Justin,


Some people love aftermarket some people hate it. Some say it affects resell value others say it doesn't. Just do whatever makes you happy and make sure you get a quality job done. I did not order PCM because I am waiting a couple of years for either an update from Porsche or something that catches my eye aftermarket wise.

 

This is a 'hot button' for me. The technology is changing so fast that even portable units aredated after a few months. VW (whom Porsche holds 20% of) just announced a joint project with Google maps that will show photos of an area instead of flat maps. You can already get portables that announce turns in your choice of voices by street name instead of advising you to turn in so many yards. There are new sats launched by the Europeans to compete with the US system. The US system is being seriously upgradedand older installed units will not be able to benefit from the upgrades. If you like having the latest technology just buy a portable unit like the Garmin Nuvi and trade up a few times over the next few years. My belief is that in five years times the current Nav units will be so out of date as to be a hindrence to resale. Most of us use the Nav systems infrequently anyway.


That said there are some MP3 benefits from having the unit.

 

Santa Fe,


The nav is basically a computer with a screen and all you need to do is update the sofware. I would imagine Porsche would make software updates available if needed. And down the road they might sell a software update if this system becomes too dated.


Rudy

 

I asked and who knows if I got a good answer but the answer was the only updates will possibly be map updates at a very expensive price. And you cannot update the system to take advantage of the new sat capability. That I know. It is already out of date for that.


This looks interesting: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/03/vw-to-use-google-earth-for-the-best-in-navigation-technology/

Edited by - Santa Fe on 02/06/2006 6:09:31 PM

 

Auto manufacturers are *terrible* in general about doing updates for factory nav systems.

Personally, I love my Garmin GPS376C. The biggest advantage portable units have over built in is that they are much easier to sit down with a computer and plan multiple routes and points and just download rather than trying to use some relatively crappy interface to do the same thing. The built in units are *okay* if you just want to find a place and have it navigate you there once, but storing several points so that you can drive around different places easily while on a road trip to a foreign city isn't nearly as easy.

Plus I can throw it in any of several vehicles I drive.


--Donnie

 

I recently purchased a Tom Tom Nav module for my Palm LifeDrive. This thing is great! It allows me the portability, ability to change voices (even Celebrity voices can be downloaded), and it's amazingly accurate. I've struggled w/ many auto mfg's nav systems, and they can be quite testing at times.


I would recommend the Tom Tom system to anyone. They offer a free standing portable unit or you can add to your Palm, like I did.

 

Woodhouse, if you want some interesting fun then add some customized POI's to your unit. You can find things like school zone warnings, speed traps, red light camera warnings, your favorite hotel chain and just about anything else to make your unit more useful. I don't know if the new traffic warning and re-routing system works with the Tom-tom or not but it does with the Garmins. All you poor city dwellers should find that useful/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/wink_smile.gif

 

OK - I have to add my FWIW... as an anesthesiologist I can keep you alive with the latest and greatest 24-inch full-color touch screen monitor attached to my anesthesia machine. Or use one of the old 5-inch B&W monitors... how you use the technology is important, too.

If you live in UK or USA, the mapping features (traffic, speed traps) are updated regularly. Here in the far north - not. Tom Tom's customer service couldn't even tell me if my street was on their GPS. The Porsche PCM 2.1 has my new street in my new subdivision - and any of the other streets I could think of to search across Canada. Add the built-in hands-free option, plus sport chrono... but definitely not cheap.

== RedEye

 

For a look at where all this is going check out the the so called glass cockpits in the newer private airplanes. Something likemy next toy, Cirrus (http://www.cirrusdesign.com/) for example. The auto makers must align themselves with GPS specialists like Garmin who will keep their units up-to-date both with hardware and software and make them so users cancustomize them.Garmin in the US is the better product at the moment and is used by high end aircraft. They update their portable systems frequently and maps at least every 18 months. The European Tom-Tom uses NavTech maps which are a little bit behind currently. If it isn't capable of receiving SirF then it is out of date.

 

Like many of you out there, I am a research freak. I enjoy researching as much as the actual purchase and ownership. The thing I have learned the most is that the more you research the more you realize that it is seldom that you find one perfect product. In the end you choose based on the lesser of evils and your own personal wants and preferences.

Within the last few weeks I have been researching portable automobile GPS units. The one that I bought is the Garmin Nuvi 350. It is one of Garmin's newest units, has many extra bells and whistles, and most important of all works like a charm. It has a built in battery and it comes with a leatherett case that makes it ideal for use even when exploring a city on foot. It is so easy to use that you don't even have to read a manual. Garmin uses a more current and accurate map system than the TomTom units. As mentioned by Santa Fe, the military uses Garmin products and maps a great deal.

I don't mean to go on and on, but if you are looking for a portable unit that you can use with multiple cars, rental cars on trips, or hand held, you should look into the Garmin nuvi 350. It sells for $899.00 US.

Edited by - kmns on 02/08/2006 06:36:00 AM

 

I too think technology is heading north. I would like nav, but thought I would wait and find an after market unit in a while. I am unsure if I will have the console modified or left stock. Porsches unit is nice, definately expensive, and will unfortunately be outdated in 12 months.


It's a tuff bill to fill in 2006.

 

I don't even use maps often (real men don't read maps, right?) so why would I need a nav system for $4000? Maybe I need to 'get a life' and go somewhere outside my safety zone more often. I can see a salesman using a nav system but not me. So I'm curious, when do you have use for the nav?

 

For a long time I too thought, why do I need a nav system? To tell you the truth, I bought my Garmin nuvi 350 probably more because I am a gadget nut than any other reason.

However, since owning it, I have told myself several times I should have bought one sooner. Case in point, we are redoing our bathrooms, and our contractor asked us to go to several locations to look at tile, plumbing fixtures, lighting, etc. Most of these places were in Commerce parks, warehouse districts, etc. I plugged in the address, and sat back and followed the sexy voice telling me what exits to take and at what corners to turn. Many streets were unmarked. What a joy to relax and just drive until she calmly says you have arrived at so and so place on your right. Cool.

Edited by - kmns on 02/07/2006 08:15:39 AM

 

Our Nav systems come in handy often. There are a lot of feature differences between a built-in and a portable that only the buyer can judge for himself. That said, the PCM system has a feature that I have found I like a lot: it displays the next turn and distance to the turn in the tack display. Also, I don't understand why, but if you have the PCM and SC you can set many seemingly unrelated parameters for the car. (Someone else has listed those in another post). Not worth $4,000 to me but since I have it, I use it.

Ruby

 

Thanks for all the great advice. I think i am actually going to hold off on the navigation for now, because I really dont want to ruin the look of the Porsche interior. I am afraid if i put an after market nav, the interior will look kind of cheap. What do you guys think?


-Justin/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/drive.gif

 

Santa Fe is absolutely correct - it's all going "glass cockpit". And in the case of my anesthesia monitors - it comes down to what the HOSPITAL can afford, not me. This is such a rapidly-advancing technology, we will all be carrying GPS/TV/video/MP3/radar detector/laser detector/ECU chips in our "Porsche smartkeys" in a few years. And a month or two later there will be a better one. Jump in and try SOMETHING (built-in or portable) but have fun with it == RedEye

Edited by - RedEye on 02/07/2006 6:11:26 PM

 

I think portable is the way to go. You can change it from car to car as required. It doesn't muck up the porsche dash when not in use and less likely to get stolen as long as you hide it when not in use. The modern systems are great.