navigation questions

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Ghost10

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
620
Reaction score
254
I want to swap the OEM stereo with a nav unit. my spending limit Is about $250. I found used OEM nav units for about that price range. things I want / need are; Bluetooth for calling and maybe streaming music from phone. plug and play no stupid wire splicing or paying someone a grand to install it. I also want to eventually install a backup cam but that's later. xm radio is also very important.
 

kbuskill

***CAUTION*** I do my own stunts!
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Posts
5,213
Reaction score
8,068
Location
NE. FL.
I want to swap the OEM stereo with a nav unit. my spending limit Is about $250. I found used OEM nav units for about that price range. things I want / need are; Bluetooth for calling and maybe streaming music from phone. plug and play no stupid wire splicing or paying someone a grand to install it. I also want to eventually install a backup cam but that's later. xm radio is also very important.

The factory Nav sucks royally in my opinion. I would save up and get the Rosen GM1210. It has all the features you want and is entirely plug and play and maintains all the factory options including steering wheel controls without any adaptors being necessary.

Check it out:

http://www.adcmobile.com/cs-gm1210-ca/

Its about $750 but worth every penny in my opinion and Walt at ADC mobile is a great guy to deal with.... Very knowledgeable and great customer service.
 
OP
OP
Ghost10

Ghost10

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
620
Reaction score
254
The factory Nav sucks royally in my opinion. I would save up and get the Rosen GM1210. It has all the features you want and is entirely plug and play and maintains all the factory options including steering wheel controls without any adaptors being necessary.

Check it out:

http://www.adcmobile.com/cs-gm1210-ca/

Its about $750 but worth every penny in my opinion and Walt at ADC mobile is a great guy to deal with.... Very knowledgeable and great customer service.
yeah can't budget that, just got the truck, just moved, have 2 kids. on a budget.
 

kbuskill

***CAUTION*** I do my own stunts!
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Posts
5,213
Reaction score
8,068
Location
NE. FL.
yeah can't budget that, just got the truck, just moved, have 2 kids. on a budget.

I understand.... I just feel like you won't be satisfied with OEM Nav.

Bluetooth isn't built into the Nav, it is a separate module from the factory and only offered 09+ but if you have 07-08 you can get the module from 09+ to add it to your truck... But that is about $200+ more to find and buy one... If you can find one.

XM is also a separate module. And you can't stream music to the factory Nav via Bluetooth.
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,712
Reaction score
44,433
Location
Li'l Weezyana
I want to swap the OEM stereo with a nav unit. my spending limit Is about $250. I found used OEM nav units for about that price range. things I want / need are; Bluetooth for calling and maybe streaming music from phone. plug and play no stupid wire splicing or paying someone a grand to install it. I also want to eventually install a backup cam but that's later. xm radio is also very important.

I did this swap a few months ago. My LTZ originally had the regular/no-frills radio with XM. I scored a Nav unit off Craigslist for $150 and sent it to Greg at CPS A/V in California to be programmed to my VIN. He traded me for a non-DVD Nav unit since I don't have the rear DVD overhead console. A DVD unit would work, but could have processor and overheating issues because it's always trying to find that missing module. If your current radio has XM, then that will work with the new head unit. The Bluetooth stuff requires a separate OEM module that is so equipped, but it still only works for phone calls. The non-DVD Nav unit I have has a USB input, so I use that for streaming music from Pandora on my phone. It can control an iPod or music on a USB thumb drive.

I did the swap mainly to have the USB input, touchscreen and reverse camera functions. The OEM navigation does suck, but that wasn't enough to make me spend $700+ on an aftermarket unit and I have plenty of Garmins floating around if I ever need sat nav. I'd like Bluetooth music streaming, but that's not a deal-breaker. I plan to relocate the USB input from the dash to inside the center console so I can leave my iPod or phone plugged in there and not have the wires all over the console. I guess I could get a USB Bluetooth receiver and stream music wirelessly. Maybe I'll look into that one day. It cost me $100+ shipping to Greg to have mine programmed. Some dealerships are capable of doing this and possibly for less. But, I read of too many horror stories of people having their radios bricked because of dealership error. I felt that having Greg do it was the safest route. So, factor in $100+ into your radio budget. All in all, I have about $300 invested in mine, including the stupid expensive OEM USB dash cable and OEM USB dash port. I would've spent $300 just in the adapter/interface modules had I went with an aftermarket head unit.

So, you can get what you want. You just have to know all the details going in.
 
OP
OP
Ghost10

Ghost10

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
620
Reaction score
254
I understand.... I just feel like you won't be satisfied with OEM Nav.

Bluetooth isn't built into the Nav, it is a separate module from the factory and only offered 09+ but if you have 07-08 you can get the module from 09+ to add it to your truck... But that is about $200+ more to find and buy one... If you can find one.

XM is also a separate module. And you can't stream music to the factory Nav via Bluetooth.

I did this swap a few months ago. My LTZ originally had the regular/no-frills radio with XM. I scored a Nav unit off Craigslist for $150 and sent it to Greg at CPS A/V in California to be programmed to my VIN. He traded me for a non-DVD Nav unit since I don't have the rear DVD overhead console. A DVD unit would work, but could have processor and overheating issues because it's always trying to find that missing module. If your current radio has XM, then that will work with the new head unit. The Bluetooth stuff requires a separate OEM module that is so equipped, but it still only works for phone calls. The non-DVD Nav unit I have has a USB input, so I use that for streaming music from Pandora on my phone. It can control an iPod or music on a USB thumb drive.

I did the swap mainly to have the USB input, touchscreen and reverse camera functions. The OEM navigation does suck, but that wasn't enough to make me spend $700+ on an aftermarket unit and I have plenty of Garmins floating around if I ever need sat nav. I'd like Bluetooth music streaming, but that's not a deal-breaker. I plan to relocate the USB input from the dash to inside the center console so I can leave my iPod or phone plugged in there and not have the wires all over the console. I guess I could get a USB Bluetooth receiver and stream music wirelessly. Maybe I'll look into that one day. It cost me $100+ shipping to Greg to have mine programmed. Some dealerships are capable of doing this and possibly for less. But, I read of too many horror stories of people having their radios bricked because of dealership error. I felt that having Greg do it was the safest route. So, factor in $100+ into your radio budget. All in all, I have about $300 invested in mine, including the stupid expensive OEM USB dash cable and OEM USB dash port. I would've spent $300 just in the adapter/interface modules had I went with an aftermarket head unit.

So, you can get what you want. You just have to know all the details going in.
I have the built in USB port on my dash on the right side opposite side of cigarette light plug. it sucks because I have an android phone and it doesn't work lol I have an ipod touch, iPad etc but don't need to toat around random electronics. so of the nav unit doesn't have the Bluetooth module my phone setup won't work like it does now? I thought the truck had the module not radio. so, maybe I should consider a kenwood, or pioneer etc... something with more options... sounds like a huge headache.
 

05alive

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2015
Posts
413
Reaction score
313
Location
Masshole
250 is too low for a nav deck. The cheapest one on crutchfield is 249 right now. You still need adapters to get it to integrate, a dash kit, and installation.
If you can find an oem one cheap, have the vin reprogramed, and install it for under 250, do that.

I'd suggest getting a previous gen garmin off amazon. 150 bucks, lifetime map upgrades, bluetooth calling. My buddy has one, loves it. If i didn't already have nav in my 05 I would have too. I don't talk on the phone much, so that wasn't a big selling point for me, but the navigation is awesome.
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,712
Reaction score
44,433
Location
Li'l Weezyana
I have the built in USB port on my dash on the right side opposite side of cigarette light plug. it sucks because I have an android phone and it doesn't work lol I have an ipod touch, iPad etc but don't need to toat around random electronics. so of the nav unit doesn't have the Bluetooth module my phone setup won't work like it does now? I thought the truck had the module not radio. so, maybe I should consider a kenwood, or pioneer etc... something with more options... sounds like a huge headache.

You must have a 2010+. I spilled my entire story so you'd know that there are quite a few variances of the nav units and what's needed to make it all work. The module for Bluetooth is separate from the radio. I'm not sure what all is necessary for that to work (programming, etc.), but I wanna say it's plug-and-play. If your car has Bluetooth now, then that should work with the new unit. If you go with an aftermarket unit, just know that you will need multiple adapter/interface modules to retain all of your current functions. Some may do more than one function, but there's a module for the radio itself to work with the car (and various ones for Bose/non-Bose, XM/non-XM, etc. and one for the steering wheel controls. I don't believe there's anything to retain the rear seat entertainment with an aftermarket unit.
 

kbuskill

***CAUTION*** I do my own stunts!
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Posts
5,213
Reaction score
8,068
Location
NE. FL.
You must have a 2010+. I spilled my entire story so you'd know that there are quite a few variances of the nav units and what's needed to make it all work. The module for Bluetooth is separate from the radio. I'm not sure what all is necessary for that to work (programming, etc.), but I wanna say it's plug-and-play. If your car has Bluetooth now, then that should work with the new unit. If you go with an aftermarket unit, just know that you will need multiple adapter/interface modules to retain all of your current functions. Some may do more than one function, but there's a module for the radio itself to work with the car (and various ones for Bose/non-Bose, XM/non-XM, etc. and one for the steering wheel controls. I don't believe there's anything to retain the rear seat entertainment with an aftermarket unit.

Except the GM1210... It retains EVERYTHING including the rear seat entertainment without any additional adaptors.... Completely plug and play.... Pricey? Yes..... Worth it? I think so.

That is why I recommend this unit to anyone who asks about Nav in these trucks. And it makes the factory Bose system sound SOOOO much better.

My 2 cents.... YMMV
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,712
Reaction score
44,433
Location
Li'l Weezyana
Except the GM1210... It retains EVERYTHING including the rear seat entertainment without any additional adaptors.... Completely plug and play.... Pricey? Yes..... Worth it? I think so.

That is why I recommend this unit to anyone who asks about Nav in these trucks. And it makes the factory Bose system sound SOOOO much better.

My 2 cents.... YMMV


Agreed. By "aftermarket unit", I meant the standard double din nav touchscreens that most swap in. Y'all already ruled out the GM1210. I will say that if I had the money to swap in a nice $300-$400 unit with the $300 in adapter/interface modules, I certainly would skip all that mess and get the Rosen.
 
Top