Car GPS Navigation?

[Miscue]

My Acura had a stock navi... and it spoiled me. My current 4Runner does not have one and I've been considering adding an Eclipse:
<img src="http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/products/2005/099/l099AVN5435-f_LD-1.jpeg">

However, it breaks one of my rules: Keep it stealthy. My last vehicle that had aftermarket stuff got broken into twice and I'm not going to ever make that same mistake. And... I'm not sure if I'm willing to drop $1699 on a navi... it was a lot easier when it was a part of my car payment. They also keep getting better... and cheaper... so maybe a couple years from now it will be a much better idea.

So I've been thinking... I can get a kick-arse stereo deck that will sound better than the navi anyway... and maybe later get a TomTom or something similar... which I can hide.

Has anyone used these portable GPS's... and do they suck? My Acura navi kicked arse... my main issue was that it didn't calculate very fast... so it would really piss me off if it was significantly inferior to what I'm used to.

The other thing I thought about... was getting a carputer w/GPS and putting a touchscreen somewhere. Anyone done this before?

I was also looking at one of these... and it looks awesome... and looks like it goes for about $850:

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO-rgbtcspd/reviews/20050913/car/navigation/clarion_nice.html

[Muzikman]

Check out http://www.mp3car.com/ it will cost you about $1800 for everything, but then you end up with a complete computer with a nav system.

[Miscue]

Thanks... nice to know that there's an option.

I'm not a fan of how the car computer handles the audio portion... your pre-outs are from a sound card??? Egads! I guess I could use a S/PDIF to analog converter... but I'd prefer not to do that either.

So I think what I'll do is setup a conventional car stereo system with a headunit to handle music. I could hook an iPod or something up to it if I wanted. I just didn't want to spend $400 on a deck now... but have to toss it when going to a navi... otherwise it makes more sense just to start off outright with a nav deck.

I dislike the single-din nav systems very much... don't like how they look... don't like that they are motorized... However, this unmotorized VGA screen right here would work out great. When closed... it's hard to tell what it is because it's not marked. It doesn't scream out... hey look at me! I'm a flip out screen... come steal me! I could probably take it a step further and conceal it even more when parked.

<img src="http://www.xenarc.com/product/images/700IDT-Anim.gif">

[neppo1345]

My Navigation...

I leave it in my car all the time with the doors unlocked...i don't think anyone would ever bother stealing it...and best of all...I don't get lost...

Edit: Sorry I couldn't find anything specifically for driving...

[Miscue]

My Navigation...

I leave it in my car all the time with the doors unlocked...i don't think anyone would ever bother stealing it...and best of all...I don't get lost...

Edit: Sorry I couldn't find anything specifically for driving...

That's what I thought too... before I got used to using a car navi... they are very handy.

[tsc]

Men are not supposed to need directions, Brian

[Miscue]

Men are not supposed to need directions, Brian

They are not supposed to ask for directions. With a navi... I never have to. It's perfectly acceptable to get electronic help.

[Recon by Fire]

GPS for travelling on a road? The military scout in me is just churning now... Unless you are in triple canopy jungle, vast sand dunes, or on the open water, you don't need a GPS!

And if that GPS is not reading a 12 digit military grid, you are just plain wrog

[datapimp69]

Q,

what cell phone do you have.

i have a blackbery 7520, and use telenav, and couldnt be happier.

have everything you are looking for and gets updated by them. since you pull stuff off the net it never gets old.

you can even find biz's and cheapest gas prices on it.

set waypoints and nav back to waypoints.

check it out

http://www.telenav.com

[Steelrat]

You could get a Garmin Street Pilot. They sit on your dash, and can be attached to a nifty beanbag-like mount that keeps it from sliding around. Does a great job at giving directions, including the fun verbal clues. Best of all, you can just move it from vehicle to vehicle by simply unplugging it.

[Big'n slo]

I'm just going to drop a vote for the Kenwood DDX line

I love my DDX7017

Basically the same function as the Eclipse but a coulpe of bux cheaper

[Miscue]

Q,

what cell phone do you have.

i have a blackbery 7520, and use telenav, and couldnt be happier.

have everything you are looking for and gets updated by them. since you pull stuff off the net it never gets old.

you can even find biz's and cheapest gas prices on it.

set waypoints and nav back to waypoints.

check it out

http://www.telenav.com

Hurm... that's pretty nifty. I have an old POS phone that needs to be replaced.

[Bluestrike_2]

We've got a navigation system in a Lincoln Aviator. So useful.

Anyhow, it has a flip down cover that hides it. Problem solved. Of course a car like an Aviator is screamin to be stolen, with or w/o a nav system

They're VERY, VERY useful.

[Timmee]

I bought a cheap laptop for the purpose of navigation, music, dvds, and internet surfing away from home. Granted, I haven't had a chance to use it for that role yet (I need a second battery, the gps unit, and to replace the processor with the faster one I have), but when that's done, it will reside in my truck.

[nippinout]

Miscue, you got me interested in a carputer now.

WRX carputer kit

This kit has the LCD installed into a rig that fits into the Impreza double DIN. Double DIN rules (/me = car stereo noob)

I wonder if I can shove a micro-ATX in the back of that thing. I know my old 386 won't. I am too afraid to rip apart my center console and rear seats to route anything to the trunk. (But I'm willing to rip apart my dash? ) The only thing that sucks with mounting the carputer in-dash is accessibility.

I can't get to any of it without removing the whole thing. It would be nice to have a slim DVD slot in that carputer kit. The only other way to transfer files is via inturweb. But I would like the ability to throw in a DVD to watch while I drive past children playing in the street.

I like the kit because I don't have to solder/desolder any LCD panels, and my fabrication skills are limited to a Dremel at the mercy of my ET fingers. I am very afraid of ripping apart my car, is it that scary? Any idiot can stow an amp, but what about a buffoon tearing apart the innards of an automobile?