Navigation systems in cars

[jtvang125]

My car didn't come with a factory navigation system but I just recently bought an aftermarket one. It's one of those combo type Nav, DVD, CD, MP3 headunits. I can't wait to install it so I can see what it's capable of.

So for people who already have a nav system in their cars, what's your experience with them? Are they actually useful? If it's like having mapquest at your fingertips then I think it's going to come quite handy.

 

[Excelsior]

My only experience with one was in a mercedes in europe, but my dad and I found it extremely helpful for navigating. We could look on the map, find where we wanted to go, tell the system, and we were off. We did not waste a minute trying to find any certain place.

 

[pontifex]

Tom Tom

those commercials are so annoying...
i wonder how well it works. i could use soemthing like that. i am horrible with directions

 

[beyonddc]

My friend got one, and he told me it's very useful.
Especially he needs to do a lot of work related travel.

 

[Heisenberg]

My sister's got one in her SUV. It's been very useful when I visit and get to use it.

 

[darkxshade]

like this one?

 

[tommywishbone]

70% cool, 30% useful.

 

[thirdeye]

I had one in my RX-8 and when I got rid of the car it was the only thing I missed about it. Now my TL has it and I won't own a car without it again. It's just so much handier to punch where you're going and be done. You know how long it will take you, how far you're going in just a glance.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: pontifex
Tom Tom

those commercials are so annoying...
i wonder how well it works. i could use soemthing like that. i am horrible with directions

I have it on my iPaq and it is fantastic(Tom Tom 5, same as the portable units).

 

[Mermaidman]

It seems useful only if you have to go many places with which you're unfamiliar.

 

[intogamer]

They look cool and useful. You can also watch movies on it right?

I was in my cousin's friend's STI he hooked up his lappy to it.

I think its all aftermarket tho...

 

[m2kewl]

just wait until you get lost...all i can say is,

Acura navi >> *

 

[WW]

very nice to have...I didn't think I'd use it as much as we do...it's voice activated, you can ask it "find nearest chinese restaurant" "find nearest ATM" etc....pretty useful and cool

 

[stash]

I have navi in my 06 accord coupe, and it is extremely useful. I live in DC and go to NYC frequently. I have family in NYC, so I know the area very well, but the nav makes life much easier. You might know how to get somewhere, but your way might not be the most efficient. Or if there is a traffic jam/detour/something, it's nice to find an alternative route.

It's also comforting to know that I'll never get lost. If you miss a turn, no problem, the nav will recaculate. You need gas, food, whatever, the nav can show you where to go. And being able to say 'home' whereever you are to calculate a route home is very nice.

 

[Vic]

I say "wow cool" factor, but that's because I have way-above-average spatial orientation abilities. I scarcely need maps, even to find my way around a city I've never been in before, much less nav.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Vic
I say "wow cool" factor, but that's because I have way-above-average spatial orientation abilities. I scarcely need maps, even to find my way around a city I've never been in before, much less nav.

It's kind of hard to do that if all you have is a street address and you have no idea where that street is.

Navigation is useful if you drive in unfamiliar areas a lot, not so useful if you mostly just drive back and forth to work. So far I haven't had enough occassions where I wanted one to justify spending more than $50 on it.

 

[theknight571]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Vic
I say "wow cool" factor, but that's because I have way-above-average spatial orientation abilities. I scarcely need maps, even to find my way around a city I've never been in before, much less nav.

It's kind of hard to do that if all you have is a street address and you have no idea where that street is.

Navigation is useful if you drive in unfamiliar areas a lot, not so useful if you mostly just drive back and forth to work. So far I haven't had enough occassions where I wanted one to justify spending more than $50 on it.

I would agree. Unless you venture into unfamilar terrirory often, it might not be worth it.

When I go out of town on business I always get the Neverlost from Hertz. Saved my backside many times. Of course, it did try to get me to drive though a lake once... lol

- TK

 

[nakedfrog]

I just look it up online before I leave. That's worked well enough.

 

[Baked]

Something you could've done for free by going to google maps.

 

[heelside23]

I think they are useful if you're traveling, but this is just cool.

 

[xanis]

I've used a stand-alone one before... I think it was a Magellan. Anyhow, my verdict is that its useless on local roads, your way will be faster and easier than the GPS' way 9 times out of 10. However, on longer trips, maybe out of state, then it works great.

 

[toant103]

Originally posted by: pontifex
Tom Tom

those commercials are so annoying...
i wonder how well it works. i could use soemthing like that. i am horrible with directions

tomtom maps aren't that details. Well, depending on where you are.

 

[daniel1113]

I use my factory Nav system on a daily basis. Even though it is the most useful in foreign areas, it is great to have around town just to see where you are in relation to other streets and have a warning for upcoming turns and whatnot. I doubt that I will never own a car without one again.

 

[spidey07]

extremely useful. Not to metion just asking your car to tell you how to get somewhere.

 

[xanis]

Also, some people find the little voice helpful, but I find it annoying, telling me to turn or "make a legal U-Turn" every so often if it thinks that I'm going the wrong way.