DVD Navigation Update
03-04-02, 01:12 PM
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DVD Navigation Update
I have just gotten off the phone with Lexus Customer Service and they are now telling me that the DVD update for the RX300 navigation system is due in "Summer 2002." This is at least the FOURTH date I have been given and suspect it, too, is not true but I did tell everyone that I would update you every time I heard something new.
They are also claiming that the dealer will have to insert the DVD (for that is WAY too hard for us Lexus drivers). I was given a price a few months ago and it was in excess of $700, installed.
I complained very loudly on a Lexus survey mailed to my home and received the nice phone call that I am reporting to you, today. The result was that they cannot do anything but tell me what "corporate tells them" and, basically, I doubt that my (and others') concerns will be heard.
It's a sorry state for Lexus that they have treated us so poorly over the past year (at least) on this issue. My MDX-owing-friends have their SECOND update, already. I'm still running on data from 2000.
Dave
They are also claiming that the dealer will have to insert the DVD (for that is WAY too hard for us Lexus drivers). I was given a price a few months ago and it was in excess of $700, installed.
I complained very loudly on a Lexus survey mailed to my home and received the nice phone call that I am reporting to you, today. The result was that they cannot do anything but tell me what "corporate tells them" and, basically, I doubt that my (and others') concerns will be heard.
It's a sorry state for Lexus that they have treated us so poorly over the past year (at least) on this issue. My MDX-owing-friends have their SECOND update, already. I'm still running on data from 2000.
Dave
03-04-02, 02:31 PM
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DVD update
They may be delaying the DVD until they figure out how to deal with ALL of the RX Nav firmware flaws. It's a real shame they can't download and update the firmware from the "new" DVD.
Rather poor, stupid, design in this day and age.
Rather poor, stupid, design in this day and age.
03-05-02, 03:03 PM
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I was chatting with the service manager last week.... She told me
not to expect until the end of 2002, at the earliest...
Just a month ago, she told me a new DVD "may" come out in
April... now this...
not to expect until the end of 2002, at the earliest...
Just a month ago, she told me a new DVD "may" come out in
April... now this...
03-05-02, 03:53 PM
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More Misinformation (lies)
"I was chatting with the service manager last week.... She told me
not to expect until the end of 2002, at the earliest...
Just a month ago, she told me a new DVD "may" come out in
April... now this..."
And this is EXACTLY my point. Lexus has been telling everyone different stories for at least a year. I spoke to the "coporate" people yesterday and the "official" word is mid-2002, but they have changed the dates on me at least three times.
They are incompetent and liars. I am investigating ways to officially complain to Lexus and BBB/States' Attorneys about this. Maybe that will light a fire to give us the truth.
All I have ever wanted was the truth. I'm sure SOMBODY at Lexus Engineering knows what the plans are. I suspect the plans are to NEVER update the system, but I can't get them to admit to that, either. Acura has had at leat TWO updates in the past year; GM one. I heard that Denso, the OEM for the Lexus system, is out of the Navigation business so all the work has fallen on to Lexus. I CANNOT CONFIRM THIS! I know Denso does a lot of things and they are very much in business so it's hard to confirm this other than to say I heard it from at least two sources (people) that I trust.
Anyway, if anybody knows how to get the ear of somebody in a management position at Lexus, let me know! I have sent many letters/emails/surveys and phone calls to Lexus only to have them all fall on the front-line people at Customer Satisfation. They are nice enough, but can't DO anything to help. All they can do is read their little coputer screens to us.
Rant-off... thanks for listening/reading :-)
not to expect until the end of 2002, at the earliest...
Just a month ago, she told me a new DVD "may" come out in
April... now this..."
And this is EXACTLY my point. Lexus has been telling everyone different stories for at least a year. I spoke to the "coporate" people yesterday and the "official" word is mid-2002, but they have changed the dates on me at least three times.
They are incompetent and liars. I am investigating ways to officially complain to Lexus and BBB/States' Attorneys about this. Maybe that will light a fire to give us the truth.
All I have ever wanted was the truth. I'm sure SOMBODY at Lexus Engineering knows what the plans are. I suspect the plans are to NEVER update the system, but I can't get them to admit to that, either. Acura has had at leat TWO updates in the past year; GM one. I heard that Denso, the OEM for the Lexus system, is out of the Navigation business so all the work has fallen on to Lexus. I CANNOT CONFIRM THIS! I know Denso does a lot of things and they are very much in business so it's hard to confirm this other than to say I heard it from at least two sources (people) that I trust.
Anyway, if anybody knows how to get the ear of somebody in a management position at Lexus, let me know! I have sent many letters/emails/surveys and phone calls to Lexus only to have them all fall on the front-line people at Customer Satisfation. They are nice enough, but can't DO anything to help. All they can do is read their little coputer screens to us.
Rant-off... thanks for listening/reading :-)
03-05-02, 05:43 PM
#5
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Re: More Misinformation (lies)
Originally posted by dzar
"I was chatting with the service manager last week.... She told me
not to expect until the end of 2002, at the earliest...
Just a month ago, she told me a new DVD "may" come out in
April... now this..."
And this is EXACTLY my point. Lexus has been telling everyone different stories for at least a year. I spoke to the "coporate" people yesterday and the "official" word is mid-2002, but they have changed the dates on me at least three times.
They are incompetent and liars. I am investigating ways to officially complain to Lexus and BBB/States' Attorneys about this. Maybe that will light a fire to give us the truth.
All I have ever wanted was the truth. I'm sure SOMBODY at Lexus Engineering knows what the plans are. I suspect the plans are to NEVER update the system, but I can't get them to admit to that, either. Acura has had at leat TWO updates in the past year; GM one. I heard that Denso, the OEM for the Lexus system, is out of the Navigation business so all the work has fallen on to Lexus. I CANNOT CONFIRM THIS! I know Denso does a lot of things and they are very much in business so it's hard to confirm this other than to say I heard it from at least two sources (people) that I trust.
Anyway, if anybody knows how to get the ear of somebody in a management position at Lexus, let me know! I have sent many letters/emails/surveys and phone calls to Lexus only to have them all fall on the front-line people at Customer Satisfation. They are nice enough, but can't DO anything to help. All they can do is read their little coputer screens to us.
Rant-off... thanks for listening/reading :-)
"I was chatting with the service manager last week.... She told me
not to expect until the end of 2002, at the earliest...
Just a month ago, she told me a new DVD "may" come out in
April... now this..."
And this is EXACTLY my point. Lexus has been telling everyone different stories for at least a year. I spoke to the "coporate" people yesterday and the "official" word is mid-2002, but they have changed the dates on me at least three times.
They are incompetent and liars. I am investigating ways to officially complain to Lexus and BBB/States' Attorneys about this. Maybe that will light a fire to give us the truth.
All I have ever wanted was the truth. I'm sure SOMBODY at Lexus Engineering knows what the plans are. I suspect the plans are to NEVER update the system, but I can't get them to admit to that, either. Acura has had at leat TWO updates in the past year; GM one. I heard that Denso, the OEM for the Lexus system, is out of the Navigation business so all the work has fallen on to Lexus. I CANNOT CONFIRM THIS! I know Denso does a lot of things and they are very much in business so it's hard to confirm this other than to say I heard it from at least two sources (people) that I trust.
Anyway, if anybody knows how to get the ear of somebody in a management position at Lexus, let me know! I have sent many letters/emails/surveys and phone calls to Lexus only to have them all fall on the front-line people at Customer Satisfation. They are nice enough, but can't DO anything to help. All they can do is read their little coputer screens to us.
Rant-off... thanks for listening/reading :-)
I've been following these posts religiously for sometime and then began calling Lexus inquiring about updates and future Navi support and have been getting the VERY SAME RUNAROUND that you guys have been getting - and I'm almost sure your guess that the system will NEVER be updated is pretty much true and I'll explain below why I believe this....
I was also considering installing a Kenwood DVD Navigation system (which supposedly uses the exact same software from DENSO) on my commuter car I just bought (a 2003 Toyota Corolla LE) and therefore sent an email inquiry to Kenwood - see copy of the email below. After this email I also spoke with a Kenwood technical rep who confirmed that they had the exact same software as Lexus (Denso) and also said that the 8.5 GB dual-layer SINGLE-SIDED disc has reached maximum capacity (because of the additional GDT maps) and so they could not add any more information, but just update EXISTING info. - I'm positive this is true of the Lexus unit as well - so the only solution is to replace the HARDWARE - maybe to a DUAL-LAYER/DUAL SIDED DVD system which has a capacity over 16 GB (twice the current) - but whatever the case may be it is very disturbing to know that Lexus is not providing any support or answers to this problem!!.......Acura on the other hand has provided regular updates on a timely basis and for a very reasonable cost ($150 per update) and Acura's Vice President, **** Coilliver said that they would have COMPLETE STREET-LEVEL coverage for the ENTIRE U.S. by the next DVD release (and I believe him when he says that!!! )
This is the transcript of my email to Kenwood:
Dear Sir or Madam:
I was very impressed with what I've read in regards to your DVD Navigation system and am very close to purchasing one together with the KVT911DVD touch-screen Monitor/CD receiver. However this being a very major purchase, I would like all my questions resolved prior to purchase - I purchased an the Alpine NVE-851A for my 4-Runner thinking that it had the exact same user interface as the one in my Acura 3.2TL, but was very dissapointed in the end and ended up selling it on ebay. As you may understand I do not want to make the same mistake twice......besides the lack of the touchscreen did not help either
My questions are:
1) I've seen and had the opportunity to extensively use the Lexus Navigation system in my friend's RX 300 made by DENSO and it's nothing short of excellent!! Many reliable sources have told me (and from the graphics I've seen in your brochures/literature) that Kenwood uses the exact same software by DENSO. Can you confirm this for me??
2) The Point-of-Interest Database in the Lexus (around 785,000 listings) was EXTREMELY LIMITED in comparison to the Acura/Alpine units (over 4 million listings). If you use the same database (and coincidentially I see that you have around 750,000 listings as well) will FUTURE UPDATES address this issue to make it very comprehensive throughout the U.S.???
3) - VERY IMPORTANT - Will updated DVDs be available AT A REASONABLE COST (Alpine gives regular updates for $150 each) regularly AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR if not more???
Thank You!!
Your prompt response is much appreciated!!
AND HERE IS THEIR RESPONSE
Thank you for writing to us at Kenwood USA Corporation.
The KNA-DV2100 used Denso software to tie the NavTech and GDT maps together.
The main operating system is by Kenwood. NavTech has mapped all major
highways, and smaller streets in every major metropolitan areas. GDT has
mapped all smaller cities and towns. Alpine could fit more POIs on their
disc because their disc did not contain GDT maps. Updating the number of
POIs is limited to the disc space. We feel mapping is more important than
more POIs. The most popular POIs will be updated. For example, if there
are new gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, shopping centers, these will
definitely be updated. Other POIs are not as high of a priority. The next
update disc will be available this summer. Price information has not yet
been released.
If you have any further questions or need help with anything, please feel
free to contact us again.
..............from the above, it seems to me that if Kenwood is using the same software from DENSO and they're commiting to a software update this summer, DENSO must still be in the business.....well, who knows???......I guess we'll just have to wait and see
Last edited by vicpai; 03-05-02 at 05:47 PM.
03-05-02, 09:37 PM
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Dave,
I am exactly in the same situation with you. I bought my '02 RX with Nav, and it's still having the old system software DVD (version 2000). I started filing complaints, sent letters, to corporate and my dealership since January 2002.
To make a long story short, here's my case:
1. I filed a complaint to the State Attorney General's Office, sent them all evidence that shows Lexus has produced false advertising, misrepresented, mislead and lied to the public about its Nav capabilities. I, as a consumer, has been lied to.
2. AG office reviewed my complaint and forwarded it to the Federal Trade Commission, so I get a case number from FTC, who will investigate my complaint.
3. AG office sent my complaint to the General manager of my dealership.
4. My dealer's GM said some executive from Lexus corporate will formally response to my complaint.
5. I am tired of all lies, I am getting ready to call up a lawyer, and perhaps start a "Class-action" suit -- I'll seek advice from my lawyer.
I am exactly in the same situation with you. I bought my '02 RX with Nav, and it's still having the old system software DVD (version 2000). I started filing complaints, sent letters, to corporate and my dealership since January 2002.
To make a long story short, here's my case:
1. I filed a complaint to the State Attorney General's Office, sent them all evidence that shows Lexus has produced false advertising, misrepresented, mislead and lied to the public about its Nav capabilities. I, as a consumer, has been lied to.
2. AG office reviewed my complaint and forwarded it to the Federal Trade Commission, so I get a case number from FTC, who will investigate my complaint.
3. AG office sent my complaint to the General manager of my dealership.
4. My dealer's GM said some executive from Lexus corporate will formally response to my complaint.
5. I am tired of all lies, I am getting ready to call up a lawyer, and perhaps start a "Class-action" suit -- I'll seek advice from my lawyer.
03-06-02, 10:06 AM
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Go for it!!!
Originally posted by hleo1
Dave,
I am exactly in the same situation with you. I bought my '02 RX with Nav, and it's still having the old system software DVD (version 2000). I started filing complaints, sent letters, to corporate and my dealership since January 2002.
To make a long story short, here's my case:
1. I filed a complaint to the State Attorney General's Office, sent them all evidence that shows Lexus has produced false advertising, misrepresented, mislead and lied to the public about its Nav capabilities. I, as a consumer, has been lied to.
2. AG office reviewed my complaint and forwarded it to the Federal Trade Commission, so I get a case number from FTC, who will investigate my complaint.
3. AG office sent my complaint to the General manager of my dealership.
4. My dealer's GM said some executive from Lexus corporate will formally response to my complaint.
5. I am tired of all lies, I am getting ready to call up a lawyer, and perhaps start a "Class-action" suit -- I'll seek advice from my lawyer.
Dave,
I am exactly in the same situation with you. I bought my '02 RX with Nav, and it's still having the old system software DVD (version 2000). I started filing complaints, sent letters, to corporate and my dealership since January 2002.
To make a long story short, here's my case:
1. I filed a complaint to the State Attorney General's Office, sent them all evidence that shows Lexus has produced false advertising, misrepresented, mislead and lied to the public about its Nav capabilities. I, as a consumer, has been lied to.
2. AG office reviewed my complaint and forwarded it to the Federal Trade Commission, so I get a case number from FTC, who will investigate my complaint.
3. AG office sent my complaint to the General manager of my dealership.
4. My dealer's GM said some executive from Lexus corporate will formally response to my complaint.
5. I am tired of all lies, I am getting ready to call up a lawyer, and perhaps start a "Class-action" suit -- I'll seek advice from my lawyer.
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03-06-02, 01:04 PM
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I have an '02 with NAV and I agree with you all. I expected a 2002 NAV when I purchased a '02 automobile. I think it's ridiculous. I'm for a class suit. Look at what happened with the sludging issue.
03-06-02, 07:11 PM
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Well, just an FYI, my salesperson (whom I respect and like very much) just called me, and he said ever since I got the Attorney General's office to investigate, my dealer's General Manager has been handling my case personally and been making many phone calls to the corporate.
I am making it very simple, basically I want my car to perform as promised and claimed by Lexus, and Lexus should immediately revise their claims and apologize to the public formally.
I'm sure it won't be hard for the lawyer to start a "class action" suit, maybe just take time... I think they just need to go to the State department and get a list of all '02 Lexus buyers with Nav, and start sending out letters. Remember, this NOT only invlove RX300, I believe the only Lexus vehicles that has the most up-to-date Nav are only LS430, SC430, and ES300. GS, and IS may have newer version than 2000, but still not the most current.
I'll give it another 2 weeks for the corporate exec to response to my claim, and if nothing happens or not acceptable, I'll definitely sue my dealer and the corporate! This is Madness!!!
I'll keep you guys updated ...
I am making it very simple, basically I want my car to perform as promised and claimed by Lexus, and Lexus should immediately revise their claims and apologize to the public formally.
I'm sure it won't be hard for the lawyer to start a "class action" suit, maybe just take time... I think they just need to go to the State department and get a list of all '02 Lexus buyers with Nav, and start sending out letters. Remember, this NOT only invlove RX300, I believe the only Lexus vehicles that has the most up-to-date Nav are only LS430, SC430, and ES300. GS, and IS may have newer version than 2000, but still not the most current.
I'll give it another 2 weeks for the corporate exec to response to my claim, and if nothing happens or not acceptable, I'll definitely sue my dealer and the corporate! This is Madness!!!
I'll keep you guys updated ...
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