DW's 2012 RX350 is going in for a service and they are asking if we want to get the $250 software update for the NAV module...has anyone else done this and is it worth it? I assume it probably covers other things besides NAV?

 

Sounds like just the maps update,

 

Don't do it now; a new version comes out in late Oct / early November and you can get it cheaper

You can see what's included
http://www.lexusnavigation.com/

 

I would use smart phone for Nav

 

That's pretty much full price for last fall's update. Wait for an update that makes sense according to your needs and it should be the same price as they'll have a minimum charge for the tech's time (1 hour?). You can check what version you currently have somewhere in the vast array of on screen information. Likely 11. Not sure what may have changed in your routes, travels or POIs in two years or since the last update for that matter.

If you like and use the Lexus navigation and are going to get it updated, make sure the tech knows that 1) the dealership has to have the current settings on their hard drive 2) the firmware update (not sure what else gets updated with it) has to precede the NAV update.

Learned this the hard way when two tech's, two dongles and two hours later, they still didn't have my update done when i got 13.2. It was explained to me that it was actually their software problem and steps not followed.

 

I've had my 2010 now for over 5 years and only the original update done after I bought it. Unless the update covers software changes to the system, the map changes are usually minor road changes for the money it costs.

 

I just sold my 2007 RX - I never updated the nav…I relied heavily on navigation on a day to day basis…a couple times things were a little confusing due to new construction/roads, but nothing I couldn't figure out pretty easily

 

My wife tried to use it yesterday on an address that's been there twenty years and the nav keep telling her it wasn't. I ran I to this also. Typed in Insight coffee company but kept blocking me.
Back to Google maps....

 

Lexus in my area wants $219 for Nav update but I prefer Waze app for accurate maps, traffic and Leo's......

 

Another longtime owner who never updated nav on the 330 and only once on the 450h. Didn't have any issues with inputting addresses/locations either. There's a website to check all the changes made with each update. Sometimes other nav functions are slightly modified. That's the best way to figure out if it's worth it. BTW, I used Lexus points to pay for the update. Was free to me.

 

I had a free map update thrown in when I purchased my 2010 CPO. No noticeable difference. So don't bother.

One thing that is quirky with the lexus nav system is their map zones. I live in St Louis Mo, I tried to input a location just across the river in Columbia Ill and it wouldn’t recognize my destination. After some digging in the settings I found that the map zones split Ill and Mo, so you must go into the settings and change zones for it to recognize a location. A bit of APITA

 

Updated mine from the original 2008 version to the 2012 version when that version was fresh, only major differences I saw were the location icons for gas stations, restaurants, that sort of thing.