Paying for Nav ??

[MikeyDog]

Renewed my nav for an average of 6.xx per month. I have an unpredictable work commute and prefer not to use phone apps. It doesn't seem like much when you have a 900+ monthly payment.

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[Davexxxx]

I paid for the first yr. because I wanted the built in, safe trailer routing. Starting this month, we'll be taking periodic, month long trips and Google Maps has been fairly notorious for routing RVers where they have no business going.

That MAY have just recently changed, because RVLife, (home of RV Trip Wizard) announced a sort of feature merger, where TripWizard, trailer safe routes, can be used on Android Auto. I need to dig into it, because my subscription will end soon. If it works well, the motivation for the paid Ford nav, will no longer exist.

 

[Hullguy]

I paid for the first yr. because I wanted the built in, safe trailer routing. Starting this month, we'll be taking periodic, month long trips and Google Maps has been fairly notorious for routing RVers where they have no business going.

That MAY have just recently changed, because RVLife, (home of RV Trip Wizard) announced a sort of feature merger, where TripWizard, trailer safe routes, can be used on Android Auto. I need to dig into it, because my subscription will end soon. If it works well, the motivation for the paid Ford nav, will no longer exist.

I’ve started using RVLife this year. Love it. The Ford Nav had a tendency to stupid things like have me drive in a circle to get to a campground instead of a direct route

 

[UGADawg96]

For non-towing, I'm a Google Maps user 100%.

However, when towing our TT, I use a combination of an RV GPS from Garmin and Google Maps and always preplan routes and program them into the Garmin and save them to Google Maps as backup.

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/builtright-pro-dash-mount-hardwired-12v-and-usb.17703/

 

[Addabob64]

I paid for the first yr. because I wanted the built in, safe trailer routing. Starting this month, we'll be taking periodic, month long trips and Google Maps has been fairly notorious for routing RVers where they have no business going.

That MAY have just recently changed, because RVLife, (home of RV Trip Wizard) announced a sort of feature merger, where TripWizard, trailer safe routes, can be used on Android Auto. I need to dig into it, because my subscription will end soon. If it works well, the motivation for the paid Ford nav, will no longer exist.

One thing I will add is that the safe trailer routing has tried to guide me around roads that are absolutely fine for trailering. No height issues, no road width issues, etc. I have turned that off in my menus so it is a non-issue with what nav solution I use. I am not a frequent trailer puller, but can see how it might be useful for RVers.

I had been using Google Maps in CarPlay, but it was hanging up about every 2nd or 3rd usage, and GM is so damn chatty when going down the road telling me to proceed straight when it is obvious that is the plan. Routing was total hit and miss based on my experience.

I decided to give Apple Maps another try to see if they have improved as it was a hot mess a few years ago. It is now my go-to nav app. It has been greatly improved. First of all, it displays the turn-by-turn in the instrument display just like Ford Nav. Google did not do this, only displaying on the center Sync screen. Second, the guidance it has given me has been spot on. That is saying a lot driving in the Dallas area where Google was constantly trying to reroute me to unnatural routes to save a minute, but then takes longer due to the convoluted route. Third, it now displays the red/yellow traffic slow downs similar to GM. Fourth it has the Waze-like notifications that pop up/announce when there are police speed traps that have been reported, and gives you the ability to report these and road hazards. It also pops up things like flood warnings if one exists on the route you are taking, which has happened a lot recently here in the Dallas area. Fifth is it is not chatty. It will anounce upcoming turns when you are 5-10 miles out to give you prep time to be in the proper lane and then again as you get within a mile or so, but it is not constantly jabbering about telling me to go straight. Last is the fact that I have not had ANY lockups or failures to go CarPlay full-screen like I constantly got with GM.

The only feature I miss from Google Maps is the ability to have the satellite photo instead of the traditional maps displayed when navigating. Apple Maps only seems to support the standard map display which honestly not an issue at all.

 

[Kanuck]

I use cord connected AA versus Ford Nav. Not going to pay for something that is free. I know up front, that I may not be shown the shortest route or the way I think it should take me. I will stop and check or over ride it sometimes if I think it is wrong. Eg..wanting to take a gravel country road rather than paved.

The only thing I wish that AA would do/allow is the speed sign on the IPC rather than in the bottom left corner of the Sync screen.

 

[JRonchetto]

I have had 3 F150s with nav. I have never used it. I rely solely on Waze. Before that, I had a Garmin.

 

[Snakebitten]

Choices.
We have so many these days that it's amazing. We really are spoiled.

But nothing is free, regardless if it seems so at first glance.

As for automotive manufacture subscription services, no doubt some can be rather insulting. And when those are tried, the customer backlash-spanking makes news! (BMW)

But data related subscriptions?
Nobody should be insulted.
Again, you have choices, so pick your data poison and enjoy.

Other than Bluecruise and Sirius, I'm likely to keep ponying up on my Fords. I rather enjoy having ALL the technology/features imbedded be available to use if I want to dabble.

The only reason Bluecruise doesn't make the list is I don't get to use it often enough. If I am going to take a good long Bluecruise possible trip, I might fork over a 30 day license, but we'll see. I could go either way.

 

[powerboatr]

For me and my old brain
Connected nav works very well for me
I trued using aa and it tried to take over all my other apps like pandora and I despised the Mario brothers like screen. Squishy icons and road indicators
Maybe it's changed.. maybe I will re look in a year when mine exspires. Lots can happen in 12 months

In our rv I use a 7 year old Garmin that works very well. Updates free, only routed me down a skinny alley a few times.
Just like on our vehicles. If we are headed to an unfamiliar area on a trip.
I use Google maps to eyeball the route and omg a paper road atlas as a source to know ahead what to expect

 

[Davexxxx]

Other than Bluecruise and Sirius, I'm likely to keep ponying up on my Fords. I rather enjoy having ALL the technology/features imbedded be available to use if I want to dabble.

After seeing a few vids of BC in action, purposely ordered my truck without (and with the subscription thing, glad of it) but I'm a sort of reluctant convert on Sirius.

Never had it before and early on, was looking for a plug in CD player but Sirius is so customizable (and voice activated) I've found no need for the space and hassle that CDs would require.

Plus, now you can extend it to your phone and link it to the camper radio.

 

[EcoB259]

I use Waze also. Very informative driving with it and ITS FREE

 

[Snakebitten]

After seeing a few vids of BC in action, purposely ordered my truck without (and with the subscription thing, glad of it) but I'm a sort of reluctant convert on Sirius.

Never had it before and early on, was looking for a plug in CD player but Sirius is so customizable (and voice activated) I've found no need for the space and hassle that CDs would require.

Plus, now you can extend it to your phone and link it to the camper radio.

A perfect example of why the manufacturers are burdened with offering so many options. We all have our own personal preferences.

 

[Ed21]

Although I do use a gps I don’t put much faith in them. Every one I’ve used has screwed up. Almost missed a halibut charter in Alaska amongst other things. All it takes is one time to peel the top of your rig off to put such trust in these things imo.

 

[Chappy133]

I have a Garmin RV GPS and plan on keeping it. On this week's camping trip the Ford Nav stop navigating in the trailer routing mode because it said the route was not correct for my travel trailer. It gave a warning, stopped the navigation route and just went to maps because I did not follow the trailer navigation suggested route. It did not want me driving on the Garden State Parkway in NJ. Not sure why I had driven the same route many times with the Garmin RV without issues.

 

[Kodiak]

In 2010 I bought a loaded Venza and it had nav that was DVD based. For the most part it was good and new map update DVD's cost about $200. Often you could find last years pirated version for about $100. I never did update that DVD and if it was an issue I just hooked up my Garmin that I never travel without.

$80 for the built in nav with the updated maps is a lot better than it used to be, but there are other options too. Google maps used to suck but my wife recently used it when we had a rental and it actually was very good. Maybe we got lucky, or maybe they are improving it.

Either way I will be paying for the Ford nav update when mine expires in about 18 months and then I will have Ford, Garmin or Google maps and any other phone based system that is around. So far though I have been impressed with the Ford nav and it has been significantly better than I originally thought it would be.

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