it's $2,000 extra and i don't see how it's worth spending that much. yeah, it looks cool to have a screen in the car, but who uses it to find their way? i never really go anywhere where i can't just go to mapquest or look at a map to find my way.

 

i use it all the time. you can use it for gas stations, atm's, bank, etc. it come in more handy than you imagine even if you don't go places. you'll find ways to use it...

my $0.02.

 

To me, Navi is like a cell phone: In certain ways it's convenient to have, but it IS NOT absolutely necessary (I will not argue about this, guys). If you have one, you will find ways to use it to justify your purchase. Both tend to distract you from actually driving. I didn't get navi.

$0.02.

 

Due to my geographic location, I wasn't even able to consider a Navi system. Even if I were able to, Honda still has yet to create a GPS system in Canada. You Americans drive up here in your TSXs and get maps of Toronto, while we Torontonians drive aimlessly around in circles. Sigh.

Just me complaining to earn my $0.02.

J.

 

I guess that's why it's an option. People who don't want one, don't see the benefit of having one, won't pay for one, or can't pay for one, won't get it.

I bought it. I love it. Do I use it? Yes. Do I need it 99.44% of the time? No. I went to a party over the weekend in an unfamiliar city 60 miles from home. It really came in handy -- and worked like a charm.

Mike

 

I got my first one on my 99 TL, then again on my 03 TLS and again on my wife's 03 Accord EX-V6 and it is a fabulous feature. Assuming I can afford it, I will never get a car again without it!

My $.02

 

Like Bowersan said, it's not avaiable to us Canadians. But even if it were, I couldn't justify $2Gs for it. Handy as it could be for some, I can't remember the last time I had any real trouble finding my destination.

Personally, I'm against loading up cars with built-in distractions - I'd rather everyone have trouble finding their way with their eyes on the road than know where they're going with their eyes on the dash. Nav just bulids on the cell phone problem, in my view, along with DVD systems and PDAs...

HEADS-UP DRIVING, EVERYBODY!!!!!

 

OMG, I thought the same thing about navi before I bought the car. But now I literally use it 3-4 times per week. The cell phone analogy hits the nail right on the head.

Listen to this statement, once you go navi, you will never own another car without one. Its so true, at least for me.

 

i wasn't going to get one either, but the dealer got a car in that was black/black/6mt and with navi. i wasn't going to let anyone else take that car and have to wait another 2 months. so that was the main reason why i got navi... but now i won't regret not getting navi.

my $0.04.

 

I used mine about half a dozen times last week, found an Applebee's, state park, dentist, restaurant, and a couple others I don't remember. Think of how often you use mapquest (or something similar) or old fashion maps. If you don't use those much, you probably don't need navi, if you do use those a lot, you'll find it to be a very valuable tool and much more convenient. Plus, 2k spread out over the life of the car doesn't add up to much if you use it a lot (about 7% of cars total price - less than Tax and license in CA which is about 12%)).

 

Anyone who says they wouldn't buy it or use it have never had a nav system in their car. It IS like a cell phone: invaluable.

 

So I'm right. Ha!

 

I will have to disagree with this one. Once you punch in your destination, there is voice telling you where to turn. It reminds you at 1/2-mile, 1/4-mile, and next right/left. At night when there isn't enough light to see any road signs, this is a plus.

 

I use mine all of the time. Simple things like letting you know how long it will take you to reach your destination is pretty cool. Also, it thoughs in many other features such as the trip computer and voice activation. The navi, in my opinion, makes me a safer driver. I make a lot of sales calls and do some out of state driving. I can enjoy the trip instead of wondering when my turn is coming up or if I miss the turn, how to get to the destination. It is also a great conversation piece when others get in the car. I figured for the price of this car, I might as well get it loaded.

 

Just took a weekend trip up to Indy two weeks ago. About 1500 miles all together. Used the Navi quite a bit. As we were going through the larger cities on the interstates the Navi was really great in making sure we were in the right lane well before any exits. While we were in Indy we got the addresses we needed from the hotel phone book and plugged them into the Navi for an effortless drive to the various establishments/attractions we wanted to see. (Most of the attractions were in the data base already). The Navi blurb about "Some routes may be longer/review the route" came into play as were going home. The Navi had us going about thirty miles out of our way because a bridge over the Ohio River was not in the data base. We made the correction and the Navi picked the route after we were done.That was the only glitch in the whole trip. Over all, after this trip, I would purchase the Navi again in a heart beat.

 

Yeah, gotta watch for stuff like that. We can pretty much trust the Nav, but best to do it with our eyes open, and using common sense.

Biggest problem of Nav in these parts is that sometimes it thinks a street is one-way when it really isn't -- so it'll make us go way around and around to get right over here >>, when all we needed to do was just go there.

But it's great. And I've learned -- When in doubt, follow Nav. Chances are it knows better.

 

I use mine everyday

 

The Nav is great! Before owning it, I now realize it's much more than a map. It's downloaded with the yellow pages so you can search local businesses by name, category, distance, etc. Plus the screen and voice activation allows you to control normal stuff like the radio, CD and A/C. Also has an on-screen calculator, calendar and phone book.

Sure, one can live without it, but why would you?

 

I love my NAVIGATION! I love to drive and just by looking at the map, I can now visualize the area that I am driving. I love how it can find virtually anything. You can even look up places by phone numbers. The only thing that I do not like is that it is outdated. I want a newer version of the DVD. Oh well, can't win everytime.

 

It's almost an essential for my kind of job..I work in Real Estate and have to find unfamiliar addresses all the time. I'm looking forward to Navi in my car!

 

I'm getting navi - had it once in a rental car and loved. But I did find something out about it today - you can't see it with polarized sunglasses on. And that's disappointing, since I haven't had any other kind for years.

 

Does 612 N. 26 St. still stand?

(Ah, never mind!)

 

Mine keeps changing from the female voice to the male voice and keeps referring to himself as HAL. That's bad enough, but then all he wants to do is take control of the car and call me "Dave." Anyone know how to deactivate this thing?

 

Hey, HIP! Welcome!

So, everybody, what do we make of this??

Hey HIP, since we don't know ya, we can't tell if you're j/k, or what! (Except about the "Hal" and "Dave" part.)

(Or maybe everybody else except me can tell fine.)

 

Two stories about my nav:
I was going to the dog pound to adopt a new puppy and I knew where it was becuase I had adopted a dog there three years ago. I had just got the TSX and was playing with the nav (animal control is listed for San Antonio) and it told me to go to a different place. I knew the nav must be wrong, so I went to the place I had been three years ago. I got there and it wasn't there. I used the phone number shown on the nav screen and they told me they had moved and the nav was right! That will teach me to second guess my nav.

Last week I met up with some former co-workers at a nearby bar and later we went to one of their houses. They lived on the other side of town that I am not familiar with and I had never been there so I got the address put into the nav. It got me there without any problems and even before the friend that lived there!

I am finding the nav to be a very convienent option and I am very glad I got it even though most of the time I just display the trip computer. It is very handy to have when you need it.

 

Neat stories. We'll be hearing some more like that.

 

Maybe my TSX is a "2001" and not a 2004?
Just my dry sense of humor, my wife says it will get me in trouble some day

The Nav has been great so far but interestingly enough, the dealer where I bought it from isn't even listed on it!? (too new). Haven't read anyone discuss one of the best features of the Navi besides the obvious... How bout the voice activation for the climate control, radio, etc.?

What I really would like to see are downloadable voices that can be programmed into the system. Imagine having your Navi voice as Bart Simpson, Richard Nixon or James Bond

But seriously folks, what is missing is a hardwire link to be able to download the calendar and address book so it wouldn't be necessary to program all that stuff by hand.

BTW, larchmont I've read some of your posts over at that "other TSX website"... man, you're the stuff of legends

 

You really want to know??(I looked it up....)

 

Cool! I thought I was the only one who remembers "2001."

Thanks about "the other site." But I gotta ask: Do you mean you can STILL SEE my stuff over there??? You know, a lot of us got "banned" over there; I never got "banned" (contrary to popular belief), but, I thought, they did me an even greater honor: They made my posts "invisible" except to the administrators! But, am I wrong about this? (Meaning, can you really still see my stuff.....)

 

Uh oh, I think I don't wanna know. But, I've rarely been able to say no to curiosity, so.......

What you find out about 612 N. 26 St.???

 

Check out my review thread...the answer to the "where'd it go" mystery is there....

 

Well ... I have officially had my first "If I only had the Navi ..." experience. I was meeting some guys at a dinner place I had never heard of after a meeting in RTP, NC ... I know the area, but not every restaurant's location. It would have been soooooo cool to have the 3 people in my car see me tell my car to get me there and do it

Oh well ... maybe next time I will drop the $2K

 

This will be the first of many Prov. Next time, get the navi

 

I don't have the navi.

I can undertand how cool it is but there's one big drawback to me. I couldn't stand having to go through menus just to get to AC and audio controls.

I like having those at my command at all times.

I think Audi worked around this with the nav in the A8 by including dedicated buttons for those functions.

 

Hey, Cap -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING TO GET TO THOSE!

You just hit one button.

 

Thanks, Larch.

Maybe I exagerated but even ONE button seems like an unecessary step.

 

Yeah, Cap, but not as bad as an extra syllable!

 

I was stuck in traffic on the highway a couple of weeks ago, but knew that if I could just get to Exit 35, I could take the back roads from there. I lost patience at Exit 34 (!), so I exited early and, at a stop light, entered an address that I'd pass had I taken Exit 35. The navigation system showed me the back roads route to my back roads route!

Earlier this week, I was stuck in traffic where there usually isn't any -- notice a theme here? -- and I glanced down at the navi map and said to myself, "Hey! Look where *that* road goes!" I was able to circle around a traffic light that had apparently caused the backup.

I initially thought that, for someone like me who knows where he's going 99% of the time, it's a decadent splurge. And, without sounding like I'm trying to rationalize or justify my purchase, I'm really glad I splurged.

Mike

 

I used the Navi this weekend to find my cousin's home which is not easy to find. It worked like a charm, however when I was closing in on the destination, it told me to make a left on this street and I couldn't because there was a median in the road. So, its not always correct...however what impressed me was that it knew I went off the course and told me to make the next left and it still got me there! So, thats the only thing I've noticed. I do a lot of driving and for me its worth the $2K. I use the trip computer to see how much mpg I'm getting and it resets itself each time you re-fuel. If you know the name of the restaurant and want to make reservations before you arrive, it includes the phone number. Thats a plus.

 

Admittedly, NAV has it's shortcomings, but overall it's great. There's a center median facing my house so NAV tries to send me on a 4-block detour, when in reality, I overshoot the street and hang a U. Unfortunately, NAV doesn't acknowledge U-ey's. Too bad it can't be retrained for routine shortcuts, like your home.

Hopefully NAV can be enhanced with traffic reports and show you the least congested route as well. I heard it's in the works, pending government approval to override the law of interactive devices in the driver's view.