Other benefits of Nav?

My experience was/is that when you put you name on a list you give the dealer the specs you want. Cars come in and the 1st person on the list gets a call. If they pass, the next person gets a call, etc. If you're adamant about a feature and let the dealer know, you may only get calls when that feature is available. For instance, we "settled" for a driftwood pearl/ivory car when our first choice was silver/gray. We're still on the list for a seaside pearl/gray and that's not negotiable. The dealer will call when one comes in.

You continue to get the right of 1st refusal until you select a car. You may have to wait a while or settle. Then, there's always the possibility that the option you want isn't available in your region.

You should get your name on a list ASAP. You can change your mind later.

 

I have a great garmin unit also, but I like having nav built into the car, it worked just fine for me. It did not bother me that I could not change it while moving.

 

I have an add-on Garmin 295 that I use in the airplanes I fly as well as in my car. Even though it does not have voice capability (which I find a bit annoying anyway), it does allow me to use the MFD display for mileage while at the same time being able to use GPS. I can also change settings on the GPS without having to stop the car.

I think a strictly land based GPS add on would be the way to go. You have portability and voice. Security is an issue, so get yourself a quick release holder so you can take the unit with you or hide it somewhere.

Bob

p.s. I don't think the Toyota GPS is worth what they are asking for it.

 

If you are going to drive this car until it is ready for the car graveyard then by all means, yes, buy a car with the built in NAV system. If you only keep a car for say 5 years that is one hefty bill to pay for a NAV system that will be outdated in about 5 years. You'd be better off getting a new portable NAV like the Garmin 330 or I5, that you can replace in 3-5 years, when the new more accurate GPS systems go on line. Or if you want Bluetooth get one of the Tom Tom systems, also portable and still a whole lot less in price than 2K for the built in system. But that's just my opinion.

 

I've never had any nav system (other than a map) until I got the Prius. My original plan was to get a #5 package (this is a 2005, remember) and get a third party unit. When that fell through I got a #6, which has the NAV system.

I have relied on it from time to time and it has worked very well. It was able to guide me to a place that Mapquest gave the wrong directions. On the plus side it's integrated so I don't have to remove it to prevent theft. Also the screen is bigger than some of the portable systems. It's also easy to bring the map up simply by pressing a button on the steering wheel. On the negative side is the cost of the unit in the purchase and the cost of updating the map DVD (over $250)

The voice is iffy. I can say "Go Home" and it says "Showing Banks." I've used the hack that allows it to operate when moving only twice.

Bottom line, my next car will have a GPS system, whether it's built in or not is another matter.

 

Sounds like you're happy with the Garmin, so I'd stick with that. The only benefit the factory NAV has over the Garmin is the onboard screen integration, and some have found solutions even to that, though it is still in hacker stage. See items about CANView to know what I mean.

 

Like Bob Allen... I also have a Garmin that I use in my plane (Garmin 296) as my backup navigator. I also have the auto kit for it, and in the past I have used it in our cars... mostly during trips.

When I bought my Jeep, I got a GPS unit integrated into the car... and I have never looked back. This was a no-brainer for me with the Prius as well. As far as I am concenred... I will never buy another car that does not have built in navigation.

I use the navigation system a lot... much more than I would have ever dreamed. I do not think it is just for long trips. I almost always enable it when I go places that I've never been to before (like a new restaurant)... even in my home town. I have used it to navigate to someplace when I only have the destination phone number. On many occasions I have used it to drive my bluetooth cell phone to call ahead to the restaraunt that I am navigating to to let them know that I am late, and to extend my reservation... etc.

The big problem with a portable system is that it is a PITA to set up, and switch from vehicle to vehicle... plus every time you stop... you need to disconnect it and hide it someplace... or risk a break-in. I absolutely despise having wires in cabin. This is one reason why I hardly ever connect my ipod to the audio input jacks.

If you are the kind of person who enjoys navigation systems (not everyone is)... then by all means get it built in if you can afford it. It greatly enhances the experience.

/Jim

 

My main gripe is map coverage. With a Garmin Streetpilot, any road you see can be routed and voice guidance will be given. This is not true for the Toyota system. Rural areas will have places where the guidance and routing stop. When this happens, you can see the road on the screen, but it's up to you to visually trace out what to do. The (Toyota) reduced functionality surprised me, since Garmin and Denso are both using Navtek maps. One implementation gets you there, the other (more expensive) stops you short. And yes, I have the 2006 maps (version 5.1), there is still a lot of auto guide areas missing.

 

There are other things you get with NAV.

Bluetooth - If you have a bluetooth phone, you can look up a location on the NAV and click "call" - This is a cool feature

Voice Activation - It doesn't always work perfectly, but it's also cool to have.

Personally, I love the NAV. I had NAV on my pocket PC, but it's much nicer having it integrated. I drive 30k miles a year and am constantly going different places. So, depending on how much you drive and how much it hurts to spend $2k, I'd say go for it.