Aftermarket Navigation

I saw some good reviews the Go by these people http://www.tomtom.com/

I have not used any of them yet. I am interested in the ones that work with palms.

 

A buddy of mine has the Pioneer AVIC-N1 and absoultely loves it. It is a really slick unit. I'm not too thrilled with the flip out mechanism, but it does allow for fitting into just about any dash, verses a double-DIN style unit.

I have used the Magellan in Hertz rentals (Never Lost, yeah right!) and found it slow and confusing, especially with highway cloverleafs where it has yet to steer me correctly.

 

Scotty- I've been researching a navigation system for the last month or so and can give you the run down..

Basically, there are two different kinds; the mounted/portable systems and the in-dash systems- significant advantages to both.

1. It seems the best all around mounted/portable system is the TomTom Go- even though it costs a couple hundred more then the average system, it's supposed to be the easiest, most reliable system on the market (relative to the price)- runs for $600-700.. The only down side to it is it looks like a toy and is relatively small...

2. The only all inclusive in-dash navigation system at this point is the Pioneer AVIC-N1 (as Koby said)- it's a 6.5 inch flip out screen that also plays DVD movies, MP3 CD's (and supports ID3 tags which say the name of the songs), has an option back up camera (gimmick IMO), measures your lateral G's (not important in a truck), and a few other BS things. It MSRP's for $2k but can be found new online for about $1350-1400. The advantage to getting this in-dash system (enough for me to warrant the $600-700 price increase) is that it significantly reduces clutter- it saves you from buying an MP3 player (think iPod) and running those wires to your system, as well as being visible when the car turns off (a mounted can be easily identified and potentially stollen).

I was on the verge of buying the AVIC-N1, made all the calls, had my credit card ready etc- but heard that the N2 will be released in the not so distant future (my father says mid-February but who knows, Pioneer won't give me a date). The upgrades to the N2, as I understand them, are minimal- however, it ties into one of the satelite radio (XM or Sirius, not sure) to litterly remap your route as to the current traffic conditions (!). Cool gimmick but not absolutely necessary... Figure when that's released, the N1'll be discounted to approx $1k (speculation).

Besides the price, the downside of an in-dash system is that, obviously, you can't transfer it from car to car (easily), and installation may be a b!tch. There are no other all inclusive navigation systems-- but you can buy a monitor and gps system seperately and hook them together (to much work for me..).

1a. If you're set on going the portable route, I'd seriously consider the TomTom- it's worth the extra hundred or so bucks IMO.

Enjoy!

 

Having never gone off-roading or having owned a car that could handle more then a few inches of mud at best, that definetly wasn't one of the criteria I looked at in the search . I'd recommend you try an off roading forum about that- you'd have much more luck then on fchat..