Pay for "Turn by Turn" GPS?

[F150 2.7 TT user]

An 8x7 inch Garmin stand alone cost $300 and has lifetime free map upgrades.
The 76 version I have is 10 years old and cost just over $200 in 2017. I upgrade the maps twice a year so near 20 map upgrades and 10 years use still going for the initial $200. That is where my complaints on built in navigation come from. Yup the big ass screen is neat but functionally no better than my stand alone unit. Problem is I wanted the Tremor and there was no way to delete the navigation. Oh well the Garmin still travels from vehicle to vehicle as needed and even in my pocket for in city pedestrian navigation. Besides mine still has Yeti/Dr Nightmare/Elfred the Elf and some other custom nav voices! And NO subscription.
I'm not trying to get anyone to use a Garmin (ran into a source indicating Garmin maps are used in Google Maps, the Android Auto version), just comparing the 3 different navigation systems I am now quite familiar with.

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[Quest]

I use "Here We Go" with android auto on my phone
Its free & downloadable maps are updated often
Works without any cell data

 

[Maverick2022XL]

An 8x7 inch Garmin stand alone cost $300 and has lifetime free map upgrades.
The 76 version I have is 10 years old and cost just over $200 in 2017. I upgrade the maps twice a year so near 20 map upgrades and 10 years use still going for the initial $200. That is where my complaints on built in navigation come from. Yup the big ass screen is neat but functionally no better than my stand alone unit. Problem is I wanted the Tremor and there was no way to delete the navigation. Oh well the Garmin still travels from vehicle to vehicle as needed and even in my pocket for in city pedestrian navigation. Besides mine still has Yeti/Dr Nightmare/Elfred the Elf and some other custom nav voices! And NO subscription.
I'm not trying to get anyone to use a Garmin (ran into a source indicating Garmin maps are used in Google Maps, the Android Auto version), just comparing the 3 different navigation systems I am now quite familiar with.

You can get a Garmin for less than that depending the model. With that said Garmins are great standalone GPS units. Been using them myself for a long time now. Whether you have lifetime maps or not they have plenty of opensource maps for those units, Open Map Chest is good one for roads. I have topography maps of areas I ride off road on and if you use tracks you can import them into base camp and overlay and make those tracks navigable. You can't do that on a head unit GPS for forestry roads or National Parks.

Though I have to admit I also like OSMAND on AA. They have more and better POI and unlike Garmin you they update them more often and you can send in corrections for them to update.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I use "Here We Go" with android auto on my phone
Its free & downloadable maps are updated often
Works without any cell data

How much file space is needed on the phone? I would have to be downloading entire States.
With my pictures and videos I have precious little room on my phone.
I have a departure point in the destination point but the route in between can be varied for me. I don't always stick to the beaten path.

 

[F150 2.7 TT user]

I still use Basecamp and Birdseye imaging for custom trail mapping. Even printed my own NOAA navigation charts for the Canadian USA border lakes. Maps made can be displayed on the Garmin GPS units, automotive and handheld.

 

[Maverick2022XL]

How much file space is needed on the phone? With my pictures and videos I have precious little room on my phone.

If your phone has a slot just get a 128G or 256G SD card and store your files on that. For maps that is more than big enough to keep maps of every state in the US for offline GPS only navigation.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

If your phone has a slot just get a 128G or 256G SD card and store your files on that. For maps that is more than big enough to keep maps of every state in the US for offline GPS only navigation.

Nope no sd slot. On my older phones I used to store the pictures on the sd card.

 

[Maverick2022XL]

Nope no sd slot. On my older phones I used to store the pictures on an sd card.

The next option though not as eloquent is to get hybrid Dual SIM Extender Adapter if you have more than one SIM card slot on the phone assuming you have them in the first place and if it has 2 sim slots and the second one isn't already a combo sim/micro sd slot.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

The next option though not as eloquent is to get hybrid Dual SIM Extender Adapter if you have more than one SIM card slot on the phone assuming you have them in the first place.

Yea that ain't going to happen.
Thank you anyway.
I'll keep using my Garmin nothing special needs to be done except plug it in.

 

[dmopro]

From my previous life I learned a saying: "Two is one and One is none." So, my updated Garmin sits next to my fully charged NOCO GB40 under the back seat. I have luckily never needed either, but if I do need them, they are there.

 

[mauverick]

All the answers are correct and good ones but I do think it a bit sleazy for a manufacturer to make a buyer pay and pay to use options that come with a vehicle.

The reason Ford charges is because it's a cellular service THEY have to pay for. You're narrowly focused on GPS when it's really connectivity they're providing.

For instance, making your Maverick a Wi-Fi hot spot. Being able to remotely start your vehicle from pretty much anywhere etc.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

From my previous life I learned a saying: "Two is one and One is none." So, my updated Garmin sits next to my fully charged NOCO GB40 under the back seat. I have luckily never needed either, but if I do need them, they are there.

I have exactly the same setup under the passenger side.
But where's your atlas?

 

[ricwan]

I have a new 2026 Maverick Lariat - fully loaded. I went to use the GPS to search for a destination. I got the message that I needed to enable the Ford Connectivity Service. I looked it up and found that I can use this service for one year from the date of purchase. After that it COSTS an ANNUAL fee.
What's with that? All my previous cars allowed the service as part of the purchase price.
Fortunately I have my iPhone.
I am very disappointed with Ford!

paying $40k or more then getting hit with paying more after a 'free' year sucks. ford GREED.

 

[dmopro]

I have exactly the same setup under the passenger side.
But where's your atlas?

I still have old MAPSCO spiral bound maps from my early days in Texas. Paper maps are too expensive to buy now and are not as useful as I remember them to be. On all my interstate travels, I always stop at the first rest area in each state I pass thru and if available, I pick up state maps to file in a non-descript box for further reference. The wife would rather sit looking at a paper map rather than trying to fart with google maps on a PC. Took a multi-state trip recently and dropped 5 state paper maps on the kitchen table to plan the trip and my son questioned my sanity.

 

[F150 2.7 TT user]

Cathy and maps/GPS is a comical combination. First use without me I checked the tracking. 2 cloverleaf interchanges with tracks for each loop! 8 360 degree turns for a 50 mile trip.

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