Ok cool that makes sense to me. and yea if it had radar it would be the perfect all in one lol.

 

Just though I would add my opinion for what it's worth. I used to sell and install in-car hi-fi and navigation and do custom builds for show cars etc.
Most of the cd/dvd/navi combos have some kind of limitation. Be it really basic nav abilities, rubbish dvd screens or poor quality sound. Unless you spend serious cash on the Sony or Pioneer units and I mean the top of their ranges you may be sadly dissappointed. I have a good spec Alpine head unit (4 x 52w output with preouts for all channels and seperate subwoofer out) and a Garmin Gps. The Alpine gives awesome sound, plays Mp3 encoded discs and looks real nice. The Garmin came pre loaded with all maps for UK, Ireland, Western Europe, All of USA and Canada. It also has Mp3 playback that can be uploaded from your PC or smartcard. The main advantage is I can remove the Gps and use it in any car or truck. So when I come to the US on holiday it just gets put in my carryon bag and then plugged into the rental car and away I go. If I go on a trip in a friends car, here in the UK, I can just plug it in etc.
Just a few thoughts but I think the seperate route is more flexible. If you go wheeling with a buddy in his Jeep, you can take your Gps.
Hope this helps.

 

Yea i can understand that completely. I am still just debating on some different options and i also have noticed that the gps units have gone down in price.

 

That's the main reason mine is seperate so I can take it with me.

 

Don't go for the multifunction unit. You'll get bent over or have resolution issues. Go with a decent hi fi low power head unit. The unit should have an equalizer that you can custom set, aux inputs and a bluetooth input.

Get yourself a tom tom or something like that. It will map you and also play your mp3s and stuff that you loaded onto it. It will stream your stuff to your radio. A friend has a tom tom for the navigation and was lucky that that the oem radio on his new car had bluetooth. Pretty soon all the major carriers will be offering gps navi with there cell phone service. Give it a yr or two until then do yourself a favor and get good with maps because people's abilities to read maps are weak and it will help you in the long run (like when the batt on your gps craps out).

 

Thank God for the boy scouts lol I was the orienteering merit badge instructor at a local camp and I really got a great handle on using maps and sense of direction.

 

I know how to read a map it's usually how i get across the country but i hate stopping to look the map. I am an eagle scout and know how to use a compass and map but i used a gps in a rental car one time and it makes traveling a little nicer and shows exactly how far you travel and everything i just liked having it.

 

buy yourself a smartphone that is gps enabled like the g'zone commando and get a gps app, it has military spec durability, it does more and it'll be cheaper, besides you know you want a new phone am i right or am i right?

 

If you want GPS you would have to get a flip screen unit since a double-din wont fit. I would just get a Kenwood head unit and get a stand alone Garmin GPS with the free lifetime maps update. In my experience the standalone units are easier to update and you can take it with you (say a friends car). I have had 3 Kenwood units in my jeep over 4 years. Loved all of them. None of them ever malfunctioned if your wondering why I had 3. I just like to get new models with more features every year or two.