I'm thinking about getting a Z sometime in the near future, and want to know how you like your stock navi system? How does it compare with Acura's?

My wife has a 2005 Acura TL w/ Navi and generally like the system. We like the touch screen, but it is much slower than Toyota's system I have noticed.

I'm tempted to not get the stock Nav unit, and some point in the future put in one of the double-din Nav headunits. I always have replaced stock stereos before, and I'm sure i'll do it again on my next car, so not getting the stock unit would save me money overall.

Honestly we don't use the nav that much, but sometimes it comes in real handy. Mostly though, since the wife has, I have to have it too

 

I had no choice when I bought my car but to get a factory nav unit, but the whole looking STOCK thing is soothing. But I got an aftermarket headunit, so the achieving stock look is down the drain. So I am going all the way

As far as the nav quality, it is fair. If you compare to aftermarket NAV or even 06 nav on 350z or G35 (03 Nav on mine), it's not as fancy nor very fast, but it gets the job done. (and it's better than my former sh!tty BMW nav) I saw 06s' GUI is upgraded, so it looks like it is better than mine. But I'd get an aftermarket unit in a heartbeat if I could do it all over again.

I see you want to upgrade your system. Then I suggest Eclipse AVN or AVX series for double din units, especially those 20G hard drive units. Nav functions and quality would be far better than facotyr NAV. I am looking for those units as well.

My suggestion is only up to MY05 though. If you are planning to purchage a 06, then get a nav cuz the design is so integrated the way I saw in pics.

EDIT: AND all factory nav 03-06 are not touch-screen.

 

Not worth the $. Not voice or touch activated!

Why can't all Nav's be like Lexus or Acura's!

 

Thanks for the input guys.

The main reasons to go with the OEM unit are for the integrated stock look and so i'd be less likely to cut up a brand new car

I would probably get an 06, but depending on when I buy I would consider a 05 for the right price. On nissan's site it says you can't get Nav w/o the side airbags, which is just more money and more weight! Lame.

I'm thinking aftermarket nav/HU is the way to go. Another selling point of the Z is that it's one of the few cars that still looks OK with an aftermarket HU. Infact it actually looks better with double DIN LCD.

I was looking at those Eclipse units. The features look good, and I've liked the quality of other Eclipse products I've bought.

 

Here is some pics of the 05 and 06 Nav's!

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....ghlight=06+nav

 

I like mine, but no doubt an aftermarket unit will probably give you more functionality.

This thread reminds me I need to order my NAV disk update... still running on original '03 disk.

 

I think the '05 nav is o.k. I'm in the same situation (wife has the Acura TL, I have the Z). When I first got into the Z and tried stock nav, I immediately tried pushing the "I agree" button on the screen, instead of using the joystick ... old habits die hard.

I think the Z's re-routing feature is better than the TL's, but that's about it ...

 

My Eclipse has the same OS as my old mans 06 GS450. My mom's Benz has a crappy navigator. I don't like Pioneers. Eclispe AVN and Lexus uses Garmin I believe.

 

I hate the "I Agree" business these Nav systems! The best nav system is the one that I can defeat that.

If I get an OEM nav on my next car it'll probably come down to whatever the best deal is, and if I need to bring the price tag down to make the wife happy

Acura's system uses Windows for it's OS, which is probably why it's so dang slow.

 

WARNING: If you get the OEM Nav unit, you will not be able to replace your HU because none of the aftermarket systems are compatible with the OEM Nav. Well, if you do replace your HU, you will lose the Voice on your Nav. There's ways to MacGyver around it (adding a dedicated speaker is one way), but I don't want to do that, plus you practically need an EE to accomplish this.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoy my OEM Nav. It's cool how the motorized lid opens and closes at the turn of your ignition key. I find it to be very functional; my only other experience with NAV is with Hertz Neverlost, so the OEM Nav blows that out of the water. Touchscreen would be awesome, because it does suck to use the joystick to enter addresses and POI's.