how difficult is it to install a nav system into a C-6 that did not come with one.

 

Assuming you are talking about adding a factory NAV unit, it's not difficult at all if your car has Bose. You will just need to add the GPS antenna. You can also add the microphone but that is not required. Other than that it is plug and play. If your car does not have Bose then you will need to do a little wiring to add the VSS wire to the radio plug in order for the navigation to function properly.

 

I wouldn't waste my time or money on the factory Nav, it's that bad! Do yourself a favor and get a Garmin or some other brand. My 2010 GS came with Nav. I tested it beside my Garmin, and it was like a modern GPS against a 70's model. I kid you not!

 

It is NOT plug and play. If you buy a used factory unit it must be programmed to the car by a Stealership, or by someone that has a Tech2.

Just go aftermarket.

 

Aftermarket the way to go. plug n play. I have Bose, so it was too easy.

 

I made the comparison between my Garmin, the factory Nav and my cell phone. They were all about equally correct. What is really frustrating is when they are all equally incorrect. They all tell you to turn right, travel 1 mile, turn left, travel 1 mile, turn left again and travel 1 mile and then turn right, which brings you back to the original road that you could have driven straight through with no turns. This is on a road system that has been in place for at least 40 years.

The factory Nav can't be updated as quickly as the other two so if you are traveling in an area that isn't widely traveled your Nav unit may be showing a dot in the middle of a blank screen. Even if you get the latest version of the database it can be more back level than the other two. It would be nice to just be able to get updates directly from Denso Vs going through GM since the path through GM takes more time and restricts the frequency of the updates. Other than that they really are about the same with the cell phone version probably being the most cost effective.

One thing I noticed about my Garmin is the inability to indicate exactly where I am located in relationship to landmarks/addresses. Many times I find it counting down the distance to an intersection with less distance remaining than it should have shown. In areas with multiple intersections several hundred feet apart, multiple turning lanes and traffic making it difficult to get back into a proper lane after noticing the road is not correct can lead a driver into making an incorrect turn and then finding a way to get where they want to go.

The factory Nav does much better that way. When it tells you there is 300 ft to the turn you can count on the turn being that far away Vs 600 ft away. I have tried calibrating the Garmin several times but to no avail. If I am in the Vette in a strange town and the Vettes database covers that town I trust its directions Vs the Garmin's directions. The cell phone does quite well but is a little more difficult to use unless I am using my bluetooth earpiece so I can hear it talking to me.

The best Nav system is still your own brain and a paper map. When you determine where you want to go check the map, write a short note of the major directions (don't need all the crap the Nav systems feed you) and go. Your brain will more than likely get you there without ever looking at your notes. The other advantage of paper maps is they give you the big picture not just a view of a few streets around where you are located. Biggest problem nowadays is finding paper maps.

Bill

 

I have considerable experience with the C6 factory nav, eight years and 110,000 miles over most of the U.S. It works well for me, and I prefer it over the two garmins and four cellphone navs we have. Especially, I like the turn arrow/countdown bar that shows up on the HUD. We have purchased two C6's new, and I bought the factory nav without hesitation on each of them.

But if you are starting with a used car, some of the aftermarket units are a very viable choice. Some due diligance will show that some have much better reputations than others.

Do your research, and pick the combination of price/features/glitches that will work best for YOU, then go enjoy the drive. Any nav system is better than none, all of them work fairly well and all have their problems; none are perfect.

 

I wouldn't waste your money in getting factory GPS, buy one with free updates, they are just has good if not better than factory, plus updating is just plug into computer, and hour later your set to go, not with factory.
If you want radio with all the bells and whistle buy radio, I bought Kenwood, with bluetooth for phone and iPod along Sirius receiver I installed to get XM Radio. I'm happy, and here is picture of my set-up.