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There are VSS wires associated with the cruise control if you've got it, as well as the power steering, if you've got it. That's all I know. I haven't been able to learn which wires specifically, though the topic comes up from time to time on mr2oc.com.

The Z3 sounds cool, but at $1600.00 its a bit too rich for my blood. Heck, I'll probably be holding off a couple fo months for even the D3 just to make sure my finances are in place.

At that point "fully putting it in" just means splicing some wires. I don't think you'd save enough money to make it worth it. Might as well go all the way.

Parkville, but I haven't bought a D3 yet. Planning on it, but don't have it yet.

Yeah, if I lived in D.C. this I'd definitely pay for the traffic updates. Here in Baltimore, where I drive its not a problem. But based on what I've experienced of D.C. traffic... yeeesh I wouldn't go anywhere without it!

If I were a pro installer, then I think I'd be somewhat reluctant to create a double-din opening without having the unit there to guide me and test fit. But at that point the cost is probably such that you're not saving a whole lot over just going all the way. But I'm not a pro installer, so don't take my word as gospel on this subject.

Yeah, that's what I figured. That's why I'm going to make sure its all paid off at least two payments in advance of the due date.

The one thing that would get me to go with Best Buy is financing. I'm currently financing a plasma screen with them. Bought it the summer before last. They gave me 24 months same as cash. I pay $100.00 a month and I'm good to go. I'll have the thing paid off by the end of August. Sure it's a little PITA to remember to send in a check every month, but it was worth it to get the plasma and not have to wait. Had I used a credit card I'd end up paying probably $300.00 in interest charges. If I could get 1 year free financing on the D3 that would be great. It would be no big deal for me to do $

The 30 gig video iPod is a bit thinner than the 80 gig ipod. And cheaper. Those are the advantages.

Maybe not your next one, but this is how you'll navigate/input information with a future Navigation system (look especially at the glode stuff around minute 6:00 or so): http://youtube.com/watch?v=PLhMVNdplJc I for one can't wait!

Don't know about the Civic, but I do know that on my MR2 if you unhook the hazard light switch, then you lose the turn signals. So its very possible that your car is wired the same way.

Pretty much every hard drive based iPod these days is an iPod video. Its the one to get even if you don't want video, since it'll store a lot more songs than the flash based iPods.

Looks good, but yeah, it looks like you ate a glazed donut just before putting your fingers all over the screen.

Bah, that doesn't sound too bad. I might pass on the bypass in that case. As long as I can hit the "home" button while driving and navigate to a saved location then that's all I really need. Being able to navigate to a new address is really only useful if you have a passenger to input the data (unless you want to risk a fiery death), and I almost never have a passenger when I'm in my MR2. Maybe if I put one in the Millenia one day.

Actually, Garmin doesn't produce maps. The two big map companies are Teleatlas and Navteq. I believe Garmin uses Navteq, which are generally better than the Teleatlas because they actually send guys out to confirm the data that the U.S. government mapping agencies supply. The Teleatlas maps aren't bad, though. They get the job done. They're just not as up to date. For instance my old ICN630 with Navteq maps actually has precise information for the roads/parking area surrounding Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvannia. The Teleatlas maps on my newer Tom Tom Go 5 PDA software don't have that infor

A GPS unit is only as good as its routing. I've had GPS units with poor routing algorythms and they did more harm than good, to be perfectly honest. I'm talking stuff like, a GPS unit that keeps trying to get me to drive through a city rather than take the much faster beltway around town (and yes, I had it set on "quickest route", not "shortest distance"). So how good is the routing on Pioneer units (and the D3 specifically)? How good is it, say, compared to a Tom Tom GO (which has excellent routing, IMHO).

When you say "choose destination" does that included saved destinations and recent destinations and "home"? Or do you only mean that you can't enter an address from scratch? P.S. I'm used to using Tom Tom Navigator 5 on a PDA, so I don't know how much of this is applicable (i.e. recent destinations)

Just a question: what sorts of navigation is possible on a D3 without doing the bypass and without stopping the car? I realize you can enter a new address for navigation, but... Can you ask it to navigate to a saved or recent address? Can you ask it to take you home? Can you cancel your current route and turn off navigation?

Anyone know of a good hands-on review of the iPod control on the Avic D3? I'd like to get a sense for how well it works before dropping the cash. Specifically, I want to know how quick and easy it is to navigate to a specific song by a specific artist not contained in a playlist.

The picture that Crutchfield is showing shows a gloss colored unit. Yuck... not a deal killer but... I'd have preferred a matte finish like previous Pioneer units.

You always use the original as your backup! It's your proof that you've legally purchased the product you are using. Also, it's bound to be your best, most error-free copy, so if the backup gets destroyed you can create a new copy from your original (though this is decidedly less important in the digital age).

(1) I just got the latest Crutchfield catalogue and there are no Pioneer Nav units in it whatsoever. To me that means that release of the new units is imminent. I don't think we'll have to wait 'till May like some people suggest. (2) I doubt that it will be very difficult to get your hands on one of the first of these units if you keep tabs on your local installer and check in the first few days in March. But I could easily see them being difficult to source a few weeks later once the general public starts learning about it.

Is it true that you can backup the NAV discs for these Pioneer decks? I'm getting that impression from things I've read here. If that's true, that would be great. I'd feel much more comfortable leaving a copy in the car rather than the original.

Yeah, that's a good question. Frankly, I don't use my CD player enough for it to be a major concern (iPod guy, here) but I'd hope that the Nav unit would load enough of the map that if yu accidentally make a wrong turn, it'll get you back on track without any hassles.

I'm dyin' for this bad boy. Chomping at the bit. Can't wait. It's driving me crazy. If it were out now, it'd be in my car now.