Nav versus No-Nav for an XLT Purchase?

[JAZNY]

I have mixed feelings about the NAV and am not sure it's worth the cost after playing with one on a Limited for 20 minutes.

The bad:
1. It placed my house about 200 yards away from it's actual location (on the correct street but on wrong side of a stream that divides the road into two sections/no bridge). Does anyone know who supplies this unit to Ford? My Garmin, my Honda NAV, Google Maps, Bing Maps and my Verizon Phone know just where my house is.
2. At night, the background was a hazy gray, not black. Is this adjustable?

The good:
1. Great interface in general, especially using voice.
2. Looks like many more POI's than my current Honda NAV.
3. Finds what I'm searching for pretty intuitively(except my own house).

Any opinions from current users would be appreciated.

 

[peterk9]

I have mixed feelings about the NAV and am not sure it's worth the cost after playing with one on a Limited for 20 minutes.

The bad:
1. It placed my house about 200 yards away from it's actual location (on the correct street but on wrong side of a stream that divides the road into two sections/no bridge). Does anyone know who supplies this unit to Ford? My Garmin, my Honda NAV, Google Maps, Bing Maps and my Verizon Phone know just where my house is.
2. At night, the background was a hazy gray, not black. Is this adjustable?

The good:
1. Great interface in general, especially using voice.
2. Looks like many more POI's than my current Honda NAV.
3. Finds what I'm searching for pretty intuitively(except my own house).

Any opinions from current users would be appreciated.

Don't feel too bad. The Nav in my Highlander is also off by about 8 addresses.

 

[2011EX]

Always get it for resale at least. In 5 more years it will be standard equipment and definitely sought after. For the past 6 years I would not even consider a used car that didn't have built in nav.

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

Jazny, get it, move your house. Good-to-go.

If you decide against it, Garmins are great & cheap.

 

[JDraper]

My house is off by 1 street too, but that's because we're on a private lane in the boonies. I pinged the Nav provider about the error.

 

[JAZNY]

Jazny, get it, move your house. Good-to-go.

You know ... I need to look at that other location (and check my title). Maybe I've been going to the wrong house for all these years!

 

[K-Rod]

I did not get Nav and figured if I decided later I wanted it I'd just buy the SD card. But I will tell you that I used the Sync Directions (comes with a 3-year free "subscription" when you buy the vehicle) and it downloaded them from a connection with my phone. Then I followed them and they were exactly correct. It used voice to tell you when to turn/exit and had arrows on the touch screen. That is enough for me vs. paying $795.

 

[JAZNY]

Can't Add Nav Later

K-Rod,
Glad to hear there are options if Nav isn't added up-front.
Thanks

Found this in "Known Issues/Service Messages Thread

Service Msg 21698

" ... NAVIGATION CAN NOT BE ADDED TO VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED AND INSTALLING AN SD CARD IN NON-NAVIGATION VEHICLES WILL NOT ENABLE FUNCTION.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/25/2011 "

 

[2TimingTom]

You may also want to consider the difference in insurance premiums between the 2. NAV could bump you into a higher premium class because NAV is a built in distraction.

Personally, a good expensive Garmin or whatever brand will be half the cost (or so) and you can transfer it between cars. No brainer there.

 

[edge929]

We've actually been over this before in another thread. You cannot add the Ford factory-installed NAV later on if you did not originally order it. The SD card is only half of what you need. The other half is the GPS receiver however I can't tell you where that's located in the vehicle. A possible third variable is the MyFord Touch unit if that needs it's hardware to be different if NAV is equipped.

See this article for more info: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367161,00.asp

 

[uniquename]

You cannot add the Ford factory-installed NAV later on if you did not originally order it.

Yet

 

[RLWSNOOK]

You may also want to consider the difference in insurance premiums between the 2. NAV could bump you into a higher premium class because NAV is a built in distraction.

HUH?!?! Last time I checked my insurance company never asked me if I had navigation built in... I'm pretty sure even if this was the case which I doubt it is, that the myford touch is the same distraction that the nav would be. But regardless where did you get the idea that this could bump your insurance premium up?

 

[2TimingTom]

HUH?!?! Last time I checked my insurance company never asked me if I had navigation built in... I'm pretty sure even if this was the case which I doubt it is, that the myford touch is the same distraction that the nav would be. But regardless where did you get the idea that this could bump your insurance premium up?

When I was shopping for a car and talking with my insurance company prior to purchase.

 

[peterk9]

When I was shopping for a car and talking with my insurance company prior to purchase.

Just got an insurance quote for mine and it is $147 a year less than my '09 Highlander. All they asked was for my VIN and if I was putting Winter tires on. They offer a 5% discount on the yearly cost if I use Winter tires. I specifically asked about the Navigation and was told that they can tell what the vehicle has from the VIN and they were not concerned about the navigation at all. I broke down the VIN last week and I wasn't able to tell that mine had Nav. Oh well, I'm getting a new vehicle and my premium is going down, so I'm not complaining.

 

[2TimingTom]

Some insurance companies do, some don't. My point was "to consider" the impacts- if any.

Winter tire discount..... I should call my insurance and see if they offer that.

 

[K-Rod]

We've actually been over this before in another thread. You cannot add the Ford factory-installed NAV later on if you did not originally order it. The SD card is only half of what you need. The other half is the GPS receiver however I can't tell you where that's located in the vehicle. A possible third variable is the MyFord Touch unit if that needs it's hardware to be different if NAV is equipped.

See this article for more info: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367161,00.asp

I'm not sure if the comment about not having the GPS already installed can be right. How would the Sync Directions know where you are then? They download to the system and then the phone disconnects and yet it knows when I'm supposed to turn. So....hmmmm

I don't mind even if I can't add Nav later. It's not a huge thing for me. I already had a stand-alone unit anyway.

 

[RLWSNOOK]

When I was shopping for a car and talking with my insurance company prior to purchase.

What insurance company do you use?