Terrific forum by the way as a starter. I am a newbie to this forum and I hope I am posting to the right location. I have a Porsche 2003 C4S and I am a week away from having the Z1 installed in this car along with the bluetooth and ipod features. The guy doing the install is great at it so no concerns there. My concern is reading all the posts slamming the navigation software. I have used various systems in boats and a Garmin 10 on my bluetooth Treo 650 and the navigation is terrific. Some of you have indicated that the Pioneer nav leaves alot to be desired. Is this really the case??? I would hate to spend all that money and get a bad system. I love the HD feature and the look of it but the nav is the reason for the purchase ( and to watch DVDs while driving of course). Any input would be appreciated. I am in Canada in Ontario if this helps.

Cheers.

The Dubemaster

I hate the navigation of the Z1. I called pioneer tech support once and complained about how horrible it was and his response was " we haven't had any complaints about it" I said, WELL HELL JUST GO TO AVIC 411.COM AND YOU CAN READ ALL YOU WANT. It will and it has always wanted to take me on the worst route it can find. It will get you to where you want to go but you can bet no matter what the settings are on it will be the longest in miles and time. I was hoping that the upgrade to a Z2 was going to change this problem but from what I read it will be the same.

I think its great.

i think the navi does suck. i've had all the eclipse models, always upgraded when new models came out and they were great. i switched to the z1 becase the add ons are much nicer. but the eclipse navi was way better. if navi is your main concern, go with the eclipse

I think its great.

I am into GPS navigation since the inception and let me tell you, there are $50.00 programs out there that put this program to shame.

Just yesterday and again today I programed in short routes, about ten miles or so and in both these cases the red line pointed to the proper location, but the routing let me into to a dead end street and led me back to where I came from. When I went in the proper direction, after a couple of hundreds yard it re-routed to the right address. I never had that with any other program or unit.

The navigation software in the Z1 is pretty bad. It usually rings about 300-400ft prior to you actually reaching your destination, so unless you know what to look for, you will be stuck in the general area looking for that address.

Maybe it's location specific, but in NJ and the tri-state area, everything I have used personally:

Chrysler 300C with factory nav

Acura MDX with factory nav

Tom Tom on a Palm Pilot

Garmin C330

Now the mapping system on my blackberry

They all seem to give me the same routes for the ones I have put in.

I haven't been all that upset with it. Nothing is perfect, but it always has gotten me there. Maybe there might have been a better way, but other nav systems I have used usually route me the exact same way. Maybe it's just the routes I have put in.

It depends on the area. I do a lot of traveling, and the Z1 is great for interstate travel. In some cities, it's flawless. It others, it's beyond horrible. I happen to live where it's horrible. Most of the time, it will take you 20-30 miles out of the way to get you to a location.

When I'm in Texas, it's almost always flawless, ditto for Florida, but in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio, it's terrible in the areas I travel in.

It's nice that people in this forum are so helpful. Some forums slam newbies for stupid questions or what they consider being dumb. Your replies were great but it still sounds to me like the nav program on the Z1 sucks. I will look at it a little more closely. Has anyone had anyexperience with the new double dinn Kenwood?? It looks similar but without the hard drive.

Maybe its operator error.

I am in a line of work that puts me at about 50k miles/year driving. I use this GPS daily, and haven't had one issue yet. I use it to find hotels, restaurants, POI, Addresses, etc..

I reallly do think it matters on where you are located. I am in california and it has worked PERFECT for me. In socal and in norcal, works without a hitch and no hickups.

Also for me, im about 40-60 ft from my location and it tells me your location is on the right/left

I am in CA also. Works great here except the occasional freeway exit that has been moved/redone in the last couple years. I also notice that it often tries to put me on the correct side of the road for where I am going. By that, I mean it will have me make three right turns around the block, or make a U-turn at a light, rather than just having me turn left across traffic. Clearly a safety issue but took me a while to get used to. Definitely more useful to me than the few portables I have tried, as I often use the POI and Vicinity search and the database is much more detailed and organized. (And better than my buddies new eclipse which lists a Korean Restaurant in my cul-de-sac.)

I think the answer is whether or not you've used a Garmin before. I have a Z1, but I still keep my Garmin StreetPilot handy. The main issue that I have with the Z1 is that is clumps address numbers together. So if you are trying to find a specific house on a residential street, it will take you to the street, but not to the house itself. Whereas my Garmin could practically guide you up the driveway.

I think the answer is whether or not you've used a Garmin before. I have a Z1, but I still keep my Garmin StreetPilot handy. The main issue that I have with the Z1 is that is clumps address numbers together. So if you are trying to find a specific house on a residential street, it will take you to the street, but not to the house itself. Whereas my Garmin could practically guide you up the driveway.

perfect scenario of where the Z1 fails. Sure its good enough to find a huge hotel because even when it rings early, who can miss that huge building. The issue is clear when you are trying to find a small address building.

I reallly do think it matters on where you are located. I am in california and it has worked PERFECT for me. In socal and in norcal, works without a hitch and no hickups.

 

Also for me, im about 40-60 ft from my location and it tells me your location is on the right/left

Ditto for me...I am in SoCal and no problems whatsoever.

It is no where near perfect but it is acceptable for me. Offset that with all the other features the Z1 offers and I love the unit as a whole.

For me in Oklahoma the unit is pretty dead on for small address's so far. The main problem I have had is the routing function is lacking not always picking the best route. Several times the unit has routed me out of the way instead of a more direct route. The routes it suggested are similar roads yet it wants me to detour one way or another instead of the most direct route.

Like I said all in all with the XM, bypass installed, HD capability, and etc. I love the unit and am extremely happy. I would love to upgrade to the Z2 maps but not at the expense of my bypass as of today.

the new Kenwood DNX7100 uses Garmin for nav

it is true that the Z1 doesnt have as accurate navigation as garmin, but the Z1 is more than simply a nav unit. It is an entire entertainment system.

I bought a Z1 because I loved the features of it, but I should have checked here first(I didn't know about this forum at the time).

I travel a LOT & a good NAV unit is very important to me. I am a long time experienced NAV user, & I can say in no uncertain terms that the Z1 was the biggest POS I have ever used as far as the NAV function is concerned(I have a $300 Garmin unit on my Harley that is 1000 times better than the Pioneer).

After the 2nd business trip I took with the Pioneer, I sold it on ebay & replaced it with an Eclipse unit which is superb. What really took the cake was when the Z1 told me to "make a legal U-Turn" & I was on a 4 lane divided highway at the time.

I still may switch back to a Pioneer if they ever get their act together(I really do like everything else about the Pioneers), but at this point the Pioneer NAV function is totally useless IMHO.

~John

I bought a Z1 because I loved the features of it, but I should have checked here first(I didn't know about this forum at the time).

 

I travel a LOT & a good NAV unit is very important to me. I am a long time experienced NAV user, & I can say in no uncertain terms that the Z1 was the biggest POS I have ever used as far as the NAV function is concerned(I have a $300 Garmin unit on my Harley that is 1000 times better than the Pioneer).

 

After the 2nd business trip I took with the Pioneer, I sold it on ebay & replaced it with an Eclipse unit which is superb. What really took the cake was when the Z1 told me to "make a legal U-Turn" & I was on a 4 lane divided highway at the time.

 

I still may switch back to a Pioneer if they ever get their act together(I really do like everything else about the Pioneers), but at this point the Pioneer NAV function is totally useless IMHO.

 

~John

Nice plug for Eclipse. While the Z1 is not perfect, I have never had an issue with it telling to perform an illegal maneuver. Are you sure it didn't say "Make a U-Turn IF POSSIBLE"?

Maybe you had a bad unit.....

Hello.

in Miami it works ok considering that this city is growing and new places are poppin up everywhere and new roads are being made. I really don't use the nav to much. I really got the unit for its Live Traffic Nav feature. I noticed that South Florida doesn't have the traffic flow sensors installed on its roads. I went to Tampa not to long ago and everything works up there. The system displays traffic flow, speed on highways and give good re-routes.

I say its a fair unit that needs many upgrades.

I was looking into the specs for the Z1 and Z2.... I rather keep the Z1, it has move features then Z2. I think its the same unit just different OS and a few chips that they noticed didn't work to well on the Z1.

IMO!

cheers

More features? Not so much. Tthey are exactly the same except for the software

I rather keep the Z1, it has move features then Z2. I think its the same unit just different OS and a few chips that they noticed didn't work to well on the Z1.

 

 

 

 

 

IMO!

 

 

cheers

More features? Not so much. Tthey are exactly the same except for the software

 

I rather keep the Z1, it has move features then Z2. I think its the same unit just different OS and a few chips that they noticed didn't work to well on the Z1.

 

 

 

 

 

IMO!

 

 

cheers

True that...go to the pioneer website and select/compare the 2 units. They are 99.9% identical. Frankly, I don't understand what the fuss about the Z2!!!

well like I posted on another thread here.

Same unit. maybe some of the chips and insternal hardware upgrades, it is the same unit with new improved software and nav maps. When the Z1 update comes out its just going to flash the unit to act like the Z2 with some exceptions notice the price diff on the pioneer site is 50$ cheaper.

I just think that they stopped the production of the Z1 to correct some of issues and remove the bypass for liability reasons.

Don't be surprized if the bypass on the Z2 will be a hidden button on the screen or by holding down a button for a bit of time.

Untill someone cracks it or someone leaks it.

we'll see I guess, I'm going to wait for sometime after the Z1 update comes out to make sure other users that installed it haven't had massive issues.

My unit works will, haven't had any problems with it for over a year. Well the XM-TrafficNav box acts up sometimes where it would display no connection or no attenta. but I restart the car and it works.

cheers.

only time will tell.

I bought a Z1 because I loved the features of it, but I should have checked here first(I didn't know about this forum at the time).

 

I travel a LOT & a good NAV unit is very important to me. I am a long time experienced NAV user, & I can say in no uncertain terms that the Z1 was the biggest POS I have ever used as far as the NAV function is concerned(I have a $300 Garmin unit on my Harley that is 1000 times better than the Pioneer).

 

After the 2nd business trip I took with the Pioneer, I sold it on ebay & replaced it with an Eclipse unit which is superb. What really took the cake was when the Z1 told me to "make a legal U-Turn" & I was on a 4 lane divided highway at the time.

 

I still may switch back to a Pioneer if they ever get their act together(I really do like everything else about the Pioneers), but at this point the Pioneer NAV function is totally useless IMHO.

 

~John

I still carry a garmin in my car as backup as I explore my city alot looking for old missle sites and ababdon nasa and army bases. I wish the AVIC Z1 has a screen where you can input gps digits instead of address. the system would work alot better. I think with the new Piont Access Database it will help the Nav feature get up to places better since it uses a GPS cor insted of an address range.

I hope this feature comes in the upgrade pack for the Z1