CBLW

Hi again gang,

Ok, new question today (and forgive me if this has been asked a million times before):

I'd really love to hear the opinions of those folks that are completely gung ho on dealer installed Acura Navis (or just dealer installed navis, generally), vs. those who would legitimately make the argument for aftermarket navis over anything that you can get from a dealer. I'm familiar with the basic talking points for each, such as, move the GPS from one car to another vs. better updates, better synchronization, but I'd like to get an honest take from someone who swear by dealer installed vs. someone who really, truly recommends and prefers aftermarket.

All opinions greatly appreciated. This thread will benefit about 8 people I know. haha

*Follow-up: If you are a fan of aftermarkets, which do you recommend and why?

CiViCKiDD

I just bought my car over the weekend, non-navi. I obviously liked the factory navi system, but $2000 is absurd when you can get a decent dash-mounted GPS for $150.

Can I afford it? Sure. I personally felt I could live with attaching the portable GPS to the windshield on the rare occasions I actually needed a GPS.

CBLW

Thanks for your input. I've also read in several locations now that people have had horrible experiences with servicing Acura installed navi units. I was not aware of that when originally pondering this question -- but it's certainly an important element to consider. I already hate going to car dealerships enough as it is. I have also heard that aftermarket units tend to be more reliable, and are easier to update. No clue if that's true as well, but hopefully this will spurn a debate...

Saeyon

i like the factory navi system as well.. but at the time when i bought my car, i really didnt think i needed one, because i was very familiar with the area around where i lived, and plus i really didnt feel like dropping a extra 2k on a navi. So therefore i bought a TOMTOM. To my surprise i actually use the navi alot now going places to places. Now if it was only a grand more to add the factory navi option i would have maybe considered it a bit more and maybe would have gotten it.

ak3883

I had a Garmin and sold it when I just got my TSX 2 weeks ago, and got Navi. I liked the "3D" view from the Garmin better, but I think that the TSX nav is pretty decent and has more customization options than the Nuvi I had.

Plus I love the stock look, being able to control everything else in the car on the navi touch screen, not having to hide the windshield mount everytime I leave my car. I think it does just as good a job navigating by voice/showing turns on the screen than the garmin did, if not a bit better. I'm still learning everything it can do.

First new car I've ever bought, so I splurged a bit and went with the navi. I just didn't drive enough in other cars to keep the nuvi. And selling it paid for the flaps and winter mats for the TSX and left over some change as well.

CBLW

Thanks for the contributions to this thread everyone. It's definitely interesting to hear the different impressions/reasoning behind the navi/non-navi/aftermarket navi decision-making process. I have a feeling that I'll be in the market for an aftermarket (haha) sometime soon. If anyone has a killer unit that they'd like to endorse, by all means, please let me know!

I'll let you guys and gals know once I've made my purchase ;-)

Thanks!

dlee74

I just bought a Garmin Nuvi 260W (widescreen). It is great. It has many features and you can upload more extras on it. Get the portable friction mount instead of using the suction cups. That works really well. You can also use it as you walk since it has the option to switch from auto to pedestrian. You might want to consider getting a hard-cover case which I am waiting for that to arrive to protect it.

DLTSX6MT

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40682

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41432

datadr

I pondered the question of getting the Navi when I bought my TSX a few months ago. I already had a TomTom that have grown to love. It's never let me down.

I drove a Navi unit, although I admit I didn't play with it much to get a feel for it. However, I noticed it washed out a bit in the bright sunlight coming in from the side windows. I know the nag screen gets on others nerves as well. When it came down to it, I just couldn't justify 2K for a feature I already had (in the TomTom).

There are times I wish I went for the factory navi. I find it an incredible pain in the ass to have to constantly hide the thing because it will get stolen if left in the open. And... there's nothing like factory integration.

Acura's Navis are probably the highest rated on the market for factory-based systems. The voice recognition is great, and it's one of the last touch-screen models. Get it while it's still around in the 2008, because 2009 is going to the horrid control knob in the center of the dash.

DuckDodgers

Its pretty simple, there is no "best" answer for all.

Pro-NAVI:
Integrated with vehicle
Works through steering wheel controls, if you wish
Has some really nifty stuff
Huge display

Pro-Aftermarket
Keep when you sell vehicle
Updates more often and usually more cheaply
Has some really nifty stuff
You can choose your interface

Anti- NAVI
Costly
Expensive to update, and only happens (in reality) at most once a year
Can't take it with you

Anti-Aftermarket
Inexpensive units tend to offer your money's worth, that is they cut corners
Very limited display size
Critically important to NEVER leave a GPS unit in sight when you park, they are like crack to car thieves and are already the most prized/most often stolen item in auto break-ins. This also means taking the mount down (to do it right), which is a pain in the butt.