Fear No Trout

Get the Navi...you don't want to have buyer's remorse. I like the
voice recogniton and I don't get lost anymore.

I got a 2004 TL, Anthracite, 5AT, Navi, Trunk tray, wheel locks, and mud guards for $37,500 out the door at Acura of South Bay.

mikekit

Not considering how cool the NAVI is, if you’re mostly driving around town or other familiar areas you don’t need it. The NAVI really shines when traveling to unfamiliar places. Trip planning is almost zero. Just plug in the address and go. Use it for a month and you can’t live without it.

srone11

just a personal note: My wife and I were never planning on getting a Navi, we had decided we would go for the non-navi and never even looked at the navi. I then made the mistake (blessing in disguise) of taking my mother-in-law with me when I went to make the purchase. Since they had never seen the car, I had them take a test-drive while I waited at the dealer, and the demo car just happened to have Navi. Well when they came back, both my in-laws were adament that I should get the navi, even offering to pay the extra amount for me to get it. In the end, I paid for the navi without my wife and I even seeing it and I can honestly say that it was 100% worth it. Things I use most, are the hands-free climate and radio settings and the actual navigation is great instead of getting directions in advance or using mapquest or yahoo maps, i just put the destination address or even cross streets. Many people who don't have the navigation system don't realize the functionality of it, it doesn't only give you directions. It also has a list of restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, hotels, etc, complete with address and phone number. It's almost like having access to an online yellow pages in your car. In the end, its up to you. Remember those who purchased navi will tell you its a great deal, those who didn't will likely tell you its an unnecessary feature. My advice would be to have a dealer go through the navi in detail with you and then you can have an idea of how often you would actually use it, and then make a decision.

By the way, Try Acura 101 West in Calabassas. I had to negotiate and get tough, but they gave me a great deal and treated me right in the end. I paid $36800 out the door for a TL w/navi, 5AT, NBP/Quartz.

fast-tl

You have to factor in that Volvo's NAV may not be in the same league as Acura's. Of course, if I couldn't enter data while driving as some systems are configured (e.g LExus) then I would probably not spend the money. IT may be that Volvo's wasn't featuire rich enough to have more a a directional use. I use my navi for ETA, finding nearby ATM's and gas stations, etc.

one4thegipper

LOVE the Navi!! If you can afford it, get it.

cvajs

my dealer wanted $2k more and said it was the manufacturer's cost, not the dealers'. goes to show other dealers are trying to make a buck of a option that the dealer never touches!!

i opted not to get built-in navi. i am looking at a few portable units. i prefer portable so i can use it in my TL or 4Runner or Tacoma....

if you travel frequently to unfamilar places then get the navi. if you're willing to spend that extra $2k (or more) just for the voice controls, then get it. i personally did not see the value in those features. instead i opted to take $2k and buy some new OZ 18" rims and a set of Falken ST115 tires, my TL will be better looking, accelerate a tad faster, and be much much safer on the Falken tires.

svtmike

I call BS on your dealer's statement. The difference in list price is $2k. Anyone who thinks Acura is selling the Nav option at cost is kidding himself.

Mike

fuque

Defiitely get the nav. Keep searching and you'll find all the posts from the people who bought a non-nav car and later regretted it. The LA basic is a huge place - and there are a lot of traffic problems. I can't tell you how many times my nav system has rescued me from a traffic jam in an unfamiliar place.

Check with Acura of Mission Viejo. They were very reasonable when I bought mine.

cvajs

only if you need the navi, then get it, otherwise save your $$$

1995hoo

I got the navi, not because I need the mapping--I usually don't--but because the voice-activation struck me as a great idea on the very first test drive. I live near Washington, DC, and drive to work, and the voice-activation is really quite useful in traffic. My second test drive was a 6-speed with no navi and the difference was noticeable.

But then, I got a price of $33,600 for the 6-speed with navi, and money wasn't an issue anyway.

Bonedoc

we originally ordered a non-navi, and negotiated the price (out east, it is apparently easier to deal than SoCal). After 2 weeks of waiting, and reading ALL the positive comments on the Navi, I called the dealer and for exactly 2000 more, he changed my order. SO, if you like the navi, definitely find a better deal. Or take the opportunity to travel east (I can hook you up with my sales guy in Mass) and pay less. 4000 is just too great an increase IMHO.

El Busto

This is a posting to everyone who asks this silly question... GET THE NAV! It's pointless unless you are a salesman or realtor, but it's fun to give your car commands, impress your friends, it just looks damn cool! Spend the $$$. I have absolutely no use for it, but I got it and I love it! Would be kicking myself if I didn't get it. Wait, be patient, you won't regret it...

fast-tl

When folks are talking about 3500 or 4000 bucks difference, I believe they're referring to the willingness of dealers to discount. The difference in MSRP between navi and non-navi is $2000, but dealers will discount deeper on the non-navi, which widens the gap to more than $2000. I agree with your strategy, though.

tim-in-ca

I had the same exact experience when I got my non-navi TL in So Cal. The price premuim is $4K for Navi - it is NOT WORTH $4K. Nor is it worth traveling cross country to get a freekin' car. You need to decide where your cash is best spent. Believe me, you will get sick of the car in 3-4 years and want something new. This will mean that you spent (not including interest) at least $1000/year for a "cool" feature. If you have the cash burning a hole in your pocket then spend it on the Navi otherwise hold on to it, invest it or buy even more cool stuff (rockin' new PC, MP3 Player or better yet a bitchin' plasma TV!!!)

markjrenna

Navi may be cool! Like wow cool!. But it sure wasn't worth the $64 more per month on my lease.

I figure when my lease is up in 2008, Navi will be standard. I'll have it then

dcarlinf1

I can not beleive everyone is suggesting that he pay FOUR THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY dollars for a fucking navigation system. That is simply ridiculous and is a waste of money.

OTD w/NAVI = $38,200
OTD w/non-NAVI = $33,950

That is a $4,250 difference. That is insane. While I like the NAVI and would like to have it, I wouldn't pay the $2,000 difference between the MSRP of the two. It's simply not worth it. It's nothing but a DVD with data on it. There is no justification (other than supply and demand) for this additional cost. Screw the voice commands. Most of the time the voice commands on my non-NAVI (bluetooth) can't understand what I am saying any ways.

Oh, and don't forget the interest on that $4,250 and the measly resale value ($500 more...maybe).

It's just not a smart way to spend your money.

Don't do it. At least not at that price.

ITL

I'd just like to say that if you are considering the non-navi to save the money, but you want to add a carPC later...this is a very BAD idea. I went this route thinking I could save some money. After purchasing the non-navi and then doing research on implementing my carPC, I found that I would have SAVED money and time by going with the nav. If you're interested how it is cheaper/easier, search the 3rd gen forums. I can't remember which thread it was.

ishiang

i wanted to see if 37200 for the 2004 TL NAVI and full a-spec upgrade is a good deal or could be lowered down some more since the 05 are coming out soon.

i bought a honda pilot last year and paid less than invoice so i'm wanting to make sure i really am making a good deal on this TL deal.

oh and also 5.6% apr for 72 months...do you know anyone or anywhere who can do better than that? trying to save as much here....thanks

is

Fear No Trout

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fast-tl

The TL is a bargain at list compared to its competition. I think you guys are comparing apples to oranges when saying the non-navi car is so expensive. Compare the car w/navi to other cars with navi and you'll see the value. You can get the 28' RV for $5K less than the 34' RV. They're not the same thing. So it is for the NAvi and non-navi. It really IS 2 different cars. I wouldn't have bought my '00 if it didn't have Navi. The TL was a nice car, but the Navi MADE the car. It added several new dimensions to the car and its driving experience.

ishiang

definitely go NAVI!!! we just bought the 2004 Anthracite/Ebony TL with NAVI and the full aspec upgrade for 36900+ttl the NAVI has alread saved me from getting lost. Now if i can get someone to donate me a bluetooth phone....

Roktoy

I just bought a used 3.2TL with Nav, the price add on for used 03 Tl with nav is only 700 bucks, compared to one that doesnt have nav. So resale value wise, you losing alot considering it cost 2K as an option. I do love the nav, for 2K i might consider it. Anything more then that you dont really need it, but if you have it you use it. There are lots of other options when it comes to nav. Such as an aftermarket system with touch screen. the Garmin 2610 is a great add on unit, and only 700 bucks. Does voice and has touchscreen. Now if you want a nice system with a big screen, and plays dvd's you can get one aftermarket for about 1500 installed.
Nav is nice but not worth 4K.

srhewes

I'm a little older than you and just bought an '04 TL (SSM/Quartz/AT) with the NAV. It really completes the look of the center of the dashboard and also displays the XM radio song titles and authors(which is cool). You also get the sunlight controlled A/C or heat based on where the sun is coming in the car. Not a big deal, but may be nice to have on long trips going in one direction.

Even though it costs about $2,000 extra -- in a few years you'll probably forget what you paid for the car, anyways. Personally, I like the NAV and would not have bought the TL without it. It just puts the final touch on all the great technical gadgets in the car.

Hope this helps...

SouthernBoy

When I went out to buy, I specically did not want the Nav. But there was a car on the lot which was the color combo and a manual transmission (an absolute MUST with me), plus it had Nav (actually there were two of them).

Now that I have it, I'm glad I got it. I have used it quite a few times and while on vacation last week, there were three times it helped me during my travels. So get the Nav if you can swing it. I'll bet when it comes time to sell or trade, you'll be rewarded for your choice.

fast-tl

Just enjoy the time you have with it. I would NOT base my NAV/Non-NAV decision on what it'll be worth at trade, instead I would appreciate what it can do NOW; what it's worth NOW.

And I wouldn't worry that non-navi models are much less; there's a reason for that. They're not as valuable. I'm glad someone echoed my sentiments: I wouldn'y have bought my TL if it weren't for Nav. It would've been simply another car.
They're finally discounting $6500 off the Pontiac GTO (which brings it to about $26K, closer to what it's really worth.) Even with its performance (I used to drive a '97 Camaro Z28 monster), I will forego the GTO's performance advantage because it doesn't offer Navi. The 300C is also on my list, and offers Navi. However, since its Navi can't be manipulated while in motion, it's likely off the list as well.

Intox1221

Get a Navi, the price might be a little steep at this point or so, but the Navi sure does pay for itself. According to JoganJani, you are going to get 100's of voice commands and you can control most of the audio features at the touch of a screen. Well the list goes on... but Navi is a great tool.

fast-tl

I think the biggest mistake people make in judging pro or con is to assume you're just buying a map. You're actually getting a huge phone directory as well containing millions of points of interest, and the Navi is integrated with the bluetooth so you can verbally dial numbers listed in the navi database. The solar sensing A/C has been mentioned, then there's the ability to hook in aftermarket video to the INTEGRATED 8" display. The problem with portable navis is the screen size, lack of POIs, and the total lack in integration with the car. Anyone who gets in the car will be able to instantly tell you had aftermarket NAV because they stick out like a sore thumb.

Intox1221

SouthernBoy

Yeah, it's funny. I never would have thought I would have wanted or even used a Nav system, but I have. I was on vacation a week ago and it helped out several times during the trip. Once my wife saw on the map display that I had taken the wrong road at a traffic circle (there were some detour signs out). We saw a crossover road on the map and took it back to the road we needed to be on an lost less than a 1/4 mile a 1 minute for our mistake. Otherwise I might have gone down the road for a mile before seeing I had taken the wrong exit from the circle.

This evening we will be using it to take us to a restaurant in the eastern end of the county in which I live which is very congested and has a high level of traffic. No time to be looking at paper maps.. the Nav voice directions combined with the route display will be a great help.

icex731

hehe meathead is kicking himself over and over and over again for not getting navi

MrGQDieselNY

I am a real estate agent and even I cant justify the extra $2,000 for the navi, I use fuckin map quest for free. Trust me the 1 or 2 times out of the 500 houses ive driven to with a map, I could have used a navi, when I got lost. If I really want it I will just buy the palm pilot with navi or use my cell phone haa, I just cant justify the price, $800 or less then yeah maybe, I would save the $ for other things, ie, like the ASPEC kit I had them ad d on to it for $1,600 including the spoiler.

Salut

04acura tl

I'll keep my 2k and I will get lost at least I will have money for a beer and dinner when I do get lost...

cvajs

i'm with you

SouthernBoy

Just goes to show it's all in your interests, budget, and priorities. Some like it, some don't. Nothing wrong with that.

sleeks

I did not get it...I dont regret it.

I am buying a plasma with the money saved. You need to decide for yourself. Sit in both cars. Examine the dash layout of both.

i dont travel with it so mapquest does fine for me. Others get a lot of use out of it and swear by it.

there is no right answer.

fast-tl

Uh, you can justify some bodykit and badges, but not something practical like Navi? You can use mapquest for free, but do you always start from your PC everytiem you have somewhere new to go? And sure, add a PDA mount to the car (hope it's not leased) and try to make out the much smaller screen, once you get your GPS card cranked up and going. Yeah, that's lot less hassle. And mapquest lists nearest gas stations, restaurants, police stations, hospitals, detours (since you NEED a map to get there in the first place). C'mon, you've got to be kidding. To compensate you have to ALWAYS have ready access to PC, Internet AND printer, or have someone available at the other end of the phone. I think you have more hassle than me (a navi owner) to accomplish the same thing.

MrGQDieselNY

For my job I ALWAYS start from a PC, where I make my appts., print out listing sheets, then go out and show houses, especially if its multiple houses, no navi could help me,I have to plan and time and get the proper order to reduce the driving time between each house I go see. I have seen people use that navi and fuck with it and totally ignore the road as they play with that thing.... like I said, $800 ok maybe....$2000, not a chance. \

The body kit makes that car and not the navi, its almost a shame the car doesnt come standard with the ASPEC kit, its worth what I paid and much much more... so if I want to spend $2000 or close to it for options on a car, I will get the kit, as I did. I think I am a perfect example of the most extreme case of a person who would need a navi, and even I have no use for it except in some rare occassions when I miss a turn or something.... but missing a turn and being 2 minutes off course is worth maybe $20, not $2,000. just my

leemaury

No one has mentioned... the Nav system will also easily and quickly route to emergency and commercial services... such as the nearest hospital or the nearest your brand fuel. It will also guide you around a traffic jam.. most of all - you never ever, have to ask directons! Don't leave home without it!.