hi my name is joe and im very undecided on what nav unit to put in my 03 monte carlo ss next. i started off with an avic n1 about 3 years ago and wasnt very happy with the flip out screen so i switched to an eclipse avn5495. well after someone decided they needed it more than i did, ive been looking for a new unit. im stuck between the eclipse avn5495 and the avic z1. im running a complete jl audio system and obviosly after dumping over $4000, sound quality is a huge issue.

 

the 5495 has top notch sound quality and a greatly precise nav system but lacks in graphical display

 

the z1 has a phenominal graphical display and a few extra perks but seems to get extremelly mixed reviews regarding nav accuracy and functionallity.

 

any advice? please help

I just wrote a long post on my thoughts on the z1 in the general thread which will give more details about what I like and dislike but overall I love this unit. NAV features, graphics and voice are excellent but routing can be a bit clunky from time to time. There are some "bandaids" however mentioned in my other thread.

 

In addition the estimated time to arrival is useless IMO but its generally something I'm not concerned with.

 

Keep in mind however that I live and commute in a big city area (DC) so my experience vs someone in a less populated area may be totally different as the map data might be better around major areas.