Whats up guys.... Im looking very seriously at the 09 sports and ill be in need of a new car by may/june the latest. I always wanted a mini S , but with their value retention(very high) and very small storage, the fit seems like the way to go.
Ok so i want navi..... but is it better lets say to buy a seperate garmin for like 500 bucks... or even the Pioneer avic-z3(love this unit) for 1100 bucks instead of the honda $2000 option?
I know the OEM Navi has the traction control but is it really worth it?

What are some navi options that you guys have gone with ?

Thanks!

 

I have an '06 civic EX w/ nav (did not come w/ VSA.) The g/f is days away from getting her BBP Fit sport w/ nav. IMO......

Portable navi = It's portable. That's about it. Personally I just use my phone when I'm away from my car.

Aftermarket in dash = bluetooth capable, can play DVD's, voice activation, XM traffic updates, 3D nav, and a few other options not available on the OEM navi I'm sure. depending on your skill level you may be paying to have it installed?

Honda Navi = Adds VSA (vehicle stability assist) and traction control. Built in steering wheel controls. Integrated Ipod connectivity (prob on aftermarket as well but may be and add on for $$$.) Voice activation (again available on aftermarket) this will allow you to enter directions, check time, switch cd tracks, etc, etc. Everything else aside, the avg. consumer would prob prefer the OEM nav to aftermarket so resale value should be up (even though you will most likely not recoup the orig $1800 investment.) I think in the end the VSA makes it worthwhile.

 

I love the Harddrive feature of the pioneer and the upgrade possibilities for getting a subwoofer . Anyone heard how the OEM unit reponds w speakers/sub? Does The OEM 160 watt suffice?

 

Save your money .. 2K for a navi unit is silly get a garmin there accurate and cost so much less.. Use that money toward something else like floor mats wheel locks ect... Anyways you will luv the 09 Fit Car Rocks!!!

 

Don't sell the VSA+Traction control short.

The best thing about the Honda navi is that it is fully integrated into the car. I'm sure there are better units on the market, even better Honda units in other Honda models. I like my navi just fine, though. I have a Garmin too, so I understand the strengths and weaknesses of each.

It's too bad you can't really see the value of VSA in a test drive. There are a few uTube videos that show it in action on some other cars. The first time I noticed it during winter driving this year, I knew it was worth the money for me. You will read posts from people who will say that if you are a good driver you don't need VSA. I wouldn't buy a new car without it.

Unfortunately, the only way you can get VSA is with navi. The real price difference is $1850. Figure about $600 for VSA.

I bet in a year or so all the Fits will come with VSA. Then we'll see what Honda thinks their navi is worth.

Cheers.

 

I can argue that either way would be great, but it all boils down to what you want to do with your car in the end.

If you plan on modding with I.C.E. then the Navi option might not be for you as it is a PITA to work with intgrated systems. But if you aren't and were planning on getting a Navi unit anyways, this saves you a lot of time and money as opposed to getting an aftermarket unit installed.

Plus you might not be able to get the dash kit to look as good as the fit and finish of an OE installed unit.

Here in Canada we don't have the option so I guess in a way we're lucky enough to not have to face that decision, because I would probably be another $2000 in over my head on this car LOL.

Goodluck.

 

Check out the Pioneer f90bt or f900bt. You can get navi for a lot less than OEM (got mine for $609).

 

the only reason to buy the OEM navi is for the VSA.
if you don't care and don't want VSA then don't
waste your money.
the aftermarket is way better.
no matter what you get aftermarket it will be way
better than the OEM navi.

 

yeah just save your money imo

 

Ok would you say that the VSA is worth the extra cash? I am a sporty driver but im not sure if that would make that much of a difference for me. Also if you dont have the navi..there is no steering wheel audio control?

 

Have you seen this Fifth Gear video testing VSA? For me it's a safety feature that's worth the extra money. But I agree with everyone else, you can get a better navi head unit for cheaper if that's what you really want.

 

If I had known VSA would be an option on the later 8th gen civics I would have waited. I don't know how the fit's are but my civic being stick w/o any kind of VSA/TC does not go over well when it snows here in Chicago. It is such a PITA trying to drive this thing in the snow. Makes me crave a Subaru.

The steering wheel controls only come w/ navi option.

 

Avic Z series are a little hard to bypass from what I know and extremely notorious for overheating on hot days and just shutting down and restarting. I wanted one too but bypass was too hard at the time, don't know if they got a reliable one working now.

 

We just had a 5" snow fall overnight. Tried my Fit in the snow for the first time. Nice! I would say VSA is worth every penny, regardless of the navi. I get the outlook the navi was thrown in as a freebie from my perspective living here in MN. I've only used portable navis before and can only say that this one is very very nice in comparison... screen size and integration with the stereo and steering column bump it above the rest IMO.

 

If you approach the package from the perspective that steering controls are worth $200, VSA worth $700, and nav at $950 being the price of admission, it becomes much more palatable.

Most of the folks swearing it's $2K down the drain haven't even driven a VSA GE Fit, so they dismiss it with a minimum of concern. Though it hasn't saved me from a total loss (yet), every time the thing kicks in, I always wonder how a non-VSA unit would react under identical circumstances, and I can't imagine it would recover stability quite as gracefully, especially in snow.

The factory nav requires no excuses either, except for the omission of bluetooth.

If the $1,850 for the package keeps you from getting into a GE Fit, I'd still buy a non-VSA car, but if the money is there, I vote go for it (because it adds tangible value to the car). Hopefully, for 2010 VSA will be standard on Sport, or at least a stand-alone option, and the choice will become more of a no-brainer than it is still to some.

 

if i were given the choice for oem navi or aftermarket in dash navi, id get the aftermarket. itll be cheaper and be much better. OEM is junk, whether it be a regular stereo, paper speakers etc

 

Imho, I always get the car without navi, cause getting a garmin is just cheaper and works just as good. And I live in chicago right now and its snowing a lot and I never really needed the traction control. The car handles flawlessly through the snow and I never got stuck. The funny thing is, I think my car handles snow better than a hummer!!

 

VSA works just as well on dry roads--maybe better. A sudden swerve to avoid an obstacle in the road, even at highway speed, creates no drama. Not even a tire chirp.

 

I think the little extra money for the Navi/VSA is well worth. It just replaces the stock stereo which seems plain to me and VSA, you will definitely need it. I had something cut in front of me one time and had to swerve. The VSA had kicked in and you can tell the difference when its off or on.

I think I remember someone saying that VSA is going to be standard in all cars?

 

yeah. my 07 fit doesnt have vsa, and i crash and die daily