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Adding stand alone GPS to 2014+


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I added an aftermarket GPS to my truck. The factory GPS cost more and the aftermarket options have some features that I like. I ended up getting a Garmin Nuvi 3597 to replace my trusty old Tom Tom. The Tom Tom was over 4 years old and starting to have a few problems. I travel a great deal for work and a good GPS is a wonderful thing to have. So far this Garmin unit has worked great, better than I had expected. The voice input works very well, you can speak addresses while driving instead of having to type stuff. Auto-dimming for night and day lighting. It also has traffic information that it gets from radio stations – and this also works very well, something that I had not used before and I thought it was going to be a gimmick. This Garmin unit has a magnetic mount that makes removal easy – no clips or cords to unplug, easy to remove at hotels, etc.

I don’t like cables and things floating around, so I hard wired it into the factory accessory outlet. The radio surround trim is aluminum and surprisingly strong. I made a bracket and mounted it to the trim. It is positioned so that it does not block my view out of the front window and is within reach.


2014_GMC_GPS1.jpg

2014_GMC_GPS2.jpg

2014_GMC_GPS3.jpg

James

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that looks good.... really good actually. too bad GM cares more about selling onstar than easily enabling that screen for GPS like they do in the Spark and Sonic but thats neither here nor there.... good job! I've assed Garmins to my last few vehicles I used Edge pods though to "integrate" it a little this works nice though.....

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I added an aftermarket GPS to my truck. The factory GPS cost more and the aftermarket options have some features that I like. I ended up getting a Garmin Nuvi 3597 to replace my trusty old Tom Tom. The Tom Tom was over 4 years old and starting to have a few problems. I travel a great deal for work and a good GPS is a wonderful thing to have. So far this Garmin unit has worked great, better than I had expected. The voice input works very well, you can speak addresses while driving instead of having to type stuff. Auto-dimming for night and day lighting. It also has traffic information that it gets from radio stations – and this also works very well, something that I had not used before and I thought it was going to be a gimmick. This Garmin unit has a magnetic mount that makes removal easy – no clips or cords to unplug, easy to remove at hotels, etc.

 

I don’t like cables and things floating around, so I hard wired it into the factory accessory outlet. The radio surround trim is aluminum and surprisingly strong. I made a bracket and mounted it to the trim. It is positioned so that it does not block my view out of the front window and is within reach.

 

 

2014_GMC_GPS1.jpg

 

2014_GMC_GPS2.jpg

 

2014_GMC_GPS3.jpg

 

James

Nice job. Much cheaper than factory and free updates.

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clean install. but your crazy for drilling into your dash on such a brand new truck... I would never hard mount a GPS to the dash like that because thieves see that and break in and steal it... if I need to use a GPS ill use my phone.

 

I drilled into the radio trim piece, not the dash pad. The trim piece is easy to pull off and not expensive to replace. This GPS comes off easy so I can remove it, so thieves won't steal it.

 

Phone GPS works great, until you are out in an area with no cell phone service (which I travel through frequently for work).

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I have a factory GPS and I don't even use it; Garmin is so much better. I like the way it looks when the Garmin is up but I don't think I'll be drilling any holes in that location anytime soon

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I like my Garmin. Handy to see elevation on the screen, and the dimming is great at night. I need to get a new model soon. I don't trust my phone much. It has tried to take me the wrong way more than I can count and has taken me to places that simply aren't there more than once. I've never had to deal with factory nav, lol.

 

OP, I really like that install. Lots nicer than sticking it to the window. :)

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Looks good. Was going to do the same but I'm really digging the OnStar app for mobile phones. I can remote start my truck from anywhere. I can search for locations on my phone and then send them to my truck. After the 3 months is up I'm going to really consider paying for OnStar for the first time ever.

 

Tapatalk via Moto X

 

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