Consumer Reports "Experts" ........seriously?

[Typetwelve]

I've long felt that the only "car reviews" that I even come close to trusting are the long-term tests where different people will drive the vehicle for a year, and they report real world data.

Besides that? Find me a place that claims not to be biased, and I'll find you a liar. With crap ratings like "gotta have it" and "cool factor"...it's all BS.

 

[damnimcooltom]

The NAV is stupid in the way you need to enter an address. If you've crossed into another state, you need to go back, and tell it what state you're in before you can start entering the address. Then the address is entered in a weird order, not the way we'd say it, or write it down. Then, it thinks it know all the addresses, so it only lets you enter names or numbers that are in its database. In my experience, the voice recognition works like crap, even though the rest of the stereo understands what I'm saying just fine. In my 2012 Challenger that I owned for 4 years, I tried to use the NAV two times, and both times it pissed me off, and I ended up not using it. I tried using the one in my truck oncde so far, and it tried to take me on a weird route, and told me to turn after I passed the street I needed to end up on. Garmin has name recognition, but has been phoning it in for several years now. And who wants to pay $600 for a NAV system they are stuck with, and expected to pay $100 for updates? There are plenty of free apps for my phone that will do a better job.

 

[Typetwelve]

The NAV is stupid in the way you need to enter an address. If you've crossed into another state, you need to go back, and tell it what state you're in before you can start entering the address. Then the address is entered in a weird order, not the way we'd say it, or write it down. Then, it thinks it know all the addresses, so it only lets you enter names or numbers that are in its database. In my experience, the voice recognition works like crap, even though the rest of the stereo understands what I'm saying just fine. In my 2012 Challenger that I owned for 4 years, I tried to use the NAV two times, and both times it pissed me off, and I ended up not using it. I tried using the one in my truck oncde so far, and it tried to take me on a weird route, and told me to turn after I passed the street I needed to end up on. Garmin has name recognition, but has been phoning it in for several years now. And who wants to pay $600 for a NAV system they are stuck with, and expected to pay $100 for updates? There are plenty of free apps for my phone that will do a better job.

I agree...my '17 came "nav ready" meaning I'd need to fork over a heavy fee to the dealership if I wanted the stupid code to activate it.

My iPhone works just fine...no way I'm shelling out $500 for the Ram Nav.

 

[ExpressRules]

Due to extra costs incurred in having a NAV equipped RAM I never thought twice about not getting it. Very happy using my Tom Tom with lifetime updates. Feel even better about not getting it after hearing many complaints from my fellow RAM owners here.

 

[Typetwelve]

Due to extra costs incurred in having a NAV equipped RAM I never thought twice about not getting it. Very happy using my Tom Tom with lifetime updates. Feel even better about not getting it after hearing many complaints from my fellow RAM owners here.

It's irritating that they want such a hefty fee for a simple activation code. You'd think they would lower the price with the "see in bulk" approach. I was actually pretty surprised at the absurd activation fee when I looked it up.

 

[gofishn]

Problem with CR is they each think they are the smartest person, in the room, without ever realizing the things they simply know nothing about.
Of course, being the smartest person in the room, they do not need to actually 'know' since they are so smart, they can readily figure it out.

but, obviously, they do not and are not.

 

[dan212]

I bought a 2500 Diesel. With diesel engine it is way over 5500 pounds. And in New York State that requires commercial plates. Commercial plates limits the roads you can drive on. No Parkways. NorthEast hs parkways all over. Some back streets accept no trucks. In Manhattan West side highway and East side FDR are passenger cars on. Drive to Yonkers, NY I can easily get there on I87, but the GPS keeps putting me on FDR (ticket), Bronx River Parkway (Ticket). Because the GPS thinks I am a car and not a 7,000+ pound truck.

I talked to every company that was involved in this unit. Hardware for the 8.4 is manufactured by Harmon-Becker (not for consumers). The final 8.4 unit with software comes from Navitech. The mapping software itself actually comes from Garmin. I know because talked to the guy at Garmin who made the mapping software. He said he was asked to supply Nav for cars only. Even questioned them about putting passenger Nav in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

I asked my dealer if there was an update to the Nav so I could avoid passenger car only routes which I cannot take with commercial plates. He lied and said, "Yes, you just download an update". When I confronted he said "I said, I think there is an upgrade". Not sure what your definition of a lie is.

So I have my GARMIN Truck 560 suction cupped to the dash while my 8.4 inch screen glows uselessly. And that sucks.

I'd like to know why the NAV is "junk".
Now mind you....I have a 7" Rand Mcnally, a 7" Garmin and my wife has a TomTom (which is a piece of junk)
I have found that the NAV in my RAM is very straight forward, easy to use and functions as well as any GPS that I've bought in the past.
I have read comments before on this forum that claim that the NAV is "junk" but in my experience, I have seen no evidence of it.

 

[JPT]

I bought a 2500 Diesel. With diesel engine it is way over 5500 pounds. And in New York State that requires commercial plates. Commercial plates limits the roads you can drive on. No Parkways. NorthEast hs parkways all over. Some back streets accept no trucks. In Manhattan West side highway and East side FDR are passenger cars on. Drive to Yonkers, NY I can easily get there on I87, but the GPS keeps putting me on FDR (ticket), Bronx River Parkway (Ticket). Because the GPS thinks I am a car and not a 7,000+ pound truck.

I talked to every company that was involved in this unit. Hardware for the 8.4 is manufactured by Harmon-Becker (not for consumers). The final 8.4 unit with software comes from Navitech. The mapping software itself actually comes from Garmin. I know because talked to the guy at Garmin who made the mapping software. He said he was asked to supply Nav for cars only. Even questioned them about putting passenger Nav in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

I asked my dealer if there was an update to the Nav so I could avoid passenger car only routes which I cannot take with commercial plates. He lied and said, "Yes, you just download an update". When I confronted he said "I said, I think there is an upgrade". Not sure what your definition of a lie is.

So I have my GARMIN Truck 560 suction cupped to the dash while my 8.4 inch screen glows uselessly. And that sucks.

Put a cap on your truck, and register it as a passenger vehicle...

This is a problem with every GPS. I only have a 1/2 ton, but when I tow (I live in Long Island), I have the exact same problem. I have to plan my route to avoid the same problems (I take the LIE to Clearview express way to the Cross Bonx/GWB when I need to get off the island with a trailer).

Avoiding parkways via GPS, is a specialty thing that very few GPS unit software companies include. I've only heard of it on units designed for big rigs (but I could be wrong, as I've never owned another pickup other than Ram).

 

[dan212]

Yeah - I will have to spend another $2k to get a cap and install it. Annoying.

I have had a Garmin 560 stuck on the dashboard of my 2011 for years. I can configure it to be a passenger car, a truck (2500 only) or a truck and 26 foot trailer. It guides accordingly. This unit also knows heights of all bridges - something good to know when towing a trailer. I paid $325 for the unit. Its not like the software isn't available.

I have that same Garmin on a suction cup on my shiny new 2018 truck. Very pretty interior except for the GPS attached to the top and the wires dangling down.

Garmin makes the mapping software for the 8.4 device in my 2018 truck. I know because I talked to Navitech who OEM's the unit to FCA, and then to Harmon-Becker who actually builds the hardware and then to Garmin and the engineer who makes the mapping software installed on the unit.

Put a cap on your truck, and register it as a passenger vehicle...

This is a problem with every GPS. I only have a 1/2 ton, but when I tow (I live in Long Island), I have the exact same problem. I have to plan my route to avoid the same problems (I take the LIE to Clearview express way to the Cross Bonx/GWB when I need to get off the island with a trailer).

Avoiding parkways via GPS, is a specialty thing that very few GPS unit software companies include. I've only heard of it on units designed for big rigs (but I could be wrong, as I've never owned another pickup other than Ram).

 

[Fieldoc]

As far as cr goes, read there review on comparison of the 19 ram against the others, ford, chevy, Toyota, Nissan, Gmc. it was assinine, the ram came in fifth, of course the ford was first. But there review was not very objective and the biggest detriment was towing, they did not really give it the deserved credit for the ride and interior quality.

 

[TruckNut]

As far as cr goes, read there review on comparison of the 19 ram against the others, ford, chevy, Toyota, Nissan, Gmc. it was assinine, the ram came in fifth, of course the ford was first. But there review was not very objective and the biggest detriment was towing, they did not really give it the deserved credit for the ride and interior quality.

That alone tells me they are not qualified to rate vehicles, other than to count trips to the repair department. Nissan and Toyota (especially) are at least five years behind the curve. I sat in the redesigned Titan and the interior was really dated. Toyota isn't much better.

 

[quickster2]

They want everyone to drive Prius'

 

[indept]

They're useless for everything. I remember a few years back looking for a rechargeable weed whacker. They focused on the line diameter but did NOT mention how long it lasted on a charge or how long it took to recharge which were my 2 most important concerns.