marquis

a) You can't....this was an oversight to not include the trip computer info, or even provide even more functionality than is already accessible through the MID. But since it's already on the MID, what's the real added value with having it in the NAV display? You're basically saying that to make the NAV useful, it has to provide duplicate access to every single gauge and control in the car? C'mon....

b) Compass info? It's already always displayed.

Anything else?

kadams64

a) Thanks, I know that I was asking the original poster of the statement to confirm how they believe this is possible: my thinking is that either they are mistaken, or they know of a feature I'm not familiar with.

b) Actually, the nav shows which direction is North in map terms and, by looking at the icon for your location you can infer your current compass heading...yes, I understand that too But perhaps the original poster (NOX 3.2) knows of some other feature that actually shows your compass heading (I.E.: North by North west) rather than having to infer it from the display.

And I am very happy with my Nav- see my comment earlier in this thread. The questions I was asking were intended to determine if Nox 3.2 perhaps knows some things I don't about its feature set, since his list seems to imply capabilities I wasn't aware of. It seems to me that, if those features really exist, it would be good to know. If they don't exist, then telling a potential buyer that they do could lead to disappointment.

¿GotJazz?

(1) This is the first Navi system that I have seen that is useful in an auto environment, mainly because of the VR (Voice Recogntion) technology. I can stay more focused on driving, while still adjusting stuff in my car without hunting around or taking my eyes off the road.

(2) Using a seperate laptop/Tablet PC for a Navi afterwards is not a good option in a car environment. Believe me, I've tried quite a few. One significant issue is that the audible commands are not easily heard from a PC speaker. The integrated Navi in the TL reduces the volume of the stereo when giving audible directions to ensure that they are heard. In addition, VR commands to a PC in a car will be almost worthless - it can't mute your stereo when you are giving a command, so the ambient sounds will confuse the recognition.

(3) I have been surprised at how much I actually have used the Navi features - not just for driving around my home area. When going to an unfamiliar city on a road trip, the Navi was extremely valuable. Also, I don't claim to know every location in the Phoenix area - I now get to new locations a lot more stress-free.

I don't think I'll be able to get another car without the Navi feature.

I agree with the comments above that the negotiated cost differential should be closer to $500, not $1500 - I spent $2500 for my Navi instead of $2000 back in November. You may want to find a different dealer. Try PM hondarc1 - he seemed like a pretty decent salesperson.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Probably the best reply in this topic.

If you travel a lot and you don't ever know where you're going... then get the Navi. I know that i use my car 97% of the time to get to and from work, and I know where my office is.... so I didn't need to spend the extra money on the Navi. When taking road trips, which we do once in a while, I print a directions from MapQuest and it costs me about .03 cents in ink (plus a sheet of paper) and works great. If I'm going to visit someone and I've never been there before, I use this new feature called the telephone... and get directions from them. Very easy to do and it doesn't distract you from driving since you can call from your house (gasp) before you leave.

LOL, of course I'm being a little facisous here, but seriously, you need to think if and how much you'll really use it. In my TL the Navi was only $2k more, but now since Acura is selling the Navi models at a premium (depending where you live) you're going to pay anywhere from $2500-$3500 more, factor in a few hundred in interest (unless you're paying the car off) and to me... it's not worth it. I can do a lot of things with that money, and like Mindcrime said... I'd rather invest it and turn it into tens of thousands for retirement, invest it short term, or use it for something else (extra principle payment on the house, maybe buy something for the house, or buy a mod for the car and put the rest away for a rainy day, etc). I think you get the idea

caball88

thank you, i am glad people agree that the navi is WORTH it if you want a navigation system in the car. to go out and try to find a replacement for it would never be "just as good" or even come close to the value you get from the factory one. you will end up spending just about the same amount(maybe a little cheaper) of money on getting a "substitute" nav with not nearly as much features integrated(synergy) nicely into one console. having to carry that web tablet or any other device around is cumbersome and annoying and will probably make me not want to use it after while. i have used the pocket pc navigation software and it is inaccurate, limited and small. for the original poster if you want a navigation system then get the factory one. if you are deciding whether it justifies the extra cost that's something you'll have to think about. its a very nice feature but definitely not a make or break factor whether to get the car or not. the TL is a great car with or without the nav. this is my second car with nav and i find it extremely useful. finding an address is a breeze and i never have to waste time circling around. the acura nav is very similar to my previous alpine nav. i have to say this updated version is better than my last. think about it carefully before you decide, it would really suck if you got the car without the nav and regretted it or vice versa. good luck with your purchase.

fast-tl

juniorbean wrote:If you travel a lot and you don't ever know where you're going... then get the Navi. I know that i use my car 97% of the time to get to and from work, and I know where my office is.... so I didn't need to spend the extra money on the Navi. When taking road trips, which we do once in a while, I print a directions from MapQuest and it costs me about .03 cents in ink (plus a sheet of paper) and works great. If I'm going to visit someone and I've never been there before, I use this new feature called the telephone... and get directions from them. Very easy to do and it doesn't distract you from driving since you can call from your house (gasp) before you leave.
_____________
Well, again your printed map won't route you around traffic or allow you to detour. Secondly, you can't always rely on someone's verbal directions. What if no one answers? The beauty of the Nav is that it's self-contained and portable. You don't have to wait on a printer, you can change your mind on the destination, you can program an "errand list" (take me from the dry cleaners to the office to the library to Susie's friend's house). You'd be on the phone or printing all day! The navi allows you to be self-sufficient. Don't forget you can look up businesses by phone number, by category,name. And there is no substitute for the integration.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Well, again your printed map won't route you around traffic or allow you to detour.
Hahah, well true, but for the few times you MAY need that, it's not worth the extra $2.5k-$3.5k to me. All of the road trips we've taken I've never really hit much traffic... and if we have you maybe sit in traffic for 1/2 hour.. and it's usually between exits anyway.... so wouldn't really help me.

Secondly, you can't always rely on someone's verbal directions. What if no one answers? The beauty of the Nav is that it's self-contained and portable.
OK, now this one is just silly. Again, I'm not against Navi.. just not for me... but this is probably the worst justification for Navi ever. I have never gotten lost by someone's directions. My experience is that 100% of the people I go visit know where they live, therefore, know how to get to their own house. If no one answers? I'm almost positive if I setup a road trip to another location that's far enough to be called a "road trip" and I'm not sure how to get there, the odds are that I spoke to that person to make plans, therefore, I can get directions from them.

You don't have to wait on a printer, you can change your mind on the destination,
Not sure if this one is worse then the one above or not..... wait on a printer... it's OK... the 5 seconds it takes a laser to print one page will not worry me too much. Change my mind on the destination??? What is that? If I'm on my way to visit someone or going on a planned trip... why would I suddenly change my mind? Makes no sense.

you can program an "errand list" (take me from the dry cleaners to the office to the library to Susie's friend's house). You'd be on the phone or printing all day!
Hahahahahaha, I know what you're trying to say, but you're killing me here... honestly, if you don't know where these things are in your neighborhood that you have to use the Navi to go to the dry cleaner or a library there are bigger issues involved then directions. Are you the guy who looks all over the entire house 5 times to find the remote instead of just getting up and changing the channel?

The navi allows you to be self-sufficient. Don't forget you can look up businesses by phone number, by category,name. And there is no substitute for the integration.
OK you got me here.. it does allow you to be self-sufficient... but, as mentioned..... 97% of the time... I know where I'm going. The odds are if I'm in my car driving, I do not need to look anything up b/c all of that information is taken care of already and I know where I'm heading.

Again, I'm not against Navi.... but for a majority of the people who get it.... it's not worth it... and I find that if someone has to ask if it's worth it... the odds are for them.... it's not. If they're questioning it it means they'll use it 5-10% of the time and they're better off saving their money.

What amazes me is how did people drive before Navi's became standard (or at least affordable) on cars? I can't believe we survived this long... thank God navi is available to tell us how to get around town. I mean think about it..... pretty much all of the time you're driving you're driving locally or to and from work.... so you should know where everything is. Unless you travel a lot it's just another toy for the car.... which is cool.. but not for everyone.

DivinDude

Be careful in making the statement that 'navi will add to value of the car in the future' .. I just checked my '03 CL-S6 .. with/without navi .. and the difference was only $600 (but the navi was $2000). Over all, the Kelly Blue Book private-party sale value was $6k below what I paid .. that means the Navi accounts for about 25% of the car's drop in value. Granted, this was not a scientific exercise .. nor was it meant to be. Just a simple showing of numbers.

For me, Navi was NOT worth $2k .. people have been using maps for hundreds of years .. and I don't live in a large metropolitan area .. so I have no need for the equipment that will be quickly obsoleted/unsupported.

-Andy

dcarlinf1

Had a loaner last week. It was a Navi TL. I drive a Non-Navi. After driving it all day, I decided that I made the right decision to NOT GET THE NAVI. It's an unnecessary gadget IMO (but so is the Injen CAI I installed). It is cool, but that's it. If you are unable to find your destination without a Navi (as some have posted) then you've got bigger problems. For $500-700, I'd consider it. Not a penny more. Just like any computer, it will be out of date in 12 months.

caball88

it looks like the forum has been divided into the "have navs" and the "have no navs". alot of people will consider it not necessary and a waste of money. but then again so were power windows, power steering, remote doors and electronic climate control, just to name a few. these are all extras that enhanced a vehicle's selling point at some point in time. like all inovations it will become cheap to manufacture and become standard in alot of cars as time progresses. it's certainly not useless, can you imagine someone saying power windows are useless and not necessary. how many of us would buy a car without that option? not worth the $2K...maybe depends on the person. personally i think 2k for such a system is worth it. but if that seems steep then i would suggest you lean towards the non-nav.

marquis

Amen caball....that's where all threads like this wind up. Those of us that bought the NAVI, did so for different reasons, whether it be the "more cool toys factor", "dash aestetics", "really need NAV in my day to day use" or whatever, we decided that NAV was worth it FOR US. Those that didn't get the NAV did so after evaluating the same criteria and then deciding they could either live without it, or the cost differential wasn't worth it TO THEM. Your car's configuration (interior/exterior color, accessories, etc) are all highly subjective decisions that you need to evaluate for yourself. When you ask the question, you open the door for opinions on both sides of the fence and for something that is the ultimately a personal decision based on many factors that are unique to you.

NAV or non-NAV, you'll love the TL.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Amen.. and that's all I'm saying... but the reply from fast-tl basically said, to get it if you can afford it, and if not, try to get it anyway. That's not going to help the thread starter. Bottom line is if you'll use it, then it's worth it... and if you won't.... then save your money. Replying to someone saying having to wait 5 seconds on a printer to print directions is a justification for spending $2.5k-$3.5k additional, or roughly 5-10% additional on the car is not really going to assist the original poster.

Honestly, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.... and this subject is no different. What the thread starter needs to do is think, in his current life w/o Navi, how many times could he have really used it or would he have used it.... then evaluate if the extra cost to determine if it is worth it. I've been around these boards for a long time... and 90% of the time, if someone needs to post a topic questioning it, it means that they really don't need it and they're looking for the justification of others on the board to help them spend their money b/c they couldn't come up with enough reasons on their own.... and personally, I think that's a waste, but... to each their own

UminChu

I have no argument with your thinking, everything you are saying is basically true. At the same time, the same can be said for numerous costly luxury options, up to and including choosing a TL over an Accord, or any other luxury model sharing a platform with a more pedestrian sibling.

I remember when AC, power windows, door locks & mirrors, cruise control, stereos, power seats with lumbar adjustments, etc. were considered "frivolous, unnecessary, overpriced toys for the rich". Pretty much standard equipment these days, keyless entry and CD players (not to mention changers) were only a few years ago considered expensive, upscale options, offered only on the high end nameplates. Would you want a car without any of these features anymore, or have you become spoiled into considering them mandatory? Does your home have a garage opener? You don't get those things for free, but they do become cheaper to produce and integrate over time.

Navi is merely a newer phase of automotive evolution, already trickling down into the Accord/Camry/etc. echelons. It is rapidly becoming a more and more common feature, one that you yourself will most likely come to embrace. It's most likely not even a question of if, but when.

Coronado111

Coronado111

I love the XM display on the NAV. You see artist, song title, etc.. I would not have bought a TL without the NAV option being available. I love electronic gadgets.

The ability to find the nearest restaurant (Thai, etc.) in any city in seconds
is too cool.

I figure my resale will be $800 more with NAV in 6 years so the NAV option only costs me ($2600-800)/72 or $25 per month. Well worth it to me.

The TL is also so much fun to drive !

EluSiOn

the non nav display also shows artist name and song title as well...

answer for the window ce api and etc:

getting info from trip comp is easy... there must be some connection like serial port or etc. in addition, alot of the program is already in the acura dvd! why rewrite when you can just grap it of the dvd? even rewrite should not be hard, all output to LCD screen type of program are easy to write! I am also a developer myself!

in terms of anti theft for the midaspad, it is on the go with ya every where you go! you can take it with you when you are not driving!

for solar position and also adjusting air con base on solar position that one I can careless, that function is just fancy with out much or pratical usage or real world effect.

as for the compass function no doubt that a midaspad can display that easily.

Kooz

I agree there are navi people and non navi people, but you have to agree that having the navi is useful. It may not be $50 a month more useful for people, I can understand that. But the Navi system in the acura is a technological leap equivalent to the one mapquest made over regular paper maps.

Comments like "If you are unable to find your destination without a Navi (as some have posted) then you've got bigger problems." are a bit short sighted. Are some people saying they know where every address in the USA and Canada are? Or that they can get there with Mapquest or a regular map? I've got some addresses in lower manhattan you wouldn't be able to find. At least with the navi you would get to the right block. Plus as I've mentioned knowing the directions of the traffic on streets is a big help when going somewhere in a big city or metro area. Yeah Mapquest can do this but you would have to print out the whole city at the highest zoom level.

Do you really think it would be easy to drive halfway across america using mapquest? What about unplanned side trips? Roads closed by construction? Or finding hotels, restaurants etc. Never been in the car and needed to find a place? How do you use mapquest then? Never met someone and wanted to take them to dinner ? Finding the nearest Mexican place and getting directions in under a minute is kind of impressive. The navi is incrediblly useful. If you have a bluetooth phone the usefulness is greatly increased.

Also no PC based system will be as useful for the same price, nor would it integrate into the cars other systems as well.

I mean if you are not taking road trips, meeting new people and going new places, you are kind of missing the point of life, IMHO.

Matt

jtruman

One additional factor to consider (maybe someone mentioned it already). Whenever you drive off course, the navi will re-direct you back on the right track. This may not sound like a big deal (take the next exit on the highway and loop back, or make a u-turn on the street), but I have gotten caught many times where the freeway ramps were not intuitive, and the street layout was not a grid... or you are in a bad neighborhood.

This weekend I drove down to LA, and put almost 400 miles in the city itself. It would have been far more difficult to get around without it (mapquest, constantly changing roads and signs...)

caball88

i read through that tsx thread about trying to develop software for the nav. it looks really hard and time consuming. first off there is no dis-assembler so no real way to debug an application. the software itself is not on the dvd but on the drive in ROM, probably flash memory to allow upgrades. you will have to be able to capture the ROM image, and load your own executable. the person was able to extract the windows ce binary but its just the separate modules no source code is embedded in the device(that would be crazy). so you cannot write ontop of the navi application that it comes with. the best you can hope to do is add additional functions to it. like create your own application that the system calls. another big hurdle is the applications are signed, meaning you cannot deploy programs to it unless it is also signed. this checksum is encrypted and it is not easy to decrypt. all the hardware that the system uses is not documented anywhere and i highly doubt the manufacturer's will release system notes to us. and one small thing how the hell are you gonna develop on top of a nav system you don't have on your car. you will have to get someone to lend you their nav unit, take it apart and copy their rom image just to start. even then cars without nav DO NOT HAVE the interface to connect the the tablet. the processor on the unit is SH4 processor which is not the same as the web tablet which i am sure uses an ARM processor of some sort. what the tsx'ers were trying to do is devise a way to get rid of the disclaimer and automate the "ok" button. even that was hard enough(they didn't do it don't get excited). what i am trying to say is that if you think you can create custom software for your TL and hope to integrate it to the web tablet keep dreaming. i am not saying that it cannot be done, its just very very highly unlikely. if you are able to do it, send your resume to Acura and maybe your next TL will be free.

MSF2

I would just say that the Navigation system is so much more than just a way to get directions. I'll keep this short......the voice activation and the integrated use of touchpad and voice command just absolutely changes the driving experience. I don't have the HFL yet since I'm on Verizon but that will only heighten the experience I'm sure.
When you put it all together DVD-A, Voice activation, and directions to anywhere UPS can go (it's based on the United Parcel Service system) it gives the car a shot at luxury that only adds to the great ride. I've had mine for a month and still finding things I didn't expect it could do.
It's SWEET!!
No, I'm not a salesperson......

neatbrian

I *love* my navi system, even though I don't use it for navigation.

I love the XM / stereo integration

But the BIGGEST reason I love the navi in my TL is that the mapping software has a built-in yellow pages!!! Example... driving on the freeway, realize I need to send flowers to my wifes parents. I punch up flower shops in her area, hit the "Send" button, and suddenly I'm speaking to them -- without fumbling through a phone book -- and the odds of even having the right phone book are slim. The Navi has 12,000,000 points of interest.

I used to have to pay $2.00 to 411 every time I needed addresses or phone numbers while I was on the road -- which was at least daily -- sometimes more. Having the whole thing integreted directly into my cell phone sure is nice.

Another interesting feature if you're in even a remotely unfamiliar area and you have several stops... plug in all of the addresses you intend to visit that day and it will calculate the most efficient route to get you to each of them -- and I love being able to press a button on the screen and instantly be connected to whatever location I'm headed.

The end result: More information and less fumbling while driving = more convenience, and an infinite improvement in safety for a busy person. $3,000 is a lot of money -- but it's money well spent, even if you already know your way around.

TLGator

Does anyone know how complete and recent the yellow pages feature is?

I ask because there are like a dozen Home Depot's within easy driving distance of where I live, and when I found myself a few miles from home and wanted to find the closest one, the Navi's lookup was no help. It listed about 4 of the local HD's but not several others that I know exist.

That kind of bummed me out and got me wondering how good that feature is. I would agree with the above poster that the yellow pages - if thorough enough - are one of the best parts of the Navi system.

tim-in-ca

Wow!!! I didn’t realize that my simple little request was going to create such a firestorm of controversy. I guess you can call it “The Great TL Navi Schism of 2004”.

To get back to the crux of my request, “Are the HVAC, Audio and Voice recognition systems of the Navi VERY useful? Is it REALLY worth $100 / month? (OK, maybe more like $70-80/mo)” it seems like there are two camps:

Camp 1 – The Right-Brainers – “Buy it if you can afford it, you’ll like it” – No doubt, I would LOVE it for the cool factor, I am a self confessed gadget and PC junkie (I’m writing this on my triple multi-monitor 19” TFT setup right now - my pocket protector is safely stowed in its cozy). But I already have one $600/mo car payment (2002 Ford T-Bird white with black hardtop), and I wanted to minimize my 2nd payment without sacrificing style, luxury and performance.

Camp 2 – The Left Brainers – “Not too useful, never use it, spend your extra dough on toys or your future” – Even though the navi will tell me where the next closest Thai restaurant is and save a life with directions to a hospital, I usually do not veer too far off the beaten path and know where most places are where I need to go – a $20 Thomas Guide fills I the gaps and I didn’t earn that First-Aid badge in Cub Scouts for nuthin’. Not too many people extolled the virtues of the non-Navi features, HVAC / accuracy of voice input (does it train you or you train it). Now I’m not completely left brained, otherwise, I wouldn’t be looking at the TL in the first place, I’d be buyin’ me a cheap, practical Kia Rio instead – without AC or course – who needs expensive AC when you have all that free, fresh air with the windows cranked all the way down!

It looks like I’m leaning towards a non-Navi system … I’ll only have it for three years and by then, maybe the money grubbing dealers will not be so greedy with the 2007 TL and I will get a car with Navi for a better deal or by then we'll all have GPS implants anyway.

For me, it also comes down to principle – I NEVER pay sticker for a car. I HATE getting porked by the dealer; they are making money hand over fist on this car with profit over invoice and dealer hold back to boot. In addition, there are PLENTY of people who come into the dealer and pay near sticker on other cars with little resistance or negotiating skills – they makeup plenty of the dealer’s profit. Also, let’s not forget the screwing people get by having non-warranty work done in the service department, with cars being so technically complicated today, you have to bring it back to the dealer for anything shy of an oil change.

Thanks to all for your input, I look forward to participating in the lively discussions after I get my TL.

Take care,
Tim-in-CA (aka, Tbird-Tim-in-CA on www.thunderbirdnest.com)

tsa1001

I am a consultant and I travel all the time, so for me NAVI is VERY important. However on my TL deal I saved about 3500 as well. I got external NAVI from Garmin 2610 for $750. The funny thing - they make 2650 that CAN be integrated with the car.
Now, the FEATURES of such dedicated NAVI are MUCH better than the one integrated in TL - except the screen size. I debated about getting the tablet PC, but portability was very important for me. Moreover, since my NAVI "speaks" to me - just like TLs does - I do not look at the screen, especially when I am at the place new to me. Try to navigate in New York City with NAVI where you have to look at the screen - you will get into an accident quickly.
There are several features in external (portable) NAVI that made a decision for me:
1. Updateable maps - roads change all the time. If you really use NAVI, up-to-date maps are VERY important
2. Remote control - Yes my NAVI has a remote. I do not have to look at the screen to look for something. I can type an address I am looking for without looking at the screen - very important in traffic
3. Saveable routes, points of interest etc - my NAVI can be connected to a USB port of a PC. At home you can do all planning, looking at the maps, figuring out the best directions etc. You do not want to spend time doing so on the car. My NAVI can upload stuff FROM a PC or download stuff TO a PC. The software on a PC allows me to save configuration setups, so when I travel to a client site, I do not have to scroll through 1000 points-of-interest
4. Night mode - I do not know whether TL has one. In a auto-sensing night mode the screen colors change to make the screen and information MUCH better visible at night
5. Turn announcement. I personally like turn, exit etc announcement in my navi than in TL. I do not know whether TL does that, but in my NAVI if I need to make a turn, then immediately another turn, it would say something like "in 400 ft turn left, then turn right". It would also show both turns on a zoomed-in map of the turn. The map of the turn will stay until the turn is complete or you manually tell it to go to the "main" view. In addition if you have SEVERAL left turn on the intersection (e.g. 6-way intersection), it will show you with arrows which of the roads in the turn you need to take. Again, I do not remember if TLs navi does that

Note that 2650 model (integrated in a car - from Garmin) does even more - if you lose satellite reception it tracks the progress of the car based on your last known location and your speed. I personally liked portability - since I take many rental cars in my trips, so this feature was not THAT attractive to me.

The disadvantages of my NAVI are:

1. Not portable enough - meaning you cannot put batteries in it; it has to be hooked up to the car (lighter adapter comes with it)
2. Not integrated with TL - yes you cannot change your XM radio settings via my NAVI :-)

My point is - if you do not really care about the actual FEATURES and ACCURACY, and you want a cute toy, and you have money to pay for it - get NAVI that comes with TL.
If you want FEATURES and ACCURACY and you want NAVI because you actually USE it, get a specialized NAVI system from a reputable vendor. It will always be cheaper and will have better features.

Alex.

UminChu

Only two features from your list are unavailable in the TL, both being a function of portability.

1) Obviously, the TL's navi cannot be transported and used in another car as yours can. That kind of flexibility is certainly a huge point in your system's favor.

2) TL's navi results cannot be saved externally and ported to a PC for additional editing or printing, though previous destrinations can be saved within the system for later recall and recalculation.

I do not ask these questions to argue, I'm just curious about your system: Does your Garmin store millions of individual points of interest including phone numbers, or is it limited to finding strictly street addresses? Further, if it does store POI and contact info, can it send the number to a cell phone and place the call for you?

fast-tl

tsa1001, I believe everything you questioned about the TL's system, it can do. It seems odd that you'd weigh in without much knowledge of the system you're coming down against. For instance you wrote "My point is - if you do not really care about the actual FEATURES and ACCURACY, and you want a cute toy, and you have money to pay for it - get NAVI that comes with TL." Firstly we've established that with the "yellow pages" feature and the abilty to dial hands-free directly from those entries, it's not really a toy. Secondly the TL has a built in gyro that tracks the car's last known position to keep you on track when satellite visibility is lost. Thirdly, the TL can handle multiple turns in rapid succession with the arrows and display changing in real time with voice prompts and warnings. The TL's system can save points such as your doctor's office, and Acura does offer updates to the maps. There have been at least 3 updates since my '00 w/Navi was bought new. The TL's display does also have color shifting day/night 8" display that can be customized to show video as well. I agree that dedicated NAVIs have neat features, but the display size kills it for me, as well as the dangling wires and bulky external mount.

EluSiOn

With a tablet pc or midazpad (bigger ipaq/palm pilot), you can connect to the web easily as long as you are equip with a bluetooth phone (which most TL owners should get one).

This thread turn weird into arguing if NAV is important or not. Few people even bother to research for alternative to see if there are any better NAV out there and yet has declared the TL integrated NAV is the best. Absolutely the best without questioning or reasonable doubt.

$3500 for Acura Nav system and you get [skip, too many ppl has posted]

$1200 (after buying software and mounting kit) for A midazpad (Window CE) and you are able to Watch DVD, get online, NAV system with yellow page support, with Voice recognition, and probably with futher customization and research, you should be able to hide the charge wire and using the TL's mic and speakers for voice command. It will be much cooler that midazpad which has 8.4inch screen, using winamp to play MP3.

A buddy of mine he was nuts when his speaker system was stolen from his Honda civic. He manage to put a entire computer into his system without showing any kind of wiring. However, his customization is not portable at one and I definately does not want to go with his route. but his total cost is only US$850.



winamp playing mp3


nav system


the computer components right next to the spare tire


the trunk after putting the covers on

fast-tl

Without showing ant wiring you say? LOOK AGAIN! That's horrendous looking unless it's a taxi or driver-only. God forbid you have an accident in that thing, or with these other external webpads and such. I'd hate to see the plastic-surgery bill. I'm certainly not saying the Acura NAv is the best possible bar none, but you're paying $2000 for an option that does the job of a Nav system, yellow pages and more (voice-dialing of places in the database) and the integration of it seamlessly within the car and a built-in 8' lcd for future upgrades to play movies (aftermarket upgrade, of course). Also it's less likely to be stolen from the car. Amortize that over the life of the lease/loan and it's not that much.
With that said, it sounds like the original poster wasn't too much interested in NAvi to begin with. For clarification, my point is get it if you can afford it. Otherwise there's not much question. If you can't afford the option, then that also settles the matter.

caball88

dude you can't be serious, the pictures speak for themselves, that is exactly why i got the stock TL navi. i did not want my car to look like that. holy cow imagine if that airbag goes off? lcd right to the face!!! :smackhead 850 bucks? i think i rather spend another 1150 and get the stock nav.

tsa1001

Well, the third-party NAVI, when itegrated (e.g. 2650) will not have external wires etc. In my case I just put mine in an included stand with a special pad right on the top of the dashboard. Even thought MANY people who saw that did not like it at first, in my 3 months using it full time it NEVER slid and dropped to the floor.
Re: turn announcement - you mean the included TL NAVI announces several turns at the same time if they are close? In my test-drive of TL with NAVI it did not do that in a place where my "external" NAVI did. May be that was a difference in software that handled those particular two turns where my unit did something "better" (from my point of view).
My "external" unit is also WAAS-enabled. Does Acura's built-in NAVI support WAAS?

Interestingly enough Garmin just released 2620 model that is a "plug-in" into the car (just like you would put an integrated third-party MP3 player if you desire to do so), but you can remove it as well. So, no dangling wires. But when you take it out, you will be able to use it in any OTHER car as well :-)

tsa1001

Forgot to mention - the new Garmin unit can plot multi-destination routes (you indicate multiple points and it calculates the fastest way to visit ALL of them and return back)

JBSL

3500 is too much of a premium. I think it was $2K for me. It's nice to have but its a luxury item not a necessity for me. If you really want it, why don't you do a nationwide search for a NAVI model? In my area (philly) you can get a NAVI model in the $32s. It takes some diligence, but you can get one.

Good luck
JB

caball88

yeah the acura navi lets you do multiple destinations. you can also preset the destinations for a particular day and then when that day arrives it will be all set and ready for you.

rynpamn21

i totally agree with you alex. i'm a real estate appraiser and i drive anywhere and everywhere and i also love my garmin 2610. love the remote, the british english option, the updateable maps...everything...sure it doesn't have the extra bling that the integrated navi has but it gets the job done! plus it's portable and for me that's the most important thing ...

jwinter

Yes, Love My Nav!

gottago

Hmm... no one seemed to mention that with any nav capability, John Ashcroft and his krew are better able to see you:-)

caball88

i dunno about that, that nav is a passive system meaning no messages go back to the satellites in orbit. you simply get a longitude and latitude position form the satellites and the software does the rest. like the radio in your car it just receives radio waves and then the radio does the rest to transform that signal into music. the radio stations do not get information back from you.

fast-tl

JBSL, the $3500 difference apparently refers to the price difference between navi and non-navi cars ($2000) PLUS the fact that non-navi cars are available at a discount ($1500). So the "price difference" is $2000, and the original poster is saying that the dealer won't budge from MSRP on the Navi cars. I think that's an apples and oranges comparison. It's like people saying the '04 TL is $8000 more expensive because dealers are liquidating the '03s. The "price difference" is about $2500; it's just that no one wants the old ones, so they're going at a fire sale price.

SilverJ

I really wanted the Navi...but...my dealer was selling them for msrp. I got my non navi for about 100 over invoice. Plus I got offered almost 2k more from this dealer for my trade than anyone else who may have been selling the navi a little cheaper. That equates to about 4500 for me...I LOVE the navi but could not justify 4500 dollars for it. Having said that there are soem very good aftermarket solutions....I like this one...
www.tomtom.com --or the magellan roadmate is good as well and these are more frequently updated and faster than the acura navi. (assuming you go with a flash based model)--
Navi is very useful. I would have paid an extra 2k for it but not 4500...

bodyshopguy

Buy your car in florida. The Navi is only a $2000.00 oprion. They are crazy to ask $3496.00 there and $2000.00 here. Its worht the plane flight here and the weather is awesome. Make a vaca out of it and you can drive home in your incredible new car and wolln't get lost.