I got the dual zone and nav with my truck after going back and fourth for quite some time. I just came to the realization that I hate screwing with aftermarket stuff and I like the factory look. On my last truck I didn't get a whole lot of options and later wished I had. I liked the dual zone an factory nav in the truck that I test drove, so I went ahead and got it.

I know its not much, but that is my .02.

 

I agree with you that it is becoming much harder to find aftermarket equipment that blends in with the factory look. I don't understand why so many in-dash manufacturers are going to the piano black finish when the vast majority of factory dash panels are satin black to almost gray.

 

I'm stationed in DC (Crystal City actually). I'm an LDO, made Chief in 88 and just wanted to keep on going up. I hear what you are saying about keeping it simple and did the same for the real creature comforts, which is why I went with an SLT with the Big Horn package. Cloth seats, no girly seat warmers or dual zone...

When it came to the electronics though, I've just found over the years that if you just get it the way you want it right out of the box, you don't wind up needing to spend double or triple to get the same functionality when installing aftermarket stuff.

It's your baby though, you've gotta be happy with it. I'll probably let mine sit as is for a year or so and then lift it and put on bigger tires, winch/bumper, etc but it's nice to know that I won't need to hack into the wiring to get bluetooth, ipod, nav, etc working.

 

Attono - Or maybe I should say Sir! LOL. I'd guess you are a pretty high ranking LDO if you made Chief in 88. I'm still sitting at E-6 but I'm hoping, like many other First Classes, that this will be my year. I guess we'll see come August. So what was your rate before you got your commission? Did you stay in the same community? After i finish this IA I'll be ready to head to shore duty. I've got a request in for Crane, IN of all places. But, I'm a mid-west kid and wouldn't mind a few years back inland. If I do get orders out of the area I hope we'll have a chance to meet up and check out each other's rides. I'm definitely going to be lifting as well. Just not sure if I want to go 4" or 6".

 

vodapas,

I bought a truck through the Car program over there, I also used them to purchase a different vehicle...was able to give my wife a quote they gave me and made the jeep dealer match it. I also priced out the new ram before I got home from my last deployment 1 year ago. But changed my mind before I left...turned out it was the best thing I ever did.

I got lucky on this truck, I bought it while all the trouble was going on and when people were getting near 13k off from MSRP. best I would have got while I was there was 8500 off and that was only 2 months before I bought my truck when I got home. Managed to work it so I got 13k off that one.

Don't get me wrong the deals there are really good...a couple years before I bought a Dakota through them and the dealers back home could not even touch the price, but that was then when the market was different.

Here are a few things I learned from buying there...

DONT buy the warranty through them...there is no talking them down and it is not the best deal you can get...I'm not even sure you can get the lifetime Max care warranty...think the best you can get is the added care and that price is roughly the same price you can get the max lifetime.

Second if you have someone back home use them to compare prices. Search around and find someplace that has everything you want and see how close they can get to your price...have your quote saved so you can send it to dealers if you want to and see what they can do. Do a search on E-bay Some of the dealers have decent prices and figure you can get at that price if not lower when you get home.

Don't add on any of the Undercoating or that type of stuff from there either, the price on that is higher then back in the states and really not worth it anymore.

The rebates are not too bad but if you get to know the dealers back home you can use your car as a trade in and if you do a little research you can get all that holdback and what not back.

I hope this helps a bit, let me know if you have any other questions buying from over there.

 

Whatever you do get the bluetooth on your radio or uconnect as dodge calls it so you can get a bluetooth cell phone since many states, provinces are making it a law you cannot use your cell phone but the uconnect works great and mine is mopar aftermarket. I put the mic on the dash right under the buttons near were is says RAM since I dont have heated seats .Hard to get a good after market bluetooth, There are not very many radios that fit that you dont have to cut the metal behind the dash. Good luck

 

The other thing that's nice about the factory nav is that it has an internal gyro, so if you lose satellite, it continues tracking along. It's not perfect, but it beats having the nav just drop synch when you really need it.

Don't be too impressed, it's MUCH harder to make Chief now than it was when I did it. I was an FCC and now work in the surface ordnance designator. I always joked that it was too hard to make Senior Chief so I went the LDO route cause it was easier. Crane is a really nice part of the country. I'm sure you'll enjoy it there. Didn't you say you were a P3 aircrew though? What's in Crane for a P3 guy???

You might consider some of the other options for career progression. Got your degree yet? What's keeping you from flying or taking command one day?

Anyway, please do look me up when you get back. I'd appreciate the opportunity to buy you lunch.

 

?????


+ ??????

Meet up?.... Check out each other's ride??? ...Lifting???.... 4" or 6" ????....buy you lunch???

Damn, I thought this was a truck forum.

 

I went with the factory nav and although it's not user friendly it does work with the evic of your truck. Before each turn the evic show's a display of the up coming turn which most aftermarket nav will not do. Compared to the factory nav I had in my Ford I would rate the Dodge a 7 and the Ford's nav a 10.

 

Cute.