I have 2 NEX-5000's in my different cars. I have turned off the carplay because I find the pioneer UI so much better.  Is anyone else in the same boat as me?

If not what do you love about carplay? Ive had the nex-5000 when it first came out and installed carplay the day the firmware was installed.

Being able to handle text messages and phone calls far better than the NEX could do on its own. While apple maps isnt as good as Waze, the interface and responsiveness is far better than waze was in the car. I quite like having control of different music apps from the radio. Phone calls sound nicer lately although they didn't at first. Having buttons in siri especially when handling messages is a god send. 

I don't like the album art or lack thereof but that's pioneer's fault for putting in a uselessly bad display. I wish apple maps had live rerouting based on traffic. Besides that I really like carplay. I use it every day and it is the only reason I haven't tossed my 4000 because as a radio that radio has left me unhappy, especially since it's less than a year old and pioneer is no longer supporting it. However apple will support carplay for years to come so it will only get better from here. 

I find CarPlay the better alternative to navigating my playlists, contacts, messaging and accessing other audio apps on my phone. That said, once I have what I need up and running I find the navigation in the 8000 blows away Apple Maps and the album art solution in CarPlay is bad to the point of annoyance. CarPlay has a ways to go yet before it reaches its full potential but it's a must have for me.

No point of having this radio if you don't use carplay!!

No point of having this radio if you don't use carplay!!

Well I don't agree with that. I enjoyed using my 4000 before I got carplay. It's a very good radio. Call quality is great, sound quality is great. Menus aren't to hard to run through, has a whole shit ton of features and they all work (except AvicSync) so I was only happier when carplay came out because in comparison to appradio mode it's amazing. 

I think CarPlay is getting better, which makes it the better alternative. Pioneer will not refresh current units with new features they will sell new units. Apple has already demonstrated improvements with iOS 8.3, and users will actually receive regular updates.

I find CarPlay the better alternative to navigating my playlists, contacts, messaging and accessing other audio apps on my phone. That said, once I have what I need up and running I find the navigation in the 8000 blows away Apple Maps and the album art solution in CarPlay is bad to the point of annoyance. CarPlay has a ways to go yet before it reaches its full potential but it's a must have for me.

The joy with carplay is that it will get better with every software update and more than likely be a better mapping solution than the built in one sooner rather than later. Especially if they one day allow 3rd party maps. 

I think CarPlay is getting better, which makes it the better alternative. Pioneer will not refresh current units with new features they will sell new units. Apple has already demonstrated improvements with iOS 8.3, and users will actually receive regular updates.

I think carplay as the current product stands is phenomenal and in the future will only get better. 

The UI isn't particularly flashy compared to Android Auto or the native pioneer features, but that is the point. I certainly understand being frustrated with CarPlay. I certainly am every so often, but how many people actually have access to it. Now that car manufacturers are going to deliver vehicles with native support this fall, I would expect to see more focus on it.

For me, it is:

- Access to podcasts without having to interact with the phone (and actually interacts correctly when the podcast needs to be streamed).

- Access to Spotify without having to interact with the phone.

- Access to Siri + Maps for quick directions around town (I still tend to need something offline for some of my trips that I take once or twice a year).

I wouldn't say I love car play, but I will say it works fine for me with my 8000, and iPhone 6+. I do enjoy the reading of messages so I don't have to look at my phone and apple maps are ok for me. I like that when someone sends me an address I can access it easily too.thry definitely could have done better with now playing to be more flashy,

Siri voice recognition included with Carplay is very good.  I can say "play the white album" and it will work.  How long would it take to get that album playing via the phone touchscreen or the NEX touchscreen?  Also I can use Siri to call people, and it will work and work well. Finally, there is the issue of directions.  I can simply say "directions to 25 main street, middletown NY" and more often than not it will get it right.  While I don't like the Carplay apple maps as much as the NEX maps, getting a destination into the NEX system takes A WHILE.  Especially if the destination is in a different state.  So, for me, the biggest advantage of Carplay over the NEX is the excellent voice recognition.

Siri voice recognition included with Carplay is very good.  I can say "play the white album" and it will work.  How long would it take to get that album playing via the phone touchscreen or the NEX touchscreen?  Also I can use Siri to call people, and it will work and work well. Finally, there is the issue of directions.  I can simply say "directions to 25 main street, middletown NY" and more often than not it will get it right.  While I don't like the Carplay apple maps as much as the NEX maps, getting a destination into the NEX system takes A WHILE.  Especially if the destination is in a different state.  So, for me, the biggest advantage of Carplay over the NEX is the excellent voice recognition.

I agree with you on all of your points. Siri makes all of the differance. I am getting used to maps, and as time goes by, it will only get better. At least the maps will keep up to date, unlike the NEX maps. And you have to pay for those NEX map updates.