's going to be expensive. Needless to say, my tach is still broken.

I just can't imagine paying money for a built in ANYTHING these days. I'm sure a GPS system would be a fun toy, but I still use maps or print out directions before I go on a trip. Certainly, there are advantages to these units, but I'd never pay extra to have one built in. And I made that decision before I began hearing about all the problems folks have been having the past 2 or 3 years with the built-ins.

Electronics are amazing - in all their forms. No car built today is free of computers and other electronics. Unfortunately, these improvements come at the cost of making the car an expensive paper weight when something goes wrong. Back in the day, I could keep a an old Chevy or Ford running, long after the mechanic had recommended last rights. Now, a new car may "break" and the only thing wrong is some burned out micro transistor on an obscure chip someplace. Only specialized equipment can even determine which chip and where it is. If replacing the chip doesn't work, you still pay for the switched out chip and start looking for another. So, why would I complicate my life by intentionally adding more electronics when a map will do 95+% of the time? End of rant and YMMV>

 

[ERD50]

paraphrasing....

1) Even though they're less capable and ...

2) as an option cost 3-4 times as much as the best Garmin GPS,

I'll probably think twice about getting an in car nav system ever again,


Sounds like you should think thrice - you already have two good reasons to avoid them.

Seems most people here keep their cars a long time, I wouldn't think a GPS working/non-working would have much effect on the value of a car that's near EOL anyhow. But that also means the built in GPS is old tech for much of the life of the car, and a new $100 unit probably runs circles around it (hmmm, maybe not a good phrase to use for a GPS unit? ). That was the case in my brother's Honda, the GPS was so bad, they used their hand-held. Probably paid $3,000 for that clunker GPS.

Though being built in and integrated (if done well) is nice. Just too many negatives, in most people's opinions.

-ERD50

 

[steelyman]

I bought my unit after riding with friends who had a built-in one. My car doesn't and I figure if I get three years out of it (the GPS), it's fine. I mostly don't use it because I know where I'm going near my home town but I like the portability, which is also there with a smart phone.

 

[aja8888]

There are places where a phone app such as Google Maps on an IPhone/Android won't work as well as a Garmin, or at all. In the oil field, we routinely use Garmin devices for finding wells, gas test points, etc. Phones won't have service where much of this equipment is located.

Plus, many well service people will set up a list of Lat/Long coordinates for their equipment and then use a memory stick via USB to the Garmin to run their routes. In addition, it's easy to send a contractor GPS locations and have them find the equipment they may need to service. It's too risky to use a phone based device to do this as there may be no cell service. Generally, all the locations are coordinate based as many do not have physical addresses.

 

[Live Free]

When I rent cars (frequently due to w*rk) I find that I do like the TV screen for backing up (though I can't seem to not use my mirrors and turn my head to double check - out of habit). As for navigation, I still bring along my Garmin and use that because I can place it on the dash at the right angle to make it easy to glance at while driving. My most recent car rental last week was a brand new Ford Taurus with the full nav system, entertainment system, etc. There were two sets of up/down arrows and "ok"/selection buttons on each side of the steering wheel to make selections on both the entertainment/nav systems as well as other systems (e.g., fuel and mileage calculators). I'm pretty sure if I had to honk the horn in a hurry I would have also turned on/off a bunch of other features at the same time.

Maybe I'm just old school. My own car is now almost 14 yo. I recently bought an updated stereo (got rid of the cassette deck and now can plug in my old ipod to play music) through Crutchfield. You can find lots of youtube videos for installing by yourself for almost all vehicle types. Not hard at all.

At some point, I'll need to replace my old car (hoping to keep for at least 5 more years). I will definitely rethink getting a built-in NAV system.

 

[easysurfer]

When I got my used car, I was rationalizing that I could get the built-in NAV is telling myself I got a LCD stereo system with a buit-in NAV thrown in free. The LCD should make selecting music easier than my current system. But I opted to get one without and just use my trusty portable Garmin instead.