Of course the value of the system or packages goes down as well. you're not going to be able to get 2K+ everytime more for a car with NAV than a car with out it. But if there is two cars lined up side by side same options/miles/year but one has NAV, the NAV will 1. sell for slightly more 2. sell faster. That is pretty much guaranteed.

 

I think you are guaranteed to sell the Nav car only if they were priced the same. If it didn't cost extra sure.. I think there is a different niche with Nav or without, those that want just the car and those want the best technology offering at the time. That's why Toyota build batches with or without Nav.

Reading the edmunds dealer prices forum, alot of people purchased vehicles without Nav too. We are on a forum here so I think people here tend to be more with computers and technology.

I think Nav units will start showing up from salvaged cars later on, I think someone will figure out how to swap these into non-Nav cars here.

 

I think you misunderstood my point. Here's a generalized example to say what I meant.

Car A and Car B are identical except one has NAV and the other doesn't. Condition, mileage, color, etc are all the same.

Car A MSRP is $30K. Car B is $32K because of the NAV.

2 years later, Car A can be had for 20K. Car B for 21K.

Car A has a higher resale value in this case even though B has a higher price. Considering how good (and relatively cheap) handheld units are going to get in 3 years, it's not an unreasonable assumption to say that the used in-car NAV will have trouble holding its value relatively to the rest of the car.

 

You will regret even more if you have a friend who has one and you spend some time in his car. The IS Nav is not just for directions. The bluetooth hooks your phone to the speakers when you get in the car; the touch-screen displays CD info, a/c, speakers; and it works like 411, with shops/restaurants addresses/tel numbers at the touch of your fingertips. I use it to call restaurants for reservations all the time. It's a lifestyle, not just a NAV.

 

I totally agree with wat ur saying.

 

Well since I already bought the car w/o navigation. I ordered a Garmin Nuvi for $500, it has bluetooth, read street names, FM receiver for traffic routing, plays MP3 etc, it will have to do for now. Since we have 4 cars and I don't drive the Lexus all the time, I figure $500 to have a nav in all our cars instead of $2000 on just the Lexus, would be well spent. (minus the back up camera feature)

However I do plan to keep the car for at least 10 years. In a few years, I think I would consider a navigation system to be dated if it does not have traffic routing, weather, and news information. The latest portable GPS already start to have these features.

I would love to use a Nav system everyday to commute to work if it is able to re-route you if there is an accident on route.

I do at least put the GPS away out of sight to avoid theft of course, but sometimes it's a bad thing at all to be able to carry it with you.

 

I have a 2000 GS 400.where is the navi dvd unit located and how do yo switch the navi cd? Help

 

really is a personal choice, those handy with directions and maps (online or paper or verbal) don't seem to need it. sometimes, it is more a convenience more than anything, especially in areas where u haven't been to. this became quite obvious when i put in a nav unit in my volvo. the only draw back is u don't learn the road/directions quite as well, as u are paying attention to the directions spit back at u rather than finding it urself. kinda like sitting in somebody else's car going to a new destination in an unfamiliar neighborhood, if that makes sense.