Navigation option
 

Hey all,
I'll be buying a Z in the near future and I've been debating the options. My question is about the navigation package. Do those of you who have bought it feel it was worth it, or wish you wouldn't have bought it? And those that didn't buy it, do you regret not buying it?

My main problem is I hate the look of the center dash without it, but its only available on the touring model (more and more $). I feels like something I'd be kicking myself every time I drove it if I didn't get it, even though my bank account would be hurtin.

Thanks for the input!:happydance:

i had this debate when i was going to get the nismo... the only question is do you really need it. do you travel with the car and need a GPS. my answear was no so i decided to go with the nismo and i dont regret it

It's an expensive piece for sure. If you don't need it, it seems silly to spend the $$ just for the look. Personally I didn't need any more than the sport options. When I travel, I pop my $100 Garmin into place on a simple bracket I made and I'm good to go...

http://images49.fotki.com/v1489/phot...MG_1436-vi.jpg

:iagree:

A real waste since outboard (portable) NAVs will acually let you operate them while moving.

I think any aftermarket nav is better than the factory but that is my opinion.

I liked the look, so I went with it.

I bought the Touring package with the Nav and I don't regret it. It's actually a really good feature and has a lot more features.

Yeah, it does more than just nav.

All the other integrated features are easily controlled with the other knobs on the non-nav models. Being able to see your music titles and Sat radio info is a nice benefit but not worth $1800 imho. Any aftermarket garmin likely does a better job of nav anyway...for a fraction of the cost.

The answer is absolutely yes you should get the Navigation Package.

It does a lot more than just Nav as others have said.

What it does, most importantly, is make the interior of the car look 10 times better.

I really don't understand the people who say to not spend the money and get a VERY good nav system and then go out and buy one that they need a cheap sucker to stick to the windshield and make it look like a Wal-Mart car.

I have owned 3 different models and generations of external GPS devices in my life over the past 10 years and the Navigation System from Nissan is as good, if not better in a lot of cases.

This isn't even considering hand's free blue tooth, voice recognition etc.

The question you really want to ask yourself is would you rather have a really nice sports car with a ridiculous looking blank spot in the dash where a 7 inch touch screen nav system should go or do you want to save a non-substantial amount of cash and buy something later that you won't be as happy with?

I went to the dealer with the full intention of not getting nav. That was until I saw the interiors side by side. Car with nav got sold with the quickness.

Bingo. I really don't like the look of the interior without it... couldn't they have put something there?

Yep I think it's great, never seen an aftermarket nav come close to the factory one.

Someone should post side by side pics of the center console with and without.

For me it wasn't so much about the Nav as it was the ipod integration. I had become sick of plugging my ipod into AUX jacks, and then having to fumble with the ipod to change songs. IMHO, Nissan's ipod integration is one of the best in the business. As for the navigation itself, I really don't think it is any better than the Garmins I have had in the past. What is nice is that it is built in. I don't have to worry about taking it in and out of the car, considering I don't use it that often. I have had one Garmin unit stolen from a Yukon I used to have, and that was back when the Garmins cost a thousand bucks. Not only was I out the Garmin, but I had to fix a smashed window as well.

I'm not getting the Nav although i've gotta agree that the car will look better with it.

The nav is a really great system and completes the car, but I was not up for paying for the touring to just get nav.

It's an expensive option, but I was willing to do some things for it ....


http://23.media.tumblr.com/dcXhp42LJ...yLbIo1_400.png

Are there any talks of a redesign of the center dash for the 2010 non-nav model?

And how is the learning curve with nav system? Is it fairly straight forward?

Very straightforward. My only gripe is that a lot of the more extensive searching capabilities of the GPS turn off when the car is in motion... I really need to find a way to make that stop.

Yeah, spend $1800 so your car won't look like a "WAL MART" car. You definitely don't want that. WOW!

Let me guess, another problem?

I'm somewhat in the same position...ish. Of course I like the look of the interior with navigation and the nicer climate-control layout rather than the conventional 3-dial setup, but I can't justify the cost which ultimately bumps it up to the realm of other cars (Corvette). All the other features that come along with the Touring package and the nav option are nice, but it's just frosting.

For me, it will be the base with just the Sports Package, right around $33k. Outfitting a Touring with the Sports Package and navigation takes it north of $40k. As nice as bells-n-whistles are, you are essentially paying $40k+ for a $29k car. Besides...this is a sports-car, and one of the very few pure sports-cars on the market. I don't need heated leather, Bose, and nav. If I did, I'd would chose another car in garage. All of that stuff just adds weight, too (although negligible). ;)

For $42.5k, I could pick up a brand-new Z51 C6 with NPP and Comp Grey wheels, as my brother did last year...strictly performance-adding options and nothing else (fine, not the wheels, but it's a nice touch). I would take that without any hesitation over a loaded Z. Of course, to be fair, I am comparing the Z's loaded MSRP to a C6 with discounts, but Zs aren't exactly being discounted heavily (yet).

You just have to ask yourself if having a nice looking nav-screen and some cool features is worth the 20% increase in price. If it is...awesome! Personally, if money was no object I would get the Touring w/ nav for sure. Then again, if money was no object, I wouldn't be in a Nissan dealership. :)

unless you were considering the GTR

I choose buying it with the Nav I personally didn't like the extra glovebox that everyone can see that somethings missing and I know you could always add one at less cost of the one included in the package but i didn't like the fact I'd have to have my car torn apart to install it mind you it's a brand new car just my opinion.

That would never happen. I don't care for the GTR one bit.

i kicked the idea around for a couple of weeks before i ordered mine at first i really wanted the gps, but i figured how often will i really need it. granite the little storage area isn't worth a crap. i might buy a garmin so i can use it for my business and in the z if need be

I HAD to get the nav. I plan on keeping this car for 5 plus years and I dont ever want to think to myself that "I should have gotten the nav". Yes it a big option, and I hope that in the future they will offer it on the base model, so it wont be such a huge jump in price if you dont want all those other options in the touring model. Or they could at least make the screen look like a nav, but function like a regular stereo(like in the G37 if im correct). When I look at the outside of my Z, I say to myself "damn thats sexy!", and when I get in my Z with the nav, I say the same thing. I dont think I would say the same if it had a glove box where the nav is. Not only that the bluetooth, Ipod adapter, etc are great features to sweeten the deal. I guess its mostly taste, but I like bells and whistles. I like a small house with lots of toys, not a big one with nothing in it...

First off the picture of the side by side comparison is off. The non-nav isn't even close to looking black - it would look a lot sharper if the picture colour/hue/saturation/whatever was correct so it looks black instead of blue.

The cover for the non-nav looks fantastic and it feels great too. I constantly get compliments on the non-nav compartment as to how classy it looks. You could also argue that it makes the cockpit look less cluttered and less distracting. The drivers focus is straight forward and a quick downward glance for the gauges. You can really argue the asthetics either way.

If money is no object then of course go for it. Personally its hard to justify what I already have built into my phone and would rarely use anyhow. If I'm heading somewhere strange I usually know about it ahead of time and print out a goole map otherwise my phone HTC Touch Pro serves the purpose just fine. If I really wanted nav I could get a killer system for the cost of the stock Nav. For myself I haven't quite reached the money is no object stage in life so I opted for the Touring (no choice on that in Canada) Sports (duh - no brainer for a sports car unless you are building a race car) with NO Nav. That way the $$ I "saved" on not getting the Nav was spent on a Stillen HFC/CBE and CAI. I ALWAYS use that stuff when I drive whereas the Nav would be used very infrequently (although looking good while it sat idoly by). Besides the sound of the car now is way better than any stereo ever!

So in short if money is no object get it for sure otherwise I think its a poor value for the money when the non-nav package has been very very well done.

I don't think anyone is under the impression that Nissan offers a Blue interior.

Post up a better picture.

Nav/integration is a must have...

If you pay the same price for aftermarket navigation, it will be much better than nissan. In fact, Nissan will not be able to match that navigation in at least another 10 years. That being said, it's still a great navigation and does very well what was intended to do. I would not buy a touring model if I didn't want the leather seats. I for example had to have leather seats, home link, ability to rip cds to internal hard drive. In fact I perfered some more options that aren't offered with 370Z. Than again money was no object. I wouldn't pay nearly 8k for just to make the center console look better. I would pay more than 8K for everything that's included with touring and navigation.

I'm shopping right now for a Touring/Sport/6 sp. and do not want navigation. When the day comes that it is pretty much standard equipment like ABS brakes and airbags I suppose I'll have it. I've been driving since 1971 and always seem to find where I am going. I see navigation as just another thing to distract drivers when they should be paying attention to what's in front of the windshield, on both sides, and coming up on their rear. I also see it as a dust collector. I guess I'm old school and don't think a car like a 370Z should have an auto trans although if I bought another Infiniti coupe I'd go with the 7AT. I also don't care about how many cup holders a car has, Ipod interfaces or bluetooth and won't own a plastic gun. But I understand the younger drivers want these things. And don't get me started about keyless ignitions being a solution to a non-existent problem.

Can you post a picture of the bracket you made? Maybe even a top down of how the GPS mounts to the dash?

Thanks

Couldn't be any simpler. Ebay stick-on Nuvi ball, piece of aluminum:

http://images44.fotki.com/v1486/phot...MG_1432-vi.jpg


Pace here and shut the lid:
http://images49.fotki.com/v1458/phot...MG_1434-vi.jpg

Done:
http://images49.fotki.com/v1459/phot...MG_1430-vi.jpg

More pics here:
Garmin Nav holder.. album | Ttschwing | Fotki.com

I actually make GPS holders for another car. I have IPhone cradles avail that snap in also..

I hardly ever drive in unfamiliar places, so nav system was a waste of money for me. A $20 mapbook is more cost effective. Or, there is always mapquest. I would have preferred heated mirrors much more than nav. Regarding the screen, I believe it comes standard on all g37 even non-nav.

For me the nav unit was something I specifically did not want. I'm a techie geek but for me I wanted my Z for the driving experience. I know that many have their own reasons for wanting a Z. I just didn't want to have to ever have my Z in the shop because my hard drive failed and I had to take it in to the shop or anything else associated with a navigation system. I have a GPS in my phone and it works fine. I want to spend less time in my nav than I do enjoying driving. For others I know its different so its really all about what you want. If you like it, go for it. Either way, you'll have a Z!

36 responses to this? This is way over-debated for something that's just about personal opinion.

Do you like the look? Will you find it useful? Can you afford it? Get it.
Like the looks of a portable just fine? $1,800 too much to spend? Don't get it.

Same for me, I like the integrated Nav, climate control, stereo etc. Is it worth the premium? For me yes, but you'll have to decide that for yourself.