Hey everyone,


I am sure that this question has been asked many times but is navigation really worth it? I will give you a little background. I am looking at purchasing a 07/08 IS 350. I have found one that is near me with the color I want the only thing that it doesn't have that I am interested in is the navigation. I have an Iphone and can use the maps available on that for naviagtion etc. So do I need it?

Any help is great! Thanks

 

Your iPhone navigation is fine. If you ever decide you want navigation, you can buy an aftermarket unit like FlyAudio or a common China-made unit that lots of users here have gotten for about $600.

 

Welcome to Club Lexus.

Please start off by checking the FAQ sticky at the top of this forum
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...iy-thread.html

In it you'll find a link to a LONG thread (among many others you can find by searching) discussing this very topic

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...-worth-it.html

 

I recently bought an 08 IS350 with nav, so I am kind of "reviewing" it myself ... learning how to use it and finding out what it does / doesn't do.

I'll give you what I like and don't like so far and you can decide what applies to you.

I personally think Lexus could have done a little better with it. Using it doesn't seem very intuitive to me right off the bat- it was kind of hard to use. Or at least figuring out what all it does. I know how to use it now so its not as bad - but I spent a lot of time on youtube and lexus.com watching videos and also reading the manual learning how to use it. My wife has a mercedes and the nav is one of the few things I like better about her car.

Another thing (and this may just be because my map is outdated) but there seemed to be a lot of things that the map couldn't find - like my house for example and I live in the city. I feel like my address should be on the map- its not out in the middle of nowhere, its in a fairly populated area. If it can't find my house which should be easy to find, it makes me wonder if it would find something not so easy to find, which is the most likely time I would need it.

Also I asked it to guide me to the nearest airport the other day. I knew the route, I was just trying to practice using it but it told me there were no airports near me. There is a fairly large international airport about 10 miles away.. I kind of felt like that should have been on the map. I actually did find it on the nav a different way but then the way it was telling me to go was kind of out-of-the-way.

With that being said - I actually do like having the nav. I like the way it looks, I like that the climate and audio are integrated into the touchscreen. To me it definitely has the 'cool toy' factor and I am glad I got it. I probably wouldn't trust it to tell me how to get anywhere though lol. Iphone is probably better for directions as long as you have coverage.

I plan on updating the map when I get around to it and hopefully that will help with more coverage.

So it depends on what you want the nav for and your budget- it has the cool factor but it also costs a bit more. If you need something to give you directions while driving I don't know if I would rely on it. I haven't had good luck with it so far but it might work better sometimes than others - like I said I am still getting the hang of it. It also might work better in different locations, like Minnesota.

Anyway thats my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

Just check out all the threads from folks who ask "Can you add factory Nav to a non-Nav ISx50?" Sure you can use your phone, portable Nav unit, or spend the time and expense in installing an aftermarket kit. However, since you are purchasing a used ISx50, there won't be that much of a cost difference to get the factory Nav. My opinion is you won't be sorry you got it, but you probably will be if you don't get it.....

 

Honestly, i really wanted the navigation too, but settled for not having it in favor of getting the color combo I wanted (SFP w/black interior) and I am kind of happy I didn't get it after seeing a good number of "my touch screen stopped working...." threads here on CL. I used a portable nav for a while, but now I can use my Nexus 7 (tethered to my phone) and it works like a charm.

 

Thank you VPSTIGS. It really just comes down to if I think it is necessary. Obviously I think I want it because it falls under the "cool factor" but I don't know if it is worth traveling like out of state to find the one that fits me. I have friends that have it that say they would never go without it and I have other friends that say its an unnecessary expense. Some decisions in life should not be this difficult.



Has anyone had a car shipped? Is it rather simple and cheap?

 

I suppose it really depends on whether or not you can live with the older generation navigation system. I have an 09 so we're in the same boat I believe. There's quite a few features missing now that can be deal breaker for you. For example, you won't have live traffic report and your phone won't be able to play music over Bluetooth. You can still play music through your phone through the AUX port or buy a Bluetooth gateway but neither of these options allow you to control the music through the controls on the steering wheel.

If I had the option, I would have gone without the navigation and used that money to pay somebody to install an iPad mount on the dash.

Like vpstigs said, the one thing I do enjoy about it is the cool factor lol.

 

I ordered mine without it because NAV is somethng else to break and new it is expensive. Use your iphone and don't sweat it.

 

personally I find the Lexus factory nav (esp on 06-09 cars) pretty feature-poor compared to even a cheap Garmin....

on top of that, map updates are vastly more expensive...

On top of that, the only expensive failure I've seen with any regularity on here for the IS350 is...

The nav system/touch screen failing.


So... pass.

 

I got my 07350 with navigation and to tell you the truth, I don't really use it as much. It does have a "cool" factor to the touch screen but that's just about it.

I usually just use the navigation on my smartphone instead. If I had to do it all over again, I would have purchased the IS without the navigation and saved the extra $$$. Plus, adding to what others have said, these updates to the navigation maps are not cheap. Good luck OP.

 

I think for re-sale, people will skip over non-nav (non-backup camera, non-BT) cars. The prices on used (with and without nav) are so similar.

 

5 Features I love most about the Navi. Please note that I've hacked my Navi and I can use it while in motion.

1) It's convenient because it's always on and ready to go. You don't have to fiddle with getting your navi out of your glove compartment, set it up, and put it away when you parked.....same with using a phone.

I've used the navi plenty of times since I live in LA and it's especially helpful when you're drunk, after a party you just gotta push home and let the DD Friend or your GF drive you home while you sleep.


2) It actually makes your car look luxurious. I've get plenty of compliment from people that normally do not have Navi in their car and they always love the clean look. It doesn't look ghetto like having a Navi on your windshield. I've seen guys driving BMW 7 series with a Garmin on their windshield. SMH

I also like the ambient light while driving at night.

3) control your music through a touchscreen with an ipod adapter. You can see a list of songs with title. I've used this all the time to find songs in my playlist.

4) also it comes with Bluetooth (2007 model) as the non navi does not come with bluetooth. The newer model have bluetooth standard.

5) comes with a backup camera. I never have to look over my shoulder to reverse. It also makes backing so much easier.

 

Skip it. Expensive updates. Expensive repairs.

It does look cool though. Personally, for me, if I'm going to buy something because it looks cool, it needs to function well too, and be reliable. The IS350 Nav, from what I've read is lacking in the latter two.

I do know of one person who skipped over every IS350 for sale that did have NAV... Me.

 

I ordered it on my '06 IS350. I learned how to use and use it I do! Is it the best one "out there"? Nope but I would not be without it. My poor wife got lost the other day here in So. Calif. and finally gave up driving around and said "GO HOME". And home she came.

Seven years and it still works perfect. I updated the disk once using $ Lexus gave me. Oh, and I agree that it's cool. Playing movies is cool too but that might be for ML systems only.