I've had my '04 RX330 with Nav for about a year now. I love the Nav system,
> and now that I have it, I wouldn't consider getting a car without it. >
> Is it worth the price? That might depend on the kind of driving you do. This
> is my "lets head down that road and see if there's anything interesting"
> car. Having the Nav makes it a lot easier to confidently set out in any
> direction, because with a couple of buttons I can not only see the route
> back home, but also how long it will take to get there. I also frequently
> take this car out of town, and it's very nice to simply punch in the address
> of where I'm going and know that I'll get there.
>
> If I were mostly driving in familiar areas, or mostly driving on major
> streets / freeways, it probably wouldn't be worth the money.
>
> Pros? Once you're familiar with the system, it's very easy to use. Because
> it's built into the car, you don't have to remember to take it -- it's
> always there, charged up, ready to go. Assuming you're in the US/Canada, the
> whole US and southern Canada are always there with you -- you don't have to
> remember to load up the right things before a trip. Because it's DVD based,
> rather than a monthly subscription, you can choose to skip updates if you
> don't need them.
>
> Cons? It does take a small learning curve to really make the system tick.
> Sure, you can use it right from the get-go, but plan on putting a little
> time into reading the manual while you're sitting in the car, playing with
> the system. The system also severely limits what you can do while the car is
> in motion. Sure, I understand and applaud that safety feature (the last
> thing we need is more distracted drivers!), but the car also knows (from the
> airbag / seatbelt systems) if there is an adult in the passenger's seat. I
> think there should be an option to allow (or prohibit) an adult passenger to
> program destinations while the car is moving. Some people have complained
> that the DVD isn't up-to-date. Of course, no system, including paper maps,
> is ever 100% up to date.
>
> Hope that helps!
>
> Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
>
> > I plan on buying a new Lexus (es330) or Toyota (camry,avalon) soon and
> > would like to hear from owners who considered buying the optional DVD
> > navigation system? Was it worth the price? Please share your reviews -
> > pros/cons and if you didn't buy it, how come? Thanks
>
>