Okay I have gotten alot of advice about which way to go for Nav, hopefully someone here can help! I have a 2000 ML 320 which does not have Nav installed. Should I go to the dealer and have it installed or pick up an after market DVD/Nav setup? The cost for the one I am wanting (in dash display) w/ install is about 3k it is the Kenwood P-NAV7015. Any suggestions?
Thanks

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JMO, nothing more...

I have an aftermarket unit (actually three different ones). I wouldn't buy an in-dash. Why? Because I have more than one vehicle. I have friends I go with on trips who don't have a GPS unit so we use mine. I use mine when I go hiking. I use mine when I ride my bicycle. I use mine in my friend's boat. I need portability, you may not.

My three separate units (which includes the best talking unit Garmin offers for a car, a handheld unit, and a dumbed-down older unit for my bike) total less than $3,000. Actually, under $2,000 for all three with the car unit alone under $1,000.

The in-dash unit has a cleaner look, though. No argument there.

 

I thought about a hand held, but for my profession - real estate that might not work so well... I need something that will tell me directions over the radio or?? Yes the price is better for hand held however I would also be getting the DVD which is nice for those loud, and sometimes obnoxious children that come along to showings
Any suggestions on a different type of in dash that might be better?

 

I have a talking one that mounts on the dash. I use this one in the car(s) or boat.

I have a separate handheld unit that doesn't talk. I use this for hiking.

I paid about $1,300 for both. My only point was that I have more versatility for less cost than an in-dash, not that they are better.

Anyhow, I doubt there's much wrong with a Kenwood in-dash. However, if I were getting one, I think I'd go for the Alpine offering. I'm just an old Alpine fan so I say that without having compared the two. I think you should look at one, if you haven't already.

 

I've had the Magellan Road Mate 700 and currently have the Garmin 2620. I had an '04 C230 Sedan which I just replaced with an '05 that has the OEM navi. I have to say the integrated system is much more pleasant as far as the integration, the audio (through the stock speakers....the system mutes your music so you can hear the commands, etc). Not having a $1k unit sitting on the dash of my car makes me feel better when I park it and I certainly love not having the cord running across my stock radio, AC controls, vents, etc of the portable GPS. Having said this, the Garmin unit I have is a bit more "pro" than the built in navi as far as its features and customization, etc. However, the advantages of the built in unit compensate any shortcomings it has when compared to such a comlplete unit as the Garmin 2620. By the way, I sold my Magellan RM700 as this unit, while very pleasant to operate, locked up (froze) way too often.

 

Yeah, people like you should get an in-dash unit. I'm able to route and tuck my wire so it isn't a tangled mess and I'm not so stupid as to leave something of value sitting on my dash when I park.

 

OK, let's keep a civil tongue. There are also those of us who value our time and convenience and don't like kludges, especially in our nice cars.

No aftermarket unit is going to be as refined-looking and convenient as a unit designed for the car and integrated with it's systems.

Handheld GPS units are so cheap now, there is no reason not to also buy one if you need it. It's like the sound system. I could put a pull-out unit in my car and take it out to use it in my home if I wanted to, but I find it easily worthwhile to have a stereo in both my car and in my home.

Obviously you're going to pay more for the factory unit and it may not have all of the bells and whistles of an aftermarket unit, but that's the trade-off for convenience and integration, just like the factory stereo.

 

Um, that is my civil tongue. All of your points have already been made. Add something new if you have it.

...and I value my time just as much as you value yours. Using an aftermarket unit has no effect on how I value my time. I just don't understand how some of you folks think.

 

I'm not surprised you don't understand...

Does this help?:

It takes time to dress wires nicely. I have better things to do.

It takes time to remove the aftermarket unit from the dash and hide it when leaving the car. I have better things to do.

It's inconvenient to have to mute the audio system to hear the directions (through a cheezy little speaker). I don't need inconvenience.

I don't believe anyone else made the point that there is really no reason to decide between an integrated unit and a portable unit since portable units are now so cheap you can get one even if you also get an integrated unit in your car. I, too, have a handheld for portable use, but rather than ending up with a compromise that is a kludge in my car and too big to be comfortably portable, I got what works best for both situations.

 

Twits like you jump into a thread, read one or two posts and consider themselves caught up on the conversation, then spout some jackass comments like they are the only ones who could think of such things when those points were already addressed.

I usually don't make fun of morons like you, especially when they're showing off their lack of intelligence. I agree that people like you who can't perform simple tasks or take all day to complete simple tasks should limit themselves to products that do not overwhelm them. I'm sure it's very difficult and time consuming for you to route the wire or to remove the unit from the dash. Sometimes I don't take other people's needs into consideration.