mobilezen

This might be a confusing question and to give you a quick preface to my question. I would like to put in a DVD/MP3 system if I decide on the TL in the near future. I saw the climate control buttons are to the side of the screen. So my question is, if a person doesn't choose navi, is the screen still there to show you the status for music/etc etc? Is it possibly to install a DVD headunit of your choice and utilitize the screen perhaps?

btw, what are the two silver knobs?

All apologies if these questions have been answered. The search button did not yield much help.

boltjames

Not 100% sure, but I don't think the screen is there since that's about 75% of the expense of the entire GPS system to begin with. There is something with LCD-type displays under that ugly facia though.....has to be just two inexpensive and simple non-touch screen LCD's methinks. Either way, the odds that you'll find an aftermarket piece that'll fit perfectly flush to those climate control buttons is a stretch; unless Alpine themselves make a non-Acura branded model to the same spec's with MP3 capability.

kevd

No screen.

KevinB

There is no screen. It is instead two lines for displaying HVAC & Radio but obviously takes up the whole space. I looked at both back to back when deciding if I wanted Nav. I thought the look of the non-Nav looked like they had just filled the space. Its not that it looks bad without the nave, it just looks was much cleaner with it in my opinion. I really care about the looks so paying $2000 to get the Nav was worth it to me. It was the interior feel that made me chose the TL over the G35.

UminChu

Non navi cars have two banks of large LEDs instead of the navi screen. Much of the info displayed in the LED array above the center stack is rerouted to these two banks. I think the navi arrangement looks a lot nicer. Aside from the the functionality bonus and the perceived value (or lack thereof) in the navi itself, $2k is a lot to spend for a nicer looking center stack.

NOX 3.2

I really think the Navi screen was part of the original complete design, then they designed around it for the non-nav.

I wonder what that whole space is used for Canadian TL with non-navi, non-XM, what's left time+Radio? there probably is a lot of empty (unused) LCD realstate on those screens...

mobilezen

If anyone can post pics of a 2k4 TL with nav and without, that would be great.

boltjames

snoop-

Click this for all the pics you can muster

http://www.cardomain.com/member_page..._by=&year=2004

NOX 3.2

& I do think 2k is worth it, for all you get.
including climate control based on solar position.
I can recover that cost in no time finding my new clients when doing computer consulting - I get to bill more working hours.

plus I can find restaurants for my clients depending on what they would like to eat... builds good PR.

or a hospital if/when an emergency arrives - it can save your own life. (the looks is only a freebie we get)

boltjames

NOX- truth is, the interior is butt-ugly without the nav and that's why they're selling so well. Voice recognition? Doubt I'll use it much. GPS? Sure.....four times a year when I take a daring road trip. Enhanced XM display? Yeah, right. Can't even get the names of the stations on the buttons.

Folks are forking over $2g's simply because it wrecks the interior completely without it. I've seen some Detroit butcher-jobs like this when an upgrade is 'missing' from the dash, but nothing ever like this out of Tokyo. It's an abortion. You have to get the nav or you're luxury vehicle looks, well, pedestrian.

TheNip73

I agree. i got the navi because the TL goes from looking extravagent with the navi to subpar without it. And honestly, I didn't think I would use the navi much or the features that come along with it (like voice activation), but truth is, I have and can gladly say it was worth the extra money.