Where’s the GPS?
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 72
From: West Virginia
The nav unit on my truck suddenly started loading routes that would take me far out of my way. Upon investigation I found I had selected "avoid toll roads".
If you find nav doing things that just don't make sense, make sure you haven't placed some kind of restriction in preferences.
For my purposes (pulling campers) "most economical" routing usually works out best. "Shortest" route will always pick the hypotenuse of a triangle without regard to the the type of road (stop n' go, residential streets, etc.) and "fastest" route will try to use all highways without regard to the number of miles added to the route.
Many times I have run the nav and Googlemaps side by side and find that they tend to agree with each other more often than not. The problem with using Googlemaps or Waze is the loss of other phone functions while driving. Waze completely blanks my phone, if I make or take a phone call, the display on the truck goes away which can lead to some real problems.
I also have a Garmin with free map updates for life that tallies very closely with the native nav.
In my experience traveling around the country, no external navigation device works so remarkably better overall than the truck's nav unit that I feel compelled to switch.
If you find nav doing things that just don't make sense, make sure you haven't placed some kind of restriction in preferences.
For my purposes (pulling campers) "most economical" routing usually works out best. "Shortest" route will always pick the hypotenuse of a triangle without regard to the the type of road (stop n' go, residential streets, etc.) and "fastest" route will try to use all highways without regard to the number of miles added to the route.
Many times I have run the nav and Googlemaps side by side and find that they tend to agree with each other more often than not. The problem with using Googlemaps or Waze is the loss of other phone functions while driving. Waze completely blanks my phone, if I make or take a phone call, the display on the truck goes away which can lead to some real problems.
I also have a Garmin with free map updates for life that tallies very closely with the native nav.
In my experience traveling around the country, no external navigation device works so remarkably better overall than the truck's nav unit that I feel compelled to switch.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,674
Likes: 51
From: SoCal
I echo the same thing a couple of the others have said. As someone who travels for work a lot, and quite often it’s to somewhere a cell phone doesn’t get signal, I added the nav. When I ordered the truck, I didn’t include it thinking I didn’t need it. Turns out, that next week I was driving around the hills of Wisconsin. I ended up getting lost in Amish country because my google maps wouldn’t load, and had to drive 45 minutes back the other way to get signal. I then had to screen shot my map so I could use it. When I got back to service, I called the dealer to add it. I also thought about the garmin idea, but I am a neat freak, and don’t like adding things in that add clutter. Auxiliary cords running around a brand new truck is a big no-no for my OCD side.
Senior User
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 150
Likes: 1
Yes, I know that, but I don’t plan that far ahead lol. There are two other big reasons I don’t like using my phone, I just didn’t want to get long winded before. I have CarPlay in my Civic and google maps doesn’t work with it. I’m stuck using Apple maps, which I don’t like, but it also has a tendency to stop updating quite often when the phone is locked. If I’m not paying close attention to it(most of the time), I don’t notice and miss my turn because it isn’t updating my location. The other thing is that when I am on the phone, I can’t see my google maps until I check it. I tend to forgot while I’m talking, and miss my turn. Roll all that together and I’d much rather have it built in to the head unit, seperate from my phone and service, and clean without all the cables and mounts of aftermarket. The more options I can have the better, because I have a very short temper when it comes to missing turns and being lost.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,674
Likes: 51
From: SoCal
Yes, I know that, but I don’t plan that far ahead lol. There are two other big reasons I don’t like using my phone, I just didn’t want to get long winded before. I have CarPlay in my Civic and google maps doesn’t work with it. I’m stuck using Apple maps, which I don’t like, but it also has a tendency to stop updating quite often when the phone is locked. If I’m not paying close attention to it(most of the time), I don’t notice and miss my turn. The other thing is that when I am on the phone, I can’t see my google maps until I check it. I tend to forgot while I’m talking, and miss my turn. Roll all that together and I’d much rather have it built in to the head unit, seperate from my phone and service, and clean without all the cables and mounts of aftermarket.
Senior User
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 150
Likes: 1
I’m really looking forward to the new truck with CarPlay. It seems like a much better system than in my Honda. I don’t use it much because it’s just poorly integrated and drives me crazy. The Sync 3 system seems much better in the short time I played with it at the dealership. I look forward to the voice commands that actually work.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 196
Likes: 2
From: Madison USA
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 10,120
Likes: 652
From: NH
GPS is a $570 option for an XLT. You don't have to get the Premium to have it, but you otherwise need Sync 3. Even on a Lariat Nav is optional.
It can be added after the fact to perform as-factory, but it is very expensive.
People can say what they want about the factory nav, but I like it. I like having the map screen up as I drive, helping me see what roads are coming up or if a road loops back to the main road, etc. It is also the cleanest look. A separate Garmin or TomTom will certainly work, and may navigate even better, but it sure looks tacky. As does a phone in a goofy phone mount. As does running a USB cord so you can use CarPlay or AA. Car Play works poorly in my opinion, the way it takes over all other vehicle functions.
It can be added after the fact to perform as-factory, but it is very expensive.
People can say what they want about the factory nav, but I like it. I like having the map screen up as I drive, helping me see what roads are coming up or if a road loops back to the main road, etc. It is also the cleanest look. A separate Garmin or TomTom will certainly work, and may navigate even better, but it sure looks tacky. As does a phone in a goofy phone mount. As does running a USB cord so you can use CarPlay or AA. Car Play works poorly in my opinion, the way it takes over all other vehicle functions.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
scott.sanders
2017 - 2022 Super Duty
16
Apr 25, 2018 06:26 PM
