uicandrew

my lexus enform expires today.

the cost is $265 for lexus enform (with destination assist) and safety connect
the cost is $140 just for safety connect.

the only thing i use is destination assist.

i know that other people have started getting their 2013 about last august or so, so i was just checking if you guys had renewed your subscriptions or if you were able to negotiate a higher price.........

bc6152

I decided not to renew. I used Destination Assist once between September 2012 and today. Too expensive for me. I'd renew if I had gotten use out of it. I actually find my wife's 2014 Honda NAV system easier to use than the Lexus. Can't call anyone for help though...

Kansas

My understanding is that, as of August 2013, both Lexus Enform and the similar Toyota Entune were made subscription-free - no annual subscription fee - unless there is still a charge for destination assist: http://drivers.lexus.com/lexusdriver...#techProduct_5

I don't understand the value of Destination Assist. The current Enform has Yelp. I'm hoping/assuming that Yelp and other recent additions will be added to the older Enform/Entune since Toyota/Lexus made such a big deal about adding applications for existing Enform/Entune customers. If you don't have Yelp on your Entune, I can tell you from experience that the Yelp and similar applications (e.g. Yellow Pages) work great running on a smart phone.

There can be significant savings from multi-year subscriptions to Safety Connect. I recently renewed for three years but of course it depends on how long you are going to keep your car.

uicandrew

yup! there's still a fee.

http://drivers.lexus.com/lexusdriver...bscriptions.do

for the "apps" there is no fee. and starting with some 2014 models, traffic and weather are free (only IS, CT, and GX models)

i use destination assist for "on the fly" new destinations. otherwise, i have to find a place to pull over and put it in manually. i've used it about 1-2x a month

very useful. i'll say "i'm looking for a best buy that's near here"

i know that there are some hardware hacks that allow you to override the "lockout" safety system for the NAV but that's $200+

Brozee

Huge joke of a system.... I would never pay that outrageous price for a limited system that my smartphone can do for free and 10x better..

I've used the destination assist and it is nice, but I can find it on my phone pulled over and enter it faster than calling and having them input it.

As for paying for the useless apps, again your phone can access this so much faster I never use it. Only thing I like is the pandora interface which is ridiculous that you have to pay for it in the enform suite when many other cars have it bundled for a free service. Of course you can continue using pandora over bluetooth for free.

LexBob2

Strictly a personal choice. If you use it frequently, and don't mind the cost, then it's worth it. If not, don't subscribe. One size doesn't fit all.

Kansas

The big difference in using Pandora on Enform/Entune is that there are no advertisements - at least not yet.

I think the Pandora app on Enform/Entune was always subscription-free even before Toyota/Lexus decided in August to make the rest of Enform/Entune subscription-free except for apps like Lexus Safety Connect, eDestination, Destination Assist, and SirusXM which continue to be by subscription.

Yes, Enform/Entune is of questionable value which undoubtedly is why Toyota made it subscription-free -- Toyota can't charge for something other car makers provide at no cost. For fun, I set up the free Dock n' Drive Android application on my Samsung phone to almost exactly mirror Enform/Entune. It is, however, more pleasant to use these applications on a larger in-dash screen instead of on a small phone screen.

Mike728

The apps are now free. I think Pandora is much more enjoyable via the app, than Bluetooth.

SW17LS

I'm at the same crossroads. On the one had I hate having functionality removed from a car, I like all the features to work. BUT, I think I've used Destination Assist once. Not worth it IMHO.

mcomer

S/C + Enform is $265/year after the 12 month trial
On-Star w/ turn by turn directions is $300/year after the 6 month trial
M/B Mbrace is $280 + 240/year after the 6 month trial.

LexBob is right, it's worth it if you use it. It is a bit like cruise control for me,
I don't use it but it might appeal to the next owner...

jakepdx

I freaking love econnect and use it all the time! Just call up, get a real human very fast, and they push the address to your car. What's not to like?

MissyBissy

I like the destination assist since I find entering the address in to be very cumbersome. I haven't found an easy way to send addresses to the navigation. The Lexus Enform app is a waste of storage space on my phone. Perhaps that's how they keep you coming back?

LexBob2

When we had our last Lexus I used Destination Assist all of the time especially when traveling. Are You having problems sending destinations to the nav from a computer? It seemed really easy and intuitive to me. I bet one of the specialists at the dealership could help.

jakepdx

I'm not sure what MissyBissy is talking about - when I call them the navigation app automatically pops up a Go button to the exact address I need. Maybe this feature changed in the 2014 model (which is what I have)?

Arty101

If I'm not mistaken, I think the problem is not with the destination-assist, but with the navigation to phone to car (pre-planned nav).