I'm a new guy here so forgive me if someone else has shown this already. I've been very anxious to find more out about the nav system and stumbled across the following link.

It is a brief video clip of a customer showing off his nav system, factory installed in a German "6". I believe the production version of the 8 will have the same or a very similar version of this Panasonic DV2300.

Make sure you turn up the volume to hear the voice of the navigator and enjoy :D

http://www.katter.nu/ulf/mazda/m6-nearest-busstation.wmv

thats pretty hott, thanks a lot.

pretty nice find. I hope there is more to it than that though for my $2k :(

I still don't get the need for one of these gadgets :confused:

Seems like a distraction and just another $2000 useless toy. I have driven plenty of rental cars with nav systems and have never found one useful.

I like expensive toys.

I had asked for one in my car when i ordered it but have since deleted it because of the extra cost it would put the car into the luxury tax category in my province (BC) canada, so the $3000CDN would end up adding an extra 3% tax to the entire car price...

I will get it put in afterwards...gotta have the toys..:D

hmmm ... this vid is from a mazda 6. guessing the RX8's will be similar

I agree that this probably is not worth the $2k, however I too am one of those afflicted with gadgetitus:p

Has anyone heard anything else about the delivery dates being different for cars with the nav option? If they are already installing these units in other vehicles, I can't understand why there would be a delay.

The computer sounds like Jane Leeves. How interesting.

I think that Mazda would have deleted the NAV on the pre-order program if they thought that it would delay the vehicle. I was shocked to see it on the site when I pre-ordered 1/8/03. I also followed up with Mazda Sales and specifically asked them if they felt it would cause a delay, they told me that they hadn't heard anything along those lines. I am expecting my car in the first batch with NAV.

Heck, if I had wanted to pay the extra for the Nav system, I'd probably be getting my car sooner, as the Dealer had ordered one just like I want (plus the Nav) with his 2nd allotment. BUT I can't justify spending the extra 2k, especially since I'm already paying extra for the leather, which i don't need. But that Red/Black looks so damn good!

Originally posted by RXhusker
I still don't get the need for one of these gadgets :confused:

Seems like a distraction and just another $2000 useless toy. I have driven plenty of rental cars with nav systems and have never found one useful.

I originally bought my navigation system (PDA w/ Pocket CoPilot) because it was a gadget but in the last 18+ months it has become an indespensible tool for the times when I have to drive in an unfamiliar area.

There is definitely a learning curve with using a navigation system and the first couple of days it feels like a distraction/burden but once you learn how to qucikly read the screen in a glance you realize just how awesome it really is. In the past I was always a little hesitant about driving in unfamiliar areas because of the time it took to sort out my maps/directions but now I just jump in the car, type in an address, and go. It is very liberating and I wouldn't own another car without it.

My current setup works but it feels cobbed together because of all of the seperate pieces (i.e. PDA, custom made mounting bracket, and hard-wired power cord) and its reliance on a PC for map selection. In my opinion, I feel that $2000 for a nicely implemented navigation system with a large ideally placed screen is reasonable especially when it is compared to my current setup (PDA + GPS = $950).

PLUS the cost of the laptop.