It's funny. My GM car has a factory installed GPS. However, I have two Garmin GPS units that I way prefer. One is a backup I keep loaded with destinations identical to the first one. If the primary unit goes belly up or is stolen somehow, I'm still in business.
My problems with the factory device in the car are as follows:
1. The maps are now out of date, and the only way to update them is expensive and complex.
2. Hard to read - streets are not labeled so they always appear as you move about.
3. It does not tell you what the speed limit is.
4. It will not warn you of red light cameras.
5. There is a limit of 50 destinations you can program on it.
6. The ETA is not given.
7. No traffic problem alerts.
8. When a destination is not active, it does not display the street just ahead as well as the one you are on, for example "Mission lane ahead."
9. No guidance reference to restaurants or attractions by name.
My Garmin units address all of the above problems and to boot are easier to read. Updates are free and do not require any coupling with a computer or compact disc, just a wall plug for sustained power.
I revert to the factory GPS only around town, where roads are well established and do not usually require updating. The 50 destinations I've programmed on it only include local stuff.
But when I plan longer trips, the Garmin units really earn the money I paid for them, and so far I have not reached an arbitrary limit on programmed destinations.
I have found that for rural addresses, the actual location may differ from the address. After referring to Google Earth at home, I can figure the decimal GPS coordinates of the actual locations and enter them easily on the Garmin units.
Some might think it odd that I use a moveable dash unit when I have factory GPS, but I beg to differ for the above reasons.
Anyone else have similar concerns and/or experiences?
John
My problems with the factory device in the car are as follows:
1. The maps are now out of date, and the only way to update them is expensive and complex.
2. Hard to read - streets are not labeled so they always appear as you move about.
3. It does not tell you what the speed limit is.
4. It will not warn you of red light cameras.
5. There is a limit of 50 destinations you can program on it.
6. The ETA is not given.
7. No traffic problem alerts.
8. When a destination is not active, it does not display the street just ahead as well as the one you are on, for example "Mission lane ahead."
9. No guidance reference to restaurants or attractions by name.
My Garmin units address all of the above problems and to boot are easier to read. Updates are free and do not require any coupling with a computer or compact disc, just a wall plug for sustained power.
I revert to the factory GPS only around town, where roads are well established and do not usually require updating. The 50 destinations I've programmed on it only include local stuff.
But when I plan longer trips, the Garmin units really earn the money I paid for them, and so far I have not reached an arbitrary limit on programmed destinations.
I have found that for rural addresses, the actual location may differ from the address. After referring to Google Earth at home, I can figure the decimal GPS coordinates of the actual locations and enter them easily on the Garmin units.
Some might think it odd that I use a moveable dash unit when I have factory GPS, but I beg to differ for the above reasons.
Anyone else have similar concerns and/or experiences?
John
Maybe. That aside, Garmin or other outboard GPS (TomTom) are the alternative, or swapping out the factory audio head unit with an aftermarket one that supports CarPlay or Android Auto. No free lunch… but I’d rather run Garmin or TomTom than allow Apple or Google to further monitor my every move. Decisions, decisions.
, works perfectly.
