Is The NAV System Worth $1800???

We had a car broken into and the thief took the factory navigation DVD (which cost more than a portable unit does), so I wouldn't say it's any safer from theft.

 

I have DeLorme mapping software on my laptop and a plug in USB receiver $100. I have been using their software since before 2000 and never found anything better yet.

Earthmate GPS LT-40 & Street Atlas USA 2009 PLUS, on DVD - BUNDLE - DeLorme

For someone who just wants to jump in the car punch in the destination and go then the factory system is for you.

 

Don't buy unit from ebay or craigslist this will lower the theft rate.

 

Was the DVD behind the navigation unit, under it or under a seat? It looks like it would be a lot of work to get it out of the 2010 Prius.

I checked with my local precinct and there have been no reports of factory NAVs being messed with. just portable units.

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but I think you just made a ridiculous statement. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I agree about being carefull who you buy from with the caveot that I might buy it if the seller had a receipt for a portable unit or a toyota in the driveway and showed me their newer disk which they bought to replace. I sometimes sell older software, etc. or electronics on CL but always provide a copy of the receipt. Nuvi's have come down so much from two years ago, however, that I would buy it new, especially since I have a credit card that doubles the warranty!

 

But to say that if we just "stop buying" these sort of things from eBay, it will lower the theft rate?? That's hardly true. People will always buy everything via eBay, and people will always be out there legitimately selling everything via eBay.
Unfortunately, there will also be people trying to sell stolen goods on eBay... and Craigslist... and in local newspapers... and everywhere else.

To start reducing theft rates, people should start locking their cars, or tinting their windows, or not leaving things in plain sight, or getting car alarms that have a visible theft deterrent.

EBay is simply a middle man providing a service, just like any other service out there that sometimes gets used improperly.
I never buy from anyone with low feedback ratings anyway... especially not anything expensive or that isn't brand new and in the package.

 

I am totally agree with you to buy legit item from ebay or craigslist.

 

Nola, sorry I did not mean to put in quote.

 

For us the Nav package offers several things that make it worth the money: Better stereo system, Bluetooth music streaming and the backup camera. My wife also is excited about the cel phone integration into the big display. She wants to see who is calling pop up on the screen. I won't use the navigation myself, I don't like them. Wifey who will be the primary driver of the car, enjoys using them. However, neither of us go places we are not familiar with so it won't get used frequently.

 

I agree with all of this. And with the XM NAVTraffic, I've started using it daily to and from work so I get the advanced notice on slow-downs, etc.

 

Hey, I do the same thing with my bluetooth enabled netbook and Microsoft Mappoint with the Earthmate GPS. Works fine but haven't found the glare resistant angle yet.

Only will be useful for the passenger to but really not very safe for me to type and mouse at the same time. I in the process of adding a Speech Rec interface to MapPoint.

 

The nav package does not include a better sound system--it's the same JBL system with 8 speakers. And you only get a 4 CD changer, vs. a 6 CD changer w/o nav.

 

I've had nav in several cars and honestly don't use it that often, but got it in my Prius for the following reasons (in addition to using nav once in a while):
--large screen which makes "navigating" the audio options much easier (for example, I play MP3 CDs, and navigating them in a rental car without nav is painful)
--voice recognition system
--back up camera

Is it worth $1,800? No. But you'll also get some of that back when you sell the car.

 

I see what you are saying. I guess it's better to me in the sense that the additional non-sound related features plus it up. Sound quality wise, you are right, it is no different.

 

Can't speak to your situation but I can tell you that I spent three years working for a big city police department (non-commissioned position) and my duties included taking car prowl reports (break-ins and thefts from vehicles). While I took hundreds of theft reports of Garmins and other brands of portable GPS equipment, not once did I take a report of a theft of a built-in GPS system or a GPS DVD.
Perhaps things have changed since I left that job a couple of years ago but I still believe such thefts are rare.

 

Personally, I don't think that the nav system is worth the premium price by itself, however, it IS worth the price when you throw in the awesome JBL sound system.

I guess that I'm old school, but I prefer using a map and written directions.

Regards

 

The NAV in the Prius is hopeless. I know there are people that are happy with it, fine, but different people have different standards for quality, so the short and most accurate answer for your question is NO, the NAV in the Prius is not worth the absurd charge of 1,8K, and don't forget its criminal charges for annual updates!
Stick with a good quality portable… you will never regret!

 

Jeez... did you know you can have the JBL without the NAV and could have saved yourseld 1,8K? Maybe not...

Like said before the non-NAV JBL is exactly the same as the JBL NAV but it comes with a 6 CD charger instead of 4... so, actually better!

 

You actually get very little back when you sell the car. Most fabric NAV systems are among the options that most depreciate in a car, and Toyota NAVs are actually remarkable on this given the poor reputation of its NAV systems.