I have been reading in here on a few threads comparing the stock systems to systems such as kenwood and pioneer. My question is has anyone compared these units to say the top of line garmin, etc...I am looking for a good system and the price tags seems to be in the 12-15 hundred range...which is about what a kenwood, pioneer or stock would be installed...does anyone no how well these units compare to each other...

I have been reading in here on a few threads comparing the stock systems to systems such as kenwood and pioneer. My question is has anyone compared these units to say the top of line garmin, etc...I am looking for a good system and the price tags seems to be in the 12-15 hundred range...which is about what a kenwood, pioneer or stock would be installed...does anyone no how well these units compare to each other...
top of the line garmin? try this one on for size, it would be sweet nestled in your truck. we would have to see if trippin could fabricate a console mount though?
http://www.garmin.com/products/g1000/

That is a little more than I had in mind...would be nice, along with auto pilot...but still a little much..):h

I went with my Alpine nav. system because it plays CDs, DVDs, MP3s and some other things I don't even remember. It just seemed to be much more vesitile for my needs.

The Pioneer N1 has all the same features as the Alpine. The problem with the Garmin and some of the other units is the mount on the dash,,,real tacky looking. The Kenwood, Alpine and Pioneer at least are in dash units. I have the Pioneer and am very happy with it.

I went this way: http://www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600/

For the price of the built in look, you could buy one of these for the entire neighborhood. Plus you can take it from vehicle to vehicle, including rental cars, etc. Which is the main reason I went this way. Get the car kit and the external antenna and no matter which vehicle you are in, you have navigation.