Prestigious Society Nav Overide Rx350 2010 - Anybody Tried/Installed This?

[Stormforge]

Originally Posted by oball2400

Having no mechanical ability myself, Cartunes Atlanta (cartunesatlanta.com) installed the nav override this morning and everything works just like promised. I exchanged e-mails with Mark at Prestigious Society a couple times and he was extremely responsive.

The installation guy at Cartunes has been there about 25 years and did a custom installation that I think looks great.

very clean install, thx for sharing!!! looks good, props to you and your installer.

[jclem]

Originally Posted by jeffmaggie

2010 RX350, Premium and Comfort Package. No DVD Entertainment

2) Manual Mode: There is a manual mode feature that allows total access all the time.

The price was $299. I thought it was a great deal and would reccommend it to anyone even remotely annoyed with the default limitations. I've driven the RX for about 4 hours yesterday and 4 hours today and love it. It's allready made my life much better and I feel like I've just bought another new Lexus.

My new '10RX is my first car with built-in Nav (I've had Garmins before) and I love everything EXCEPT the disable while driving, so I'm delighted to find out about this PS unit. Why would you NOT want to keep it in manual mode so you have total access all the time? Am I missing something? Not that I think that having to push a button to gain access is difficult, I'm just wondering?

Also, as far as the install goes, it requires taking apart some of the console, like for a radio install, right?

[Stormforge]

Originally Posted by jclem

My new '10RX is my first car with built-in Nav (I've had Garmins before) and I love everything EXCEPT the disable while driving, so I'm delighted to find out about this PS unit. Why would you NOT want to keep it in manual mode so you have total access all the time? Am I missing something? Not that I think that having to push a button to gain access is difficult, I'm just wondering?

Also, as far as the install goes, it requires taking apart some of the console, like for a radio install, right?

if you are always in manual mode, you will not be able to use your navi; the PS kit tricks the navi to think that your car is stationary, hence allowing the override that allows you to input telephone numbers or address while driving. that's why it's important to turn off the override once you've finished inputting (unless you don't care that your navi will be totally off).

correct, install is strictly plug and play, and it involves taking the surrounding dash and console components apart, like for a radio install. imho, i would only attempt this is if you are comfortable taking your car apart and doing things like this. if not, leave it to the professionals to do (which is approx. 1 hr of labour for the install)

[jclem]

OK, now I get it. thanks.

I've dealt with a Camry and an Acura MDX dash, but a NEW Lexus makes me a little bit nervous.

[jclem]

Could those of you who have installed this unit send some pictures of your switch? Oball's looks nice, but I'm just looking for options. Thanks

[beckysdad]

As advertised in the instructions, it took about an hour and a half to install the override unit - including the extra ten minutes or so it took me to find an extension magnet to retrieve the bolt I dropped.
The most difficult part for me was removing the connectors on the back of the nav unit.
The instructions were clear and the unit works well. For now I just used the double-sided tape to fasten the control buttons to the lower dash to the right of the steering column.
I definitely like the install done for obal2400 in the picture he posted.

Tom

[b67]

They must have a nice profit margin on this...

It I wonder if there is a way to cut the connection to the gps antenna via a switch and do this for a pennies.

I would prefer a software fix, I am a software engineer by trade and have done some hacking of hardware programming but never automotive. I'm wondering where the hard drive is and what is on it and whether it is of any use.

The nav system is so stupid, apparently some options do not put you at risk while driveing while others do. e.g. you can go to setup | audio | bluetooth | Select Mobile Player - then you cannot click on the player (last step)

The voice command sucks and it will tell you your options then even if it recognizes your response (rare) it will tell you the option is not available while in motion.

Not user friendly at all - the system must have been thrown together without any thought and with a tight deadline.

I wonder how many nav owners hate this enough to bit*h at Lexus to fix it...

[Stormforge]

Originally Posted by b67

They must have a nice profit margin on this...

It I wonder if there is a way to cut the connection to the gps antenna via a switch and do this for a pennies.

I would prefer a software fix, I am a software engineer by trade and have done some hacking of hardware programming but never automotive. I'm wondering where the hard drive is and what is on it and whether it is of any use.

The nav system is so stupid, apparently some options do not put you at risk while driveing while others do. e.g. you can go to setup | audio | bluetooth | Select Mobile Player - then you cannot click on the player (last step)

The voice command sucks and it will tell you your options then even if it recognizes your response (rare) it will tell you the option is not available while in motion.

Not user friendly at all - the system must have been thrown together without any thought and with a tight deadline.

I wonder how many nav owners hate this enough to bit*h at Lexus to fix it...

the main point of buying the PS override kit is that you can maintain factory warranty. if anything goes wrong with your navi (ie: warranty), just unplug your PS kit and bring everything back to stock.

if you do the wire hack or software hack, i guarantee you that your warranty on the navi unit will be voided. how do you explain to lexus the cut wires or the software changes when you bring your car in for warranty?

[b67]

Originally Posted by Stormforge

the main point of buying the PS override kit is that you can maintain factory warranty. if anything goes wrong with your navi (ie: warranty), just unplug your PS kit and bring everything back to stock.

if you do the wire hack or software hack, i guarantee you that your warranty on the navi unit will be voided. how do you explain to lexus the cut wires or the software changes when you bring your car in for warranty?

Good point - I'd deny the software hack though. Software? whats that? Some kind of new clothing line?

Since there is a hard drive you might even be able to create a backup of it to swap in in the event of a failure.

[2puppies]

does anybody know if this works with the newer RX's that just came out with the Enform system?

[Stormforge]

Originally Posted by 2puppies

does anybody know if this works with the newer RX's that just came out with the Enform system?

your best bet would be to ask PS directly, they would be able to answer that question for you.

[jclem]

Well, I finally got around to installing my override system. First my gripes and suggestions, then my praise.
I was pretty disappointed with the instructions with their tiny b&w sketches with "property of prestigeous society" stamped on each one. He should take a lesson from Bob Randall, the guy who does Carstereoremoval.com. He provides big, real, color photos along with his detailed instructions. A few other suggestions for the directions: on p4 instead of "Remove instrument panel finish panel" and "remove lower instrument panel finish panel", saying: "remove driver side finish panel" and "remove passenger side finish panel" would've been much clearer. Also, it would've been VERY helpful to have known that the 2 left side and 2 right side radio bolts were accessible through the SAME holes. It took me forever to find the left side upper bolt! Knowing that you can see it through the same hole would've narrowed down the search area.

I agree with a previous poster who said that small hands with long fingers are helpful. (I have short fat hands so I lost out).

I did notice that Mark updated his instructions to clarify that the harness that we need to tap into IS the lower one. However, as for the grey connector, there are 2 of them. Both are to the right of the white harnesses, but the one we want is on the FAR right, not the one in the middle.
I also would've appreciated a few suggestions for [u]where[u]to attach the module. I just hope the spot I picked was a good one and that it doesn't get loose and start rattling around.

One suggestion to prevent dropping the radio bolts: use a tiny bit of sticky putty, glazing compound or even chewing gum inside the 10mm socket. I believe you can also buy a magnet that fits inside a socket. (I used trident gum .

Well, now on to the praise. THIS LITTLE ELECTRONIC BOX IS FABULOUS!!!
I finally have the full use of my Nav system back. It's great. Who in the world decided that it's "safe" to look up the artist and group for a song that's playing on XM, but it's NOT safe to look up the weather forecast or find the nearest Dunkin Donuts??? Anyway, now that doesn't matter. This little gizmo is terrific.

I have included a couple pictures of my button location. I tried a few but ended up taking my cue from "oball2400's" install. Both of my switches were used so I routed the wire through the console, brought it up through the ipod cable notch and mounted it to the right of the 2 switches.

[Stormforge]

Originally Posted by jclem

Well, I finally got around to installing my override system. First my gripes and suggestions, then my praise.
I was pretty disappointed with the instructions with their tiny b&w sketches with "property of prestigeous society" stamped on each one. He should take a lesson from Bob Randall, the guy who does Carstereoremoval.com. He provides big, real, color photos along with his detailed instructions. A few other suggestions for the directions: on p4 instead of "Remove instrument panel finish panel" and "remove lower instrument panel finish panel", saying: "remove driver side finish panel" and "remove passenger side finish panel" would've been much clearer. Also, it would've been VERY helpful to have known that the 2 left side and 2 right side radio bolts were accessible through the SAME holes. It took me forever to find the left side upper bolt! Knowing that you can see it through the same hole would've narrowed down the search area.

I agree with a previous poster who said that small hands with long fingers are helpful. (I have short fat hands so I lost out).

I did notice that Mark updated his instructions to clarify that the harness that we need to tap into IS the lower one. However, as for the grey connector, there are 2 of them. Both are to the right of the white harnesses, but the one we want is on the FAR right, not the one in the middle.
I also would've appreciated a few suggestions for [u]where[u]to attach the module. I just hope the spot I picked was a good one and that it doesn't get loose and start rattling around.

One suggestion to prevent dropping the radio bolts: use a tiny bit of sticky putty, glazing compound or even chewing gum inside the 10mm socket. I believe you can also buy a magnet that fits inside a socket. (I used trident gum .

Well, now on to the praise. THIS LITTLE ELECTRONIC BOX IS FABULOUS!!!
I finally have the full use of my Nav system back. It's great. Who in the world decided that it's "safe" to look up the artist and group for a song that's playing on XM, but it's NOT safe to look up the weather forecast or find the nearest Dunkin Donuts??? Anyway, now that doesn't matter. This little gizmo is terrific.

I have included a couple pictures of my button location. I tried a few but ended up taking my cue from "oball2400's" install. Both of my switches were used so I routed the wire through the console, brought it up through the ipod cable notch and mounted it to the right of the 2 switches.

congrats on the PS kit, hope you will enjoy it as much as the rest of us do!

[iralynn]

To the person who used cartunes in Atlanta, did the installer at cartunes use the Prestigious supplied switch and just modify the plate, or did he use a whole different switch? If so where did he get it?

[oball2400]

He used the switch supplied by Prestigious Society. You can see on the second picture that he took out the entire blank "plug" that was in the console. He disassembled the switch, then "built" a new holder for it. Essentially he ended up with the two buttons and fabricated a new housing for it, then screwed and glued this new housing in the console. It works great and he made a solid fit that looks (almost) like OEM. Notice that it is recessed slightly making it unlikely to be damaged.