As well as Apple CarPlay, both of which are on board my lowly base 2016 Golf Trendline as standard equipment. However VW made it into an extra-cost option on the '17s (which we're getting on my wife's new wagon which she picks up next week when VW buys back her TDI). But in '18 it's back as standard, at least on the wagons.Also, Android Auto means you can display Google Maps on some modern car head units.
I never specified Garmin . . . I said 'dedicated' . . . We own two RNS510, and an older Garmin in our three vehicles. None have ever failed me,and while the Garmin estimates times better than the RNS, tne RNS kills it in terms of integration. We also have pretty high end phones, and I tried the nav once, and never again . . . . totally blows by comparison . . .and the RNS is slow for entry, but as fast as it needs to be to run routes. Considering that entry is typically 30 seconds, and running the route could be hours or days, that really fades into irrelevance . . . Would I like faster? Sure, but not if it would cost me . .Yeah, but a lot of Garmin devices aren't the 6.5" of the RNS 510 (which is also incredibly sluggish), they're 4 or 5". Many modern smartphones are 5.5".
And, most people already have the smartphone.
And, IME, dedicated devices do the weirdest routing sometimes, because they're often not traffic aware, and/or they're slow and can't try as many possibilities. And, voice control of dedicated devices and automotive head units tends to be atrocious (I've spent literally half an hour trying to get my Prius's Next Generation Entune to recognize a destination, and gave up, and just used the touchscreen at a light), whereas the smartphones do a far better job of that.
What if you're driving and need to change destinations?Voice control? Yet another solution in search of a problem, at least to me . . .
Nope, the Garmin was VFR only, as is ForeFlight. I was a VFR-only pilot, as is the purchaser. However the plane had basic IFR equipment, alternate static, and ability to shoot VOR-LOC and NDB approaches, quite apart from the GPS.@PlaneCrazy Somehow, I doubt the iFruit solution is FAA/IFR certified . . . . depending on what you had, the Garmin might have been . . . .
I have that with Android Auto.My goodness, this thread has veered off topic!
But I will add that I do actually prefer the integrated display/device vs. a phone hanging on some sort of holder. But I too travel for work, so I have a portable Garmin (replaced an older Tom Tom). I still prefer my factory nav that my two VWs had (both RNS-510) and my current Audi (although the Audi is the older version before integration with Google Maps). I'm pretty sure I'll be getting a new Tiguan SEL Premium soon, and it will be my first experience with Car Play. Since my work phone is an iPhone, I have one I can try. My personal phone is still Windows 10, so I don't think it supports phone mirroring to the display. However, my main desire is for Pandora or Amazon Music, not nav.
Yeah, I was just recalling when I got licensed when GPS wasn't really used yet, but LORAN-C was the thing . . . a certified unit in either was big $$$$ . . . .Nope, the Garmin was VFR only, as is ForeFlight. I was a VFR-only pilot, as is the purchaser. However the plane had basic IFR equipment, alternate static, and ability to shoot VOR-LOC and NDB approaches, quite apart from the GPS.
None of the above with Apple CarPlay. Your car's infotainment centre becomes your iPhone's (or Android's) home screen. Apple Maps displays just like an in-dash GPS, the radio stops talking when nav instructions come through... it pretty much makes spending extra for an in-dash factory unit redundant and a waste of money.
I just hit the "band" button, and voila, the radio screen shows up and I can select any of my presets, just as if I was on any other screen.Switching radio preset stations while using the maps is a 5-7 button process on the screen. There's no dedicated button to swap between carplay and radio.
I have a 6" TomTom which has been super reliable. Only cost me $80 shipped - came complete with all supplied accessories and is the version with free lifetime traffic / map updates. So while the price was cheap the performance isn't - and it has options for how I want it to calculate a route such as Fastest, Eco, Shortest, etc.Frankly, from what I have seen, the Garmin route engine trounces the phone junk . . .
Oh, and on routing, I travel for work. Quite frequently, the folks I travel with try the phone crap, and we frequently don't get places on the first try. My dedicated devices never fail . . . . sometime, you *DO* get what you pay for (cheap isn't everything!)!!!
I don't have a smartphone (insert gasp here -Yeah, but a lot of Garmin devices aren't the 6.5" of the RNS 510 (which is also incredibly sluggish), they're 4 or 5". Many modern smartphones are 5.5".
And, most people already have the smartphone.
And, IME, dedicated devices do the weirdest routing sometimes, because they're often not traffic aware, and/or they're slow and can't try as many possibilities.
Okay now go back to your maps, I've only figured out:I just hit the "band" button, and voila, the radio screen shows up and I can select any of my presets, just as if I was on any other screen.
You can also bring back CarPlay by hitting the "menu" button on the infotainment system, and scrolling along until you find the CarPlay icon on the car's display. Then select CarPlay and you'll be brought back to either your phone's home screen or whatever you were on previously (maps, music).Okay now go back to your maps, I've only figured out:
Hit phone, select carplay, which brings back the home screen, then select maps
Nonsense. I've had three cars, each for over 125,000 miles. None of them ever ran detectably poorer than brand new, and I never had to touch the fuel injection or exhaust on any of them. The one that was gasoline I did do the plugs and plug wires; that was it. The other two, turbo diesels, I never had to touch, outside of normal minor maintenance items.[cars] are designed only to a 125K mileage window, at which point they are assumed to be retired from the road
had a conversation about this the other day, it seems people are now born with the notion "must borrow to survive"Not so much what they can do, but what the designers and engineers expect of them. Otherwise, a "cheap" car would cost $100k, and after a few years, everyone that could/would buy a car would have one for life and all the car companies would be out of business.
I agree that pretty much any car *can* be made to last indefinitely, they are just machines, and machines are simply a collection of parts glued and screwed together. The only reason that any vehicle HAS to be removed from roadworthy status would be from nonrepairable (within reason) crash damage, nonrepairable (within reason) elemental damage (rust, rot, corrosion) or lack of available service parts.
If you drive properly, the crash damage becomes a non-issue.
If you live in an area free of winter road chemicals OR have the ability to keep the car clean and protected OR if the manufacturers made the materials better able to stand up to the elements the rust/rot/corrosion can be mitigated.
So the only thing left is service parts availability, which as we've seen over and over again in the field of automotive service, is the biggest issue standing in the way of keeping a car roadworthy long term. Which, again, is to be expected. The car companies want to sell new cars. That's what they do. They do NOT want 10+ year old product on the road. Volkswagen makes no money from my 17 year old Golf, and they despise me or anyone like me for keeping it or anything like it on the road.
So the trend continues. The manufacturers build new cars people want to buy, even if they do not actually need to let alone if they can actually afford to. Seriously, a clown I work with has a seven year loan on a Silverado that he drives around empty. Crew cab, of course, even though he has no "crew". And now I hear talk of people refinancing cars like home loans, which then extends the length of time people make payments. What the deuce is wrong with the math in these folks' world I have no idea. But they are certainly free to pursue frivolity as I see it. I bet by the time some of these guys get these bro-dozer trucks paid for they'll already have rust holes in them.
I love the last comment. LOLSeriously, a clown I work with has a seven year loan on a Silverado that he drives around empty. Crew cab, of course, even though he has no "crew".
Duh indeed! Part of the problem is people buying way more vehicle than they really need. When I got my 2016 Golf in Aug. 2015, I really lusted for a GTI. But a base 2-door GTI was $8k more than the base 4-door Golf i got.I love the last comment. LOL
I am too poor to make car payments to end up paying a few extra grand in interest. I have to pay cash for my cars.
I worked with an idiot who had nothing but ongoing car payments, from one car to the next.
So I told him, once your car is paid for, open up a spare bank account...call it your car account. Now deposit the same payments you made the last 4 or 5 years into your car account and when your car is 8 or 10 years old, you'll have enough saved up for your next car. He said he couldn't afford to do that, yet he can afford to make car payments. Duhhh...![]()
I'm debt-free. Besides, I hate banks and the group that controls them and enslaves people. Also retired and loving it on nickels and dimes.By sticking to base models, there are zero car payments in our household.
I learned the hard way about payments. Retirement with its reduced income helped concentrate the mind.