[RobBug]

Lo all,
Long time lurker first time poster. I have had my Mo for about 3 months now. I am a long time user of the old Alpine Navigation system in my Camaro. Alpine makes a top notch Nav system IMHO. Anyways, I researched SUV's and decided to get a Mo once my wife and I drove it. It met all the critical attributes that we had agreed on. At the dealer I asked specifically about Navigation. Lo and behold the wonderful (sarcasm) dealer stated that they could install the Nav system retroactively. With that I said I'll take it. So they wrote up an IOU and about a week passed before I got back to them. Come to find out that Nissan took the route of not allowing a HU replacement. This in my opinion and from what I have read here is completely unacceptable - but there was nothing I could do. A couple before us had also asked for an upgrage also. The dealer was gonna send us to a local stereo installer and install a pioneer Nav system as they had just done that for the earlier couple. Unfortunately during the install of the earlier couples Nav system the installer discovered the unthinkable. They ended up mounting a seperate screen on top of the dash with all the glory of the wires showing on the opposite side. I put a halt on my install and have researched this issue since. What a nightmare. So I have come to two solutions:

1. Get the Magellan Roadtrip 700 and use it. Heard both good and bad. From what I was able to demo it is pretty good for a portable solution but not near as nice as the installed Nav system I have had in my Camaro since 97.

2. Get the Alpine Nav-200 (5.8" screen inc with DVD nav system) and either soft install the screen (make it movable to where I can place the screen in front of the radio display) and hard install the Nav base.

OR

3. Move the HVAC/Radio display to somewhere else (Maybe where the vanity mirror is on the sunvisor) and put the 5.8" screen there.

/Rant I cannot fathom the reasoning behind why a car company would integrate two COMPLETELY different systems on on PCB board. It makes no sense to me whatsoever. /Rant

My question for those of you reading this is what do you think the benifit of each idea is and what pitfalls you can think of? I would appreciate any replies I recieve. Thanks for your time.

 

[GripperDon]

For my 04 MO, I chose to get the VCOMM, all talk NAv system:

1. NO Screen at all!
2. Plays black Jack with you.
3. Worked Great, easy to install put it anywhere and no wires hanging around or screens to distract you or block your view.

See it here.

http://www.autoetcetera.com/vcom.htm

 

[SugarRushMurano]

OK....here is your reply:

1. Get the Magellan Roadtrip 700 and use it. Heard both good and bad. From what I was able to demo it is pretty good for a portable solution but not near as nice as the installed Nav system I have had in my Camaro since 97.

> Portable nav system is always better buy than integrated factory installed nav, IMHO. If you have more than one car and you dont have unlimited amount of money to be spent on a factory nav system in each of the vehicles portable nav system is the way to go. Aftermarket portable nav:
- can be moved from vehicle to vehicle if you have multiple cars.
- Or if in near future, you going to buy a new car, you can move it.
- Or if you are in a rental, you can bring in the nav.
- Or if you trade in the murano for a new car, you can transfer the nav unit.
- can have any kind of software you think is more intuitive for you if you use the PDA based nav (visit www.gpspasison.com)

2. Get the Alpine Nav-200 (5.8" screen inc with DVD nav system) and either soft install the screen (make it movable to where I can place the screen in front of the radio display) and hard install the Nav base.

> It will be difficult to find a nice place to mount the lcd in the murano and stillmake the install looks clean. I tried this venue once and gave up in trying to install a 7" lcd. Remember, this may invite vehicle theft as well, because the lcd is sticking out from the plastic trim.
While VCOM (GripperDon's GPS solutionbefore he traded in o5 murano with nav) is a good gps, I personally dont like nav without the map/color screen.

3. Move the HVAC/Radio display to somewhere else (Maybe where the vanity mirror is on the sunvisor) and put the 5.8" screen there.

> VEry big project in temrs of money and effort. If you can do it than good, but a lot of dealers simply estimated that it is much cheaper to trade in your murano and get a new MO with nav. GripperDon did that and I observed he is happy witht this decision :4:

/Rant I cannot fathom the reasoning behind why a car company would integrate two COMPLETELY different systems on on PCB board. It makes no sense to me whatsoever

> TO avoid people like you
WHo want to swap out the factory non nav system to nav system. In my opinion, it will be costly to manufacture kits for nav swap and train factory technician to do the swap. PLus Nissan willl have to warranty the work, because it is factory accesories. Lots of money, (GOSHN wont like it hehehe). I agree with your rant on why Nissan not doing what Jeep is doing: you can install the factory nav after purchase. I think it is all because of not enough profit margin.

 

[RobBug]

Thanks for the replies. I probably will go with the portable solution. If it bothers me that much I will just trade the Mo in for another one. Thanks again

Rob

 

[GripperDon]

Join the growing club of second time MO owners.

 

[rugiles]

It is tax return time and with a good refund coming I want to get a Nav system. There are 3 models I am looking at Magellan 700, Garmin 2620 and the Lowrance iWay 500C. I have found good and bad reviews for the magellan and garmin but has anyone experienced the Lowrance unit? It has a larger screen and looks like it uses the same maps as the magellan. I t got a top award at last year's SEMA show but I don't know if that was from actual technology differences or they paid more for advertising.

 

[Mr3Putt]

I have the Magellan 750M. I really like it. The portability is a key issue for me. I can move into another vehicle in minutes.

I "discovered" it in a rental car a few years back, as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have one. (Hertz Neverlost)

It may not be as "cool" as a factory system, but it's every bit as functional, if not more so.

There are a few photos of the display in my gallery.

I have also dealt with tech support at Thales Navigation (the manufacturer) They were truly outstanding.

3 years down the road and Zero complaints.

Grip, I know you enjoyed the Blackjack feature of your "old" system, but I can't imagine a NAV without a screen. I always pan around and look for different routes, check out side streets, rivers and whatnot. You've enjoyed both, which do you prefer, screen or no screen?

 

[GripperDon]

True True True, I just struggled about the screen location so much and never thought Ineeded NAV anyway just kind of a toy, THEN along came NAV BOX and it caused me to get a whole new MO, go figure!

 

[rugiles]

Nav System

Well I have gone and done it. I ordered the Magellan Roadmate 700 tonight. I got it from Amazon for $950 brand new. No shipping or sales tax. It should be here the end of the week. I couldn't wait any longer. I just found out that my company added the state of Nevada to my territory. So I will be doing more traveling and the portable GPS will be great to bring along since I am not as familiar with the business areas of Las Vegas.

 

[njmo]

rugiles

Please let me know how you like your purchase. I just came back from a trip with a coworker's Roadmate 700. It was awesome! Voice was very audible and the screen surprisingly appeared to be large enough. The only thing is I am not sure where or how I would mount this thing. I had it sitting in front of the moncrome screen but would ultimately prefer it just above that area on the dash. I am not fond of the suction cup for the windshield so I guess I would have to fashion something custom to have it rest on the dash safely. I am not sure where to start with that. Please respond with your thoughts once you have it for a few days.

njmo

 

[rugiles]

I to do not like the windshield suction especially with the front porch the MO has. Magellan does sell a friction dash mount that would sit perfectly on the hump above the indash monitor. It is on back order so I will have to wait for a few weeks to test it out. I should have the unit by this week end.

 

[njmo]

On that friction dash mount, is that the one shown in the below link? I agree with you that the front porch of the Murano over the center console is the perfect place to mount the unit. There must be something that can be fashioned to secure the unit just behind the lip above the console. I am not sure if the $50 mount is the best solution from a pricing or functional standpoint. And as you mention it is back ordered.


http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/product.asp?PRODID=961

 

[rugiles]

Yes that is the one. I check the site last night and it showed as in stock so I ordered it. I spent last week on a skiing trip in Utah and the driver (a friend's friend) had the garmin ique3600 in his yukon xl with their version of the friction dash mount (bean bag) and it didn't move an inch as we drove up twisty mountain roads and over pot holes and rough, snow covered roads. I think with the flat surface and textured dash it should be rock solid in the MO. I will find out this weekend.

 

[zebelkhan]

Do a search on ekaxel posts. He made a bracket specifically to fit the 700.

 

[rugiles]

No longer NAV-less

Well it finally arrived. My Roadmate 700. So far it has been flawless. The system is every easy to use. I set the voice commands to be female with a British accent. Not as sexy as it could be but at least I wont have my wife wondering who is in the car with me. I have not even opened the manual yet and I have been able find my way around. I bought the protective case for storing the unit in the arm rest and the dash mount stand. The stand is heavy and rubberized. So far it hold well around corners and quick stops. I would attach pictures but the files are too large. How do I make the files size small enough to attach?

 

[rugiles]

Pictures of Roadmate installed

Here is the cover to store the unit in the console

 

[rugiles]

Roadmate Unit

Here is the unit driver's view

 

[rugiles]

close up

 

[SugarRushMurano]

Nice install..

I really like your magellan.
Just make sure it is easy to remove to avoid theft

 

[rugiles]

Yes it is. There is a mounting bracket with a button release. The unit pops off the stand. I put it in the protective case then lock it in the arm rest console. Out of sight. The mounting bracket has the charger pluged in to it and that stays on the stand so there is nothing to plug or unplug. It takes a few seconds to get the unit off and on. As soon as I clip it on the mounting bracket it starts powering up.