I bought a 27" TV instead of a flat-panel 47" plasm TV ($399 vs $15,000). Whoooaaaahhhhaaaa! Now I all of a sudden have $14,600 left over, what to do with it.....?

Navi for $2k? Buy it or don't buy it. If you want headers, buy them too. Or not. But one doesn't beget the other. Foregoing discretionary purchases don't afford another. Either you have the money to buy what you want...or you don't but you cannot all of a sudden afford headers if you choose not to buy a Navi. Wait, maybe I'm wrong, I thought I had moved to a different class of buyers with the CL. Perhaps we're in the Echo forum?

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* 2001 Acura CL Type S * Blk/Blk * Navigator * Spoiler * Moonroof Visor *
* Since 3/31/2000 *
* Road Warrior *

* 500 posts on h/a.net *** 400 posts "insane poster" on the "old" acura-cl.com *

 

There is no question that a good navigation system is definitely worth your money. In my
opinion, every car should be equipped with a good navigation system from factory. Notice the emphasis on 'good'.

Now, the question is, should you buy navigation system that comes with Acura, or an after-market one. I have the Acura CL 2001 with navigation, so perhaps I can share my experience with you.

1. Do you want a nice looking system embedded in your dashboard console, or an after-market one that clips onto the console? I would want it inside console. Less hassle. Nice looking. No dangling cables. No need to find a storage for it when you are not using it.

2. Notice that you can only get Acura nav when you buy the car. The nav system REPLACES climate control buttons. The nav touch-screen has a page for AC/vent/heating controls. If you decide not to get it when you buy the car, you will never have it installed inside your console later. Never. You'll have to live with your decision for as long as you own your Acura.

3. Acura nav is integrated with your Bose audio system. The voice guidance comes out of your speakers. You can be listening to music while using the system. The voice will override your music so you can clearly hear to guide. I am not sure how an after-market system will do this.

4. Acura system comes with a single DVD that
covers the entire US. Some after-market ones and some systems on other cars (e.g. Audi S4) still use CDs. You need 9 CDs to cover the US. You can't plot a trip from New York to Los Angeles directly.

5. Acura system has a moving map that shows where you are at all times. You can choose to have your car point upward all the time, or have north point upward. When you approach an intersection, there will be a small rectangle on the left side of map with a simple-to-read graph that shows your next turning maneuver. You can switch between this mode and the maneuver-only mode. Some other nav systems only has the maneuver mode
(and not the moving map).

6. You can get new DVD with upgraded software and map. I am not sure if we will have to pay for it.

7. When you detour from the plotted course, the computer automatically recomputes a new course, based on your new location and orientation. It takes about 2-5 seconds for the computer to realize you are off track. It takes about 1-3 seconds to recompute. I found this good enough for me. I am not sure how after-market systems measure up in this regard.

8. Sure. Nav systems are dropping in price. If you wait for 2 more years, you may get a great system with, say, only $800 dollars. Now, if you are buying Acura TL, you are paying almost $30,000. Do you want to suffer the lack of nav for 2 years, so you can save $1,000? Keep in mind that no matter what you do, you can't get the system into console anymore.

Fred

ps: I just found out that Alpine also makes a nav system that fits into a standard stereo box, so you can replace your existing stereo with it. The screen is normally hiden inside the box. You pulll it out and it unfolds into a nav screen. It actually looks cool. Does anyone have any first hand experience with this system?

http://www.alpine1.com/html/D2_n_1_n_n.html



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2001 CL Navi Gold

 

My neighbor has the alpine in his car. I took a trip with his brother to dc and that is what sold me on getting the navi system for the cl-s. They are pretty simliar BUT you get a wireless remote, can watch dvd movies, and shitty thing is that you can't make major direction changes unless you pullover and put the car in park. It is a safety feature that i'm sure can be bypassed but it was still a pain. I think it was even the same voice but I don't remember. That system also has a nice display for the radio station and stuff. I really didn't play with it much because I didn't want to screw it up. But they seemed pretty similar, the update cost $300 though while ours is under $200 (i think)

 

Didn't get it. Probably will get it on my next car though, just for the hell of it. But that is in like 7-10 years...so then I will spend the extra money.

I don't take very many trips, and when I do they are to places that I know well. And if I don't, well then I have a Rand McNally in the back seat for my convenience.


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avengerjr
2001 CL-S Satin Silver / Ebony Interior / Non-Navi[*] spoiler , wheel locks , 35% tint[*] fenderwell trim , mud guards[*] winter floor mats , full nose mask[*] Xephyr CAI - on the way

girlfriend
1999 3.8L V6 Mustang Coupe Black / Black Cloth Interior[*] spoiler , 35% tint[*] MAC CAI - soon to order

 

reading this topic just makes me...



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- Kvit -
2001 CL-P Blue Sub 6
Polarg BlHybrid M-6 Road lamps
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...725&a=10358832

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