I've experienced two versions. First, the built-in system in our 04 Prius. Pretty good, but the maps date back six years now, and I'm not about to pay the several hundred bucks for the update disc. I do really like the "cleanliness" of the in-dash installation as compared to the various add-on units.
In the Camry, I have a Magellan, narrow-screen unit. Screen is too small, but, and here's the kicker -- it was a FREE AMEX bonus points program. One can put up with a few shortcomings when the thing is free.
With that in mind, a couple thoughts. Even a lower end unit can be very, very useful and provide what is really needed -- guidance to a destination.
And how 'bout this for perspective: during the early years of my USMC career, I was one of the last aircrew to train on the "ICAP-I" version of the EA-6B aircraft. This jet, while tremendously capable in the electronic warfare context, had an absurdly horrible navigation system. It had a multi-beam doppler radar that was supposed to keep track of the jet's position over the ground. No GPS back then (mid-late 80s), and no INS either. Ironically, this awful system made us all better at navigation, because none of us could rely upon the nav system to do it for us (as intended...). After a typical 2.5 hr flight, without constant manual updating, your system could be dozens, occasionally hundreds, of miles off. . . A challenge to say the least.
OK, so what? What amazes me is that even the rudimentary add-on in-car systems that can be had for $100, give or take, are vastly superior to what we had our $70 million Prowlers in the mid-80s. Of course, today, the surviving jets now have both INS and GPS, and are vastly superior to what we had. But still, I smile when I read comparisons of in-car nav units, as I think back to a time when it was my job to get jamming and/or ordnance on-target, on-time, with tools that make a modern $100 in-car nav look good.
Perspective is a good thing. Do some homework, pick the one you want, enjoy it, and don't look back!
