Navigation Fail - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Comments

• kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863

  October 2014

  That's why manufacturers shouldn't be coming up with their own navigation. Integrate with Google Maps and/or integrate with my mobile device. Don't give me worthless/bad mapping software and THEN expect me to pay for updated maps on top of that. This isn't 2000.

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• ebeaudoin Member Posts: 509

  October 2014

  I agree ^ It's amazing how much some people pay for in-car navigation that doesn't always work the best! I am thrilled with my $150 Garmin with Lifetime Map Updates. If I had a better-functioning smartphone, I would use Google Maps. The few times I have used it, I've loved it.
  
  Nav from the manufacturers just doesn't make sense anymore.

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• chol92594 Member Posts: 208

  October 2014

  Using Internet-sourced navigation like Google Maps is great, except that it requires a data connection. I'm not aware of any cars that have such a connection without an added cost, so you have to pay a monthly fee to a cellular carrier for data, just like with a smartphone. That's probably not a big deal on a more expensive luxury car, but on lower end models, a lot of people aren't going to want to pay that extra money each month. Plus, since navigation data requires a constant internet connection, you'll most likely be out of luck if you're in a more remote area where data service is scarce or nonexistant. Still, it would be better than a majority of the OEM nav systems used today. I use the Maps app on my iPhone for navigation (I've also used Google Maps in the past and at times where the Maps app wouldn't suffice for what I needed) and I've never wished for a stock navigation system. It's much easier to use and always up to date.

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• rsholland Member Posts: 19,788

  October 2014

  ebeaudoin said:

  I agree ^ It's amazing how much some people pay for in-car navigation that doesn't always work the best! I am thrilled with my $150 Garmin with Lifetime Map Updates. If I had a better-functioning smartphone, I would use Google Maps. The few times I have used it, I've loved it.
  
  Nav from the manufacturers just doesn't make sense anymore.

  The navigation used by the Ram and other Chrysler products is made by Garmin.

  2
• speednet Member Posts: 52

  October 2014

  It just needed a reboot. That fixes computers great -- and apparently car navigation systems too.

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• Mr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

  October 2014

  I use Google maps with cellphone extensively, and it has been the rare instance that a failed signal leaves me stranded. I personally would never order NAV on a car, especially when it comes bundled as an expensive package. Also you can get a voice-activated Garmin for $200 bucks with lifetime maps and traffic.

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• misterfusion Member Posts: 471

  October 2014

  As noted above, the Ram's nav is by Garmin. However, the traffic data is an add-on feature provided by SiriusXM, so it's hard to tell whether the errors came from Sirius or the nav unit itself.

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