R52 What To Get?
6th Gear
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,478
Likes: 2
I typically recommend against the integrated NAV - you can get better aftermarket Nav much cheaper - and I personally think 3-5 year old built in nav units hurt a car's resale value. I wouldn't buy one with an old Nav unit in it - that stuff ages REALLY fast with the rate of improvement out there...
It is true that techology is always getting better but the fact its ... GPS is GPS. It just gets you from point A to point B. Some companies are adding non-GPS features like a MP3 player or BT but that is NOT GPS. Garmin receivers have sirf chips but it really doesnt matter since you can always use an external antenna. Adding geewhiz non-gps feature to GPS is like adding a cheap "camera" to a phone ... its usually never as good as a real dedicated unit. You wouldnt go to a steak house and order fish ... so whats the point of these add-ons when an Ipod or dedicate BT is better ... just a thought
As to the GPS, they all talk these days (the better units) ... all can get traffic reports, etc. There really isnt much difference. When your driving, how many ppl actually look at the GPS screen rather than the road? I just listen to the directions.
That all said, I have both kind ... portable and integrated. The portable is a royal pain in the butt. Add a bracket, power cord, put it up, put it away ... On the other hand the integrated is not as simple or intuitive (but is much nicer with directions right in the speedo and voice).
The fact is, they all get maps from the same place ... usually Navteq. And you can get the update disks easily. Just did the update DVD for my Magellan ... $100.
Another thing to consider is the car itself. With a MINI, OK, maybe integrated GPS is a luxary, not expected. But when the price of the car moves up, GPS becomes ubiquitous. Just like everyone has a cell phone, the more expensive the car, GPS is just expected.
Bottom line for the MINI. Personal choice. I really doubt it going to cause the car to loose value on resale but adding a 2K option to a 25K car is a pretty expensive option
YMMV ... everyone has different needs.
Personally I just wait to get lost and have my wife ask for directions because "real men" never get lost
I agree with this:
This sums it up pretty well.
But I also agree with Blimey's point. A GPS is not always GPS. Yes, all talk and do traffic now -- but they didn't 3-4 years agos. Blimey's point is that just like the original integrated navs feel outdated now, the new ones will also be outdated in 4-5 years . . . and it's easier to "upgrade" the portable unit.
having said that, I would go with an integrated unit in a cabrio for all teh reasons mentioned by others.
The portable is a royal pain in the butt. Add a bracket, power cord, put it up, put it away ... On the other hand the integrated is not as simple or intuitive (but is much nicer with directions right in the speedo and voice).
But I also agree with Blimey's point. A GPS is not always GPS. Yes, all talk and do traffic now -- but they didn't 3-4 years agos. Blimey's point is that just like the original integrated navs feel outdated now, the new ones will also be outdated in 4-5 years . . . and it's easier to "upgrade" the portable unit.
having said that, I would go with an integrated unit in a cabrio for all teh reasons mentioned by others.