After Marker in-dash Nav System

[76okievette]

Has anyone installed an in-dash after market Nav system in their 08? Wonder where to get the best deal and what type of unit to install, recommendations would be nice. Thanks

 

[Bonnell]

I may get this one as a Christmas present to myself.

http://www.pinnacleautoworks.com/Pioneer_AVIC_F900BT_Double_Din_Navigation_Unit_p/avic-f900bt.htm

 

[JT ZR-Won]

I may get this one as a Christmas present to myself.

http://www.pinnacleautoworks.com/Pioneer_AVIC_F900BT_Double_Din_Navigation_Unit_p/avic-f900bt.htm

Wow, that's pretty slick looking! Merry Christmas!

 

[hotshotzny]

personally i would not install an in dash system nor would i ever pay the extra for on in a new car.... in my opinion your best bet is to go with a portable dash mount type GPS ... many of the new ones are small in size and fit very nicely in the vettes... my father and i sell the items so we are constantly upgrading and also the are easily taken from one vehicle to another... once you mount an in car system you can figure that you are stuck with the unit until you sell the car and its going to be sold with the car cause nobody every removes these things just like that expensive car stereo... and once you use a gps unit to go on a trip you will feel lost without it... its just my opinion but the fact is you can buy a unit with every feature of an in dash unit for half the price.... i have one of the cheapest units out there in my vette cause its usually topless and unlocked and it works fine and its tiny....in most cases we buy and sell our units below any major stores prices so if you want to know what a unit should go for send me the model and i can give you a ballpark $$
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134

 

[76okievette]

Bonnell, thats a nice looking unit, does it come with the cables to mount it I can't see on web site about installation kits I think there would be a seperate kid for each type of car?

hotshotny, i am a little concerned about the small screen size for the porable units, the in dash has a much lager screen size, that is why I am consiering the in dash.
Thanks

 

[Bonnell]

Bonnell, thats a nice looking unit, does it come with the cables to mount it I can't see on web site about installation kits I think there would be a seperate kid for each type of car?

hotshotny, i am a little concerned about the small screen size for the porable units, the in dash has a much lager screen size, that is why I am consiering the in dash.
Thanks

I believe the kit comes with or without the cable. The cable is $50.

 

[Bonnell]

personally i would not install an in dash system nor would i ever pay the extra for on in a new car.... in my opinion your best bet is to go with a portable dash mount type GPS ... many of the new ones are small in size and fit very nicely in the vettes... my father and i sell the items so we are constantly upgrading and also the are easily taken from one vehicle to another... once you mount an in car system you can figure that you are stuck with the unit until you sell the car and its going to be sold with the car cause nobody every removes these things just like that expensive car stereo... and once you use a gps unit to go on a trip you will feel lost without it... its just my opinion but the fact is you can buy a unit with every feature of an in dash unit for half the price.... i have one of the cheapest units out there in my vette cause its usually topless and unlocked and it works fine and its tiny....in most cases we buy and sell our units below any major stores prices so if you want to know what a unit should go for send me the model and i can give you a ballpark $$
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134

It is not the navigation function that I am interested in mainly. In fact I gave a Tom Tom away. Navigation comes in handy sometimes but not often. Look at the capabilities of the unit that I listed. It will display from your iPhone/iPod just like the individual device. It integrates this function along with Bluetooth and XM or Sirius (take your pick). I enjoy XM and I like the Onstar phone and I would like the Bluetooth integration.

If all I wanted was navigation I would agree with you entirely.

 

[hotshotzny]

i myself have never had a problem with screen size even with my small unit.. properly mounted in the right position i think you can easily view it... as far as some of the other functions yea they are nice... the unit i have in my hummer the garmin 2820 is bluetooth so now any car i decide to put it in has bluetooth capability, it is xm compatable and has traffic updates if you choose to use that option (i have no need for that function) the price is close to that of an in dash unit but as i said you can move it from vehicle to vehicle..... if navigation is what you need i dont see the difference.. if you want to be able to sit in your car and watch a dvd get an in dash unit... and if screen size is a concern look at the garmin street pilot 7200.. it has a 7" screen the 2820 is 3.8 and the pioneer i belive is 5.8..... my other opinion is that an on the dash unit it actually easier to read while driving than having to look down to your center dash/stereo region.... i use the bean bag mounting unit and so does my father in his 06 and it doesnt budge when you romp the gas... even off the line...

as far as the tom tom goes.. i wont say they are junk.... but i wouldnt buy one nor do we sell them unless someone is hell bent to buy one

 

[Bonnell]

i myself have never had a problem with screen size even with my small unit.. properly mounted in the right position i think you can easily view it... as far as some of the other functions yea they are nice... the unit i have in my hummer the garmin 2820 is bluetooth so now any car i decide to put it in has bluetooth capability, it is xm compatable and has traffic updates if you choose to use that option (i have no need for that function) the price is close to that of an in dash unit but as i said you can move it from vehicle to vehicle..... if navigation is what you need i dont see the difference.. if you want to be able to sit in your car and watch a dvd get an in dash unit... and if screen size is a concern look at the garmin street pilot 7200.. it has a 7" screen the 2820 is 3.8 and the pioneer i belive is 5.8..... my other opinion is that an on the dash unit it actually easier to read while driving than having to look down to your center dash/stereo region.... i use the bean bag mounting unit and so does my father in his 06 and it doesnt budge when you romp the gas... even off the line...

as far as the tom tom goes.. i wont say they are junk.... but i wouldnt buy one nor do we sell them unless someone is hell bent to buy one

Probably for most people your products are the best solution. I like the idea of being able to move from car to car but my wife's Denali already has a builtin system. I prefer the builtin version even if it is a little harder to use.

One thing that a portable has that just can't be beat is the ability to operate for a couple of hours (or more?) on the battery charge. This means you can set it up with no wires going anywhere. I like that.

 

[hotshotzny]

Probably for most people your products are the best solution. I like the idea of being able to move from car to car but my wife's Denali already has a builtin system. I prefer the builtin version even if it is a little harder to use.

One thing that a portable has that just can't be beat is the ability to operate for a couple of hours (or more?) on the battery charge. This means you can set it up with no wires going anywhere. I like that.

dont get me wrong the in dash systems look awesome in any car i have seen, when i was looking at the CTS i was tempted to add that option but talked myself out of it.... what i like about the portability of the units is (and ecspecially with gas prices) most places we go to...concerts, races ballgames things like that are comped tickets from liquor & beer distributors so if i invite someone i make them drive.. we can sell the in-dash units also but there is no way im getting into doing installations. the one thing thats causing us the biggest pain in the rump right now is best buy and those damn tom toms....

 

[Bonnell]

dont get me wrong the in dash systems look awesome in any car i have seen, when i was looking at the CTS i was tempted to add that option but talked myself out of it.... what i like about the portability of the units is (and ecspecially with gas prices) most places we go to...concerts, races ballgames things like that are comped tickets from liquor & beer distributors so if i invite someone i make them drive.. we can sell the in-dash units also but there is no way im getting into doing installations. the one thing thats causing us the biggest pain in the rump right now is best buy and those damn tom toms....

I refuse to buy from BestBuy. I had an issue (caused by them) and I learned that Online and store are two different entities. I also learned that dealing directly with customer service at either results in a "sorry that you are dissatisfied. We hope you will shop again." After working in good faith with customer service from both in store and online they made a mistake and would not rectify the mistake. But they did say they were sorry.

Never again will I give them my money. I would much rather spend more with a company that truely wants to please the customer. It appears that many bigger companies are working a sort of retail actuarial mode - in other words they know they will alienate a certain number but they are willing to do so.

 

[76okievette]

I did a little reasearch and was told that this kit was needed to install the after market unit, Metra 95-3304, not 100% sure this is the correct kit but I am very sure you will need something like this for which every aftermarket unit you install.
Oh yeah picked up the new car on Friday

 

[NORTY]

I did a little reasearch and was told that this kit was needed to install the after market unit, Metra 95-3304, not 100% sure this is the correct kit but I am very sure you will need something like this for which every aftermarket unit you install.
Oh yeah picked up the new car on Friday

Anyone notice the screen is blank when you wear polarized glasses in bright daylight?