upgrade navigation for $169 Good idea or not?

my suggestion would be to purchase the disc from Carson Toyota, Carson, California. Last time I checked, they sold the 11.1 navigation disc for $155 dollars with free shipping.

The nav unit is located under the drivers seat

http://www.newtoyotaparts.com/product/?id=1819

 

Assuming you use the Nav on a regular basis and the update includes a new map data base, then yes. 5 years is a reasonable time to upgrade a Nav system. I haven't done a GenII Prius, but it's generally better to get the new discs and update it yourself instead of having it done.

 

The NAV disk is located in the DVD player under the driver's seat. You access the disk slot from the back.

 

Considering that MSRP is $250, even $169 is a good deal, but just buying it from Carson for $155 and putting the disc in the drive yourself is even better. It's auto loading, just don't turn the car off midway through the loadup! After that set your region, and navigate away!

 

Anyone know of a place not in California with a good price (and free shipping) on the Nav DVD?

 

Why? So you don't need to pay the tax?

 

Or you could do what I did the last time they offered an upgrade (which cost over $200 as I recall) - I got a TomTom on sale for just over $100 which included lifetime map updates and traffic info. True it's not integrated into the car anymore, but you can have a navigator enter addresses/reroute while driving...

 

Exactly.

 

Yes, they make the 11.1 version of the nav upgrade for your Prius. The dealer will need to know the 2006 MY and from that he should know the nav generation number.

I just upgraded mine from an 8.1 version to the 11.1. After three years it included all of the updates that I needed in my NC area. If you use your nav often like I do, it was worth the upgrade to me.

It is a simple task to eject your old CD and install the new CD. The CD is self-loading with a message not to interrupt the loading process until it is completed. Once completed, reselect your region and you should be good to go. All of your stored info, previous destinations, configuration settings, etc. are saved and reloaded.

 

QVC is selling a Garmin nuvi2455LMT for $180 + $9.47 shipping. Lifetime maps & traffic are the plus. The thicker clunky power cord with the traffic receiver & 4.3" screen are the minus. POI are not complete nor is Toyota's. It's mounted on my beanbag but this isn't really satisfactory. Windshield mounting is not an option.

 

I found my Nav system under the seat. Mine (2008) has a plastic cover on it that doesn't want to come off. Is there a trick? I'd prefer not to break it.

 

I have a 2004 Prius but a few years ago a guy on Craig's List sold me a copy of an updated disc for 2008 with a mod to allow NAV input while moving. I don't want to lose that feature. The roads in my area really haven't changed much anyway. Believe it or not, an excellent NAV unit is an app on the iPhone from Tom Tom. I like it so much, I find myself using it instead of the car's built in unit.

 

I wouldn't buy TomTom because of their inferior (for the US) Tele Atlas maps. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...0-any-other-good-alternatives.html#post500527 is an example of why.

Newegg.com - GARMIN nüvi 1300 LM 4.3" GPS Navigation with Lifetime Map Updates is $100 right now, but no traffic receiver built in.

I have Garmin's beanbag/friction mount and it works fine. I used to use that mount w/my Garmin units w/my former 350Z (which had no nav) and sometimes in other cars or my Prius when I went to Canada...

 

I have an '06 and upgraded in '09, plan on grabbing one of these 169$ deals, Toyota recently emailed me with the offer so the price has dropped from 250$ to 169$ for a factory DVD upgrade.
There's a sliding door on the front(facing rear) of the plastic box holding the DVD player under the drivers seat, it, with finger pressure will slide to the side exposing a button that ejects the DVD.
I have a garmin Nuvi that's much better but the Toyota one tells me what rest stops and restaurants are coming up, true it couldn't find it's way into a gold mine, but it does have it's uses.