Greetings, comrades.
I'm looking at buying a new car for Mrs. Patrick. After much research and some test drives, we've settled on the Subaru Legacy. (It's pretty much the official Colorado State car we must have all wheel drive.) The only sticking point is whether we should opt for onboard GPS or just go with a portable unit stuck to the window.
I very much want Mrs. Patrick to have a GPS. (She gets lost easily. ) We like the "Premium" edition Legacy just fine. But in order to get onboard navigation on a Legacy, you have to get the higher-end "Limited" edition. The Limited has a lot of extra "gingerbread" which, of course, ups the price. Furthermore, in order to get onboard navigation on the Limited, you must also opt for a sunroof. Overall, a Limited with a sunroof is a nicer car than a Premium. And I'm a USAA member and can get an excellent deal on any Subaru. But I'm not sure it's worth the extra cost. (We're talking a few thousand.)
Therefore, I would be interested in your experiences with using a portable GPS in a car vs. using onboard GPS. I would rather not buy a new car and stick a portable unit to the window with a power cord dangling across the dash. I would also rather not worry about making sure the GPS was always removed when we lock the car lest some thief smash a window to steal it. I like the fact the onboard GPS units have a larger display than a portable unit. But again, I'm not sure the cost is justified.
Thanks!