Buyer's guide to car tech / GPS

So you're ready to buy that next tech gadget for your car, are you? There's no limit to the number of electronics available to enhance your ride. From GPS to satellite radio, it's all there, with prices as diverse as the manufacturers. Before heading out to buy that next device for your automobile, take a few minutes to read over our buyer's guide and familiarize yourself with what to expect.

Who's who in the market? First let's take a look at who the primary manufacturers are in the field of auto tech gadgetry. Today, a car stereo can be much more than just an FM / AM receiver with a CD player. Many units also feature a satellite radio tuner. Some even come equipped with a touchscreen GPS interface. Despite these advances in technology and the adaptation of the market, the top manufacturers behind these devices remain household names that you should recognize, such as Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood, Sony and JVC, all of which have been in the field for decades.

However, there are still stand-alone manufacturers for those non-traditional stereo options. In the field of satellite radio, the same name-brand manufacturers produce the hardware, but only two real options exist in the service department: Sirius and XM, which were originally owned by separate companies. Even though they are owned by the same company now, they still offer unique programming designed to appeal to different segments of the market.

In the GPS industry, two names stand out easily above the rest: Garmin and Tom Tom. With these two brands firmly in top place, Motorola and Magellan are also manufacturers that stand out in the field. All top GPS brands today offer touchscreens and turn-by-turn directions for navigation. Some models stand out by offering audible street name announcements and not just left or right turn instructions. All devices come with maps these days, but add-on features or custom maps are generally available at an extra charge.

What do you want? With all the options available, it's best to go shopping with a definitive list of the features you want. This will help you stay focused on the benefits you're looking for and not get caught up in all the hype of product packaging (not to mention salespeople).

For example, if you're traveling on the road a lot, a combination receiver with AM / FM / DVD / satellite and GPS might just be the right thing for you. If you've got access to plenty of local radio stations but can't find your way around town with a map, then voice-assisted, turn-by-turn navigation with GPS would be your best friend. Take a minute and consider whether or not you need optional features. For instance, GPS units are typically dash-mounted, stand-alone units. However, some have an optional satellite radio receiver built in. So not only does it provide you with your location and directions, it can also play your favorite music and / or satellite radio talk shows.

Another GPS option is hands-free calling. Some GPS units use bluetooth to connect to your smartphone and allow you to use the built-in speaker and microphone setup to receive and place cellular phone calls. Touch screens are another popular option, both on GPS units as well as car stereos. But is it worth it? All of these optional features come with an extra cost. It's up to you to decide if you really need these options and are willing to part with a few extra dollars to have them.

How much will this cost? Let's take a look at the price ranges for the different items we've talked about and see what price you'll be looking at for your new automobile tech gadget.

As far as stereos are concerned, the low end of the market comes in under $100. For this price, your options are limited, of course, but you can still find decent economy brands such as Audiovox at this price. The high end of the scale features stereos like the Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT or the Eclipse AVN726e, which top out at around $1,500. As you will see when you go shopping, the higher the price, the more bells and whistles you can get. But remember to stick to your list of features and benefits that you want — not what the salesperson wants you to have.

The pricing for satellite radio service is practically identical between Sirius and XM, ranging from $9.99 to $16.99, depending on which package of channels you choose. The one advantage Sirius has in the pricing department is its "Pick 50" package, which allows the user 50 channels of their choice for only $6.99 per month.

When it comes to stand-alone GPS units, there are many extra features that can affect the price. Some GPS units can also play MP3 music, offer hands-free bluetooth calling, and even give you traffic data (often as an extra subscription feature). At the low end of the market, you can get units such as the Magellan RoadMate 1470 for less than $200. At the top of the line are units like the Garmin Nuvi 3790T, which costs upwards of $500.

So what's the bottom line? For any shopping experience, the bottom line should be for you, the consumer, to walk away happy and satisfied that you made a good purchase. If you don't feel both of those things, perhaps you should reconsider that purchase. If it's super-important for you to stay within your budget, then make sure you focus on getting only the features and benefits that are a must-have for you and your lifestyle. If budgeting isn't all that much of a concern, then indulge yourself a bit and take a glance at the advanced and bundled features some of these gadgets have to offer.

With a little pre-planning and itemized feature shopping, your next car tech / GPS purchase will be a great experience. Thanks for letting us be a part of that experience. 

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