Max2013

I have heard varying opinions on how well the Nissan factory version of navigation actually works in the Maxima. Ease of use and accuracy are important to me. Traffic is a useful feature to have as well. I have always used and really liked the high end Garmin GPS units, but am wondering how well the Nissan factory nav compares. Might consider it in next Max, but factory nav seems relatively expensive, is it worth the price?

Serpent

I use navigation every day when I drive to work. Not because I don't know the way, but it's a long drive and I want to know what's happening with traffic. My iPhone does this wonderfully for me (favorite app is called Waze--check it out if you haven't) through the Bluetooth and a holder that mounts in the CD slot. The factory navigation is nothing but a big pretty colorful backup monitor for me. Definitely wouldn't recommend paying extra for it unless you plan on using it for long road trips. In those cases, it's great. Punch in a destination and go, without worrying about draining your cell phones battery, data usage, blah blah blah. But for day to day use, any smartphone is way ahead of the factory nav.

Ghozt

i have an 09, so it was great...in 09. im not payin for the map updates when google maps are free, so since then i only use it occasionally

ThinBlue82

iTrader: (1)

I agree with the above post. I never use my nav in the car when my iPhone does a much better job.

zoemayne

iTrader: (4)

Google maps is better than waze for directions but google maps does not indicate traffic information/accidents etc even though it re-routes according to traffic. I use both. I really wish I could mirror waze onto the nav screen cause that app is what I have running on every drive even my 10 minute drive to work. Factory nav is out of date and you must pay a fee for the traffic info. It does not let you search for a particular resturaunt etc you must choose what you want from a list based on category.. like i was trying to go to the nearest post office with the factory nav I could not find out which category that fell under. You basically cant use the nav to find the nearest X place. Its out of date... you have to click too many times even when youve input the address you have to OK it two unnecessary times... the map is oriented wrong

MaximaDrvr

iTrader: (1)

^you can change if the map is oriented in direction of travel or compass north.

silberma

Among car Nav. systems it is one of the best. I use it for long trips because it gives you instruction which lane to be in for exiting. It provides intersection views, where the nearest rest stop is, distance to the next exit, the nearest gas stations, time to destination etc. Well worth it if you travel long distance in new roads.

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

I also use it on long trips & occasionally around town. The phone is nice to find exactly what you want, unless your in an area where reception is sketchy.

Ross2893

Get AT&T and you'll have no worries lol.

I prefer the iPhones TomTom integrated maps though

sonomamax

I use my nav out of the city, for in city I have a garmin with updated maps and traffic cause garmin updates every 3 months or so

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

That's actually who I have.

official_style

Navigon on iphone is the best, does traffic, tells u which lane, can work without data etc. I specifically wanted a sport without nav because I would never use it.

Lemonhawk

I like the integration of the traffic on the map, I use it driving to and from work. It was the only way I could navigate around Atlanta while visiting my daughter there. Atlanta is terrible to drive in.

Dudemaine

iTrader: (1)

Waze. Waze is the way to go. Free app. Google invested $2 billion-plus when they bought it from this company overseas. It'll give you hazard warnings (vehicle on shoulder, construction, etc), warn you if other Wazer users have reported visible/hidden speed traps and will also figure out for you if you're better off staying your course or deviating and taking an alternate route if the mileage and timing are worth it in the end game.

The app is incredible. I just put 1,500 miles on my winter truck this weekend and used it the whole way and it was spot on. Granted, there will be times other users report a hazard/speed trap ahead that is no longer there (if it has cleared up or police officer has moved, etc), but it gives you far enough advance to slow it down a little bit if you're hammering-down out there.

I'm sure other Waze users will vouch for it, but long story short: I never use my factory navigation; my screen is always blacked out at all times with the time in the upper right showing (dashboard is always blacked out too), and I used my iPhone navigation for the longest time and that's fine too, but have since been using Waze ever since a colleague at work put me on to it and haven't looked back since.

cwctw

I really like the UI of the built-in navigation. It's easy to use and I've found it to be pretty accurate. So much better than anything I've seen in GM or Honda vehicles. That said, traffic information and change-prone areas are still best navigated with a smartphone app. I sure wish we didn't have to pay for map updates.

JRod28

I was previously using a portable TomTom navigation unit before I got my Maxima. It was great because I got free lifetime map & traffic updates. I haven't used it since I got my 2014 Maxima with built-in navigation but something tells me that once the map becomes out-dated, the cost of updating will have me dusting off the Tom Tom...
Anyone knows what Nissan charges for updates for the Navigation?

jeffislouie

Traffic: it's been garbage. So much so, that I terminated my traffic service through XM. When it was active, the GPS would tell me, as I sat in bumper to bumper on the highway, that I would be arriving in 15 minutes. 30 minutes later, after I passed the obstruction, it would say that I would be there in 15 minutes. It never worked. I agree with others - if you need traffic info, use Google Maps or Waze to get an idea of delays.

Ease of us: it's pretty decent, better if you manually enter your destination before you head out. Voice commands either works or doesn't and I get irritated having to repeat myself half a dozen times. If I'm already rolling, I like it. I'm a lawyer, so most of the time, I'm heading to the same places (court A, court B, office, etc). I simply created these destinations and saved them, making entry easy.

Accuracy: never been a problem, even in the city (where my old Tom Tom's and Garmin's would lose signal). Occasionally, my GPS gives audio directions that are confusing ("Exit onto west east belvidere road" instead of "exit onto west belvidere road"), but if you've ever been to that place before, you'll know what it means. Rerouting is pretty quick and accurate though.

Is it worth it? A tough question to answer. No factory nav is as good as what Garmin or Tom Tom offer (of the systems I've played with), but you don't have to worry about mounting a device, cluttering up the dash, routing power, or hiding the unit when you leave your car. I use it nearly every day and despite not being as good as Garmin, it's generally been a good thing for me.

If you don't mind the hassles of having a portable unit, it's usually superior. My Tom Tom was great until my wife took it on a business trip and destroyed the plug.

silberma

The Maxima navigation is the best car navigation system I ever had, puts my BMW 535i system to shame. The only benefit that a smart phone will give you is not having to pay to update maps.
PS changes in roads are far and few in between if you live in a fully developed area.

2011maximapa

I like it so far compared to other cars I've had. Update is bullcrap expensive though.

official_style

Wow I didn't even look into waze I was like wow another stupid nav app. Boy was I wrong. This is dope bro I'm going to try it out.

official_style

U can't hax0r it like the gm nac discs?

official_style

Nyc has lots of changes constantly and its developed lol

RR5

iTrader: (6)

As far as I'm concerned the factory nav is great as a backup. Use your phone's map to tell the Maxima's navigation an address then just relax and drive. As to the point about a phones battery life.. I'll say what person doesn't plug their phone into their car as they drive along? Lithium Ion batteries don't care about charge cycles so plug that phone in if you'll be driving over 30 minutes.

I also agree finding some place to drive to is an exercise in frustration. Near by restaurants and the list will only show 20 while you drive along. Come to a stop and you can scroll through the list of 100 entries. Manually typing on the touch screen a category name or POI name isn't as smooth as the experience is on a smartphone.

Best tip: Once at a destination, before turning off the engine, enter your return address as a new destination and you can simply get in and drive back home or where ever. Also nice is being able to tell the navigation to find something along the current route. Google maps doesn't even allow this..(I'm hoping it's been updated).

sonomamax

I have both .. a garmin and the nav system. The Nav system is ok for going from one city to another, The hiways dont change much, In the city i use the Garmin. You cant add POI's to the Nav System. you can add POI's to the Garmin. For the red light cameras I have a file on my Garmin for all the RLC, you cant do that with the Nav System. So i guess It's what ever you want..

Dudemaine

iTrader: (1)

Nice. Glad to hear you like it; it really is a great app!

sonomamax

around 200 usd plus tthe install. is what i heard it costs.

whit

Personally the Nissan Nav system is great. Personally I would never buy another car with Nav since you have to pay so much for updating it. They should be free to all 1st owners of the car. I just bought a Garmin for my other car. Damn they've come along way. I'll buy another garmin over a factory Nav next time and Dave the $2k

J-LO41

I love my factory nav. It's been very accurate so far for me. How will you know when it needs updating?:whistling

BIGIRISHSTL

Problem is nav is rarely stand alone option. I wanted streaming music so guess what I got with it... Nav. I don't really use it. Not yet anyways! iPhone is easy comparatively.

silberma

I just updated my 2012 to 2015 Navigation. cost is $179 and you get 5 DVD's that you can use to update the system easily all by yourself.

Stooop32

Integrated navigation is wonderful in a new car, but can become obsolete rather quickly, and after a few years may not even be supported at all. I thought that I Had to have navi in my last car, so I got it. It looked cool, that's the only positive I can say about it. I used it enough to figure out that my iPhone or even older garmin did a better job, it already had the latest software update, (4 years old) and to upgrade any more would require thousands of dollars for new hardware. No thanks.
When I was shopping for my Max, navi was a feature that I didn't want. I probably would have gotten the car anyways, even if it had it, but I was content with getting a garmin or using the phone for navi needs. Factory navi also seems to cause more problems if you have any sort of plans to upgrade your audio system.

SR20Power

iTrader: (1)

You can buy something that can Mirror your phone onto your Nav screen and yes, you lose the functionality of the factory Navigation.

Nitehawk11sv

3 Things:

1. I love the Nav, ever since i did the dvd bypass. Its so much easier to use while on the road. I dont like entering addresses still because it takes forever, and to make a phone call is asenine, moving from menu to menu using my voice and the steering wheel call button. Its much faster to just whip out my phone and hit dial, then talk through the car.

2. Can we establish some kind of dvd update lease program? Like say max1 has the dvds, they will setup a circle of people who will all pay max1 up front, then max1 will send them to max2 for a shipping fee. Max2 will use them and send them to max3 for a small shipping fee. Max3 will use them and send them to max 4 for a small shipping fee. See how this goes? In the end everyone gets updated, and as long as the circle is establisbed beforehand, then max1 Will get the dvds back and be a little richer.

3. Has anyonr successfully added monitors that mimic the stock nav screen? Just wondering about this.

As always, you guys are the best!

avmax11

I had nav on my 2011, it was cool but smart phoes weren't as widespread and cheap as they are today so I'm not sure if I would pay for it. Mine was a lease

official_style

Download it?

Nitehawk11sv

Can you? If so whats the cost on it? I guess what im saying is $179 is not really worth it, but if we setup a circle of peeps to each pay say $50 to the original owner, they can make their money back and we are all updated and happy. Just a thought

gizzsdad

The problem with this plan is that when I ordered the CD's, I had to give them the ID of the unit in my car. I never tried it in another vehicle, but I would be skeptical as to whether it would work.

BIGIRISHSTL

Of course it's copyrighted. It would make too much sense to come with a plan like this one and actually make us happy! I will say I'm not surprised since this is how other software works as well usually.

Lemonhawk

I seem to recall that the last update I got was at a special rate of $100, I usually update every 2 years when they drop the update prices.

Nitehawk11sv

Thanks guys. Heres the current link for anyone looking to order: http://www.navigation.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Navteq-NissanNorthAmerica-Site/en_US/-/USD/ViewStandardCatalog-Browse;pgid=6Pde4Xoi7D9SR0JojGFleyfX0000OKP0d8Zj;s id=a3P8aa2B5jb9afksO4O-YaeLPN121_ov4c2rxyc_?ShowAllProducts=YES&CatalogCa tegoryID=u2MKCghBYDMAAAEtXsUiwE3F