New RED option - Nav

[tnrzryd]

Looking at ordering a new 2021 RED 37BA. One option is for the Nav system. I’ve heard many people say that one shouldn’t waste the money for this option. One dealer I spoke to suggested that the audio portion of this unit is better than the system you get when you settle for the standard radio. I would prefer to read about the two units before making up my mind.

So... for any of you out there that have a 2021/2020 Red, if you have the Nav system what is the make and model? If you have the “plain” radio, what is your make and model?

Thanks for the assist.

[vsheetz]

I'm not a fan of the built in Nav systems. Can soon become a problem for updates availability. Mounted down in the dash takes your eyes off the road.

I use a 8" tablet with nav app mounted on the dash.

[boomersooner]

Ordered 2020 37BA , picked up in December. We skipped the NAV and bought Garmin. Our sound is very good in the Kenwood, we play CD's and listen to XM on my phone blue toothed to the radio.

[n2zon]

I am not a fan of built in navigation systems either. For example, I have a Highlander with built-in nav. First, they want a couple hundred bucks to update the maps (you have to buy a new micro SD card and plug it in). Second, the usability is, to be kind, terrible. It's like they looked at every Garmin and Magellen unit ever made, and picked the worst usability features from both manufacturers in combination. Third, I tend to keep cars for a long time, and I suspect they will stop updating the maps long before I get something newer. I didn't want the nav but the option package I did want included it and there's no option to delete it. I mostly just ignore it. (Current models have, I understand, dumped the useless nav in favor of Android Auto and its Apple equivalent.)

Likewise, there is a Windows XP computer built into our Tiffin that has nav. At some point between 2006 and 2020, Tiffin stopped providing map updates for it. We can still use it, but new roads and changed clearances and weight limits are of course not represented in its map set. I just use the display for the rear view camera and rarely if ever boot up the computer.

What I did do was replace the original head unit in our coach with one that supports Android Auto. Since it uses the phone, it has easy to use voice recognition that works to set or reset a destination. I generally use Google Maps, but you can also use Waze, and the Apple equivalent of Android Auto is also supported. Of course, these apps DO NOT avoid bad RV routes, so you have to be aware of where they are routing you and act accordingly. For that, we have a Magellan GPS and a trucker's atlas. We use those when it's not obvious that we'll be on roads we don't have to worry about.

[tnrzryd]

Originally Posted by boomersooner

Ordered 2020 37BA , picked up in December. We skipped the NAV and bought Garmin. Our sound is very good in the Kenwood, we play CD's and listen to XM on my phone blue toothed to the radio.

Can you please post the model of your Kenwood? Thanks

[StaRVGazer]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

I'm not a fan of the built in Nav systems. Can soon become a problem for updates availability. Mounted down in the dash takes your eyes off the road.

I use a 8" tablet with nav app mounted on the dash.

Pic? Does it shake?

Paul

[boomersooner]

Originally Posted by pacwest

can you please post the model of your kenwood? Thanks

dpx5938t

[Lt Dan]

We had the Nav system in our Allegro RED since it was bought off the lot. When we ordered our Phaeton, I did not want the Nav. We found it was basically useless since you can't pre-program routes and the maps get outdated. I have a Garmin RV760LMT I've been using for five years and love it. Lifetime maps updates and traffic warnings. I find the Kenwood radio that came with the Phaeton is very nice with Satellite, USB, CD, AM/FM, etc. I'm not an audiophile but an avid music listener and it sounds great to me.

[garykk]

I agree with Dan, don’t waste your money. The Nav system will probably need an update by the time you get the MH. They are expensive and cumbersome to install if the software needs update as well.
Our Nav system just brought us down a dead end road the other day. Had to unhook toad and back up a ways. :(

[tnrzryd]

Originally Posted by boomersooner

dpx5938t

Thanks!

[NevadaNick]

The nav screens make for a great place to stick your Garmin to, otherwise useless.

[tnrzryd]

Thanks for all your answers to my original post. Got the answer I needed. Just needed to see if the standard radio was sufficient for our needs and it is.

[JohnCZ]

Just for another opinion. We picked up our 2020 RED 37BA in May, with the NAV.
It is a Kenwood DNS775RVS with Garmin GPS.
I like this unit. It works great. The view in the dash location is fine as I don't need to stair at it while driving.
I also like that it is Garmin GPS, since I am already familiar with the Garmin UI.
It allows you to program in the dimensions and weight of your coach, supposedly to be used in selecting routes.
I already owned a Garmin with lifetime maps that I don't need anymore for my car. So, I will let my DW use this so she can search for fuel, food etc, while I drive, and we will get to compare routes selected by the two Garmins.
As far as map updates, I did not see any notice of charges for downloading updates on the website. But, I will see for sure soon, when I do my first update. I believe they are free, or at least appear to be. Along with the software updates.
To each, their own.

[tnrzryd]

JohnCZ:
We had a unit similar to yours on our previous coach. While it provided good audio options etc, the nav portion was rarely used as our primary gps. My main gps is a Garmin dezl 769LMT which I mounted on the side window using a suction cup mount. I preferred this location as it was easy to reference without taking my eye totaling off the road. The one feature we really liked, was the ability to view the gps screen on the forward tv screen while driving. My wife used that screen as reference. Not sure if this is a capability with your Tiffin but it was on our 2013 Entegra.