Worried about the D3 Navigation

[WRichieX]

So my D3 from crutchfield is coming in tomorrow and am very excited. However, I've been reading from some users that the navigation is terrible. It tells people wrong directions, tells them to get off freeway too soon, Gives longer route. Now I'm worried since I bought the D3 mainly for the navigation (of course the other features sold me as well) Would like to get a first hand review from people on here. How is the navigation working out for you. Satisfied? Preferably from someone in the Chicago area since that is where I am at. Thanks

[MisFit]

all navigation systems are going to give you odd routes from time to time. you will only notice it when you already know how to get where your going. when you are going someplace that you have no idea how to get to, it will get you there. even if it is a roundabout way of going, you will get there. and thats really what navi is for

[WRichieX]

Yea i guess. I just think that if a small little Garmin that my father has gives accurate shortest distance and what not, something a pioneer puts out definately should. How bad is the roundabout directions?

[MisFit]

not bad, i've used alpine, eclipse, and pioneer. they all do the same thing.

[FiremistSLK]

I agree. I have used Garmin (my personal favorate) and Lowrance GPS units. Other things to consider about a GPS system is how well it maintains satellite lock. Nothing worse than the "Lost Satellite" prompt when you are getting close to a series of turns on your route! Lowrance was the WORSE unit .....lost sat lock all the time! No one here is complaining about this, so I suppose the Pioneer units are pretty good on this issue. Nav also is great in a large city like Chicago when you have to leave a known route because you are forced to detour. Being able to see the streets for an eighth of a mile around the vehicle comes in handy.

[sportsfan21]

I also agree.

 

For some reason my D2 will not allow me to turn directly onto my street to get back home. It always tells me to pass the intersection, make a left on the next block and then take 3 more turns to get onto my street.

 

Is it a roundabout way? Of course. If I had no idea how to get to my house and didn't know that it was a stupid way of driving there, would it be fine? Yes.

 

None of the navis are perfect. When you know your way around an area you're always going to be able to use a shortcut to get somewhere quicker, but when you don't know where you're going, then the navis work just fine.

[Sabre3487]

I have had my D3 for almost a month! At first I had no vss, just gps and it was fairly good, then add vss and reset the learning mode.

 

When I first tried to get home, it did not tell me to take the shortcut I normally use. However after a couple of times of me using my shortcut anyways, it now tells me to take this shortcut. I did not think the D3 had "navigation learning" like the Z1 one, however this is the second address that I have taking a shortcut path a few times that it now remembers and tells me to take the route I want.

 

I have never had the unit tell me to go buy a road that I knew I should turn on and then make some lefts to get back to the same point. Obviously if you know where you are going you do not need Navigation I just like it, and enjoy seeing how good it is!!

 

A negative is that twice while driving down a local "highway" route (two-lane) interconnect route it wanted me to get off exit and then get back on the ramp to the highway, this might be a bug due to how closely it runs to highway no biggie though, unless your an idiot and do it.

 

If you have an Ipod the one disc slot does not matter! My ipod works flawlessly.

 

Burn.

[bobby121687]

did u jus say the d3 has learning algorithm?

[jmorton10]

I have used both Pioneer & Eclipse NAV units rather extensively & although I love some of the Pioneer features if NAV is the main reason you are buying a unit then the Pioneer should not even be considered(at this point anyway). I have a $300 Garmin unit on my Harley that blows away any Pioneer unit for route planning.

 

I had a Pioneer Z1 in my 06 Ford Escape, I travel a LOT for business & the NAV routing was so poor with the Pioneer that I sold it & replaced it with an Eclipse 5500. The routing with the Eclipse is superb.

 

If Pioneer ever gets their act together with the NAV, I would definitely consider switching back again but at this point ALL the Pioneer NAV units are basically unuseable IMHO.

 

~John

[Itchy]

My last 2 Alpine units guide better than the D3, but that problem is minor. It'll still get you to your destination.

 

What surprises me in my girlfriend's D1 w/1.3 software is that it'll tell her to make a turn when she needs to go straight, and straight is highlighted on the display. D3 doesn't do this.

 

As with all guidance problems, they're mostly software related. It should get better w/ newer updates.

[mgill5483]

I have a D3 (without VSS connected) and it works great. The only problem I experience is when i first start the car and start driving, I start moving before the system can even load, causing the arrow to be off a bit. But once I turn, its right on.

 

As far as guidence, I have not yet had a problem with it. Keep in mind that the D3 gives multiple routes to choose from (hitting the "no" button will suggest another route.) most just use the first route the nav suggests. Most nav systems I have used (including the factory one in my torrent) try to use the most major roads first, sometimes resulting in longer routes. From what I have seen so far, it suggests the easiest route rather than the shortest but like others have said, if it notices you taking a different route often, it should learn it. I dont think you will have any major problems with this system. And yes, with IPOD, who needs CD's or even DVDs. Bluetooth works awesome.

 

If for some reason you do want to use a CD, I suggest an MP3 CD, you can view a list of all the songs on the CD and instead of skipping 20 songs to get to the one you want, you can just choose from the list and you are there.

 

It's not top of the line but for the price, it's worth every penny!

[johnx50]

You should be worried about the routing on this unit. I have used Garmin and Megelan alot and they route much better than the D3. Mine will drive me by the spot i should turn at and than have me make a u turn sometimes a mile or two latter. It than turns me on to the same street i just pasted. I wrote Pioneer and they said that a fix is not yet available. They sounded like they might do something about it. It drives me to a uturn about 40% of the time. Garmin is way better so far.

[jmorton10]

I have used Garmin and Megelan alot and they route much better than the D3. Mine will drive me by the spot i should turn at and than have me make a u turn sometimes a mile or two latter.

 

Exactly. That POS Pioneer Z1 I had once told me to "make a legal U-turn" when I was traveling down a 4 lane divided highway.......

 

I have been using NAV units for years & as far as I am concerned Pioneer makes the absolute worst NAV units on the market by far.

 

As I stated before, I LOVE some of the Pioneer features but if a quality NAV is important to you do not under any circumstance buy a Pioneer(at this point anyway)

 

~John

[jsmithsole]

I've been usning the N2 for almost a year and a half and have found the NAV to be pretty spot on. Maybe different areas have more updated mapping than others?

Just starting to drive more with the D3, mapped me to work just fine this morning...