Is Upgrading To Factory Navigation Worth It?

[rockmanm35]

Its sad as my 2010 Ford F-150 platinum has a great installed Nav. Ram needs to step up..

 

[Gordo2212]

I just upgraded my radio to the 8.4 inch UAS without NAV. My truck is for towing my camper so originally I wanted NAV to have for when we are out in the mountains or remote places where service is spotty. I found a bunch of apps on IOS that let you download maps for offline use and then use it through CarPlay so I figured why spend the money on the OEM NAV unit when they aren’t that good anyway. Happy with it so far.

 

[jejb]

With Android Auto you can listen to your stereo and maps at the same time. The music volume lowers a little and the nav voice talks over it and then the music volume goes back up.

I may have to play with that more. But I mostly listen to XM and like the ability to toggle through the channels with my steering wheel controls. Doubt I'd be able to do that with AA running. Having to have a wired connection to the system to use AA kind of sucks too.

 

[crash68]

I mostly listen to XM and like the ability to toggle through the channels with my steering wheel controls. Doubt I'd be able to do that with AA running. Having to have a wired connection to the system to use AA kind of sucks too.

The steering wheel buttons will still work for the radio controls.
AAWireless is a wireless add on module available for AndroidAuto. I have one and it's works good with the UAQ I have installed in my truck. It's usually connected before I back out of the garage or parking spot.

AAWireless

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[LouM]

My 15 had the 8.4 with NAV, my 19 has the 8.4 without it. Yes, it has car play and those maps may possibly be more updated but I sure as heck would not guaranty that.
I prefered the built in NAV in my 15 to the app, many times I would just turn on the map feature and I miss that simple operation.
The car play has to be plugged in and ocassionaly it will get all buggy and fall about 50 miles behind were you actually are, nothing like getting over 50 miles past your last turn to find out your nav has screwwed you and then finding an exit to get turned around and head back to you desired location.
The most aggravating thing withh the factory nav was when traveling from upstate NY to NC and wanting to completly avoid NYC and NJ and Washington DC you had to pick intermediate stops to route a person out to the west and then down.

 

[2016-Ram 3500]

After several Garmin gps's the recent updates have botched the directions and often will show a R turn but say L and vice versa or circle around your destination. Musta been some disgruntled programmers parting shots.

I still put Garmin On but use Waze on the phone - the maps are automatically updated and you are notified about cops and traffic delays. I believe the audio on mine comes the speakers when hooked up.

The RAM Nav is not impressive and is harder to use.

These days its Waze for me.

Waze is owned by Google.

 

[ktischler]

I guess I'm the only one who likes it. Bit harder to enter in where you're going than most and I usually verify against google or mapquest if I'm going on a long trip. Pretty spot on in established areas like major cities. I like the hands free and directions ahead of time on the instrument cluster and not needing cel service like on my phone.

You don't need cell service to use Google maps navigation. If you are going to be in an area without service Google Maps will let you download the map for offline access. Anytime I take a long road trip I always download the map of the entire route, just in case I get in an area with no service.

 

[MikeinSonoma]

I keep getting emails from Uconnect offering discounts to add factory navigation to my RA3 radio. I've never wanted until now. I recently changed jobs and I'm driving around in unfamiliar territory so it would be nice to have. For anyone who has it or gotten it, is it worth the price? I know I can still use my phone but having voice directions coming through the speakers would be nice and the larger display wouldn't hurt. I've read some posts on here about complaints about its accuracy. Anyone experienced some bad outcomes? I'm not a fan of Uconnect in general. I think they charge too much and don't offer anything I'd use anyway outside of navigation. It would be nice if you could upgrade these awful headunits to Android Auto. I know about swapping in a new one but I'm not sure how much longer I will own my 2014 so I'm not looking to go that route. Appreciate any input.

I keep getting emails from Uconnect offering discounts to add factory navigation to my RA3 radio…

Before my 2021 Ram Rebel, I had the newer an older generation Honda ridgeline that used Garmin. I also traveled a lot and used a Garman portable.
The Uconnect in the Ram is awful. Starting with just the display mixing dark reds and blacks making it very hard to glance at, to see what you want to see. And it’s like every fifth address, it has problems finding it, not to mention how many roads it shows me it’s 55 when it’s only 25 or when it’s 45 at saying 25. Little things like having to find an address select navigate to this address then having to click yes and then having a click go. No reason to add that last click.
And to rub it in, you’ll find documentation from the company that supplies it, that they’re the best in the world, no they’re not by any stretch of the imagination. I tried to find somewhere to send them something that needs to be corrected I had no luck. If it’s there they have it hidden they don’t seem like a company that really cares what the customer thinks. After all they said are the greatest in the world. It is the worst GPS I have used.
The only feature related I like is being able to send an address from my iPhone to the navigation from the house.

 

[turkeybird56]

I just upgraded my radio to the 8.4 inch UAS without NAV. My truck is for towing my camper so originally I wanted NAV to have for when we are out in the mountains or remote places where service is spotty. I found a bunch of apps on IOS that let you download maps for offline use and then use it through CarPlay so I figured why spend the money on the OEM NAV unit when they aren’t that good anyway. Happy with it so far.

Have a name of any of those apps for IOS?

 

[Joseph Godvin]

Love mine !!! Paid $375 2 years ago when i bought my 2016 Works great....no issues !!

 

[Mike_in_SC]

I have a 2018 with UConnect 8.4. I love the screen a d navigation but it’s outdated so around 30% of the roads are not updated or even on the map. I’ve gone on line and am told no updates are available. I use Apple CarPlay with either Apple or Google maps, or WAZE..

 

[ocalapilot]

I’ve never been very impressed with any factory nav system. I’ve never seen on that could compare with Garmin which I’ve used in aircraft, boats and autos all my life.

That said, CarPlay is a game changer just as been said already.

On Highway trips I’ve always used a modern Garmin with POI files loaded, such as speed traps. So you get a warning at a predetermined distance when approaching one.

Thing is, speed traps change location, not to mention accidents etc. even though my Garmin units all have traffic, it doesn’t compare with the real time information available th try though WAZE and now Google maps is incorporating it, I think they bought WAZE.

Anyway, if you can update to the newer radio with CarPlay you won’t regret it.

I put one in my wife’s 2016 Ram and love it. It has the factory maps installed but we never use it.

When driving over mountains we use the CarPlay and Garmin both, neither one works great there haha.

I put an Alpine ILX207 in my 2004 3500 with backup camera CarPlay and all that, great unit for an older vehicle.

Good luck!

 

[Treburkulosis]

I had to run the factory Navi on my way in my old Durango R/T from Dallas to Lubbock. Phone internet was zero it worked perfectly. I do miss the option of it and the live weather radar. It made it nice when traveling and hitting storms. I run Waze, its pretty good IMO.

 

[Summit1]

The "factory" navigation system, like the external systems, have their advantages and disadvantages. The UConnect system works for most stuff, until the passenger attempts to enter something while the vehicle is moving. The Google stuff tracks user movement more than some folks like.

The map data does not change much, so buying the updated map data every three years on sale is probably better than nothing; the "on sale" (cheaper/clearance) UConnect update is one version shy of the very latest and works for most.

As for Garmin's "lifetime" map updates, those are for current devices as defined by Garmin. My Garmin Oregon 750t lifetime updates have been discontinued.

 

[tedk]

Pretty much all car manufacturers use NavTech map updates since they took over Garmin. NavTech only updates the radio firmware, maps, and Grace Notes every couple of years which is just not enough to keep pace with road and business changes that constantly take place. Hence, they are always inferior to updates by other GPS providers. The last updates I used on my UConnect I got from the Sox bulletin site and when I did, finally, pay the $130 to Chrysler for their latest updates, the system told me the information on the expensive CDs was older than the firmware and maps I already had on the UConnect head. I will never buy another set of update disks from Chrysler or NavTech again!!

 

[Gordo2212]

Have a name of any of those apps for IOS?

I like Magic Earth because of their privacy policies. There’s also maps.me and Google maps does offline maps but I’m trying to stay away from Google products. Tom Tom has a good app but there’s a subscription

 

[Jim113]

I have the factory navigation in my 2020 Ram and also a Garmin portable GPS .. My daughter came home for a visit just a couple weeks ago and used her Mom's car, and, used the Garmin as she was going to a City an hour and a half away ... When it was time to take her back to the airport I set the Navigation in my truck ... My daughter even made the comment that the truck nav was much better than the Garmin, which I agree ... As someone else said, each to their own ... Good luck with your decision ...

 

[tjfdesmo]

None are perfect, that's true. My biggest issue is with the voice command, If I try to find a store, etc., along your route while under way, you say, "Find XYZ", and it usually says, "Sorry, I didn't get that", or similar, and it then descends into something akin to an Abbott & Costello routine at best, to Bubba Shot The Jukebox, at worst. I can give the same command to Google Maps/Android Auto, and it's on the screen in seconds with no ring around the rosie BS. I rarely need door to door routing, just need to find places nearby, for the most part.

 

[Az Curmudgeon]

I have a 2018 with UConnect 8.4. I love the screen a d navigation but it’s outdated so around 30% of the roads are not updated or even on the map. I’ve gone on line and am told no updates are available. I use Apple CarPlay with either Apple or Google maps, or WAZE..

I also have a 2018 with a replacement radio .All the software is current but putting the radio in dealer mode showed an outdated map version
I ordered the current version which will be shipped on a memory stick.
The cost of the map update was $150.00 plus tax.
The next time I have Uconnect trouble I will buy an aftermarket system.

 

[hydroplaneu3]

First - The navigation system you get when you upgrade and the navigation that came in the truck when purchased new is not the same system. I know, I purchased one after and many of the features were limited because of that. To say I didn't like it would be a mistake because I like a Garmin which is basically the UConnect sustem. I miss the GPS in my new truck and don't care for the GPS setting up on my dash. It works better but is a bit in the way.