Hey guys, I did a search for this, but it came back with a bunch of junk.

I am basically looking for a good GPS unit that will mount nicely in my 05' silverado, just the basics is good for me. Anyone have any suggestions on model, and good place to pick one up?

Thanks ahead of time everyone!
-Matt

This is in the wrong forum. BTW, I have the Magellan Meridian Gold and like it very much.

I have a Garmin Quest. It's portable, battery powered, has a window mounting dock charger and a speaker on the charger where it plugs into the lighter. It was ~$450 and is a fun little toy. It has quite a few bells and whistles on it and I have a few thousand miles with it guiding the way. There are better out there, so do your research. Magellan and Garmin and about the 2 biggest. You can go to their websites and see what they have to offer.

Crap, sorry about posting in the wrong forum, i wasn't paying attention. Thanks for the replies!

I've got a magellan sportrak topo. It's a little more $ than the other sportraks because it has a topo map of the entire country built into it. For camping, biking, hiking, etc. it's really useful but if you don't do any sports like that then a regular sportrak might be a good one to get. I've heard that the antenna on the sportrak is one of the best out there and from my experience it works very well.

With a laptop the Delorme Earthmate for under $125 w/mapping software rules!

I have a Garmin iQue 3600 with 1 MB memory. I can put the whole USA roads in it and it works great. Voice directions, write in searches and it converts to typed text. Biggest screen out there and a PDA that plays MP3s too. $500 with the memory if you shop around and $70 for the bean bag stand/cig adaptor car kit.

Garmin 2610 0r 2620

Ive got the same as badhara Ique 3600 from Garmin recieved as a gift all I had to buy was 2GB memory card to load lots of MP3's and excel spreadsheets for work. I love this unit for the price it is a great GPS unit and so much more regular PDA etc.

Wellllll if you really want an integrated look and something that integrates with the truck perfectly, it doesnt get much better than an OEM Escalade touchscreen nav radio... works with steering wheel controls, functions as a radio, and has voice prompts for navigation. Never used any portible units, so I cant speak for them, but I do love my Escalade nav...and it proudly displays the Chevy bowtie (along with "Sound By Bose") on a start-up splash screen!!:)

---Ben

If anyone wants to do the install, PM me for instructions!

Wellllll if you really want an integrated look and something that integrates with the truck perfectly, it doesnt get much better than an OEM Escalade touchscreen nav radio... works with steering wheel controls, functions as a radio, and has voice prompts for navigation. Never used any portible units, so I cant speak for them, but I do love my Escalade nav...and it proudly displays the Chevy bowtie (along with "Sound By Bose") on a start-up splash screen!!:)

---Ben

If anyone wants to do the install, PM me for instructions!

How much did it cost for Escalade NAV. Way nice... I would like the instructions for reading enjoyment.

Ahh cost...that all depends on several things. First of all, there are TWO different Bose amplifiers used in GMT-800 vehicles, basically everyone except the Denali and Escalade get the "junk" Bose amplifier. The Denali/Escalade gets a higher end "LUXURY" or "lux" amplifier. Odd thing is that the speakers between the two systems are identical, both RPO code UQ7. The only difference is the amp, and boy what a difference it is!! MUCH better, clearer sound quality and more bass. (nobody that gets into my truck beleives that much bass is coming from a silly little 6.25" sub!) Changing the amps involves some slight rewiring at the amp connectors, and obviously a new amp. They are becoming harder to find on ebay, but JP Customs (www.jpcustoms.com (http://www.jpcustoms.com)) can get new ones for you at a good price. I got two lux amps for about 40 dollars a pop back in mid 2004 when the lux amp conversion was unheard of! Now everyone is doing it and snatching up all the lux amps. If you are happy with your current Bose system, you can save some money here and get a model nav radio that works with the "Premium" Bose amp. Both nav radios look the same, operate the same, they just are compatible with different amps. Also, there is both touchscreen and older non-touchscreen nav radios. Non-touchscreen nav radios are almost all "LUX" models. They can be had for cheap on ebay (~400$) if you dont mind using the little joystick to navigate around the radio. Touchscreen models, for both non-lux and lux models go for around 1000 dollars new. There is no cost difference between the lux and non-lux units. '9287, '7287, '0706 are all non-lux touchscreen nav radios (TNR's). '7531 and '0099 are LUX TNR's. '4334 and '4335 are lux, non-touchscreen nav radios (INR's). Non-lux INR's are really rare, their part number ends in '8421. Then you need to buy a GPS antenna (unfortunatly it doesnt use th OnStar antenna) which goes for around 40-50 dollars. Then you will need a map nav DVD disc only if the nav unit you bought didnt come with one. They go for around 110 dollars. Now if you install the TNR or INR, you lose your 6-disc CD changer. There is a CD slot in the nav radio, but its for the map DVD. It can play audio discs fine, but of course you just wont have the navigation function if you arte playing in audio cd. To regain the 6-disc changer, you can install a remote CD changer from an Escalade in the center console, like I did. (see picture) Its a great unit, just slide the discs in, no fumbling with a CD magazine. Those go for about 120 dollars on ebay. If anyone wants my full "booklet" of instructions that I have written up (along with pics and wiring documents), PM me your email address!

---Ben