Navigation/GPS in car stereos

[Raduque]

I've been tasked with finding a good double-din GPS head unit for my mom's new car. Why the hell are these things so expensive? A head unit with Satellite radio, mp3, iPod and Aux is around $150. Take that and add in a touchscreen and it's suddenly $450. Add in "GPS ready" and it's $50 more. Change that to "GPS built in" and the price more than doubles. . . WHAT IN THE ACTUAL <censored>!?

Seriously, why are these things so expensive?

 

[jlee]

I don't know, but I agree it's ridiculous. I use my phone for navigation.

 

[Imported]

Still cheaper than a factory option for most cars. I had a Kenwood DNX7140 for a while.. Think I paid around $700 for it.

 

[ghost recon88]

I don't know, but I agree it's ridiculous. I use my phone for navigation.

+1

Just go with a high end unit without any GPS shit and use your phone.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I've looked at them from time to time but they just aren't worth the cost.

 

[Auric]

Built-in hardware is outdated by the time it is released. Aftermarket may be a bit less so. But in either case, software updates cannot necessarily be depended upon. A portable device makes much more sense.

 

[Pens1566]

It's cheaper than factory. It gives the owner more say in what they get. It eliminates the need for multiple devices. It eliminates readily visible devices to steal.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Try finding a GPS for a motorcycle. Those things are ridiculously priced.

ZV

 

[EagleKeeper]

Fall of '09 a OEM unit for a Ford Escape was 2100. A Kenwoord system paired with Garmin was 1200

 

[jlee]

Fall of '09 a OEM unit for a Ford Escape was 2100. A Kenwoord system paired with Garmin was 1200

Meanwhile a new Nexus and two years of service is $1339...it's kind of silly how much in-dash nav costs.

 

[waggy]

I was looking for one to replace ths shitty unit in my car. i wanted one with built in GPS and ability to hook up to my MP3 player. i was shocked to see the price.

now i will settle for one that hooks up to my MP3 player and use my phone as a GPS lol

 

[jlee]

I was looking for one to replace ths shitty unit in my car. i wanted one with built in GPS and ability to hook up to my MP3 player. i was shocked to see the price.

now i will settle for one that hooks up to my MP3 player and use my phone as a GPS lol

You can get some head units that will stream audio and control the phone's music player via bluetooth. Pretty spiffy.

 

[waggy]

You can get some head units that will stream audio and control the phone's music player via bluetooth. Pretty spiffy.

yeah seen one at best buy. i thought that was pretty neat. also the price wasn't to bad. think it was $150.

then i found i need a faceplate since Ford has those fucked up face plates that have the radio, ac and everything else. best buy wanted $100 for that! WTF

so i will pass. since i plan on getting a new car in the summer heh

 

[jlee]

yeah seen one at best buy. i thought that was pretty neat. also the price wasn't to bad. think it was $150.

then i found i need a faceplate since Ford has those fucked up face plates that have the radio, ac and everything else. best buy wanted $100 for that! WTF

so i will pass. since i plan on getting a new car in the summer heh

Check out Crutchfield instead. They usually have free installation kits with the stuff they sell.

 

[RichieZ]

you can usually get the pioneer X line of double din GPS navs for ~550ish.

I had a X910 that I got new for $460 a few years back, I recently upgraded to the Z140bh - yea it was overpriced but with the right dash kit it looks decently clean, have it in my boxster - here's a stock shot of the kit/install:

here's an interesting option to use your iphone, tuner it built into the HU and they supposedly have different faceplates for different phones:

http://www.devium.us/

 

[JulesMaximus]

Try finding a GPS for a motorcycle. Those things are ridiculously priced.

ZV

I had a weather sealed non-motorcycle specific GPS I used on my Suzuki. It lasted about 6 months before it died.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I had a weather sealed non-motorcycle specific GPS I used on my Suzuki. It lasted about 6 months before it died.

True, the non-motorcycle GPS probably wouldn't last long, but at $700 for a Garmin Zumo 660 the motorcycle-specific ones are a bit rich for my blood.

ZV

 

[Raduque]

Forgot about this thread. Navigation options are retarded expensive no matter where they come from. Hell, it'd be cheaper to buy a modern tablet with GPS built in and fab up a dash kit and wiring adapter.

Anyway, after I told her the prices, my mother decided to just use a mount and her GSII for GPS.

 

[phucheneh]

Modern portable touchscreen GPS's are not expensive at all.

Double DIN units are expensive because they're made in far less numbers than single DIN. At least that's always been my assumption. The upside is that there's no stupid screen-motor-mechanism-kajigger to break (maybe it's just me, but any concealed screen that does anything other than rise straight up out of the dash eventually kicks the bucket).

 

[waggy]

Forgot about this thread. Navigation options are retarded expensive no matter where they come from. Hell, it'd be cheaper to buy a modern tablet with GPS built in and fab up a dash kit and wiring adapter.

Anyway, after I told her the prices, my mother decided to just use a mount and her GSII for GPS.

yeah that is one reason i love my GSIII. it has a nice big screen for gps.