hey all, after going back and forth forever about getting a z1, i recently came across the AVN5495. can anyone break it down to me further as to which one is the better unit? i knoe the z1 beats it out in terms of poi's 11mil-6mil but what about other functions. the avn is also hdd based and has a slot for a sd memory card which i thought was pretty neat. and it also comes with a security system to prevent it being used in another car. has anyone dealt with both these units that knows direct comparisons? what about other hdd based units. are there any besides these two?

I looked at the Eclipse unit. At first glance, it seems to be quite similar to the Z1 except for less POI(I thought it was only 3 million but I don't really remember) and a smaller screen. I just thought the graphics for the mapping looked old and outdated compared to the sort of futuristic look of the twin mode on the Z1. The lack of XM/XM NavTraffic and Ipod functionality hurt its chances of me buying it as well

after doing some more research, i did find out that for the music, you cannot create playlists as well. which means that when you skip to another song. it's just the next one down the line. which i think sucks. however. it is also 30 gig hdd 20 for music 10 for nav instead of the other way around for the z1. and also. you do not need to create wav. files onto cd to rip. you can load them straight into the sd slot which i thought was pretty cool. but im still leaning towards the z1/2. since im gonna wait for the z2. anyone know if there is anything new coming out hdd based from kenwood/alpine that can match pioneer?

All the installers I know that were putting in the AVN series of double din Navis a year or 2 ago have since, gone to Pioneer or Alpine. Noise issues and other small things made them bail ship.

Also the map detail and graphics as someone else said, look dated. Reminds me of my Alpine Navi (Back in 1999-2000). I've never used one, only demo'd it at the local CC.

In addition, there will be alot more support and help if you have problems with the AVIC vs. Eclipse. Dunno, maybe there is an AVN forum.

Chris.

From what I have read on here in other threads about what was shown at CES, there is an alpine double-din that folds down and you can insert a blackbird into it. There was also a Kenwood double-din that cosmetically looked a lot like a Z1 but you had to use the Garmin add-on that Kenwood sells instead of HDD navigation. No idea how the performance of these will be but I am sure there are more details available online somewhere

after doing some more research, i did find out that for the music, you cannot create playlists as well. which means that when you skip to another song. it's just the next one down the line. which i think sucks. however. it is also 30 gig hdd 20 for music 10 for nav instead of the other way around for the z1. and also. you do not need to create wav. files onto cd to rip. you can load them straight into the sd slot which i thought was pretty cool. but im still leaning towards the z1/2. since im gonna wait for the z2. anyone know if there is anything new coming out hdd based from kenwood/alpine that can match pioneer?

I registered here so I could answer this post. I had an Eclipse 5435 in my last vehicle(an 05 Ford Escape Hybrid)& I loved it. I travel & use NAV a LOT.

I recently bought a newer 06 Escape Hybrid that came with the factory NAV. That NAV unit stinks, so I will be replacing it.

I was considering a Pioneer Z1 because of all the reasons listed here(& I agree with them). The Pioneer screen looks better etc, but there is one huge reason I am going with another Eclipse(I ordered a 5500 today)

I have used the Z1(a neighbor of mine has one in his Infinity FX)& the NAV function absolutely stinks. The Eclipse NAV isn't ten times better, it's more like 100 times better. The maps may not look as nice, but the NAV functionality is so much better there is no comparison whatever.

If I was not in a hurry to buy(I am), I would wait & see if the Z2 NAV function is really improved but it would have to be a drastic improvement to even come close to the superb Eclipse.

If I was more concerned about all the other features, I might well buy a Pioneer but the NAV function is what is most important to me & as it sits now the Z1 is virtually useless to me.

~John

Something I'd like to add to Johns post is that the Eclipse units are a close cousin to the Toyota and Lexus navi's, probably part of the reason the functionality of the Nav is as good as it is, falling from the OEM tree.

Chris.

Something I'd like to add to Johns post is that the Eclipse units are a close cousin to the Toyota and Lexus navi's, probably part of the reason the functionality of the Nav is as good as it is, falling from the OEM tree.

 

Chris.

Toyota and Lexus oem navs are made by fujitsu-ten(eclipse). The only difference is that the oem navs do not have the same amount of multimedia features such as watching dvd movie.

True but Pioneer is the OEM supplier for the entire Ford family, the Lexus LS460, and a bunch of other vehicles so it doesn't really have much to do with being an OEM supplier

Something I'd like to add to Johns post is that the Eclipse units are a close cousin to the Toyota and Lexus navi's, probably part of the reason the functionality of the Nav is as good as it is, falling from the OEM tree.

 

Chris.

It's correct that Eclipse is made by fujitsu-ten & they are owned by Toyota/Lexus.

I am the Internet Sales Manager for a local car dealer & I get to use factory NAV setups all the time & the Lexus setups are almost identical to my Eclipse minus the DVD movie feature. I was driving a Lexus 330 last week & the optional(about $4000)NAV setup was totally familiar to me(I already knew how all the controls worked)

I didn't realize that Pioneer supplied Ford with their NAV setups but that might explain why the one I am removing from my 06 Escape is so bad(It's the biggest POS I've ever used in my life, people on the Escape message boards are always complaining about it)

I may well end up with a Pioneer eventually if they ever get their act together, I definitely like some of the features of the Z1 a LOT. If the Z2 dramatically improves the NAV functionality in the future I will probably swap my Eclipse for that.

~John

I'm not familiar enough with the Ford units, and I do know that Pioneer some connection with Ford, but I don't think the Ford Products mirror the Pioneer Navis in the same manner as Eclipse and Toyota/Lexus.

I would also venture to say that the factory Ford Escape Navis aren't a Pioneer piece at all.

I would also venture to say that the factory Ford Escape Navis aren't a Pioneer piece at all.

& you would be correct, I looked it up & the POS is made by Visteon(not Pioneer)

~John

I can comment on the Kenwood navi. I have a Kenwood DDX-7017 and have had both the add on DVD based KNA-DV4100 and the hard drive based KNA-G510 made by Garmin. Both of them have excellent navigation, but the menus in the Garmin one are kind of cartoonish for my taste.

If you want to save some money, you can pick up a Kenwood DDX-6019 with a KNA-G510 GPS for around a grand on Ebay. The 6019 is the replacement for the 7017, but IMHO, the 7017 is made a lot better and just looks higher quality.