Need advice on buying a new In Dash GPS

[guiri]

Guys, I decided to try a Pioneer (sold my Kenwood unit) mainly because I loved the multi route feature on the Pioneer.

 

Ie, where you type in the address and on the screen, you get up to five different routes in different colors

and you can just click the one you want.

 

Also, I like the fact that there is this very active forum.

 

So, I bought a used F700BT and got kinda hosed but that's another story.

 

Had to have it pimped and other stuff done to it and finally (from when I bought it used to when

I got it pimped and ready to go, all in all, it prolly took around 2 years during which I had no

unit in the truck so yeah, I'm really tired of this unit) when it was sent back to me, USPS trashed

the hell out of it.

Well, I now have to file a claim and knowing how crooked the USPS is, I have my doubts on getting

paid, BUT, assuming I do, I'll need a unit and I thought, why not buy a new one. I'll have money to add

if needed (didn't before or I would have used it as a boat anchor).

 

So, I need buying advice.

 

What I do NOT need or care about:

• All bunch of cool apps and fancy stuff. I am by myself in the truck and I don't play with the unit when I drive.
  
• I do NOT own an Apple product and don't ever intend to buy one after the fiasco of me buying the first iPhone which was a POS by the way.
  
• I don't care about XM or Sirius and although I would be interested in Pandora, it seems (from their site) that you have to have an Apple product to use it. Also, I assume it takes A phone which means running up a bunch of minutes which is NOT an option for me anyway as I pay by the minute (dont' use the phone much)
  
• I don't care about mixing music and all that fancy stuff.
  
• I don't care about pimping the wall papers, doing the album covers and so on.
  
• I do NOT need a very powerful amplifier as I don't have huge speakers in my truck.
  
• I WAS going to have the firmware pimped but I actually had one of our members here pimp my old unit and had him remove the custom firmware 'cause I didn't like the look of the only one that seemed to be available so I'm giving up on the custom firmware thing.
  

What IS important to me:

• GPS is the main thing I need so I need a good GPS experience and again, with the multiple route choices WITHOUT having to go into the menu and change the options of which route I want which is what I had to do on the Kenwood and there were only two choices anyway and sometimes, none of them were good.
  
• GOOD hands free implementation for when I DO talk on the phone. I prefer voice commands if they work well but NOT a must.
  
• I DO want to play music and usually I'll just hook up my own MP3 player so I assume some kind of USB connection is what I need. PREFERRABLY, it should interface with the unit so I can control it through the unit as the mp3 player is very small.
  
• I would like to be able to play music on CD's or DVD's but NOT a must.
  
• I prefer a LARGE screen.
  
• Motorized or not makes little difference. I prefer it to hide away but I've never had problems with someone breaking into my truck and I'm always worried about the mechanics of things and whether they'll break or not.
  
• I PREFER a volume button like mine but I can live without.
  
• Sensitive and accurate touch screen.
  
• FAST boot/start up time and not sure how much a motorized screen will delay things.
  
• I prefer built in GPS but it's NOT a must. However, when you make recommendations, please consider the price WITH whatever I need to get GPS.
  
• Bluetooth for communication with my phone (android, Nexus one but hell, the screen is so, so on the touch so I might even upgrade. Again, NEVER an apple product!)
  
• Back up camera ready but NOT a must
  

Now, I looked on Pioneers site and I only see TWO units with GPS...WTF? Is that it?

Does this mean I'll have to go for an older unit if I don't want to spend 1000 bucks or more which I don't. I'd like to keep it under $700 or lower WITH GPS and NOT counting installation. I've got that taken care of.

 

IF someone has something suitable, I might be interested in a USED unit at the right price but it has to have the newest firmware and updated maps.

Also note that it'll prolly take a month or more before I get paid. USPS claims a minimum of 21 days and a maximum of 180. YES, 180 days to get paid! Did I mention I hate the USPS?

 

Thanks for any advice and please, linky's are very helpful if you have any and so are prices (used or new).

 

One more thing, I'm a sucker for warranties since everything around me tends to break down. I'm like Magneto or something so I DO prefer new with warranty.

How long are the warranties and can you buy extended and if so, who should you buy from? Pioneer, square trade or what?

 

Thanks and thanks to my boy here on the forum for pimping the unit for me.

 

Finally, if I posted in the wrong section, please move.

 

George

[guiri]

No one?