EdOz

I've been using my SL gps to navigate to specific addresses and it works fine, even in direct comparison to Google Maps and Waze.

Yesterday, when my bank's ATM was down, I decided to see how the SL gps dealt with POIs. Sitting in the PNC lot, I searched for nearby branches by typing in PNC. Even though I knew of two other PNC branches within two miles, the in-car gps didn't list either. In fact, it came up with NONE.

I went to one of the nearby ones, searched again from that location, and - again - no results from the car gps. (All three local PNC branches have been here for at least 15 years.)

Today I wanted to look for a book at B&N and, since the nearest one (just a mile or so away) didn't have it, I searched for others nearby. I knew of two. The SL gps came up with just one. I couldn't see the city/location of that one so I decided to see where the gps was going to take me.

It ignored the closest one and another one about 8 miles away, and took me to one another 8 miles beyond the one that I knew about on the same road!

Arrived at the destination only there was no B&N and, if there had ever been one there, it was long gone.

I searched again - this time using the books category rather than B&N specifically, and was directed to a couple of other locations farther away from the one mentioned above, which was on the same road, north about 8 miles, back toward my home.

Needless to say, Google maps & Waze both found that one instantly.

A truly dismal performance by the in-car gps.

Anyone else have the same experience?

Richard66

Your car navigation is 2-3 years old before you even took delivery of the car, therefor POI's and roads that are somewhat new will not show up until maybe the next update.

Mason Hatcher

I cannot imagine an off line, stand alone GPS would have great points of interest. My Maxima has fair POIs, but Google ALWAYS has more accurate ones.

robtroxel

Old database=Old results. Still like the birds eye view and the large touch screen navigation the Maxima has. Not perfect but far superior to the 2013 Acura I had earlier.

EdOz

I agree. Really like the screen size, display graphics & ergonomics. Just wish they'd update the maps which they apparently haven't done in a long time judging by another thread about this.

Unfortunately, the cost will probably be way out of line compared to the free Garmin, google & Waze updates.

lightonthehill

There is no question that the outdated map info and the outdated (or incorrect) POI info probably constitute one of the weakest areas of the 8th gen Maxima.

me9798

After driving the '16 Maxima for a year now, I can say I don't trust the NAV system, and have bought a paper map as a backup (like Christopher Columbus).

lightonthehill

I love having the map displayed on the dash, right in front of me. But, wherever I have lived, I have never left my neighborhood without having a complete set of paper maps of all adjacent states, as well as city maps of places I intend to visit. This is a habit I picked up back in the 1950s, when I was doing a lot of coast-to-coast driving while in the military. Until around 2010, I never stopped at a service station or welcome station without perusing the maps, picking up any I did not already have.

I have always loved maps. I was looking over a 1935 Shell/Gousha road map of Nevada the other day, and found that the Frenchman's Flats Atomic Testing Ground of the 1950s and 1960s used to be the Clark County Game Ranch in the 1930s. Time passes and things change . . .

There will come a time when our navi info will be up-to-date. This could be done now, except that there has to be a clear, quick, certain monetary benefit before anyone bothers to do this.

me9798

Wow! Sounds like you have some real collector's items there. I miss the days of those free Exxon maps (I'm a 1970's kid myself). But yeah, that system should be much further along than it is. But you're right, the system with the monetary benefit (Sirius) is up-to-date. Guess I have to start my paper map collection again.

robtroxel

When traveling, I always bring my large latest issue road atlas. If you are a Triple A member, you can get free maps as well by ordering them on line or stopping in any of the local offices. I especially like their regional maps like the SW US, Western US, etc.

Many if you might be wondering "why use paper maps?" .
We do lots of cross country traveling during the summer and reference to the larger regional maps provides a "context" of where you are at from point A to point B. This view allows us to size up intermediate stops or detours to points of interest we might not be aware of if limited to small phone screen or even our 8 inch car screens. We still use the car navi for specific turns etc. It is ironic that the paper maps are usually much more acurate. They are cheaper to buy, than than trying to print them out using the worlds most expensive liquid (inkjet cartirdges).

me9798

You are so correct about that. So much for technology. And don't even get me started when you can't get a cell signal! It's always when you come to rely on technology too much. And yes, I belong to Triple A also, so I guess I gotta rebuild the collection...

EdOz

I always went for the Esso/Exxon starting when I was a kid and collected them. IMO they had the best mix of detail without clutter, and were visually attractive. For years I had a stack in my car that I would consult all the time.

I also miss the context of a paper map. With gps, I can drive to a place that's not in my local area several times, and still not know exactly where I am relative to places that I do know.

I'm completely dependent on the route the gps chooses. Once committed, I don't have enough knowledge of nearby roads and their relationship to other population centers to make an informed choice of alternate routes.

lightonthehill

All Esso/Exxon/Standard Oil/Sohio. etc,etc maps were made by General Drafting during the 1930s into the 1960s, at which point they began to also use Rand McNally maps. Both map brands were very good.

Earlier today, I was moving some maps around and came across several large Esso (General Drafting) ones from 1943 showing the battlefronts of the ongoing war. The outside faces of the folded maps showed WWII fighters in action. I still recall how scary it was at that time when the sirens of the airport near me began to wail in the middle of the night, with their searchlights scanning the sky.