I hate my Z2!

[Woodsman]

I bought a new Dodge pickup and was convinced by a friend to forget about the factory nav and buy the Avic Z2 instead. I thought I would be saving money because I saw them listed on Ebay for around $1500 and they wanted about $2300 to add the nav as an option from Dodge. So far I have over $4000 ivestested in the Z2 and a set of Alpine headrest dvd monitors. I also thought I would be adding a superior system with additional quality options when I went with the Z2 instead of Dodge version. I know feel this decision was a huge mistake. When I bought the Dodge it came with a really nice am/fm radio and 6 cd changer. The seek button would seek out various types of music such as country, rock, jazz ect. I had to have it removed to install the Z2. What I am left with for tunes is the Z2 library system that seems to record whatever it wants at will, a single disc CD player, and a am/fm radio that does not have a power button to turn it off. The only way to control it is by decreasing volume or turning to the AV page and trying to find the mute button. It is also very difficult seeking radio stations while driving. Focusing on the digital readouts is getting increasingly difficult for this aging hot rodder. I absolutely hate the navigation part of this system. I just got back from a 10 day vacation in Canada and found the Z2 almost useless. I spent most of the time around Lake Louise, one of the most popular destinations on the other side of the border, but one that the Z2 doesn't even know exists. How many million points of interest is this thing supposed to have? What a joke. When I was in Lake Louise I tried to figure out the shortest route to a point in Washington. The Z2 failed to recognize that there is a road between Golden, BC and Revelestoke, BC and kept adding about 10 hours to any calculation so that the route could go through Jasper (no I did not have any of the avoid this or that options checked). When you pay several thousand dollars for a system such as this you shouldn't be forced to go to the forums to look for patches that will void your warranty to make the product useable. The parking brake issue makes this system a real joke. It is much easier to pull out a map and look than it is to pull the car over, put on the brake, type in the destination and then go; especially when someone is following you. My wife is in the car with me, why the hell do we need the brake to input destinations? This is especially irritating when you consider that there is a page full of verbage that you are expected to read each time you turn on your unit. How the hell can you read that BS when your driving? The bottom line is that my factory radio is far superior to the sound system of the Z2. I am now going to try and reinstall it and mute all the AV functions of the Z2. I'll have to create a new mounting bracket for the Z2 because I want the radio back where it belongs. To top it all off I had the original install done by a bunch of hacks at Stereo City in Clackamas. These guys didn't have a clue. They left such a mess I had to take the truck to Car Toys to have the install done right. This is all besides the point. If you are considering purchasing a Z2 I would strongly advise against it. There are plenty of other options out there that are user friendly and much cheaper. I can't believe that Pioneer is still selling so m any of these things.

[outhouse]

you cant pick on it for sakes of pulling off the road when typeing stuff in. All nav units are that way and for good reason. most of us bypass it anyway.

 

if you read your manual first and played with it you wouldnt need to check out the manual while driving

 

for what its worth im with ya on the 1500 dollar mistake. I wish i wouldnt have bought it. now i have to try and turn a sows ear into a silk purse.

 

my gripe is not the nav, none are perfect. its the not working on warm days [feezing on start up screen] and now my freakin unit wont copy cd,s to the hard drive correctly and music jumps around even if the unit is cool. maybe the heat has corrupted something.

 

this forum is full of problems on this unit. i guess theres allot of good to but at what price?

[whtcrxghst]

Haven't read the manual eh? Hold down the AV button next time you want to turn it off

[jbhorne]

So far I have over $4000 ivestested in the Z2 and a set of Alpine headrest dvd monitors.

This is a high ticket item. Not an OEM wannabe. $4000 is CHEAP, lol. I have over $12000 invested in my sound system. But that is a LOT more than just a Z1/Z2.

 

I also thought I would be adding a superior system with additional quality options when I went with the Z2 instead of Dodge version.

You did. You got a premium navigation system with many features that OEM systems could only dream about. Yes, it has a learning curve.

 

When I bought the Dodge it came with a really nice am/fm radio and 6 cd changer.

Didn't you want a navigation unit???

 

The seek button would seek out various types of music such as country, rock, jazz ect.

Correct. The Z1/Z2 does not have RDS. However most people here use XM or Sirius anyways, so FM is nonessential.

 

What I am left with for tunes is the Z2 library system that seems to record whatever it wants at will

Umm...it auto-records CDs. It is an option in the "System Settings". Read the manual please.

 

a single disc CD player

Yeah, it records the CD's you insert, so technicly it is many more "discs" than that. Or you could get an iPod.

 

a am/fm radio that does not have a power button to turn it off.

Really? I didn't know that. Hmm...I just read the manual and it clearly says to either press "Source" then "Off", or just hold the AV button down for a few seconds.

 

The only way to control it is by decreasing volume or turning to the AV page and trying to find the mute button. It is also very difficult seeking radio stations while driving.

Did your installer not add the Peripheral module to allow steering wheel controls?

 

When you pay several thousand dollars for a system such as this you shouldn't be forced to go to the forums to look for patches that will void your warranty to make the product useable.

I know of no such "patches".

 

The parking brake issue makes this system a real joke. It is much easier to pull out a map and look than it is to pull the car over, put on the brake, type in the destination and then go; especially when someone is following you. My wife is in the car with me, why the hell do we need the brake to input destinations?

You need to get your unit bypassed. And no, it does not void your warranty. It does nothing to signal to Pioneer that you have done such a thing. In addition, be lucky that you CAN bypass this unit (now at least!). The OEM dodge system cannot, however (at least to my knowledge).

 

This is especially irritating when you consider that there is a page full of verbage that you are expected to read each time you turn on your unit. How the hell can you read that BS when your driving?

Amen. I agree with you, I would think that is more dangerous trying to read those warnings than to just let me input my damn stuff. It just adds to road rage when i want to put my fist through that "OK" button.

 

The bottom line is that my factory radio is far superior to the sound system of the Z2.

Did your factory system have parametric equalization? subwoofer control? HPF? LPF? Staging? nope, nope, nope, nope, and...nope.

 

To top it all off I had the original install done by a bunch of hacks at Stereo City in Clackamas. These guys didn't have a clue. They left such a mess I had to take the truck to Car Toys to have the install done right.

Maybe this is your ENTIRE problem right there. It's ALL about the installation.

 

This is all besides the point.

It's HARDLY besides the point. All of your problems could be solved by A) getting it installed "correctly" with the bypass; and reading the manual front to back...then rinse and repeat.

 

If you are considering purchasing a Z2 I would strongly advise against it. There are plenty of other options out there that are user friendly and much cheaper.

Really? Name a few...

 

 

I am sorry you are having such issues. I would agree that the Z1/Z2 has a good learning curve, and yeah...some things REALLY piss me off. I HATED the Z1 when I first got it. I came from using a Garmin GPS...which btw is FAR SUPERIOR. Intersection search? Address numbers as I drive down the street? RDS? I could go on for a LONG time (read my post here: http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=)

 

Give it time, get it rewired with steering wheel controls, bypassed...and you will be happy (hopefully!).

[ducatiboy]

I agree there are things about this unit I would change, but I had the Chrysler/Dodge nav that came in my new 300C and I think the Z1 is better than that, at least you can bypass this one.

 

And there are GUI issues.... pioneer has their own way of doing things which are not intuitive, but the more I use it the better I like it, once you get used to it, it gets easier to use.

 

It's a hard drive, dvd player, cd player (single) all in one double did head unit. Not too many other things out there can do with with this much control and settings and features in the $1500 range.

 

I know you are not super happy with it and I agree some people have issues with these units (freezing or whatever) but I think this thing has very good sound, lots of features and is reasonably priced for what you get.

 

Sorry you are having trouble with your unit, but I think a lot of your problems stem from not reading the manual or not knowing how to use the unit, a less than expert install and possibly sky high expectations which no "all in one" unit out there can hit.... yet.

[shift_z]

Perhaps you should go for a simple headunit with changer controls and a cd changer. For nav, the portable Garmin C550 is very easy to use.

I put in the AVIC-Z2 in my fiancees TL, and her head nearly exploded after using it for one day. I swapped it out for her factory unit, gave her a C550, and the Z2 went into my 350Z. She is happy. I am ecstatic. The Z2 is one of the coolest things I have had in my car. I stayed up 2 hours the first night and read the manual. I have pretty much 80% of the functionality figured out after 3 days of having it in the car. But I am a software engineer, so I rtfm.

 

Read the manual, play around with it, and I promise it will grow on you. Then you can take it to the Dodge club cruise-in and impress people.

 

Goodluck!

[GnatGoSplat]

There are solutions for some of your problems, but I think the main problem is you purchased the wrong product for your needs. The Z2 is for people who like complicated gadgets, who like to be on the bleeding edge of technology just because it's cool.

 

It sounds like you want something simple that just works. I have used some factory navigation systems and I think they probably would be more suited to your taste since they usually offer RDS, are simpler, and don't usually require the vehicle to be stopped to operate. However, they are also a bit complicated and can be cumbersome to those who aren't tech-inclined.

 

Rather than have 2 head units in your truck, I recommend you take shift_z's advice and replace that Z2 with a portable navigation. You will have better navigation capabilities AND that simple, easy to operate radio. Plus, selling the Z2 will recoup much of your losses since they have pretty good resale (excluding the labor to install it, of course).

[universal9gsm]

get the dnx7100 from kenwood its really good

[bnmbh]

I love my z2 wouldnt change it for the world. Next time your on the shitter READ THE MANUAL and spend some time with the manual. Its a learning curve ,once figured out maybe you will like it.

[mrdsl2217]

THE Z2 IS GREAT IT HAS A FEW DRAWBACKS BUT WHAT SYSTEM DOES NOT. YOU REALLY DO NEED TO READ THE MANUAL AND RELAX YOU TYPED A LONG LIST OF COMPLAINTS BEFORE YOU HAD ALL THE INFO.

[bridge4d]

There are solutions for some of your problems, but I think the main problem is you purchased the wrong product for your needs. The Z2 is for people who like complicated gadgets, who like to be on the bleeding edge of technology just because it's cool.

 

Couldn't agree more. I think this is a case of bad requirements definition. Before making a big investment like this you might have wanted to go out and compare the available units. The garmin units are products that are directed at the consumer looking for something easy to use and without add-on capability (satellite, navtraffic, iPOD, reverse camera). The Z1/Z2 is targeted at those who are technologically inclined and can suffer the patience of doing some beta testing. Yes, it has is draw backs but it's definitely better then the stock NAV system in my wife's Expedition that I paid $2500 for.

[titos]

well you bought to much for you to handle kit seems like i agree with the guy above if you want another unit go with the kenwood its simple and the gps on it is made by garmen you should be familiar with the interface on the gps part also your factory unit you cant even use it til you read all the warning labels on it atleast the pioneer you can still use your stereo without having to press the ok button sorry guy it just seems to me your being alittle anal about the situation keep reading the forum about acouple things then go to your nearest local shop and tell them to bypass the unit then you should be ok or you can simplify your life and go with the kenwood

[bridge4d]

well you bought to much for you to handle kit seems like i agree with the guy above if you want another unit go with the kenwood its simple and the gps on it is made by garmen you should be familiar with the interface on the gps part also your factory unit you cant even use it til you read all the warning labels on it atleast the pioneer you can still use your stereo without having to press the ok button sorry guy it just seems to me your being alittle anal about the situation keep reading the forum about acouple things then go to your nearest local shop and tell them to bypass the unit then you should be ok or you can simplify your life and go with the kenwood

 

titos...I think there might be something wrong with the punctuation keys on your keyboard.

[whtcrxghst]

[Woodsman]

OK---- So I took the hint and sat down and read the manual. Then I went back to Car Toys and had my RDS equiped factory radio re-intstalled in its original location. I instructed the tech to leave the Z2 dangling under the dash on top of the cup holders in my pickup (There went my $700 install job). I will create my own mounting bracket and new center counsol for the Z2. I will add a couple of speakers on the side of the counsol so that the Z2 can become a separate system that functions independant of my factory Infiniti system. In addition, I added a toggle switch so that I can, if so desired, run the nav system through the truck's Infiniti system. This is done by treating the nav system as an auxillary input to the factory sytem. I simply flip the toggle and put the radio on preset #6 and the entire sound system of the nav now goes through the truck system (7 speaker Infiniti) simultaneously muting the truck's music functions so that there is no feedback. What I have gained is:

 

A music system that is easily operated with a simple on/off power switch complete with RDS and presets that are easily found. This includes a Sirius connection that also has easily accessible presets and a free one year subscription with the purchase of my new Dodge. I have eliminated the hassle of finding music while I drive on my (still hated) Z2, and I have still retained the ability to access the AV functions of my Z2 if so desired (as of now there is not much desire).

 

I have also located the bypass and will install that myself in the next couple days making this system useable. I don't find any excuse for the lack of the Z2's ability to navigate properly in the Banff, BC area.

 

The bottom line is that there was probably 10 easier ways to accomplish what I have achieved but I finally have a sytem that works the way I want it to. It will still take a long time to warm up to a system that takes a catalog to explain how it works. But after $4000 I'm not about to give up trying.