Poll: In Car NAV preferences

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Garmin for me. Used one for years and even it found abandoned oil wells when the oil companies couldn't locate them. Sill use it on driving trips.

Same here. On-dash Nuvi (3590, maybe?) with lifetime maps. When out of the car, Apple Maps fills in nicely.

I haven’t found any oil wells though.

[zinger1457]

I like the built in Nav on my Avalon, it does dynamic map updates as you're driving but that 'free' update service is only good for the first 3 years. Not sure what I'll do when that time is up, doubt I'll pay to continue with the dynamic updates.

[Cobra9777]

We both use Google Maps for navigation. In our 2019 Subaru Forester, we use it with Android Auto. Our other 2 vehicles are very old and don't have display screens. So we just use it on our phones in those vehicles. They both have magnetic dash mounts that work very well.

We've messed with Waze several times and it does have some interesting features. But we just find Google Maps to be more reliable and easier to use. It will keep navigating without a cell signal, and without downloading maps, by buffering map data along your planned route.

We use navigation even if we know where we're going, especially when we venture into the DFW metroplex. The real time traffic data has saved our bacon many times. I also like simple things like a very precise arrival time.

[steveark]

Google maps and Waze are much better than the built in systems but they're are times you won't be in cell coverage that an app with built in maps can save you. I've got Copilot for those situations. Apple's navigation is a poor third choice vs Google and Waze.

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack We're on the Verizon system (DW insists), and I've almost never driven anywhere that I didn't have coverage, I've never had Waze or Apple Maps drop out on me that I recall. The only times coverage is spotty is occasionally when I'm on foot way out somewhere hiking or the like.

Midpack, I spend a lot of time in the NC mountains and there are many roads with no cell service whatsoever. Verizon is by far the best but there are places where you cannot receive even a Verizon signal. I am always amazed that a tourist road like the Blue Ridge Parkway has so many stretches with no cell signal. It is a safety issue. A couple of summers ago we saw a car that had run off the Blue Ridge Parkway down a steep hill. We had to drive several miles to get a cell signal to be able to call 911.

[brett]

I seldom use mine.

Why should I pay large amounts of money to update the nav maps when the $120. Garmin unit that I bought five years ago included free map updates. Plus, it is portable....I can use it in both vehicles or in a rental. Not to mention the map apps that are available on my phone.

Given the choice, I would never pay and extra dime for a car with nav. Worthless.

[cathy63]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Midpack, I spend a lot of time in the NC mountains and there are many roads with no cell service whatsoever. Verizon is by far the best but there are places where you cannot receive even a Verizon signal. I am always amazed that a tourist road like the Blue Ridge Parkway has so many stretches with no cell signal. It is a safety issue. A couple of summers ago we saw a car that had run off the Blue Ridge Parkway down a steep hill. We had to drive several miles to get a cell signal to be able to call 911.

The last road trip we did in 2019, we had miles of dead zones in CO, UT, NV, AZ. I even lose service locally when driving over the bridge that connects us to San Diego.

[athena53]

My standalone Garmin has been acting flaky lately- if I plug it into the dash outlet and it needs charging, the "Charging" screen may display for 5-10 minutes and I can't get it to tell me how to get where I'm going till it reverts to the normal display.

I've started using Waze more often. It needs an Internet connection to start but after that seems to do OK if I turn off Cellular Data. Last time I went through Nashville and used Waze for the first time it routed me AROUND Nashville on Briley Parkway. The Garmin always sent me through Nashville on I26/I40 and it could be awful. I thought maybe Briley would be miles out of the way or too congested but the difference was astounding.

The Honda Civic I bought last year wasn't hoity-toity enough to have a built-in navigation system and I'm perfectly happy with that. I do have my phone paired with the sound system so Waze messages come through the sound system and it automatically interrupts any podcasts I'm listening to, then restarts them.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 My standalone Garmin has been acting flaky lately- if I plug it into the dash outlet and it needs charging, the "Charging" screen may display for 5-10 minutes and I can't get it to tell me how to get where I'm going till it reverts to the normal display.

Don't feel too badly; I think many of us got suckered into their promise of "Lifetime maps and traffic updates".

That just meant the lifetime of the unit, and with its limited battery life that's a challenge. I actually bought a replacement battery for mine some years ago but the process of opening the unit and replacing the battery was so difficult that I never did manage to get it back together perfectly. Eventually I gave up because it was so much better to just use the in-car system or my phone.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister Don't feel too badly; I think many of us got suckered into their promise of "Lifetime maps and traffic updates".

The problem I had with my old TomTom unit with lifetime maps is that the newer maps got so large they would no longer fit on the unit. Had to install sectional US maps to get any use out of it.

[cathy63]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinger1457 The problem I had with my old TomTom unit with lifetime maps is that the newer maps got so large they would no longer fit on the unit. Had to install sectional US maps to get any use out of it.

That happened to our Garmin too. At least it had a slot for an SD card so I could still load the bigger maps.

[easysurfer]

I'm actually quite happy with getting suckered into the Garmin Lifetime maps.

The lifetime maps did get large but on my Garmin device, there's the ability to use the external SD slot with SD card so no need to section off the US maps like with the very old Street Pilots brick type GPS.

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathy63 That happened to our Garmin too. At least it had a slot for an SD card so I could still load the bigger maps.

You beat me to the explanation .

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathy63 That happened to our Garmin too. At least it had a slot for an SD card so I could still load the bigger maps.

That’s what I did for my LMT Garmin. I expect to buy a more recent model when it’s time. I prefer the standalone GPS (I could take mine with me but never do).

[PaunchyPirate]

My 2020 Ram Limited pickup has built in Nav with a 12 inch screen. I love it and have zero complaints about it. I tried using Apple CarPlay in my previous 2018 Ford F-150 and didn’t care for the integration at the time. Probably most importantly, I happily use a $25 per month Verizon phone plan that only provides 5gb of data per month. I don’t care to change that just so I can use Maps in my truck.

[2017ish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveark Google maps and Waze are much better than the built in systems but they're are times you won't be in cell coverage that an app with built in maps can save you. I've got Copilot for those situations. Apple's navigation is a poor third choice vs Google and Waze.

We download the maps for anticipated iffy locations. Easy to do from within google maps app, and I assume it would be the same for Waze.

Another nice thing about the phone apps is that they go from car to car (and country to country). We had no issues with Gmaps in Jordan last month--and plan to use it in Iceland in June and July.

++++++++++
e.t.a.--none of our personal cars has a navigation system....

[RetireeRobert]

As a person who bought a smart phone less than two years ago and who uses it sparsely and mostly for texts, I like the car built in NAV systems. But even with those I don't use the "Navigation" feature which "tells" me where to turn etc., , but simply like to look at the larger area map it displays and the moving icon of where my car is on the map, and navigate myself to the desired street or highway or intersection.

My method got us through unknown territories (to us), in the dark of night, to motels or other destinations when we travelled cross country.

[GalaxyBoy]

When I was using Ting as my phone provider I used the built in gps since it didn’t use data. Now I’m on Mint with more data for less money I’m using CarPlay and Google maps. I wish the car (Honda) wouldn’t keep nagging me for an update.

[audreyh1]

I really like CarPlay and can use it with most car rentals.

Tesla cars have a built-in NAV and I guess I’ll have to learn to use that.

We got rid of all our Garmin devices looooong ago.

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GalaxyBoy When I was using Ting as my phone provider I used the built in gps since it didn’t use data. Now I’m on Mint with more data for less money I’m using CarPlay and Google maps. I wish the car (Honda) wouldn’t keep nagging me for an update.

I use Ting but they rolled out a new plan that gives me 1 gig of data for just about the same price I was paying for 100 mg before. As long as I have an internet connection when I first input the address, I can turn cellular data off after that. Sometimes it tells me there's a disabled vehicle on a shoulder and it's been removed but Waze has been unable to get that update, but I can live with that.