Carmelstev

BBQMAN-
I'm not sure I totally agree with you, except in one aspect. I find that Garmin in particular has very up to date maps, possibly more so than the best factory Nav unit I have, which is in my wife's Acura. The fact is that out of the 5 Nav units I currently use, the Lexus is by far the least easy to use, least accurate, and only one that can't be used in motion. It's sad you feel it is better to use a paper map than the system you paid thousands of dollars for.

I hate to keep beating this dead horse, but Lexus really needs to address this. They can fix at least some of the usability issues in an upgrade.

Steve

AlexusAnja

Okay, call me a LS lover... but I don't care. I think this car is as close to perfect as anything (including the GPS' little quirks). Just took it on my first roadtrip down to Orlando and the "Happiest Place on Earth" and it was a PERFECT round trip in the LS. Put in Disney World Resorts, it plotted the course, and I only had to "DETOUR" by using the voice command for detour while driving four times in total and it got me through traffic with not a flaw. On top of that, average 25.7 mpg doing I'd say 70-75 mph most of the way. WHAT IS THAT ?!?!?! And with fuel prices so low (premium was only running about $2.10/gal the whole way) it was like DRIVE BABY DRIVE !!!!

18 hours going and 20 back (including some pitstops) covering over 2100 miles and nothing to complain about the car. EXCELLENT !!!!

David M

Well, help me with this, then. I want to go to an address that is across boundaries and still have it track me locally the whole time. How do I do that, please?

Carmelstev

David-

Use a Nuvi Honestly, there is no way to do this, but to be fair, the Kenwood system in my truck is the same way, although otherwise that unit is much easier to use and of course can be used enroute. Alexusanja has a good point that I believe you can pre-route several destinations and then use voice command to access them enroute.

Steve

AlexusAnja

Maybe I just don't do much "on the fly" driving, but even with my Nuvi that I can enter addresses while driving, I have never done it while driving. First off, it's dangerous, but secondly I've just only needed to detour once I move. Anyway, the LS430's unit will track you no matter where your map is located for. The region is only to find addresses, not to locate you. I went from North East to South East (two regions) and it tracked me fine all the way down to Orlando.

As for the "Quick Access" points on the destination, you have six in total. One for home, and then 5 for commonly used points. Thus far, I have my parents, wife's parent, work, daycare, and "favorite shop" which I've used a few times. I hit the voice prompt and say "quick access number 3" and it brings me to work.

I don't know, I guess for how I use GPS, I don't find that the LS430 is much different in use from my Nuvi. So, to me, it's pretty good.

LS430inDE.

The system will ALWAYS track/guide you, regardless what zone or segment you have selected.

The logic with having the Continental USA map broken down into 7 or 8 segments or zones is actually quite smart. As you're inputting your destination, the system will acquire/display your input point more quickly.

Example--you're inputting your destination by NUMBER, then STREET, then CITY, then STATE.....1234 Main Street, Casper, Wyoming. Well---there are 20 billion Main Streets across the entire USA. Break the map down and now you're only down to 1 billion possibilities.

Because you properly selected the zone that your DESTINATION IS IN- WYOMING, the system didn't bother looking at or retreiving anything from the Northeastern area of the USA that accounts for 75% of the Main Streets (guessing).

Before you scoff at that, keep in mind that every second that ticks by when you're inputting the address (and the system is processessing your inputs without results......you're getting annoyed!)

Bottom line---the system responds and retreives addresses more quickly using segments.

My Acura did have a very EASY nav unit, however, it was SLOWWW to retrieve/display destinations. So slow, passengers would think the GPS was locked up! (it was searching/retreiving the ENTIRE USA database!)

Also, if searching by NAME (Dunkin Donuts) and not address, I would have to page through 6 or 7 or 8 full pages/listings for Dunkin Donuts. I would WANT the Philadelphia area, yet I'd have to click past California, Texas, New York, and Florida, etc, to finally find the Dunkin Donuts in Philadelphia!

I know this doesn't make any of the other issues more tolerable, but THAT is the purpose of the zones/segments.

AlexusAnja

My Nuvi right off the bat asks you for the state you're searching for. So there, it's breaking down to a "region." I think that Lexus could have done sort of like that and break it down even further. I've found times where I'll put in "Main Street" and it would show up on too wide a range of cities.

Again, as I wrote previously, I don't find the function anything close to a deal breaker for me. Just takes getting use to, just like my Nuvi, my TomTom before that... and several Milo units. Nothing out there is "perfect" they're just varieties of close to crazy...

Budhah

Just took a 650 mile trip to Purdue, averaged 59 mph on the trip computer. 28.6 overall trip average per gallon. Not bad, if you ask me. The Nav system did a good job. but is kind of funky in the city. Seems no two trips to the mall will use the same route. Took the Nuvi with me, just in case. Left it in the box. I found that reading the book was a great help. I am still learning new things about the system after months of ownership. The Nuvi takes long time to pick up the satellites, while the LS system is almost instant.

Riding in this car is as good as riding in the first class section on trans ocean flights. The wife kept me chatting, and watching the nav system let us know exactly where we were at all times. I have had Garmin from the old 1620 system, ($1300) and would not dare take ANY trip without GPS.

Was in Sam's parking lot the other day, and a small kid ran behind the car as I was backing up. I saw him in the reverse camera. Would have hit him if did not stop. I think that pretty well says the system is worth all the drawbacks. Funny thing is that he nor his parents have any idea how lucky they were.

What really would make a diff whether we would purchase another car is only if it had the NAV system. Try to sell one without, and you will take lots longer and much less money. Also the Luxury models come with it as a package.

AlexusAnja

I'm pretty sure the LS430 has dead reckoning built into the system so that when the reception is bad, it goes by a built-in compass and the speed of the vehicle. I believe this because I've been stuck in the same tunnel where the NUVI loses satellite reception, but the LS never goes off and keep tracking up until I leave the tunnel. This can't be "good reception."

Budhah

Works for me... LOL as long as I don't have to tell the wife that I don't know where we are...

Seems that the canyons of Manhattan hide the Garmin signals too.. Oh and those cloudy rain days of the midwest are a bust.

Did I say I like my LS 430.... The car has more wax on it than the make-up one of those "Desperate Housewives" on TV wear.

Tee

BTW- I found (In my regeion) inputting your destination by STREET, then NUMBER, then CITY, etc gives me quicker and accuate results. If I the NUMBER first the, Nav dose not always produce the destination i'm seraching for.

BlackUltra

Had my 2006 since November and felt the same way about a long drive proving the mettle of an automobile. Have been in love with the car since the test drive. Just got back from a trip from Atlanta to Ft Lauderdale and back and:
1. Am as amazed as you were with the ride characteristics. The smoothness and quiet are as good as it gets.
2. Gas mileage was 24.5 but had a Valentine radar detector so was going about 80 most of the time.
3. Agree on the power and think the silky smooth 6 speed transmission enhances it.
4. My Ultra's steering feels effortless and the car tracks quite nicely with the 18 inch Kumho Touring tires. Never experienced what some Members call drift.
6. The Ultra's seat are super soft leather and for me the most comfortable I have ever had. However,the cooling effect just doesn't seem to have the horsepower necessary to do the job.
7. I feel the navigation, while its shortcomings are well chronicled here by Members, can be very effective if someone has the patience to wade through the myriad set up functionality contained in the system. I have found, it really needs to be set up to meet each individuals needs. For example, my arrival time was initially off by a long shot because the highway speed was set at 55. When I changed it to 70 it became more accurate. Also when using the best route I found that in preferences using toll roads was turned off. There are so many ways to customize the navigation I feel like I have only scratched the surface. By the way, using the POI's to find places to eat was fun.

BLACKASH

Drove to Destin and back and got 28mpg in my prem pkg LS. Maybe the "Air Ride reduces your mileage. Start planning for those coil overs!

BlackUltra

Thanks for the advice Brother. Knew that darn air suspension was going to bite me sometime.

LS430inDE.

For me, one of the most unacceptable "features" with Lexus's (generation4) nav (2004-2006) system is the PRESETTING OF THE HIGHWAY SPEED.
In many many other nav units, inlcuding the factory nav from my 2002 Acura 3.5RL, the SPEED was always an active calculation in regards to the arrival time!!

In my Acura, my best friend and I would take BETS on what our arrival time would be when we drove up to see some really good friends in Syracuse, NY. With about about 3 of the 4 hours elapsed, we'd be about an hour from our destination (Wilmington, De. to Syracuse, NY.) I would look at the nav unit (which we were allowed to look at as part of the bet), and just add how many minutes the system said until arrival. My best friend always doubted the nav's calculated time and would guess either 5-10 minutes more or less than what I would "guess".

99% of the time I would win our bets (thanks to the Acura's nav), yet my friend was STILL was dumb enough to bet against the nav unit, time after time after time, whenever we took our road trip to Syracuse!!! (my winnings got me free rounds of shots of Grey Goose vodka..lol!!!)

It will be very interesting to see who wins the next bet. We are planning on going back up to Syracuse over Memorial Day weekend!.....I'll make sure I post who wins..lol.

PS..my nav was set to 55 also--most likely preset from the factory.