travelrider

Decisions, decisions.

I have a beautiful 2013 F-150 FX2 with just about every conceivable option except navigation. If I'm not mistaken, even though the truck actually has a GPS in it, Ford has made it impossible to add factory nav after the fact. Assuming that's the case, now I have to decide what to do.

Garmin - works without any internet connection and it's relatively inexpensive, but being self-contained it also doesn't update as fast as Google. This option is a bit of a hassle because I would feel like I had to take the GPS down off the dash every time I parked somewhere. It just seems like you're attracting a break-in by leaving it in the truck.

Tablet - Mount a tablet in the truck and use Google Maps and/or download a map program. A 7" screen would be great, but I have to figure out an unobtrusive place to put it. I could tether it by WiFi to my phone and it would get current maps through my cell service - or I could opt to pay my carrier $10/mo and buy a much more expensive tablet that has it's own 4G connection built in. Same break-in concerns as the Garmin.

Just use my phone - the cheapest option since I already have the phone and pay for the service. Buy a ProClip for my phone, route a permanent charger cable (because I'm OCD that way), and I'm done. Small screen - and keeps me from using my phone while I'm navigating (which isn't such a bad thing I guess). No break-in concerns because I take my phone with me anyway.

So, what have you all done? Any photos of tablets mounted in your trucks? I'm curious where a 7" tablet would fit nicely. I'm also curious to get some opinions on these options -- or if there's something else relatively inexpensive that I haven't considered, then please let me know. I'm not interested in a ridiculously priced solution. I found an integrated GPS solution to add Garmin to the existing touch screen but the whopping $1600 price tag makes it a non-starter.

Thanks for everyone's inputs -- and pictures of mounted tablets too!!!

thekevin

I put a ram mount on the dash tray in my truck and just use my phone. It's hard to beat google maps or mapquest and like you said it keeps me from texting and driving.

Gibby1234

I have a lifeproof case on my iPhone 5S and the suction cup mount made by lifeproof. I do a lot of driving and I move it between work trucks and my personal truck daily. Works amazing. I also have a garmin Dakota and find I don't use it much as Google maps works better and is always updated. Google maps also has satellite imagery which helps me a lot as I drive the back roads on Alberta and Saskatchewan looking for oil wells and often the roads aren't on Google maps or the garmin.

I too ran a wire from one of the USB ports in my Center console through the dash and behind the stereo and have it coming out above the stereo to plug into my phone while it's in the suction cup mount.

Chris's FX4

Look up the Garmin Glo. It's $100 and gives you GPS for a wifi only tablet. Pic of an iPad in my buddies Raptor. He uses it with the Garmin Glo and MotionX app.

thekevin

That one looks awesome.

Here is a pic of my setup. I had an extra ram mount that I epoxied down in my dash tray.

Scuba_Dave

I bought a Garmin 5" GPS w/lifetime updates ..about $100
I plan to put a mount somewhere on the dash
Around here it works fine, no problems w/updates as I drive
I think it depends upon how much you use one

There is a thread on here that a guy makes custom in dash bezels:
https://www.f150forum.com/f37/ipad-i...models-252757/

travelrider

Those last two tablet mounts look like they create huge blind spots. They don't bother you being right there dead center in your field of view?

thekevin

No, I have had mine like that for 20k miles at least.

mtondreo

I have a Garmin sitting in my center console that has lifetime maps, but since I bought some $10 windshield mount for my phone - it typically gets used. I got sick of having to look up addresses on my phone and then programming the gps - the phone is always with me, so it made sense.

JTL89

Things mounted on the windshield irritate the crap out of me. I ended up purchasing a Kenwood in-dash unit with built in Garmin GPS. Before that, I simply preferred using my phone mounted on my dash. There's a navigation app called Waze, which has live input of debris on roads, speed traps, vehicles stopped on shoulders, etc - pretty neat little app if you take the phone route.