I have been using a Dodge Mopar DVD based in-dash GPS for about 3.5 years and a Magelland 760 for 1.5 years (760 used in USA and Europe).

I like the in-dash look but the dvd based is slow to reroute and does not work when the car is moving over 10mph.

The Z1 states over 11 million POI which is a lot more than my current units have.

I plan on buying a Toyota RAV-4 2007 and installing the AVIC Z1.

Is the Z1 the best unit out there?

Big Foot ':?'

Thanks for your help

Of course you are coming to the AVIC forum, people are probably not going to tell you to go Eclipse or some other brand. Still, I think that the Z1 is a great unit, but with some bugs, but probably the best.

I was told that by April next year the update to the Z1/D[x] series will be 90% of US roads and then by end of 2007, they will have 99.999% of US roads in the next update (I got this direct from Pioneer tech support). Also they are looking in to releasing a new firmware update / software update that will resolve a lot of issues, but thats in the spring.

I have been using a Dodge Mopar DVD based in-dash GPS for about 3.5 years and a Magelland 760 for 1.5 years (760 used in USA and Europe).

I like the in-dash look but the dvd based is slow to reroute and does not work when the car is moving over 10mph.

The Z1 states over 11 million POI which is a lot more than my current units have.

I plan on buying a Toyota RAV-4 2007 and installing the AVIC Z1.

Is the Z1 the best unit out there?

 

Big Foot ':?'

 

Thanks for your help

z1 is pretty decent, some map and route issues, but all in all its decent. Now there are some hand held portable devices that are suppose to be better but for what the z1 does, it pretty much smacks down any portable device, of course the price is much more also.

I called support today to ask 2 things...

1) the noise canceling mic. have they tried it?

2) ipod speed, yeah long known issue -- any updates?

The guy said he had a Z1 in his car and this is what he says is in store soon.

1) Updated firmware. He said that this will be called the Z2. The hardware wont be different but massive update to the firmware to change tons of shit, they will just rename it. It'll work on Z1.

2) Updated tele atlas stuff. He says now we're like 60% of US maps. Come spring 90%, come end of 2007, 99%

3) More accurate routing. He says they are trying hard on this one

4) Quicker iPod. He said he submitted the request to engineering on this one.

I asked him about the D3 and since it is direct iPod connection will it be much much faster? He said he cant comment until after CES. Ah well.

He did mention the update ISO that just came out and how it helps. I applied it already.

z1 is pretty decent, some map and route issues, but all in all its decent. Now there are some hand held portable devices that are suppose to be better but for what the z1 does, it pretty much smacks down any portable device, of course the price is much more also.

He did mention the update ISO that just came out and how it helps. I applied it already.

Do you remember what he said? How exactly it helps? Just curious if we are missing something that was improved.

I almost feel guilty bringing up what he said today. I didn't try to pry anything out of him, I talked real non-chelante about it almost like we were old pals. haha...

I said something like "I like my z1, and i really only have 2 issues with it and Im sure these issues have been reported many times. I am just looking to see if you have any new information on wheather or not anyone is addressing these?" . then i explained ipod and bluetooth. he said "people have called in and mentioned an echo which we were able to reproduce." ... "there was an update released recently which addresses this". I then said "yeah i burned the ISO and updated my Z1". Thats really how our conversation sorta went. and the update was only briefly mentioned.

he did say that he recommended to the engineers to work on a better mic that it may be a real resolution.

I personally think that Pioneer knows everything that we know. I think that people have read this forum, they know about the issues. They are probably working on resolving all these things. I am optimistic about the update coming in the spring. BTW, that is the second time I have called and i heard about this 'update' twice now and both times the guy told me early 2007. this was the first time the guy told me april.

i was worried to hear about z2. it bothered me because i just got my z1...

i asked him if he knew of there would be an updated ipod module to make it faster, he said no he didnt believe so that it was simply software/firmware to address that since the ipbus can handle the data fine.

i guess that's all i remember.

He did mention the update ISO that just came out and how it helps. I applied it already.

 

Do you remember what he said? How exactly it helps? Just curious if we are missing something that was improved.

Thanks for the info.

I have more question?

1. Will the Z1 be up-gradable and what is approximant price?

2. Will the up grade not allow full use of the Z1 when the car is in motion? another words is Pioneer going to continue to try to make the unit not function when the car is in motion by adding even more safety’s than the current version?

3. Am I correct in saying that the Z1 has the most map data and POI out of all portable and in dash units. (My 760 Magellan as all most, all the roads, and even dirt road in its data base, I have rarely seen a road it does not have)

4. Should I get the up graded 9 speaker option or the stander 6 speaker in the RAV-4 when I order the new car, (the upgraded 9 speaker/JBL radio is an additional $800)

5. Will the (Metra 99-8217 Rav-4 dash kit) fit the Z1 properly.

6. Any recommendation on what store to buy the Z1 from?

Many Thanks

Big Foot

Thanks for the info.

I have more question?

 

1. Will the Z1 be up-gradable and what is approximant price?

Not known yet. The upgrade isn't availible yet.

2. Will the up grade not allow full use of the Z1 when the car is in motion? another words is Pioneer going to continue to try to make the unit not function when the car is in motion by adding even more safety’s than the current version?

See Above

3. Am I correct in saying that the Z1 has the most map data and POI out of all portable and in dash units. (My 760 Magellan as all most, all the roads, and even dirt road in its data base, I have rarely seen a road it does not have)

Possibly. There will be roads missing though.

4. Should I get the up graded 9 speaker option or the stander 6 speaker in the RAV-4 when I order the new car, (the upgraded 9 speaker/JBL radio is an additional $800)

Standard audio would be best fewer headaches when you don't have any upgraded sound system.

5. Will the (Metra 99-8217 Rav-4 dash kit) fit the Z1 properly.

Couldn't say don't have any info on the kit right now.

6. Any recommendation on what store to buy the Z1 from?

Preferably an established source, so you don't get screwed over.

Many Thanks

Big Foot

Many welcomes

I have been using a Dodge Mopar DVD based in-dash GPS for about 3.5 years and a Magelland 760 for 1.5 years (760 used in USA and Europe).

I like the in-dash look but the dvd based is slow to reroute and does not work when the car is moving over 10mph.

The Z1 states over 11 million POI which is a lot more than my current units have.

I plan on buying a Toyota RAV-4 2007 and installing the AVIC Z1.

Is the Z1 the best unit out there?

 

Big Foot ':?'

 

Thanks for your help

If Toyota offers factory Nav in the RAV-4 then I would go that route unless you really want to watch movies in the front seats. The AVIC-Z1 is probably the best of the worst at the moment (after market nav systems). So far the Z1 is far worse, in almost every way, then the factory nav and BT in my Audi. If the Audi had a touch screen it would be perfect. BTW, if they don't offer factory nav you can always add it. Take a look at: http://www.oemvalue.com/toyota2.htm

I had a Alpine IVA-W200 in my truck for a while before getting the Z1 and can say the Alpine's UI and iPod interface were much better. The problem with Alpine is they move at glacial speeds and it took them almost a year to release the dock for their Blackbird hand held Nav system. They also have no real BT integration with their head unit. Next year they are releasing an update to the IVA-W200, the IVA-W205. It will have a dock built into the headunit for the hand held nav. This is a nice solution it you need a handheld unit to take with you when you are in a rental car.

I think next year we should see some nice improvements to nav systems, across the board. If Pioneer offers a firmware upgrade for the Z1 to make it a Z2 and fixes the short comings I will probably stick with the Z1/2. If they do not I will probably take a close look at the IVA-W205.

Thanks

The toyota Nav looks nice

But I beleive the data base is less than half the size 11mill Vs 4mill (Eclipse if thats the same as Toyota)?

11mill POI Vs 4mill POI

....(Eclipse if thats the same as Toyota)?

That would be correct. Eclipse is owned by fujistu ten, whom also owns toyota. Also, if you look as some of eclipses higher end screens they use the exact same plugs as toyota cars. Hell one of the screens I put in, I pulled out the factory navi and just plugged in the eclipse no wiring whatsoever.

Thanks

The toyota Nav looks nice

But I beleive the data base is less than half the size 11mill Vs 4mill (Eclipse if thats the same as Toyota)?

Yea, if that is something you care about then that is a sizable difference. The number of POIs isn't even on my radar as a concern. I rarely use the POI features.

FWIW, my Audi Nav system and the Alpine Blackbird both have my favorite restaurant as a POI and the Pioneer, with 11mill POI, does not.

That is interesting,

The quick way I have done tests on a navigation data base is to search for nearest hardware stores or home and garden ,

The reason I pick hardware stores is most people would never search for hardware stores the smaller data base would delete them.

The better data base will find hardware stores (I know this is not that scientific)

Can you let me know which one of your navigation systems does the best for hardware stores?