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OT - new car Navigation systems

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RUfinal4

Heisman Winner
Apr 24, 2006
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I am considering buying a new car in the next few months. I am likely buying an Acura or Lexus but based on my finances I may drop to a mainstream brand.

Many car companies charge anywhere from $1200 to $3500 for the Navigation / technology packages. Is it worth it? In cars I have had in the past with Navigation they are disk based and when you want to update maps it costs you like $100 (sometimes more) to buy a new disk for upgrades.

If I went the route of the best Garmin / Tom Tom with free map upgrades do they sync via the blue tooth system to read out directions over the radio like a built in system?

Any other thoughts on the best portable systems vs. the manufacturer built in systems?
 
I use my iPhone. Works just fine.

Anyone looking to buy a new car in the next year or so who is concerned about in-car technology may want to hold off. Car companies are finally doing the right thing with infotainment systems and allowing Apple and Google to develop OS kernels which will basically display your phone right on the screen.
 
Both Google (Android) and Apple have developed automotive interfaces which are now being built into some cars. I don't know where they stand on cars currently available. But with the interface, you can use Google Maps (or the Apple imitation) for your in-car navigation.

As you look at cars, see if any have the smartphone interface to allow you to use the better mapping apps on your phone. It would give you the best of both worlds with the advantages of a built-in nav system and the accuracy, currency, and flexibility of a smart-phone nav app.



If the smartphone interface is not available and you are looking at old-style built-in navigation versus a stand-alone Garmin or Tom-Tom, I would avoid the stand-alone Garmin or Tom-Tom. With the built-in navigation, you get a larger screen, and it is tied into other devices in your car (such as automatically lowering radio volume when giving an audible turn direction). There is zero advantage to a stand-alone dedicated nav system. If you want the stand-alone device, just use your smartphone as the nav system. It is always up-to-date with the latest maps, and if you don't like a particular navigation app, you can download another one.
 
I am not a fan of using my phone as a Navigation tool. I find it reduces the battery faster (forcing me to have a wire to plug it in). Plus it always gets weird if trying to do navigation while a call or message comes in. Some of the car infotainment systems actually read your texts and emails while driving to avoid you looking at your phone. Plus the phone screen is smaller.

I prefer my phone be different from my navigation tool. My phone is a backup tool if the navigation system can't find the address.
 
Originally posted by RUfinal4:
I am considering buying a new car in the next few months. I am likely buying an Acura or Lexus but based on my finances I may drop to a mainstream brand.

Many car companies charge anywhere from $1200 to $3500 for the Navigation / technology packages. Is it worth it? In cars I have had in the past with Navigation they are disk based and when you want to update maps it costs you like $100 (sometimes more) to buy a new disk for upgrades.

If I went the route of the best Garmin / Tom Tom with free map upgrades do they sync via the blue tooth system to read out directions over the radio like a built in system?

Any other thoughts on the best portable systems vs. the manufacturer built in systems?
Click to expand...
My Honda Accord is under 25k. Even the salesman said don't bother with the Navi. The Bluetooth phone took one minute for a technologically challenged person (me) to hook up. Good luck. $$$$
 
It's convenient. Also, I prefer the big navigation screen as opposed to the dinky little phone, or navigation system. If your going to consider Lexus or Acura, you should also consider BMW, whose navigation/ infotainment system is particularly strong . I believe They pushed their last update to me remotely. My next car will have navigation.
 
I will say that with my Audi I very much appreciate the in car navigation.

In addition to the larger screen on the main console, there is a small LCD area between my MPH and Tach gauges that is also giving me directions. When I am driving, I rely far more on this centrally located navigation screen than the main screen on the center console.
 
I have a 2012 Lexus. The navigation is very good. However the entertainment side of the system sucks. My wife's 2007 Ford Explorer with Sync was a better entertainment system than the 2012 Lexus. They probably have changed it by now but I am probably changing brands when my lease is up later this year.
 
Originally posted by Scarlet_Scourge:
the Lexus ones are FAR BETTER than anything that Google and Apple currently has, imho.
Click to expand...
Waze disagrees.
 
I'm a Garmin fan. 5" screen with lifetime map updates for $150 plus it is very portable. I won't use phone for reasons already mentioned above.
 
Originally posted by RUfinal4:
I am considering buying a new car in the next few months. I am likely buying an Acura or Lexus but based on my finances I may drop to a mainstream brand.

Many car companies charge anywhere from $1200 to $3500 for the Navigation / technology packages. Is it worth it? In cars I have had in the past with Navigation they are disk based and when you want to update maps it costs you like $100 (sometimes more) to buy a new disk for upgrades.

If I went the route of the best Garmin / Tom Tom with free map upgrades do they sync via the blue tooth system to read out directions over the radio like a built in system?

Any other thoughts on the best portable systems vs. the manufacturer built in systems?
Click to expand...
Total waste of money.

Waze
Google Maps
I'm sure there's an iPhone thing too.
 
My Acura TSX just turnsed 8. I have the navi system and would not buy a car without it. I have never updated and see no reason to do that. It is worth the investment if you drive a lot like I do. Best 2k I ever spent
 
Originally posted by RU Mike73:
I'm a Garmin fan. 5" screen with lifetime map updates for $150 plus it is very portable. I won't use phone for reasons already mentioned above.
Click to expand...
The reasons to not use a phone were reasons why an in-dash nav system is better than a phone. But none of those reasons are applicable to Garmin vs phone (with the exception of someone who indicated that his phone navigation app has issues if he receives a call, which sounds like a problem specific to his phone, or his choice of navigation app, as neither I nor anyone I know has that problem)


What are the advantages of Garmin over a phone?

The 5" screen on a Garmin is the same as the 5" screen on my Samsung Galaxy phone. My phone doesn't need lifetime map updates, because it has instantaneous updates all the time. My phone is as portable as a Garmin (and arguably more portable, since I already carry my phone and wouldn't then need to carry an additional Garmin device). I have to plug in both the Garmin or my phone to keep it from draining the battery on long trips. I really can't think of a single advantage of Garmin over my phone.
 
I think the decision should be based on the real need for the system in the first place. Unless you are virtually working in your vehicle and on the road to unknown locations regularly, why pay so much for a system that you need to pay to update and worry about just outright quitting on you?

I have a pair of Tom Tom's that have lifetime free updates in our cars. When I need to know how to get someplace, I just plug it in and put it on the dash. It may not be as large as the ones built in, but it works just fine. The newest one even gives me live updates on traffic/accidents. Cost a hell of a lot less and they come with me when I sell a car.
 
Originally posted by RUfinal4:
I am considering buying a new car in the next few months. I am likely buying an Acura or Lexus but based on my finances I may drop to a mainstream brand.

Many car companies charge anywhere from $1200 to $3500 for the Navigation / technology packages. Is it worth it? In cars I have had in the past with Navigation they are disk based and when you want to update maps it costs you like $100 (sometimes more) to buy a new disk for upgrades.

If I went the route of the best Garmin / Tom Tom with free map upgrades do they sync via the blue tooth system to read out directions over the radio like a built in system?

Any other thoughts on the best portable systems vs. the manufacturer built in systems?
Click to expand...
Don't spend $60,000 on a nav system thats in a car...spend $60,000 (or whatever your car budget is) on a car...then worry about what kind of nav system it has or doesn't have...and options to use.

Unless you are a delivery driver...one doesn't need a nav system on a daily or even weekly basis.

PS. Not sure they even make those today?
 
You could pay thousands for a nav system in your car. Or you could spend nothing at all and use Waze, which is the best navigation app I've used by far (and I've used lots of different nav systems). Waze runs on any Android or Apple device. Directions are great and always up to date. And you get notifications of things like police presence (could go away soon though), cars stopped on shoulder, crap on the road, potholes, traffic, etc. And it's free.

Just make sure the car has Bluetooth support for:

- hands free mobile phone use
- navigating and playing music from your iphone/android phone
- hearing Waze tell you where to turn or warn you of problems on the road ahead

If the car has good Bluetooth support, then all you need is a good smartphone that integrates nicely into the car's sound-system and you'll have all you could ever want.
 
Waze is awesome. But as another poster just said, it's weird when you get calls, texts and emails when driving. I just bought a car last year and I got the navigation. It's just as good as any garmin out there or any app out there. Upgrade map was 180 and for my garmin they want 90. They way I looked at it was for 1200 dollars I'll get the navigation because I plan on keeping the car for minimum 5 years. It's not much money over a 5 year period.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
 
1200 sounds like a lot to many people. Is it doable? Yes. But considering the technology is probably equivalent to a turn of the century computer, are you really getting it for any reason other than the look? Probably not.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
 
imma laugh my @$$ off if there ever is a massive solar flare or EMP attack
 
I have had built in navigation in two vehicles. While it an expensive upgrade the features that came with the package made it reasonable.
 
Originally posted by mildone:
You could pay thousands for a nav system in your car. Or you could spend nothing at all and use Waze, which is the best navigation app I've used by far (and I've used lots of different nav systems). Waze runs on any Android or Apple device. Directions are great and always up to date. And you get notifications of things like police presence (could go away soon though), cars stopped on shoulder, crap on the road, potholes, traffic, etc. And it's free.

Just make sure the car has Bluetooth support for:

- hands free mobile phone use
- navigating and playing music from your iphone/android phone
- hearing Waze tell you where to turn or warn you of problems on the road ahead

If the car has good Bluetooth support, then all you need is a good smartphone that integrates nicely into the car's sound-system and you'll have all you could ever want.





When I use my car's navigation I always refer to the map to determine exactly when a turn is coming. How do you do that on your phone? Do you have a stand that you place the phone I or are you just using the voice commands.
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by ajbush12:
Waze is awesome. But as another poster just said, it's weird when you get calls, texts and emails when driving. I just bought a car last year and I got the navigation. It's just as good as any garmin out there or any app out there. Upgrade map was 180 and for my garmin they want 90. They way I looked at it was for 1200 dollars I'll get the navigation because I plan on keeping the car for minimum 5 years. It's not much money over a 5 year period.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Click to expand...
Why's it weird to get calls, texts and emails when driving using Waze?

I could get any navigation system I want, but I use Waze. I'm not saying that to brag about what I can afford; I'm saying that to illustrate how good Waze is as long as you have a good Bluetooth system in your car (which I imagine most do these days).
 
Originally posted by BigLou:
Originally posted by mildone:
You could pay thousands for a nav system in your car. Or you could spend nothing at all and use Waze, which is the best navigation app I've used by far (and I've used lots of different nav systems). Waze runs on any Android or Apple device. Directions are great and always up to date. And you get notifications of things like police presence (could go away soon though), cars stopped on shoulder, crap on the road, potholes, traffic, etc. And it's free.

Just make sure the car has Bluetooth support for:

- hands free mobile phone use
- navigating and playing music from your iphone/android phone
- hearing Waze tell you where to turn or warn you of problems on the road ahead

If the car has good Bluetooth support, then all you need is a good smartphone that integrates nicely into the car's sound-system and you'll have all you could ever want.





When I use my car's navigation I always refer to the map to determine exactly when a turn is coming. How do you do that on your phone? Do you have a stand that you place the phone I or are you just using the voice commands.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I have a CD-player mount that holds my Samsung Note II (pretty large screen). I listen to music via my phone's music library (via Bluetooth), so I never use CDs. So that visually shows next turns and distances and all that typical Nav stuff.

But the voice commands are so timely and accurate that I very rarely need to look at the screen to navigate. It just works very intuitively. It is, IMO, way better at voice commands than a high-end Tom Tom I had was. Way better than my car's Garmin-based built in Nav system. Way better than Google Maps alone (I think Google owns Waze now, but not positive).

What I like is that everything is in one device. My music, phone, and navigation. And it all connects seamlessly to my car's audio system via Bluetooth. I can control it all via either voice-command or via buttons on my steering wheel. I never have to take my hands from the steering wheel for anything (well, except to up/down shift or scratch my... well, you get the idea).

Because Waze is free, if you have a smartphone, you can install it and try it out for awhile in any car. So try it for yourself.
 
I have navigation in my car & never use it because I use Google Nav on my phone which is better & easier to use.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
 
Hey Upstream, to each his own. I wasn't speaking for all or saying that only way to go. If reading comprehension an issue, I was advising what I prefer. Pretty simple really.
 
Originally posted by BigLou:
Originally posted by mildone:
You could pay thousands for a nav system in your car. Or you could spend nothing at all and use Waze, which is the best navigation app I've used by far (and I've used lots of different nav systems). Waze runs on any Android or Apple device. Directions are great and always up to date. And you get notifications of things like police presence (could go away soon though), cars stopped on shoulder, crap on the road, potholes, traffic, etc. And it's free.

Just make sure the car has Bluetooth support for:

- hands free mobile phone use
- navigating and playing music from your iphone/android phone
- hearing Waze tell you where to turn or warn you of problems on the road ahead

If the car has good Bluetooth support, then all you need is a good smartphone that integrates nicely into the car's sound-system and you'll have all you could ever want.





When I use my car's navigation I always refer to the map to determine exactly when a turn is coming. How do you do that on your phone? Do you have a stand that you place the phone I or are you just using the voice commands.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Buy a phone mount for $20
 
How old are you?
What do you do for a living? Outside sales?
Are you on the phone alot whill driving?

When I was in outside sales back in 2007, I absolutely loved the Acura navigation on my MDX. Didn't like the Nissan, Lexus or BMW navigation. I was always on the phone.

Google maps and waze do such a good job, and they are constantly improving. Doesn't Waze suggest alt. Routes when there is traffic or an accident? Do the navigation systems do that today?

When I recently got 2 cars for the family, there was no way I was going to waste money on the navigation. Often you have to get a package, which h has some stuff you don't necessarily want or need.
 
I second the Audi navigation system. The only issue I have is the voice commands when entering a new destination. Tend to input destination manually.
 
Technology moves too fast for me to sink that kind of money into expensive,"gee whiz" electronics that are a permanent part of the vehicle, which within a few years will be outdated and "unsupported". For those who feel they need them for whatever reason, hand held or portable electronics are far less expensive, more easily updated or replaced as the technology moves on, and you don't end up with a vehicle full of permanently installed, outdated, unsupported dead weight. Whatever vehicles I buy must have the fewest electronic add-ons as possible.
 
Passed on navi and used the money towards the entertainment system.

Money. Well. Spent.
 
Originally posted by Kentor404:
Technology moves too fast for me to sink that kind of money into expensive,"gee whiz" electronics that are a permanent part of the vehicle, which within a few years will be outdated and "unsupported". For those who feel they need them for whatever reason, hand held or portable electronics are far less expensive, more easily updated or replaced as the technology moves on, and you don't end up with a vehicle full of permanently installed, outdated, unsupported dead weight. Whatever vehicles I buy must have the fewest electronic add-ons as possible.
Click to expand...
even a compass can still lead you in the right direction 100 years later. its the same way with navigation system. Sure it might become outdated, but as long as it takes you where you want to go, whats the difference? some manufacturers do offer updates, which they push through remotely.

What the navigation system provides is convenience, clarity, and a large screen. its much easier and faster to put in an address into a navigation system at 70 mph, then into a smartphone. I have waze and google maps, but i find myself defaulting to the build in navigation system whenever traveling to a new destination. its simply easier.

Finally, you can't get a ticket entering an address into a navigation system while driving, whereas you can get a ticket entering an address into a smartphone while driving.
 
Originally posted by winfield102:
How old are you?
What do you do for a living? Outside sales?
Are you on the phone alot whill driving?

When I was in outside sales back in 2007, I absolutely loved the Acura navigation on my MDX. Didn't like the Nissan, Lexus or BMW navigation. I was always on the phone.

Google maps and waze do such a good job, and they are constantly improving. Doesn't Waze suggest alt. Routes when there is traffic or an accident? Do the navigation systems do that today?

When I recently got 2 cars for the family, there was no way I was going to waste money on the navigation. Often you have to get a package, which h has some stuff you don't necessarily want or need.
Click to expand...
Of course! They also let you see nearby restaurants and call those restaurants all from the same screen. The new ones are a lot more advance that was around 8 years ago or on phones today.

Not everyone can afford it however, phones are a cheap alternate that work "good enough" as long as you have a good data plan and get good signal everywhere you drive to. If that is the case, then the car version becomes a luxury item.
 
They are great. Much easier to use than your phone. I have an Audi and it is pretty robust.
 
Rutgersal, you must know more about it than GM did a few years ago when their rep told me over the phone that support and service for the system in my recently acquired pre-owned late model Cadillac (5 model years old) was limited at that time and scheduled for discontinuation at the end of the year. That didn't bother me because that wasn't why I bought it, so I passed on what support or service they could temporarily provide because I had somehow been able to function, read signs, and find my way around without it up until then and I assumed I still could. I travel by car extensively for business and pleasure and don't need or use electronics just to navigate. On the occasions when I'm in an unfamiliar area and want to know the location of a restaurant, store, gas station, or whatever, I pull over for a few minutes and use the GPS mapping program on my phone.

And yes, you can get a ticket for distracted driving for other things besides messing with a cell phone. There are various catch-all "distracted driving" and "failure to pay full time attention to the operation of a motor vehicle" state and local laws in effect across the US that don't specify the type of device or what was distracting you at the time in order to be enforced.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/11/bill_would_ban_all_forms_of_distracted_driving.html




This post was edited on 3/19 12:46 PM by Kentor404

Distracted Driving Enforcement NJ
 
Originally posted by RUfinal4:
I am considering buying a new car in the next few months. I am likely buying an Acura or Lexus but based on my finances I may drop to a mainstream brand.

Many car companies charge anywhere from $1200 to $3500 for the Navigation / technology packages. Is it worth it? In cars I have had in the past with Navigation they are disk based and when you want to update maps it costs you like $100 (sometimes more) to buy a new disk for upgrades.

If I went the route of the best Garmin / Tom Tom with free map upgrades do they sync via the blue tooth system to read out directions over the radio like a built in system?

Any other thoughts on the best portable systems vs. the manufacturer built in systems?
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, we have an Acura and a Honda and except for the logo that comes on when they boot up, the system is the same. It's slightly better in the Honda because it's newer, but is otherwise very similar.

I end up using Google Maps or Waze on my phone more often anyway. It's just easier for me to input destinations and it has traffic. My wife prefers the built-in nav systems. YMMV.
 
Also, for a new car purchase what are the typical charges for tax, title, and registration? Just figuring out what my cost will be before I walk in the dealer.

For tax - I think it is NJ state's 7% sales tax
For registration - I think it is in the $70-85 range for the vehicle I am looking at
For title - not sure the costs

Other things I am looking at:
- Extended warranty - for me this works since I put a lot of miles on my cars
- prepaid maintenance - from my research this is not worthwhile unless I do all my maintenance at the dealer. They offer free 5k and 10k checks. For the 15k and greater service I think I can go to any qualified mechanic that has a good reputation. The I have mechanics in my town that I can walk to that can handle oil changes and tire rotations.
- applique coatings - not sure about these. I know there is a 3M product with a good reputation. My 10 year vehicle got some minor paint chipping on the doors last winter. I also have some paint chips on the front and back bumpers that look like rubbing from parallel parking (not by me but probably the person who parked in front and behind me). I heard a good detailer probably can add these coatings better and cheaper.

In researching, if my negotiated car price is 40k it can quickly ramp up to $45k or more with these additional add ons and tax.
 
Assuming you are buying in NJ and live in NJ:

Tax is 7%

Title fee is as follows:
Title fees
Fee payment:$60 for a standard vehicle$85 for a financed vehicle with one lien$110 for a financed vehicle with two liens
Registration is based on vehicle weight and is for a period up to 4 years. Use the following link to determine the registration fee: http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/regfee/index.html
 
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