I wish that GPS units would be embedded into the entire windshield, much like the setup jet fighter pilots have. I believe it would be safer to look at the map straight ahead than constantly have to refer to a small screen off to the side and then adjust to looking through the windshield.
When I bought my 2004 Prius, I could have got the GPS system for $3000. (granted it came with the better stereo and other goodies). I figured at that price if I got lost I could call a truck and get towed to my destination for cheaper.
A portable unit is cheaper, can be transferred to other cars, and likely is easier to update.
Brian
still uses paper maps
Portable. (my vote)
My parents just checked into updating their in-dash system in their Buick. IIRC, it was $600. The same update from Garmin (last time I did it) was around 50-60 bucks. The iPhone/Google maps combo doesn’t do as good a job of presenting upcoming turns and roads in the pseudo-3D format as a Nuvi.
And… the last Garmin I bought ($77 on sale at WalMart.com) includes a digital camera that allows me to “snapshot” any spot on earth and save that as a waypoint or destination. I use it for boating, walking, biking and the car. I can actually scroll thru pictures and pick one as a destination, as opposed to laboriously keying in addresses.
For the price, the amount you use it, and the ease of transferring to another vehicle, I suppose your best bet is a portable device.
Having said that, I went from a portable in my old car to a built-in system in my new one. I don’t need to use it very often, maybe once a month or so. My old unit (which was a TomTom) was constantly un-charged, never seemed to know exactly where I was, and perpetually detaching itself from the dashboard whenever I made a turn, or sometimes for no discernible reason whatsoever. Sure, I could change the options so Darth Vader was telling me to turn left and get on the highway, but that was probably the best thing about it.
In contrast, I absolutely love my in-dash system. My new car has all the bells and whistles and screens and blueteeth, but the GPS is just so much easier to operate that it’s like a whole new world.
So YMMV and all that, but I’d go with the built-in system if you can afford it.
Because most people own vehicles for 5+ years and 10 years is not at all uncommon. A manufacture created smartphone “cradle” built into the dash would be incredibly limiting with the rate/speed of new phone releases. Just think about how many Android phones have been released with various form factors over the last 12-24 months. Less so with Apple but even there you have form factor changes from original iPhone to iPhone 3/3S to iPhone 4/4S to iPhone 5. I do not want my $40K vehicle’s capabilities held hostage to the whims of a incredibly segmented smartphone market and mobile carriers.
My wife has a in-dash system and I gasped when I found out what they charge to update the maps. A single update costs roughly 5x what Garmin charges for a lifetime update subscription for my portable. This is an issue for us since the roads where we live have been changing rapidly the last few years (lots of major new roads being built here).
Many do have limited heads-up displays that incorporate GPS data. Lexus comes to mind, where directional arrows (and I think) distance appear on the windshield to accompany the audible instructions and map displayed on the screen.
Given the interior of that car, your best bet for a lower mount than the windshield/dash is going to be an air vent mount: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015A6YN6 - basically hooks into one of the two center air vents to hold the GPS in that area. You’d wish the built in nav was priced more fairly - but $600 + insanity for updates make it not even close to worth it - and they aren’t even providing the screen for $600, since it is already there which is the expensive part.
Again, thanks for all the advice. You guys got me to cave. I bought the Garmin nuvi 2597LMT, saving me roughly $440 and whatever the cost of future updates on the in-dash would have been. I’m looking forward to trying to set it up this afternoon.
jacobsta811, I will almost certainly try that solution or one like it if I can’t get the suction cup to stick to the area around the clock, so thanks for that!
Portable Unit. (I like Garmin)
Assuming you get lifetime map updates with the unit at purchase, its a lot cheaper than factory installed. Second, if it needs updates or if it does break, no one has to open up your dash & your car isn’t stuck at the shop for days.
That, and you aren’t just driving around with something broken in your dash that you you haven’t gotten around to fixing yet.
Bases can be bought at Staples and if you really performance drive, you put strips of velcro tape on the bottom (and on your dash) so there’s no sliding off in the turns.
Phones are nice, when you have signal. I have T-mobil and that Android app just dies when it loses signal. Stand alone unit? If you have sky & battery power, you have directions.
(And yes, I did turn them on side by side on a trip with the voices on. Ever hear electronic voices fighting over directions & giving you a snippy “recalculating” when you take one’s directions over the others? Its like driving with your parents in the back seat. 
)
I use a 2495 now and I like it. The old Nuvi still works & I can still take it with me on a back pack. It might sound silly, but when you are in one of those Massive Disney parking lots after a busy day & you aren’t 100% sure where your car is?
Sometimes its a comfort to turn it on, go to recent saves, and have it walk you to where you saved your parking space.
I’m personally quite fond of the CD mount, and that looks like a better location for that vehicle, but it might be a pain in the ass depending on how often you use the CD player and change CDs (I don’t use my CD player at all.) I use that mount for my phone, which is connected to my car’s audio system, and it’s a rock solid mount.
Then sell the tablet with the car. Still cheaper and more upgradable than proprietary systems.
Maybe because all of this stuff predates iPads, tablets, and smart phones.
Asimovian, I realize this is a little late as already bought something but I have a 2010 Mazda CX-7 with a big time software fail; I’d hope they corrected it but don’t know & given you bought a Mazda I’d tell you to check for it.
Car has built-in bluetooth; phone works fine to make/receive calls (mono). Car has BT audio so I can play songs on my phone (A2DP/Stereo). However, if I’m using GPS app on the phone, the only way it will speak directions when connected to BT is if I’m also on the phone (which means two voices talking at the same time! :smack:) Otherwise, phone thinks it’s connected to BT so it won’t speak turns thru the internal speaker & they aren’t announced thru the car’s speakers. I either need to pull the phone out & turn off BT, or plug into the phone’s headphone jack & then put into one ear.
Before it died, I found my Garmin Nuvi to be more accurate than my Android/Google Maps.
They make more money, currently. The more they integrate it with vehicle systems, the more they can justify it, too.
I also dislike the fact that most non-nav dashboards, aren’t designed for lack of navigation from inception. It’s always just a dash that flows, up until you get to the ugly double DIN, and for that reason, I just pay extra for the factory system (or in the future, some aftermarket systems which are a hybrid of factory placement + 3rd party software).
That said, I tend to use both, but factory systems are a huge rip.
Sounds like I made the right decision, then. I got my nuvi set up last night and used it driving in to work this morning. Worked like a charm, including the voice commands. I’m pretty pleased. As I said, you guys saved me several hundred dollars.
The only thing left to figure out is the mounting. The suction cup doesn’t work anywhere on the console, as it turns out. I’m intrigued by pulykamell’s suggestion about the CD mount, which is really highly rated, but with my setup, that would have the nuvi blocking access to the in-dash monitor. I’d have to see if there’s some other place on the console to wedge it. I might also try the previously mentioned a/c vent mount. However, during this morning’s run, I just sat it in the cubby behind the gear shift, and it was fine, although at a much lower position than is ideal for viewing while driving. The fact that it speaks the upcoming directions, including the actual names of the streets, means I don’t really need to spend much time looking at it (in theory, anyway – I knew where I was going this morning, so it wasn’t a true test).