What are the opinions on the Navigation System. I can still add it to my order, but I can't decide. The wife wants it, but I can't decide if it's worth it. I won't be travelling in the 8 much, and I've lived in the same city for most my life, so I know it pretty well. But on the other hand it's really a cool option. I just keep thinking I could use that money for an extended warranty.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

once youve had it, you cant live without it
________
Braising (http://www.cooking-chef.com/braising/)

i guess it all depends on if you need it and how much you're willing to pay for it...

personally i get lost a lot and like most men, i don't stop to ask for directions...also like most men, i'm a gadget freak...i like my toys...it's also just flat out cool to have since you have it...when you don't want it, you close it...

i guess in the end, if you want it or think you may want it down the line, get it...this is your last chance to get one and you may regret it later should you wish to add it and realize you can't without making a mockery out of your center console

Call the ball Maverick!!! Call the ball!

Just get it!!
You know you want it!

It'll add to the resell value also...

Originally posted by RX22
. I just keep thinking I could use that money for an extended warranty.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


here are my thoughts.....

you have an option of either using the extra money on either the navigation system or an extended warranty. You said it yourself that even tho you know your city, you still think it is a cool option. I say since you plan on having this car for a while that you get the Navigation system just for the fun factor and the fact that it will be needed for future use for future trips.

I totally think it is a waste of money to get an extended warranty. Ask yourself, why are you getting an EXTENDED warranty on a car that already has a warranty? And why get an EXTENDED warranty on a car that is supposedly already reliable? Warranty's are just a way for the dealers to get more commission. I just think you would have a much better investment in the navigation. Good luck on your choice :)

I agree with the previous poster about the extended warranty being a dealer profit point. Yet I also think the Nav System is overpriced.

I'm considering the iQue 3600 (http://www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600/) because, well, it's another cool gadget! And it looks to be suitable for my purposes, and I can take it with me (to another car, or...?) Oh, and it eats less of my dwindling funds ;)

Anyway, might be worth checking out.

I've never driven a car with a nav system, such as a rental car. I could be missing out on something Really Cool and neat that I couldn't live without, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt.

With that caveat: it's too expensive.

If I really needed a nav system (i.e., mapquest plus a map isn't good enough) and had $2K to spend, then I could:
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Spend $1700 travelling and scuba diving to the Cayman islands, where I buy a handhelp GPS unit for $300 which does the same thing.
Buy an entire laptop with GPS, DVD player, MP3 library,
a couple of games, a wireless internet card and hotspot subscription-- and keep it in the glove compartment.
Get pretty good navigation help from one of those dial-a-valet services a hundred times.
[/list=1]

Even more interesting, if there's some quirk I don't like about any of those three choices, I can upgrade or try something else cheaply. On the other hand, if you don't like your RX-8 nav system (the voice is too whiny, it doesn't alter the volume control, it doesn't include Hardees in the restaurant menu, the screen glare is bad, it gets too hot...) then you are straight out of luck, my friend. Er... except it gives us stuff to gripe about on this board while WAITING FOR MY DAMN PREORDER TO ARRIVE.

Ahem.

Even though buying it doesn't make sense, I still tried to change my mind after I placed my order -- but it was too late. Therefore, this entire post should be read in the same light as someone who was too impatient to wait and is now clamoring to convince everyone how cool his powerful new Evo is.

get it dude. It is cool, raises resale value, and you could (if u r a hadiman or know someone who is) hook up a dvd changer to the screen and even a ps2 or what ever else u want that needs a screen)

I never had nav before either. I got it and i don't regreat it. Plus my girl oves it coz it tells you about all the shooping malls and area if u ever go to a new place or around town. I have found very nice restaurants around my area with it that i never knew they even excisted..

Not for me. I get my maps from the AAA for free, and the problem that i've always had with the Nav systems that I've used is that it gives you one choice to go, which is often not the most intuitive route or the prettiest.

I look for things on maps like scenic routes, towns that I want to blow through, historical sites, camp grounds, and the Nav system won't do that because it just doesn't have a human brain to put behind it. You'll miss alot of the fun and beauty of driving if you don't know that you are driving right by something wonderful.

I think that they work, but a map still gives you more options and they're dirt doirt cheap. It also allows you to route plan out of the car for the next day's trip.

Sorry, I'm probably atypical, but I spend about 25K miles a year driving and take most of my vacations in the car, and driving to Cape Breton or Key Largo a map will give you a more satisfying trip than the Nav system who just gives you one option for getting there.

I guess that they are good if navigating ain't your thing.

all the best - H

Too expensive. Like someone else mentioned, you can always get another separate unit cheaper if you decide you need one. Plus, you could take that with you anywhere, in any car.

Hey, I've never had one before and have no idea what I'm missing, so I won't miss it. And I'll save myself some serious dollars I will be able to spend on something more important to me.

Get it. Here's an example of a use I never would've picked out - today for work, I had to drive across town to a client's facility on the other side of Houston out in Deer Park. I had a sketchy hand drawn map someone at work had made, but when I got out there, and I thought I knew where I was going, I ended up getting lost and not finding my road. Being frustrated, I pulled over, kicked on the flashers and used the joystick to surf around the area map until I found my street. Hit enter, mark point, set as destination - and blammo! blow by blow instructions and I was there in less than 5 minutes. You people are foolilng yourself if you'd have gotten out a map in this instance, or made arrangements to go to AAA before hand (of which I'm also a member), and the only other alternative was harassing someone at the office, or pulling over and asking directions to match some vague drawing I had.

I've done this kind of thing several times, and it's awesome when a road is blocked off for whatever reason and you turn on a sidestreet that you're unfamiliar with - you have instant maps, guidance if you want it, and it's willing to recalculate after you screw up. It's also nice for going to places you don't usually frequent, lets say if you're meeting someone etc. Want to know where the nearest gas station is because your lights been on for a while? Check the screeen. Tired of that LCD on the dash? Roll it away and motor on.


Nav rocks.


And for the overpriced comments, go buy a turn key Magellan system that's designed to move from car to car with audible guidance - $2000. And all the aftermarket in the world won't look nearly as nice as a piece from the factory with a huge screen (5X7) that rolls away and has controls mounted within reach. It's clean, it's easy, and sure you could get it cheaper, but you get what you pay for.

Way overpriced, in my opinion as well.

The resale argument is bogus: you'll buy a $2K option that will raise the resale price by, what, up to $1000? Everything depreciates - not a good investment in this case.

I'd have to need a LOT of directions to justify $2K. But, then again, I've gotten lost while driving less than a dozen times in 15 years (hey, navigation is one of the few things I'm naturally good at :)

I guess it depends on how you use the car.. If you use it for work and find yourself in the situation that boozehound described above then it's worth it.

Personally I'm very good at directions and reading maps. I also have an up to date map in my car. I wouldn't get the nav.

i just checked out the nav system today and im not going to spend 2g's for that i was unimpressed on how slow it was

On the other hand, the RX-8 is one of those cars I would never consider selling once I bought it. But different people have different opinions. Me and my girlfriend were having a talk about the navigation system and thought it was actually a pretty interesting idea to get one when the time comes next year for my own RX-8. I was like "You can use the navigation system" and she said "Oh.. right... like you're ever going to let me drive the car." Yes, to get groceries.

We've gotten lost in Orlando when we should've been at kissimee thanks to maps, so personally a Navigation system would be suitable for us, even if I'm not the type of guy to get lost... working with my g/f on directions is like running through a fire with flammable liquid all over me.

The points stated are all good ones. I have a nav on my Honda Odyssey, this is my travel vehicle complete with VCR, LCD screens built into the headrests and I can hook up the PS2 and play that as well. The nav is awesome, but keep in mind not all cities are digitized and updates for the DVD have so far been few and far between and expensive. The Honda systems are made by alpine I think and since 2000 they have issued one update DVD for $152.00

For my RX8, (took delivery two days ago) I did not get the nav, I wanted it but I really do not think I will travel that much in this car. If I miss it I will buy a portable. You really can sum it up like this, if you have the money buy it, but don't expect it to be an item that you use every day unless you travel extensively or live in a very large digitized city that you don' t know very well. As for an extended warranty I think by the time the factory warranty runs out on this car you will already know if it is worth a darn and if it is not, I for one will have already sold it.

It is said to be the best NAV unit available.

I say save the money, get an iPaq with a Navman attachment or equivalent. It will have many more uses, can be moved from car to car or house or office. It can be used as a universal remote for your TV/entertainment center, play games, have Word/Excel/ etc. on the go. The updates (maps and info) would be more readily available and easier to acquire (dowload from the internet).

Not as pretty but cheaper and more versatile.

Originally posted by Prowla


working with my g/f on directions is like running through a fire with flammable liquid all over me.

I hear this. I had a girlfriend like this. I got a new girlfriend. It was way cheaper than a Nav system :p

(Actually I traded her in for other reasons, but the new model came with a "Nav option" so I'm still going to Luddite it.)

-H

Originally posted by TJRX8
It is said to be the best NAV unit available.

I say save the money, get an iPaq with a Navman attachment or equivalent. It will have many more uses, can be moved from car to car or house or office. It can be used as a universal remote for your TV/entertainment center, play games, have Word/Excel/ etc. on the go. The updates (maps and info) would be more readily available and easier to acquire (dowload from the internet).

Not as pretty but cheaper and more versatile.

Having used a PDA/GPS setup for several years I have to say that they do not compare to the factory Nav system in my RX-8. My current PDA setup is an iPaq 3850, Navman GPS sleeve, Pocket CoPilot Live, 256 MB CF card, and a custom mounting bracket. For the most part it works as advertised but here is my short list of gripes with that setup:
[list=1]
Small screen (3.8" diagonal and map only fills half of screen the other half is used for text directions)
Need to download map areas to CF card
It runs Windows and tends to freeze/crash at the worst times.
You have to find a way to mount it and it is always going to look kludgey
Can take up to 15 mintues for the GPS to find your location (cold start)
Looses GPS signal easily (factory system can use current speed and yaw sensors to continue plotting your course when it loses the GPS signal)
Still expensive (spent $500 on iPaq, $350 on Navman GPS, $100 on CF card, and $50 on materials to build a mounting bracket)
[/list=1]

If you want a nav system I say spend the money and do it right the first time and just opt for the factory system.

Originally posted by Speed Racer

Having used a PDA/GPS setup for several years I have to say that they do not compare to the factory Nav system in my RX-8. .
Like I said I have read that the system is the best there is. I was just giving an option that would be more versatile not better. If the Nav in the Rx-8 could play Space invaders, Send E-mail and program my television I would have bought it. :D j/k


BTW: thanks for the iPaq info I'll keep this in mind when shopping!

Last night I was showing off the car to a female friend. I used the restaurant locator. We choose itallian and selected the nearest restaurant. It turned out to be a small hole in the wall mom & pop place. The food was excellent. We'll definitely be going back.

There are so many functions availble with this nav. I defintely recommend it.

Originally posted by TJRX8

Like I said I have read that the system is the best there is. I was just giving an option that would be more versatile not better. If the Nav in the Rx-8 could play Space invaders, Send E-mail and program my television I would have bought it. :D j/k


BTW: thanks for the iPaq info I'll keep this in mind when shopping!

There are a number of PDA/GPS options out there and some work better than others. If you want more info either send me a PM or do a search of the forums at BrightHand.com for "GPS". :)

Consider how you will use the car and decide.

There is a portable unit that is $1000 that is supposed to be state of the art and able to be taken anywhere you go rather than where the car goes. There are others too but this one is supposed to be like the car units. Dunno but...

The issue for me was price.

If you're buying a collectors car, then get it. If not and you'll never use it, don't.

I'm hoping Mazda adds features to this unit on upcoming models like mabey DVD or (I'm dreaming) full readouts on the cars systems.

They hinted on this on the X-men and mazdaspeed concepts.

My G35 sedan has navigation system, and let me tell you, you would fall in love with it once you know how it works(it is very easy also). Before you used it, you might think a map is pretty much the same, oh no it is not the same, navi is way faster and it even reroutes if you go the wrong way. Even you don't punch in anything, and you just drive around, you pops up the navi screen and it shows where you are and keep following you so you know what street names are close to you, and even some big malls or convention centers are shown too. Although I have not used the one on RX-8, I guess all of these navi systems are pretty similar, no matter it is touch-screen or stick-controlled or voice-activated......Anyways, it is one of the most useful features on a car in my opinion. Think about it, $2000 and you don't need to worry about getting lost or the hassels of checking map afterwards, I think it is definitely worth the money.

The Nav System is absolutely worth it. It's one of those things you can't imagine not having once you live with it.

I couldn't imagine trying to tack a 3rd party nav system onto the dash; there's a picture of one in the electronics subforum that looks absolutely horrendous. Compare this to the integrated factory system and it seems pretty clear to me.

Portable systems (of any sort) are OK, but not as good as having it always available, right up front. It may seem that the Nav System is something you may only need occassionally or for unusual circumstances, but once you have it you'll find it useful more than you think. And if you ever leave your home territory (which you'll probably want to do with your RX-8), it's fantastic.

SGC

From the info here and in the audio/electronics forum, I decided that I'll get an aftermarket nav.

I'm going to get the new iPaq 1945 ($299), an air vent holder for the PDA and one of the BlueTooth GPS packages -possibly, the one from Navman ($399). If I go with this setup, I can also take the GPS out with me when I'm on vacation or cycling b/c the bluetooth navs are extremely portable (the Navman even comes with an arm band to hold it!)

Note: there are many others and I still need to research them all before making a final decision. Thx Speed Racer for that info about "brighthand.com"!

I've been using a PDA-based NAV system in my car for the past few years and it's saved my life numerous times in terms of:

* Getting to customer meetings on-time
* Re-routing when I hit a traffic jam
* Keeping the wife happy when we get lost
* Just enjoying not having to think about which route to take
* Getting back to the car when I've left it somewhere in a field 3 miles away from a Robbie Williams concert in Knebworth

That said: Having to have special brackets and wiring is really ugly and spoils the look of the car.

So for me the answer is:

1) Buy the built-in sat nav for my new RX-8 so I don't spoil the looks and get the extra features (resteraunts etc)

2) Keep the PDA for the pop concerts and finding my way back to my beloved RX-8 :)

The Nav is like Xenon lights. Once you've had it you never, ever go back. This is my first Nav and 3rd Xenon. The Nav is easliy the coolest feature of the car and always draws the biggest ooohs and ahhhs. I've lived in Austin most all of my life so, technically, i really don't need a Nav. But there have already been times when it was I it was so much more convenient to punch in an address of a location I was not familiar with. Trips to Houston, Dallas and SanAntonio will certainly be much less stressful.

Certainly if $2,000 puts a strain on your budget then it's absolutely not worth the cost. It's just a toy to most users and a convenience device for others. If you don't normally spend 2 grand on your toys then go without and save and invest wisely instead.

I have a $2500 laptop and mapping software, and an iPAQ with same. I considered getting a GPS device to attach to either, but can you imagine the mess it would make of the interior - power cables + invertor for the laptop with more wires for the GPS stuck under the front screen (or worse the rear screen) and then the mouse as I refuse to use the touchpad. How would I mount either laptop or iPAQ to keep them at eye-level and allow changes whilst driving without further uglifying the interior. And can you imagine leaving your laptop all hooked up and visible in a carpark when you pop into a shop to buy something? I would rather use paper maps...

I regard the NAV as a toy at the moment (200 miles so far), but a potentially very useful one. Already used it to look up phone numbers of nearby restaurants to make bookings etc. And the instant recalc is a great feature - much better than other NAV systems I have used. Certainly more fun/useful to me than a sunroof or Xenon lights. This is my 2nd vehicle with HIDs and probably my 8th with a sunroof - I would never buy a car again without those items either.

I agree with Tomster that if your budget can stretch to it then get the NAV option. If not then stick with paper maps unless you need that laptop/iPAQ for a lot of other things.

I picked up my son in an unfamiliar neighborhood recently and got lost in the maze of streets trying to find my way out. Call me a dummy for not being able to retrace my steps. Anyway, since my home is programmed as a "Saved Point." it took about three clicks to set a course for home. The system brought me quickly out of the tangle of deadends I was in till I got to familiar territory. Then a quick "Delete Route" so it didn't blab all the way back home. It was a terrific use of the the system.

I use it all over San Diego, including finding new routes to familiar places which has opened my eyes a bit. The more you use it the more efficient you become (if you really try) at doing all kinds of things with very little data entry. I've found libraries I didn't know were there, restaurants, etc. all things I never expected to do with a nav system. It's much more than just plotting known addresses.

My other car is an Acura 3.2 TL with NAV and the NAV in the the RX-8 is slower then the TL - but the screen is bigger.

When you have NAV, you will love it and when you need it - it is there. I would recommend anyone to have at least one car with NAV.

I didn't get the NAV in my RX-8 because I am spoiled by the touch screen on my TL and could not get used to using the joystick.

One comment about the "wires" all over the place in the interior of the car.

With the set-up I'm considering, at the most there'd be two wires. That being said, more than likely there will be NO wires b/c I'd be using the iPAQ's internal battery and a BlueTooth GPS receiver with battery (most likely attached to the rear window or somewhere near the moonroof). The only time the wires would make an appearance would be if the batteries were close to being drained or I forgot to charge them the night before.

As for the mounting, yes, it might look out of place to some, but I like the look (as long as it's just the iPAQ). Also, I will have the ability to take my GPS system with me to other vehicles if I choose so. Plus, if I go camping, hiking, etc or just out around the town, my BT GPS will go with me to help me find my way.

Finally, with the iPAQ, I can use one of its most important features - something that the built in nav will never have: I can play games on it! An added plus in my book!

contrary to popular belief, this car is all about the goodies...the little extras...the nav is the crowning jewel & definately worth it to have the factory installed...i love mine & it outperforms my Garmin handheld time after time. My handheld constantly says "searching for satellite, recalculating" at just the critical moment (before a turn, etc) I have yet to have a problem with the 8's nav.

norats

I've posted comparisons before between handheld vs installed nav systems, but they've gotten buried in the posts. Here's a quick summary:

The installed system has two antennae; handheld has one. Having 2 gives an order of magnitude improvement in positional accuracy (approx 4 meters vice 40.)

The installed system is connected to your sound system so voice commands are amplified. Handhelds aren't, and most don't even have voice commands.

Installed system has the entire US and Canada loaded at all times. Handheld, not even a single US "region." You have to load the local maps for where you'll be driving. If you're taking a longer roadtrip, better bring a laptop computer so you can load other areas. What a pain.

The installed system has a gyro and is tied to wheel sensors, so it knows car speed and instantly detects turns. Handheld can only detect motion and changes in motion by comparing reported positions from the satellite which takes considerably longer. Response to changes in car motion is far from instantaneous with a handheld.

With the gyro, the installed system can afford to lose contact with the satellite (like in tunnels, or around high-rises); it'll keep tracking position with you none the wiser. With handheld, it needs continuous contact with satellite or becomes instantly worthless.

Installed is always with you, even if you didn't expect to need it on a particular trip. Handheld, you better remember to bring it.

Not a comparative feature, but someone said the Mazda system is slow compared to Lexus. Damn, that Lexus must be fast. I get most computed routes within 5 seconds. My wife's 2000 beemer, it takes over 30 seconds. I can only imagine how slow the handheld is with it's meager processing power.

In my mind, handhelds are ideal for hikers/outdoorsmen. Then the issues of tunnels, gyro's, loading maps, forgetting to bring it, sound systems, voice commands, etc. virtually disappear. But in a car, all these deficiencies are highlighted making it a very poor choice to the installed system.

Originally posted by norats
contrary to popular belief, this car is all about the goodies...the little extras...the nav is the crowning jewel & definately worth it to have the factory installed...i love mine & it outperforms my Garmin handheld time after time. My handheld constantly says "searching for satellite, recalculating" at just the critical moment (before a turn, etc) I have yet to have a problem with the 8's nav.

norats

Your installed system may be losing contact with the satellite just as much as the Garmin, but you don't know it because it keeps tracking your position with the gyro. It is seamless and totally invisible to you. Because of the gyro's accuracy, it doesn't have to recalculate when satellite comms are restored; it still knows where you are. The Garmin has no such capability, so recalc is necessary everytime it drops the satellite signal.