Prius navigation system

I know I'm in the minority, but I actually prefer the Nav system in the Prius to my portable Garmin.

The built-in Nav recalculates routes much faster, has dead-reckoning capability, and most important, didn't lead me on a wild goose chase last weekend for the nearest Jamba Juice.

If I were to buy a separate Nav system, I would wait a month or two until the new models from Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan come out. Specifically I'm thinking of the Garmin c550, TomTom 510 and 910, and Magellan Roadmat 6000T. They all have Bluetooth support for hands-free calling, and the TomTom supposedly has a much improved screen.

 

was cost of NAV upgrades mentioned? we went in for a upgrade, i think! they put a cd in the unit, at least that's what i thought the tech said.

just curious!

Interestingly in a growing metropolitan area like Sacramento I found no errors, yet in SF you know Gold Rush era, the most traveled intersection in the city Market and Van Ness is not correct in the NAV, go figure! (can't turn left off Market onto Van Ness.)

b

 

So the question whether to get NAV was pretty much answered in the affirmative when looking at most of the replies and too I agree. I wanted to add that Toyota's NAV isn't the best but it is still pretty good. We have had the Acura MDX's NAV, the Infiniti FX35 NAV, Garmin III Plus, and the Garmin 276C. Oh, and my realtor as well as my mother-in-law have the Lexus RX SUV (something like that) and hence our experience with Toyota's NAV.

Bottom line. NAV in general rules and Toyota's is good and even though there are better units out the Toyota NAV is still worth getting.

One point of advice, if you are trying to save money on the NAV solution yet still want NAV I have purchased the Garmin 276C and transfer it back and forth from my Dodge Truck and my Honda ST1300. This way all my vehicles have NAV yet I only paid once and you affix them to your vehicle by whatever style you wish as there are plenty of options. Personally I utilize the RAM Mount system so it take about 10 seconds to take off/on. Plug into 12v socket and you are golden. RAM Mount site is as follows for the record RAM Mount. Garmin 276C is found at Garmin 276C.

Good Hunting!

R

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RONIN 47R @ May 13 2006, 01:37 AM) [snapback]254610[/snapback]</div>

We use the RAM Mount system for the Garmin chartplotter on our boat, which is quite a bit bigger than the GPS systems usually found on cars. The RAM Mounts work very well, and are quick to use.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dgstan @ May 12 2006, 02:49 PM) [snapback]254238[/snapback]</div>

Package #6 gives Bluetooth w/o the Navigation system. That's what I have. LOVE THE BLUETOOTH! Love my auxiliary jack, too. Much better than te 6-disc in dash changer, which I didn't need because of my iPod.

I too felt no need to have the nav system, and frankly, I'm fine without it. Of course, I'm a mapquest junkie, so...

 

who makes the nav system magellan or anopther company. the reason I am asking is if I wanted to take my prius to another country I would need to know where to buy the cd maps for that country and what company makes the maps for that unit

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(filmguy @ May 13 2006, 09:05 AM) [snapback]254744[/snapback]</div>

The Toyota nav system is made by DENSO, which is basically a subsidiary and primary parts supplier for Toyota.

Any upgraded Nav DVDs would have to be ordered directly through a Toyota dealer. I do not know about availability or compatibility when replacing a USA/Canada DVD with another one.

- Bob R.

 

I now have the Garmin Nuvi 350. I love it. Compared to the "c" series, no hard disk to fail. It also has a very easy to use MP3 player. Works fantastic with the AUX in in the 2006 Prius.

Mounting is another issue. I am currently using the suction cup mount, attached to the front cupholder cover with the cupholder in the folded open position. Very easy to run the cables into the AUX In and the power point in the arm rest.

I would prefer a RAM Mount, but I have not solved the issues yet on how to power the NUVI and use the RAM Mount...

WIth a "c" series there should be no problems...



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RONIN 47R @ May 13 2006, 02:37 AM) [snapback]254610[/snapback]</div>

 

The biggest advantage of built-in Nav over 3rd party Nav is that it will not be stolen out of your car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ohgreys @ May 11 2006, 07:46 PM) [snapback]253818[/snapback]</div>

If you have test driven a Prius, in your area, with Nav and it recognized not only where you were but could give you guidance then it may be worthy. You can not activate or change this nav when driving. Yes you can probably go home with voice commands if you are lucky enough for it to recognize your area. But if you are like my area of 30,000 pop. the nav unit only tells me when I arrive in my drive! It is sometimes comical.
Just please be aware that if you drive or live in certain areas of the country it may not direct you. In other areas as in mine it takes you miles out of the way. One time I was 30 miles from my home destination and the nav unit was trying to direct me approx. 80 miles in another direction! Yes my setting are correct!
So please be aware that it is not always correct in how in may guide you.

 

The navigation system is a major disappointment. The one in my 2005 is mostly useless, as is my wife's 2006, as is my sister's 2007. If you already know where you're going, and can ignore spurious directions, it's not quite as awful. If you have to depend upon it, you're in trouble. If you're in one of the many, many unmapped areas of the United States, best bring along some old Lewis & Clark maps.

Given what I now know, I wouldn't waste money on a Toyota navigation system, but get a more advanced external one. Unfortunately, the external ones have much smaller screens. However, the newer external units actually speak the name of the street. I don't know if 2008-up Prius navigation systems do this.

While having it as part of the vehicle is much more convenient, there is nothing convenient about being taken in the wrong direction, constantly having to stop and re-enter the same address, or being taken miles out of the way because the thing has no clue where it is.

My dealer won't replace any parts because they claim to fear that Toyota will refuse to reimburse them if the replaced part proves not to be defective. Wanna bet they won't hesitate to replace parts like mad once the warranty has expired and I'm paying for the parts?

Toyota has "solved" this problem using what I like to call "The Volvo Gambit". Volvo "solved" their excessive oil consumption problem by simply declaring that 1 quart per 500 miles was "normal operation". Toyota now declares that the endless problems with the navigation system are "normal operation".

Previously, my dealer simply repeated that they "couldn't find anything wrong". Driving the car around the block successfully is hardly the same as being told to drive into the Pacific Ocean when the set destination is East.

Eventually the DVD reader (under the driver's seat) failed completely. They replaced the reader and installed a 2006 DVD in place of the 2005 DVD. The navigation system then improved from mostly dead to terribly unsatisfactory. :lalala:

I guess Toyota has finally realized how horribly flawed the navigation system is by acknowledging the problems and declaring them to be "normal".

I borrowed a Honda Ridgeline for a week and had no such problems with their navigation system, and that was going to places with which I was unfamiliar.

Can we conclude that all Toyota and Lexus navigation systems are defective? Don't know about ALL, but how does 3 out of 3 (so far) sound?

The best thing I can say about the Prius navigation system is that it's not quite as awful as the thing Hertz rents you in Ireland.