Navigation vs. 20" Wheels

[jkggg]

I have the choice between two 2011 explorers. One has navigation and the other has 20" wheels. I use my android phone for most of my navigation, but it would be nice to have it integrated into the car. But I've also read that it isn't that good. 20" wheels look nice. What would you do?

 

[donm527]

get the 20" wheels.

i have both on my xlt and use my navigon app on my iphone for my navigation needs. i thought it would be cool using the in-built one but its difficult to set up and cant set it up while car is in motion. you can actually if try to set up a trip using voice command but its not worth it. and i'm pretty sure you dont get any free map upgrades.

I have the choice between two 2011 explorers. One has navigation and the other has 20" wheels. I use my android phone for most of my navigation, but it would be nice to have it integrated into the car. But I've also read that it isn't that good. 20" wheels look nice. What would you do?

 

[artnalex]

Wheels, for sure.

I have 20" wheels and NAV unit in my 2011 Explorer Ltd., but realistically...if you have a smartphone and have access to Google Maps...you don't need a navigation unit.

 

[jrmexplorer]

I have the choice between two 2011 explorers. One has navigation and the other has 20" wheels. I use my android phone for most of my navigation, but it would be nice to have it integrated into the car. But I've also read that it isn't that good. 20" wheels look nice. What would you do?

Hmmm..... I'm going to go in a different direction here and say Nav. While the nav isn't great, you can always add the 20" wheels later - I do not believe you can add the nav later on.

 

[w1kedz]

you can actually if try to set up a trip using voice command but its not worth it.

When I first got the car (and again after having sync updated) the crazy lady wouldn't listen to anything I told her. I'd say an address, and she'd either say she didn't understand, or come back with somewhere in a different city.

I sat in my driveway for 20 minutes, and said the same address over, and over again, until she understood it at least 3 times in a row. Now she understands EVERYTHING I say. I believe the MS voice recognition requires 20 or 30 minutes of "learning" before it is able to latch onto your voice correctly.

I now tell the b!@#h to do stuff and she does it! it's so nice...

 

[BPVigs]

Hmmm..... I'm going to go in a different direction here and say Nav. While the nav isn't great, you can always add the 20" wheels later - I do not believe you can add the nav later on.

I'd get both....but that doesn't sound like an option. I have the nav, but not the wheels. I wish I had the wheels now, but I do like the nav also. I'm not helping at all, am I?

 

[w1kedz]

Hmmm..... I'm going to go in a different direction here and say Nav. While the nav isn't great, you can always add the 20" wheels later - I do not believe you can add the nav later on.

I agree with this. And the Nav in metro areas (I'm in the LA area) is awesome w/ the integrated traffic. It doesn't seem to matter what accidents are on what freeways, she always has a way around it. If you are deciding between the two, Navi would be the way to go, cause like jrmexplorer said, you can always add 20" wheels later (and possibly better ones for less money, OEM wheels are outrageous)

 

[vulnox]

Definitely Nav. With the wheels all you add is cost and the risk of damaging the lower profile tires and more expensive wheel. Also, the base wheels at both the XLT and Limited trim levels look a lot better than the upgraded sizes IMO.

Plus I really like the nav. It has been reliable and accurate for me, and since it's integrated you dont have to worry about hearing commands from a separate unit over your radio.

Thanks to a member here showing me, I also found you can go to the Google Maps site, find your destination, and there is a send button on the page and you can have the destination sent to Sync Services (you just select send to car, find Ford in the drop down and put in the cell phone number you have registered). When you get into the Ex you just have it dial in and it downloads the destination automatically and routes it on your GPS.

I love that feature and wish Ford showed it off more. That alone makes it better for me than a handheld nav since I can grab my iPad or get on the computer, put in the destination, and have it in my Explorer the next morning when I go to leave.

 

[vulnox]

Also if you can afford both, see if your dealer can swap the wheels from the other Ex onto the one with Nav. They then just adjust the sticker on the other ex for the removal of the wheels. I know it sounds odd, but when we got our 2010 Fusion SEL, I wanted the SEL trim but my wife didn't want the leather seats. The dealer offered to swap in the cloth seats from an SE. Most of the parts on these vehicles like that are easy to swap in and out. Wheels would definitely not be a problem.

 

[gdecamp]

I now tell the b!@#h to do stuff and she does it! it's so nice...

Can she make sauce?

 

[w1kedz]

Can she make sauce?

Just tried it.. she started playing "I got 5 on it" by the Luniz... close enough

 

[donm527]

best thought that comes to mind... go to the dealer and ask him for a test drive to just play with the nav for as long as it takes to make up your mind.

to each their own and consider myself pretty tech saavy and i just dont like it. i tried the google maps... on my iphone... and no option to send to car.
i could bring up safari i guess and go classic mode and try but that's too time consuming and takes time off the road.

if they had it on the google maps app on my iphone then that would be great way to input a destination into the car...
otherwise to have to do it on a pc before you get in your car... doesnt help when you need directions when on the move.
and speaking on the move... again, you cant enter anything when the car is in motion.

so tonight on the way to hooters i try nav and voice command to find a restaurant because i dont know the exact address of hooters.
you just cant input hooters. you try to narrow it down to city and then restaurants
and then i dont know what type of restaurant hooters would be categorized, so you go all restaurants then go down the list and no hooters.
somehow i tried the nearby option and keyworded hooters and it finds one in the next city sunrise but doesnt know there is one 10 minutes away in boca.
i was almost there and still trying to get it to search boca.

yeah... navigon just search poi and type hooters and it finds it and press to start.

or google maps it finds your position at start and you type hooters and viola and press 'route.'
or type whatever address or use your contacts... it's still less steps then what mft puts you through.

for me... i like my 20"s more than i like the nav

but I did see that other person on this site with the Ford Edge Sport 22"s and wouldnt mind getting those.

 

[Sgt1411]

I say Navigation too, complicated to add it later, if you even can.

You can buy those OEM 20" Polished Aluminum wheels on Ebay anytime.

Or as others suggest, buy some nicer aftermarket wheels.

 

[Spengracin]

I agree, get the Nav, you can't add later, you can always get wheels, Ebay or elsewere.

 

[artnalex]

jkggg,

If you choose one now...are you eliminating the other option at a later date?

 

[jkggg]

jkggg,

If you choose one now...are you eliminating the other option at a later date?

No I'm not. Thanks everyone for your replies. I went ahead with the Navigation because it was $600 cheaper and I can add the wheels later.

 

[vulnox]

No I'm not. Thanks everyone for your replies. I went ahead with the Navigation because it was $600 cheaper and I can add the wheels later.

Good choice. The Nav isn't perfect, and I know a lot of people like to shine the light on their handheld ones like they are, but I have never used a nav that had every POI, every road, without fail. They all have their quirks. I think having it integrated into the vehicle, and that it shows your turns next to the speedometer, make it both safer and a better overall way to go.

Besides, if its missing a POI you can always just look it up on most any phone and get the address. Enjoy your new Explorer!

 

[gman123]

I want to add the wheels after as well. they do look nice.

 

[FordIVTteam]

No I'm not. Thanks everyone for your replies. I went ahead with the Navigation because it was $600 cheaper and I can add the wheels later.

Excellent choice! :biggthump

But I must say, I really like the 20"s. They look pretty sweet!

Rebecca

 

[RandyH2]

As much as I hate to say it, I would go with the Nav too, in hopes that they fix it down the road. You'll like th e20" wheels when you are walking up to the Explorer and forget about them once you are inside (except for the slightly harsher ride- not positive this is true but that is the general perception of larger wheels). Inside, where you spend most the time, is where you will appreciate the potential of the Nav.