i think it's a waste of money, I did have it suggest an alternate route for me a few times...and I didn't trust it and sat in traffic!

But i can just see that on my phone before I go somewhere. No need to pay whatever it costs (same with XM I can listen to pandora) and there isn't any talk radio on it without paying extra for Howard.

 

I seem to get traffic updates when I go into the Traffic Info menu and that works great. I see the green/red/yellow traffic lines on my screen fine. However, my real issue is that I'm not getting any traffic announcements from the Nav lady. It also never asks me to detour and when I do ask it to "Traffic Detour" it can never find anything.

 

Does the XMtraffic show surface street traffic in LA too, or just the interstates? Here in chicago it's just interstates. Googlemaps/waze does surface streets too which can be helpful in planning a detour.

 

just freeways. no streets

 

get an iPhone and use 'Waze'

 

The problem with that is you’re adding another distracting trinket to the dash that should be removed every time you park in public. It also is an extra device that takes your eyes off the road too much. And the more you do that the more you compromise safety. I know many of you love your smart phones, I-pads and laptops, but IMO they may be counterproductive to driving a car in a safe manner.

 

^^I agree and disagree. With the factory nav, one glances at it periodically to see an upcoming turn or other map element. If anything more than a glance is needed then the driver should be pulling over. I see a strategically placed smartphone to be no different in this regard. In fact, it's far more distracting to be fumbling with the device in your hand than when it is properly mounted.

 

I agree... I have a perfectly good Garmin that I used with my '00 Honda but always told myself that the next car I got would have integrated Nav and Traffic because I hated having to put up/take down the GPS unit every time. I also don't like having to look at my phone or other gadgets when on the road. I've seen way too many people put themselves in dangerous situations and am glad California has the Handsfree law.

Heck... I paid to have a working Nav and XM Traffic. Using an app on my phone defeats the purpose of paying extra money for those luxuries.. I just wish XM would get up to speed.

 

I dropped my XM Traffic after a year. SUX....I have a new Tom Tom Via 1505 for another car. That works terrific !!! Lifetime Map updates, and Lifetime Traffic. $114 at Costco XMas time.

 

But I would be interested in your response to some of the negatives of portable devices that have been previously discussed in other threads:

• It’s a suction-cup, adhesive pad, clip-on or friction mounted device that adds clutter to an otherwise clean looking dash.
• It should be removed every time you park in a public lest it be stolen (if not a side window broken also).
• It takes your eyes off the road much more than your factory nav, certainly with screen sizes 5" or less compared to the factory nav 7".

I would also ask how it’s powered. Is it from a battery that needs to be recharged from time to time, or powered through a car charger via a 12 volt plug with wires dangling somewhere?

 

the voice notification of "police ahead" has made be a believer

 

I spoke too soon... apparently, I-70 between the outer loop of I-695 to where it intersects I-270 west of Frederick is NO LONGER COVERED?!?!?!

So they're actually REMOVING coverage??? (Popped up on both my cells with Google Maps, for verification of traffic notifications)

Again, we just need generic ***FREE*** FM traffic reception without the bull****!

 

I don't know any car that has this, do you?

 

From the factory? None... But almost every aftermarket GPS and the vast majority of aftermarket car stereos w/ GPS? YES!

 

My XM traffic just expired and I miss it. Here in Chicago it only shows me the interstates. That sucks…I drive RT 88 for 20 miles and it workes great.
On the other hand my Garmin (was) is a much better GPS nav then the Infinities. But the Traffic on the Garmin was bogus. In rare cases if I’m in a jam with the cars Nav I use my Iphone.
I’m re-upping the XM Nav. I also refuse to mount the Garmin in my new car…
On another note..I only use my downloaded music, Pandora and FM sterio for news. So the bill for the traffic will be minimal