Thought some folks might be interested in a 'poor' man's NAV for the Z.

This TomTom 300 fits like a glove in the compartment and
being recessed, it is almost completely immune to SUN issues.

It has some really nice features that work well in the Z:

1) The speaker is on the back of the unit so the whole Nav compartment acts like a little resonance chamber so it is VERY easy
to hear the voice commands with the windows down and going 80

2) It has a very sensitve internal antenna and
I did NOT have to run a lead for any external antenna.
It generally locks onto 8 satellites (I believe that is the max)
I am parked partly under a tree so you can see I lost one bar ie. it only is seeing 6 satellites.

Even though it is a fairly tight fit, I velcroed the unit to the rubber pad in the
Nav compartment so that 1) guaranteed not to come flying out when driving and 2) Let's me move this easily back and forth between my 2 vehicles.

It is rechargeable so I took the dash off and ran a power cord into the nav compartment. Did have to drill a hole in the back of the Nav compartment but
it is a tiny hole so it looks fine when empty.
Can't see it because it is behind the TomTom and is a very skinny wire.

Very well thought out product.

 

I think the TomTom is honestly the best value for a GPS right now. Cheap, easy to use, and it works fantastic.

Nice install, btw!

 

Cute! I've got the even poorer man's Garmin iQue 3600 which is also a PDA that I drag between cars.

I see your house!

 

i like i like... I have been looking at the TOM TOM 300 for a while now. I think that might be next for me to get. How much did you get it for? I saw it at Circuit City for $669 or $699. Looks great, nice job.

 

That ain't cheap!! What about those Garmin handhelds. We used that type in the "sandbox". Well they did.

 

i wounder if ill have any issues with my nav door? i have an 04. tmb you have an 03 right?

 

Actually, I did buy it at CC.
This device falls under CC's 15% restocking thing because this unit has SW and I asked the sales guy to get the manager to 'discuss' that before I bought the TomTom
Turns out someone else had returned a TT 300 so I got it 'open box' for $570 and COULD return it if I wanted.

Not trying to turn this thread into a review but here is the the short version.

Since around 1997, I have used a Garmin 45XL handheld (bought for use in my boat) plugged into a laptop in the car and running Delorme Street Atlas's various versions (tried every other laptop SW also) long before in car navigation became the rage.

I travel a lot and I have used this setup all over the country on business trips as well as around my own haunts because I am 'directionally challenged'.

So I do have a lot of experience in what makes a useful car nav system.
As the old saying goes, "Not bragging,just fact"


Over the weekend, I bought the TomTom from CC, the Lowrance Iway from Boater's World and the Garmin 2620 from BB. That was so I could try them all out and be able to RETURN them.


So with all three of these in hand, I tried them in the Z.

Could not get a nice fit of the Lowrance and the Garmin needed an antenna because it would not get a good enough signal from the birds when mounted in the nav compartment on the Z.
I could have added an antenna for the Garmin like the other fellow on this forum did.

As I said, this is not intended as a review so let's just say that
I took them both out on the road and gave them both a real world workout.
I really liked the TomTom much better.

The TomTom's one real weakness is it's readability in bright sun but that ceases to be an issue because it is shaded when mounted in the Nav Compartment.

Final comment. If the Nav compartment height in the 04/05 Z is less than about 1/4" of the one in the 03, the TT 300 won't fit.

 

Anyone happen to know if their is a size difference in the nav compartment of b/w the 03 and the 05??

I looked around a few places but was unable to find the answer.

Thanks

 

That looks straight up lame!!!!!!!

Looks like somthing a Pontiac would have.

 

No it doesn't!! What do you have in your nav box vegas?

 

But this Pontiac won't ever get lost

Besides, whats wrong with a Pontiac? I almost sold my Z to buy an '05 GTO cause it is a blast to drive with that monster V8.

 

Yes there is.
I just replaced my 2003 Z with a 2005 model and the compartment is slightly less high on the 2005.

My TOMTOM still fit in there though. I no longer need the velcro because it a snug fit.

On the '03, the comparment lid slid back so it disapeared when it was open whereas on the '05, the compartment lid sticks out (like an open door on it's hinges) when it is open.

I guess that is where the size difference comes in. The 2003 compartment door needed room to fit inside in 'box' whereas on the 2005, the door does not go in the 'box'.

It is a much better shade for keeping the sun off of the TT because between the TT being recessed in the compartment like on the 2003, the door sticking straight out acts like a sun share also.

Glad the internal antenna works so well because I can drive with the door closed and just listen to the voice commands if I want.


On a related note, the compartment door is SO much improved over the 2003.
You know how it always felt like cheap thin plastic and you had to use two hands to properly open it? I always felt that if I was not careful when sliding it out of the way, I might snap it off it's hinges so I always handled it 'gingerly'.

The 2005 compartment door feels much more substantial and when you push the button is opens silky smooth. More like a real glove compartment would work.
No more feeling like it will snap off.

 

The picture above is in a 2003 model.

I changed my sig because I got a 2005 model and I see that I can not edit the post with the picture to make it clear that this it is from a 2003.

Can't speak for the '04 but see my post about the '05.

I think the 2004 and 2005 models are identical.
I say this because at the dealer when I was buying the 2005, they showed me a Nismo rear wing that they could install but the wrapping it was in said "fits 2004 and 2005 only"

 

have you ever messed around the the tom tom 700? Wonder if the extra options is worth the extra $$$

 

No to the first question.

The cost for the extra options is NOT worth it to me but read my last sentence - the extra cost may be worth spending but for as different reason.


Not sure if folks are aware of this because it is hard to find but there is a great forum for the TomTom.

My favorite forum is the one on SW addons that folks have written.
I am working on a feature myself where it will allow the map to scroll by slowly until you touch the middle left side. Scrolling it with your finger while driving is almost impossible and dangerous.

Running Linux makes it really simply to be able to add new features to the TomTom.

The one advantage I can see to the model 700 is that it has more memory for adding SW. The model 300 has very little free memory so you can not write super elaborate apps for it. I can not run all the cool apps that I found for it.
That may make it worth the extra money to me and I am toying with ebaying the 300 so I can get a 700.

Check it out:
http://www.mytomtomgo.com/

 

I also saw that the 700 has the ability for bluetooth and a couple other little features that might entice me to go big.

So you can modify the program of the GPS system with your computer?

 

Bluetooth? Heck, I would be satisfied if my cell phone would just work like a phone is supposed to

If I understand your question, it is yes. The TomTOM runs linux and hence you can add apps to it.

The TT300 which I have is a bit limited in Memory and horsepower but the 700 is not.

Take a peek around this website and in particular this post from there:
http://www.mytomtomgo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2582

 

tmb....sweeeeT

 

well it just so happens that my contract with my cell phone company is about up, so i was thinking about getting a phone that is bluetooth compatible. while i was at it, i am thinking what the heck and splurging a few extra bucks for the 700.