racinghart

true, lots of cars have it now but im just giving my 2 cents here. did you see the sharkfin thread, now that was an interesting topic and i noticed others agree with me while some didnt, i dont mind that others like you may not agree. but i just thought id throw that one out there... cause at first sight, even before i got my is250, i looked at cars that have it as a small "sign" a mere "symbol" that somehow had a luxurious connotation attached to it hope that makes sense. i know that it doesnt "mean" the car is a luxury class vehicle, im just saying it looks luxury to me and similarly to a navigation system... when i sit in ANY car that has a screen that has navigation, im just like WOW... thats clean... luxurious! know what i mean?

caudlek

Ya the bluetooth is sweet ,,,,, just like the keyless start ,,,,, walk up to the car, get in, and drive.

No fumbling with a key while freezing your {description of male body part deleted} off.

No checking your phone,,, is the ringer turned on?.

Now if only the NAV was simpler,,,,, going to take a month to master that!

KC

racinghart

oh ya! i forgot about the bluetooth that comes with the nav... major plus! one downside though, i hate that it doesnt give caller ID on the screen when the phones in my pocket i sometimes dont want to pick up cause i dunno who it is

livinitup7

Best features of the car is the nav and bluetooth...nav is well worth it!!

caudlek

Right, i've been meaning to check into that ..... I'm sure i read somewhere that caller id is supposed to be displayed .....

KC

mort

Fair enough racinghart....it is in many ways how one perceives and how other perceive.

caudlek

I’ll tell what I don’t like about the NAV though,,,,,,, I like listening to music and the ML is super. When I’m driving in the city I know where I’m going and I don’t want NAV or need it.

What I want is the RDS display to be dominant. I want to see the streamed weather/traffic/song titles at all times. It always defaults back to the NAV map after ~30 seconds.

Any way to control that???/ Enquiring minds want to know! Thanks for any help.

KC

caudlek

When i have an incoming call i do see the calling number .... but no name, even though it is already in my NAV memory phonebook.....

KC

IronPhoenX

The Lexus navigation wasn't worth it for me. I got the Nuvi 660 ($800 at the time) instead and it's better than the Lexus one. It's very fast at calculating and recalculating. The 660 reads out loud the street names, which is great. It also has live traffic and bluetooth speakerphone which I find really useful too. Also, with the program update, the 660 can read text messages from your cell phone out loud. I have it mounted on the ashtray and out of the way. I don't need to look at it while driving cause it pronounces the street names.

The only plus I like about the Lexus nav is the backup camera. And a downside of a portable GPS is that it's easy to steal and draws attention. I have it mounted low on the ashtray to draw less attention, but then again, a brand new Lexus draws attention easily anyways.


* Receiver: high-sensitivity WAAS-capable GPS receiver by SiRF
* Display: 4.3 diagonal, 480 x 272 pixels; WQVGA TFT landscape display, with white
back-light and touch screen
* Unit dimensions: 4.9”W x 2.9”H x 0.9” D (12.4 x 7.4 x 2.3 cm)
* Weight: 6.2 oz. (190 g)
* Battery life: 3 to 7 hours; rechargeable lithium-ion battery
* Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling
* FM transmitter (U.S., Australia and New Zealand only)
* Alerts for traffic, road construction and weather-related tie-ups. nüvi 660 uses data to suggest alternate routes before problems are encountered
* Includes Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature
* Voice announces streets by name
* Preloaded maps for all of North America or Europe
* Fingertip touch-screen interface
* Look up addresses and points of interest
* Choose 2D or 3D map perspective
* Upload custom POIs, including alerts for speed zones and safety cams
* Built in Travel Kit includes MP3 player with sample MPs, audio books, picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters, calculator and more
* Add optional software such as Travel and Language Guides to personalize nüvi
* SD memory card expansion slot
* USB interface for loading data

racinghart

ill find out for you later at lunch time. i know i saw a setting that said something like leaving the Radio screen as the dominant one i think. i was pushing buttons just looking around settings/options/configurations etc.. ill verify this with you later if it does what i think it should

Magellan

I believe that in a few years navigation on luxury cars like the Lexus will be standard equipment, just like air conditioning, keyless ignition, and cruise control. Considering the safety aspects of bluetooth integration over holding a cell phone while driving, there is no question this will happen.

So those of you who dislike navigation better hold on to your current Lexus’. Your next car may have it whether you like it or not. You may choose not to use it, but it will be there.

Lexustom

Yes, Magellan is correct. Sooner than we think Nav's will be on most cars as "standard" equipment. I remember when back-up lights or a windsheild washer was a big-time item that was a special order.

I love the Nav. system in my IS and won't have another new car without one "built-in" from the factory. (that Garmin one did look pretty cool though) The other night I was miles and miles from home and wasn't sure which way to go. All I had to say was "Go Home". Boom, the Lexus took care of me.

kensteele

I agree that nav on luxury is moving to become standard, today it is always an option. But I don't think it will be standard on standard everyday cars and still on most cars, it's not even an option. I am afraid that for the next 5 years+, nav will remain a luxury item.

mdchachi

Yes you can change this. Go to Info -> Screen Settings.

CeoStatus0

I don't have Navi in my ride cause i have a portable navi.. but at the same time i would have had to wait a while for GFM with navi come to my area. and i said F it. It would have been nice to have it, but i don't regret it.

But i couldn't find a good spot to mount the portable navi. Originally i wanted to mount it on the center concole on the wood grain finish, but the suction on the mount being so big i couln't put it in a spot where it wouldn't be in the way. Plus the navi is pretty big itslef

But i tried driving with it mounted on the wood grain finish.. and its doable but akward for how i like to lay my right hand when i drive. But at the same time I would have to look down and take my eyes off the road.

Maybe i'm just use to having it mounted right under my review mirror, but for me thats the best spot. because my eyes are constantly on the road... but i was thinking for the oem navi, you would have to look down to see the screen... the angle on it isn't bad, maybe its just something you have to get use to.