Tech package... is it worth it?

[Stevedbvik1]

No. With carplay and auto, nav is not needed. Do you care about the Adaptive cruise. Tell the dealer you'll take but knock $900 off.

Is the nav cellular or satellite?

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[Jason B]

Is the nav cellular or satellite?

It seems too accurate to be cellular. I think it uses the satellite GPS of the phone. All calculations and such are done by the phone and displayed on the SYNC3.

 

[Big Blue]

Is the nav cellular or satellite?

Factory NAV uses downloaded maps and the trucks GPS. So you don't get current traffic info. It does not use your phone.

 

[Stevedbvik1]

Factory NAV uses downloaded maps and the trucks GPS. So you don't get current traffic info. It does not use your phone.

So it would be somewhat advantageous if you don’t have cell signal in the boonies. Which in our area is a thing

 

[Aonarch]

I have a super crew XLT, 300a package (base level) and kind of regretting not getting the upgraded tech. However, I was told by the ford salesman that the 4.2 screen is compatible with Android Auto & Apple Carplay... It is not. At least as far as I'm concerned.

That is such a misleading statement/ flat out lie.

Android Auto and Apple Car Play are apps on the infotainment screen, which basically mirror your phone's screen.

He is referring to what I would assume is bluetooth audio, which absolutely is not the same.

 

[Big Blue]

So it would be somewhat advantageous if you don’t have cell signal in the boonies. Which in our area is a thing

That is one point for it. It the there are some phone NAV apps that can download maps.

With all the deletions and changes to packages I don’t know what is in the XLT tech package any more. The only thing I miss on my '19 302A w/o tech is the rain sensing wipers and maybe heated mirrors. (My truck lives in a garage and haven't needed them.) For NAV AA and Maps works just fine as it ties into my phones contact list and appointments.

 

[Dgc333]

Thanks for all the replies. My thinking is that for navigation, Google maps is the best with frequent updates. Unless I'm driving out of state, cruise control is useless as driving in eastern Ma. is just to congested. It's probably been 20 years since I've tried using cruise control.
Al

I live in eastern Mass and find the adaptive cruise control to be a fantastic option. Just set the desired speed and it will speed up and slow down the vehicle to keep a safe distance (which so can be set).
I find the adaptive cruise to be less useful out on the hiway unless there is a lot of traffic. It tends to slow you down without you noticing when you could have gone around them.

The forward sensing system which the adaptive cruise needs to work will brake the vehicle to avoid a collision. I haven't had it save my butt but have had it brake hard when some is slowing to turn and I have had room to go around and wasn't slowing down so it does work.

I much prefer integrated factory navigation over using CarPlay or Android Auto. Having to plug in your phone everytime you get in the truck to have navigation is a nuisance. If you install Ford with Alexa on your phone you get the same search features as Google and it integrated directly with the factory nav.

 

[Dgc333]

Factory NAV uses downloaded maps and the trucks GPS. So you don't get current traffic info. It does not use your phone.

When you have factory nav you also get SirusXM Travel Link which integrates with the nav and provides traffic conditions, road conditions, accidents, etc. I find Travel Link to better than Google for traffic conditions.

My wife's Jeep doesn't have factory nav so we are stuck using CarPlay. There are sections of road around where we live that Google is always showing heavy traffic as we sail through without a car in sight. The Ford Factory Nav with Travel Link only shows congestion when there is actually congestion.

 

[mtbikernate]

I initially thought I wanted onboard Nav. But now that I've been using AA, I don't really feel that way. I rotate between 3 nav apps depending on my needs. Long road trips gets Waze for the traffic and road hazard alerts. Local use with occasional jaunts out of cell reception gets Google Maps, which can cache maps for offline use. More extended periods into the boonies gets Gaia GPS, which has more detailed maps for more remote use plus stores those maps offline. So no cellular data needed to download them. Positioning for these is accomplished with the phone's GPS chip, for better or for worse. You can get an external bluetooth GPS receiver to pair with your phone if you want a boost in accuracy or if your phone has a crappy GPS chip/antenna. But I haven't needed it.

I have a 2019 XLT with 302A and I'm happy with the stuff that came in that package. Would have liked heated mirrors, though. It's not a super frequent need, but living in the southern Appalachians, ice is very real in our winter conditions and when you need it you need it. I def like having BLIS, cross-traffic alerts, and the front and rear parking sensors. IMO, towing package might as well be required equipment for pickups.

Also would have liked adaptive cruise. I don't use cruise much in town, but for longer drives I do prefer it. Up in the mtns, especially with the tourist traffic, we get the stupid slinky traffic patterns where adaptive cruise would excel. Without ACC, I just have to drive without using cruise at all if the traffic is congested enough, or enable/disable the basic cruise as needed. And you can definitely count me as someone who gets stresses when having to deal with other people on the roads. A relaxing drive for me means quiet country roads and gravel forest roads. So I could see appreciating ACC in traffic. When I bought the truck at first, I wasn't prioritizing that particular feature because I wasn't really thinking about it.

 

[Big Blue]

When you have factory nav you also get SirusXM Travel Link which integrates with the nav and provides traffic conditions, road conditions, accidents, etc. I find Travel Link to better than Google for traffic conditions.

My wife's Jeep doesn't have factory nav so we are stuck using CarPlay. There are sections of road around where we live that Google is always showing heavy traffic as we sail through without a car in sight. The Ford Factory Nav with Travel Link only shows congestion when there is actually congestion.

To each his own. I don't have factory Nav, so it is a moot point for me. Maps works for me and they are always up to date.

 

[mtbikernate]

I much prefer integrated factory navigation over using CarPlay or Android Auto. Having to plug in your phone everytime you get in the truck to have navigation is a nuisance. If you install Ford with Alexa on your phone you get the same search features as Google and it integrated directly with the factory nav.

I don't mind plugging in. Would prefer wireless, but it is what it is. I like that my phone's charge is kept topped up. I know it's possible to add a bunch of little things to make all that happen, but it's not enough of a priority.

I've found the Ford Alexa app to be pretty useless for my truck, as it doesn't work with AA at all. In fact, you have to disable AA to use it. Which takes away from the nav capability. And also AA's improved phone/messaging system (over the truck's factory capabilities). Dunno if Alexa gives improvements in those areas, but it's worth noting that it replaces AA, rather than works with it.

 

[rcairflr]

When you have factory nav you also get SirusXM Travel Link which integrates with the nav and provides traffic conditions, road conditions, accidents, etc. I find Travel Link to better than Google for traffic conditions.

My wife's Jeep doesn't have factory nav so we are stuck using CarPlay. There are sections of road around where we live that Google is always showing heavy traffic as we sail through without a car in sight. The Ford Factory Nav with Travel Link only shows congestion when there is actually congestion.

You also get weather, which includes a weather map. i really like this function.

I know this is a old thread, but, I really like the Tech package and would definitely buy it again.

 

[DakotaGuy]

So it would be somewhat advantageous if you don’t have cell signal in the boonies. Which in our area is a thing

I like factory nav because it is GPS satellite based so when you are in the mountains where cell signals can be unreliable at best you still have navigation. The other advantage is you don't have to plug your phone into the USB port to have navigation every time your get into the vehicle.

Now some people don't care about plugging their phone in or are always driving in areas with good cell reception, but factory nav definitely has it's place.

 

[Fawnbuster]

Was worth it to me. I wanted in car nav, I hate extra wires etc and don't want my route tied into phone calls, I like keeping it all separated. Plus the heated seats and the adaptive cruise.

 

[mtbikernate]

I like factory nav because it is GPS satellite based so when you are in the mountains where cell signals can be unreliable at best you still have navigation. The other advantage is you don't have to plug your phone into the USB port to have navigation every time your get into the vehicle.

Now some people don't care about plugging their phone in or are always driving in areas with good cell reception, but factory nav definitely has it's place.

Phone nav ALSO uses GPS satellites. The only reason it might need cellular data is if it needs to download maps or live traffic information. Some apps cannot store maps if you turn the truck off (like Waze). Others can do this (such as Google Maps). And others (like Gaia GPS) can store the maps and nav data even longer.

Not saying that there aren't other reasons that factory nav might have its place. But getting the facts straight first is important. If you don't know how it works, you can't make educated decisions.

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