Comparing Garmin and Prius GPS

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ceric @ Sep 10 2007, 03:30 AM) [snapback]509944[/snapback]</div>

A GPS is not a hazard in a panic stop. If is was to come loose it would fly forward, into the windshield. You purse, briefcase, shopping, golfclubs, etc that are behind you are much more hazardous. Yes, in a side or rollover crash the GPS could potentially hit you. Again, anything loose in the car could hit you. This is why when I go skiing or travel all the luggage is strapped down.

Thieves may very well target vehicles with GPS mounts but I would say that the occurrence is very low. Since I can get a good portable GPS that works better for 1/2 the price of the factory installed unit, I think the financial odds are in my favor. If my car is broken into and the GPS is stolen, my loses are insured. As others have said, I can also use the portable GPS in all my current personal and rental vehicles.

BTW, if you think someone won't steal your factory unit, your crazy. Thieves steal headlights, airbags, stereos, etc why not factory GPS units? If someone would steal the factory AM/FM cassette AC-DELCO stereo out of my 1991 Cavalier Wagon in 1999, thieves will steal anything. The thief broke the window then used a screwdriver or crowbar to break all the plastic HVAC controls and vents around the stereo to get it out. All for a stock cassette radio that they probably got $5 for. It only cost me $20 for a replacement radio at the junkyard but cost more than $500 for the dash parts and window.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 10 2007, 01:54 PM) [snapback]510169[/snapback]</div>

I'm aware of that. However, it's not the professional thief you need to worry about, he's not going to be smashing windows and looking in center consoles for portable GPS units either. It's your smash-and-grab addict or kids out looking for some trouble. To this type a thief a GPS screen is a GPS screen.

Again, I'm not worried about crime. I lived in downtown Flint Michigan in the Mid-90's at the peak of American's crime wave. Now I live in the Alabama's safest town. As a general rule I think that the average suburbanite that is afraid of crime needs to stop watching the news. Our local paper published a story about research done in several major metropolitan areas. The studies found that 75 to 90% of victims of violent crime had themselves committed a crime within the last year. Most of these were drug related. Yes bad things happen to perfectly innocent people but it is the exception not the rule. By far the most dangerous thing most people do is drive their cars every day.

 

I didn't purchase the Prius NAV and was thinking about getting a GARMIN Nuvi 350 or 550. Where have you put these portable GPS systems in the Prius? I heard that the suction cup on the windshield doesn't work.

Thanks.

 

I'm a long-time GPS user, have used most of the ones out there at one time or another.

My current GPS is a Garmin Nuvi 360. Because my wife lost hers (in her patrolled company parking lot) to a smash-and-grab, I didn't want to put it in view.

One reference-- we call the translucent plastic drop-down door under the radio the "garage door" because we call that pocket the "cellphone garage."

I went to Tap Plastics and bought a strip of black plastic that is the width of the garage door, two inches wide, and 1/4" thick. I bought some weapons-grade Velcro (the black kind that has pins on both sides) and stuck it under the center of the dash, about 1" away from the garage door. I used the velcro on the two ends of the strip, with the center not attached, because the dashboard has a slight curve there and this allows the plastic to stay straight.

I then suction cup mounted the GPS mount to that plastic and ran the power cord to the socket on the passenger side.

When the nuvi is mounted to the mount, it is just under the edge of the dash, and it doesn't interfere with the garage door or the console cupholders; however, it is right in the space between them and easily accessible by my right arm on the console.

I thought I would have reception problems with the antenna up against the dashboard, but so far no problems at all. It looks almost like a factory mount, and I can take it with me when I leave. It also isn't obvious to someone outside the car, so it's less vulnerable to a smash-and-grab.

I *do* have the external microphone attached (it is routed to the gap between the sunvisor and the a-pillar on the driver's side) because I use the speakerphone on the nuvi, having not purchased the bluetooth radio for the car. I will probably relocate this to the factory microphone mounting spot in the overhead console at some point.

I'll post photos if I get a chance. I really like having it mounted here, it's easy to see but out of the way.

...and by the way, my three year old Nuvi is, IMHO, much better than the factory unit. I tried one in a rental Prius, and *hated* it. Not because it was different from the nuvi (I've had many GPSes so I don't mind "different"-- it didn't work as well, was harder to use in day-to-day use, and was really counterintuitive. My wife gave up after the first try and wouldn't use the thing.

 

a rental with factory nav?

Anyways, obviously a new aftermarket Nav is a good amount cheaper and probably has better features. The reaon I like my factory nav is because it is convenient and it works just fine (like I said, perhaps not as good as a recent model aftermarket and I can't take it to another car, but it works good, is easy enough to use, and has a nice big screen). It gets me where I need to go and is easy enough to use and I don't have to put it away or take it out. It's just always there. I have used other Navs and they have mnice features that I am jealous of sometimes, but overall, you punch in an address and it tells you where to go just like my factory one. I paid my extra $$$ for the convenience and I would do it again.

 

I have a Garmin 4.3 inch 680 which is Bluetooth enabled for phone calls. I mounted it in the little center storage compartment right below the radio, so when I park it folds right in there, hidden. Pops out with a push of a button and is ready to go. I used the AC plug snaked inside the console to a small dc to ac converter that is in my glovebox, a little tricky given the vulnerability of many wires behind the console. The unit is attached to the push open door by a wide strip of heavy duty velcro on the door and the "hook" velcro side on the GPS. The flip up antenna does not need to be extended, but a small piece of velcro was needed on it to keep it from completely closing and effewtively turning the GPS function off. No thieves to see any dash mounts, or suction cup stains to give away the prize inside!

 

I have both a Garmin 360 and Prius GPS. I like everything about the Garmin except ONE thing. The Prius system does not do this and that is why I prefer it.

If I am driving on a Hwy for a long distance the Prius will tell me the next turn is in 27 miles. The Garmin will tell me 5 miles then 12 miles then 7 miles (AT EVERY CROSS Highway) even though when you get the the cross highway the GArmin will tell you go straight. The Garmin is not giving bad directions but it causes you to get out of the Carpool/ HOV lane unnessisarily which is annoying and dangerous.

If you knew which GPS company duplicated the Prius Nav logic I would buy that one.