Navigation system.... Opinions?

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Rick2112

Rick2112

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I'm wondering if anyone could post a description of how the navigation system works? I usually use my cellphone, but would not mind using one integrated into the car's system, if it is easier to use. Does it require a paid subscription? Data charges? Do any users have favorable or unfavorable opinions about it? Thanks!
 
Works well enough for lazy people like me that can’t stand to plug and unplug the phone every time I get in and out is the car. Also the screen is larger which old eyes like.
Also noticed for the first time when I went out of town that it showed elevation topography when I went through mountainous areas. My old Garmin dash mount didn’t do this.
 
I use it, but not for navigation. (I use google maps for that, as the interface is easier and the traffic I deem more trustworthy).

The things it has that Google Maps does not (even once Google Maps comes to the Carplay screen this fall) are: bold notification of upcoming street; elevation; continuous speed limit display.

This means I use it when I have verbal directions already (including from Google) as it shows the next street. Or on an unfamiliar road that I am taking straight for a while, just to know the speed limit. It’s more of an adjunct to navigation than a navigation itself.
 
When I say it is like a 10 year old Garmin, I don't mean that as a bad thing. Some of the older Garmin units would show topo maps. It is what it is and I really liked those in the day. It is also nice they work without cell signal. Try using Google Maps in Yellowstone. Now they offer offline map download, but that is fairly recent and uses massive amounts of storage. However, Google is just better at any sort of voice recognition, keeping maps updated, etc.
 
Agree, but it takes extra space on your device and requires downloading maps in advance. Also, not sure if Google Maps allows terrain view in Android Auto to show topography. The Clarity maps will work even if you drop your phone into the river on your nature hike.
 
I have a question.
I really like the fact that the built in Garmin will give you the voice and turn info on the DII behind the steering wheel even when you’ve got the center display on another screen like power flow or audio. To me it’s much easier and safer not having to look over at the center display.
If I use I use a phone based GPS like google maps will I still get the DDI turn information?
Thanks.
 
KentuckyKen said:
I have a question.
I really like the fact that the built in Garmin will give you the voice and turn info on the DII behind the steering wheel even when you’ve got the center display on another screen like power flow or audio. To me it’s much easier and safer not having to look over at the center display.
If I use I use a phone based GPS like google maps will I still get the DDI turn information?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
I confirm that the DII will show turn info when using Google Map if you choose Navigation&Compass as current display but I am not sure if it will appear on other displays like Eco Driver Display, Power FFlow Monitor... since I never try
 
My wife says it shows on the range screen she has up and "annoys" her since it covers the range info ;) This is when she is driving in areas she knows, it is very useful though in unknown areas.
 
Roy2001 said:
No other navigation system works better than google map with offline feature, not even close to.
Click to expand...

Well... I'm the odd that been using Nokia map and now Windows Map on Windows Phone. You can download each state, the whole country, and many countries if you're going overseas to the phone. It used to not even require data connection (for A-GPS) but used its own GPS receiver to locate yourself (take longer), worked well when I was in nowhere without cell signal.
 
I would rate Google Maps as #1. We use it when the built in Garmin doesn't give good results which is only a few percent of the time. Otherwise Garmin works fine. To tell you the truth though I'd be happy with a 5" Garmin device on the dash. The benefit of a separate Garmin device is it shows the map and directions all the time so I can use the 8" Honda screen for something else. Also the hand held units are cheap, offer lifetime map updates and free traffic.
 
for Americans= it works in Canada so if you ever go you don't need to pay for roaming charges on you phone
 
Have any Canadian users had luck using the traffic update mode of the built in Nav system? I tried and the system told me to install Garmin Smartphone Link on my phone, but I've not had any luck getting it to connect with my built in nav system. Now, I was using bluetooth for the phone connection - do I instead need to plug the phone into the USB?

Thanks in advance,
Gary
 
Garmin map sucks if you have used Tom Tom in past. on July 4 we were in USA, PA and the hotel location was not coming up in address , so I added Hotel location using " where am I " option and saved current location. While coming to that location again , I used a Tom Tom & Garmin both to come back since I already had one bad experience with Garmin.
You will not believe , it was showing me on screen my destination 17 km away, while the dot Based on " where am I " was showing exactly where it should supposed to , so I do not like Garmin GPS as compare to Tom tom for sure.

After that, we were looking for one address in Garmin inbuilt gps and " lake road" in PA was not showing up. On the same inbuilt gps , when we searched on point of interest , the same lake road did appeared, I do not understand what was going on.

Is there any way to know what version of map do you guys have who updated ?
 
I have been looking at the Garmin more often lately and I have noticed that it does not show my current location very well at all when used immediately after starting a drive - I'm guessing it has not gathered enough satellite data at that point. It was showing me driving cross country and even down the steep hill and across the river where there was no bridge, also across the middle of the golf course that is near where I live. It was amusing though. After a while it seems to get more accurate and actually show where I am really driving. I like the crowd sourcing that google maps use to detect traffic, and I switched from Garmin to google navigation several years ago, mainly for that reason. The onstar navigation that my Volt had really sucked - if you varied off the set course it refused to recalculate a new route, it just insisted you get back on the route that it had planned. The Garmin in the Clarity is way better than the onstar navigation, but google is better still until you get out in the sticks where there is no cell phone reception, then google starts to fail because it can't talk to the mother ship any more.
 
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