Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I am glad to hear from someone who has used this service. I made sure both of my daughters had NAV compatible phones from Verizon, just in case they ever needed to use them.
"Portability on the hip" is a definite advantage that this implementation offers...
I have read that they are smart enough however to realize that the owners of these items just remove from the holder and put in the center console or glove compartment. So they are even going as far as looking for the telltale suction cup marks on the windshield and if they see it, they are breaking in to see if the unit is in the car. If not, they steal whatever else is available.
I also have a portable Garmin,and there is NO WAY that I would leave it unattended in a car, even in my driveway, doors locked and all. I don't even leave coins out in the open...
Why would anyone tempt a thief to break a window (or do much worse) by leaving an attractive device out in plain view? And, like you stated, even if all that is visible is the mount, a thief knows the unit is more than likely also in the vehicle...
Even if you personally have a special deal, it isn't the norm and exceptions aren't helpful to most people.
Regardless, even if it was only $9.99 on top of a standard voice plan and no extra cost data was needed, cost wasn't the major issue and wouldn't change the experience at a different price, so it doesn't matter now.
Since it was a little bit of a hassle to hide the portable nav from theft, I decided to see if any alternatives would be worth it. I tried the cellphone based service and I lost access to navigation when I was out of the coverage area and I lost the navigation when I needed to answer or make a call. The database they use for business lookup was poor even though it's on their servers and they could update if they were inclined to, but have elected not to. That is too much inconvenience even for a cheap price.
I then looked at the built-in navigation in the Accord EX-L Navi and it wasn't intuitive at all. I was able to use the Garmin out of the box without looking at any manuals.
I could probably read the manual and figure out most the Honda's nav system in an hour, but the cost is ridiculous especially since I really only wanted an LX_P. It is at least $6K to upgrade from an LX-P to an EX-L with Navi. You get leather and other extras for the money, but I didn't want or need the other options.
Also, both EX-L Accords I drove had rattles and the Navi model had an additional rattle around the Navi's disc drive, so I have been turned off from the EX-Ls for good.
So, I am not so desperate to not have to hide the Garmin as to accept a cellphone nav or pay for an EX-L with nav.
There is Garmin Nuvi cell phone coming
and maybe there will be an Apple iPhone with built-in gps nav in the future that will be great and I'll can always try those when the come out, but there is nothing available right now that's worth it to me.
You are incorrect on this one. I have a standard family share nationwide plan. A few months ago I headed out west. I was in the car a total of 15 hours r/t and had VZ Nav on 100% of the time. When I got my bill that month and the next month, Total was $9.99 and $9.99. This is Verizon Wireless not AT&T. You have to understand how Verizon charges. Last year around Sept. they made air-time and data usage of VZ Nav free and unlimited. Every month my bill for VZNav is the same: $9.99. While I may be a "special" person, I don't have a special deal. VZW mixes things constantly, but this is my current plan.
That's why I always use the bean bag type holder that just lays on the dash. I only use my Magellan on long trips where I don't know the area so I simply remove the unit(take with) and place the holder/mount down in the footwell or behind the front seat. My interior is black and the holder/mount are black so it is very difficult to even see it if one stops and peers into the car.
You're both right about not leaving anything out in plain sight.
Getting Started
Download VZ Navigator on your phone, and subscribe for a monthly rate of $9.99 or use it when needed for $2.99 a day. (Per Day option not available on BlackBerry devices) VZ Navigator is pre-installed on some Verizon Wireless phones, and some have a shortcut to the application from the phone's main menu called 'Navigation'. See Get VZ Navigator for further information and download instructions
No where can I find that Verizon has any pre-conditions (other than a compatible phone) such as a special or unlimited minutes plan....
From the Sprint web-site...
Q: How do I find/purchase Sprint Navigation?
A: Sprint users must subscribe to a data plan in order to use Sprint Navigation. If you already have a data plan, click here to learn how to download Sprint Navigation.
If you do not already have a data plan, you can sign up for one by doing one of the following:
Go to the www.sprint.com and sign in to "My Sprint Wireless" to upgrade to a Power Vision Data Plan that includes Navigation
Call 1-800-SPRINT1 to upgrade to a Power Vision Data Plan or purchase Sprint Navigation for $9.99/month *
Go to a store and ask to upgrade to a Power Vision Data Plan or purchase Sprint Navigation for $9.99/month *
*Note: Without a data plan, Sprint Navigation will incur data usage costs.
From the AT&T web-site...
AT&T Navigator
AT&T Navigator Basic: $5.99 per month per device for 10 routes*
AT&T Navigator Premium: $9.99 per month per device for unlimited routes*
*A route is determined when a user types in the address of their destination in the AT&T Navigator application. The route would be from their starting location to the address/destination they originally entered into the application. That would be considered 1 route. If you miss a turn, re-routes are automatically sent to your device and are still considered part of the original route.
Don't know about any other carriers...
Can you supply any info that contradicts this information? I would like to know, as my daughters may need to use this some day...
I liked the interior. The gauges seemed a little small (just because I'm used to my larger ones probably, not a biggie). There were some cheap touches inside. The door covering the cupholders was flimsy, the moonroof cover didn't seem to set it place well, and a $29k car with no rear-seat armrest? My $19k 12 year old Honda has one! C'mon Chevy, get with it! Overall though, it was a good effort.
One problem? SIZE! The back seat of the Malibu was tighter on my legs than my 2006 Accord, which isn't a huge car in the first place. It had a claustrophobic feel all over, even though the front was plenty roomy.
I'm trying to be objective towards the Malibu, but I must admit it was difficult. I was at my local Chevy dealer (Premiere Chevrolet in Bessemer, AL) redeeming a "free oil change" coupon which I used on my old '96 Accord. Unfortunately, I spent two hours waiting on my car to be serviced, and while I was there, roaming the lot and checking out cars, NOT ONE EMPLOYEE spoke to me. In fact, the only friendly people there were the cashier in the service dept, and the service tech who brought my car around. They covered my driver's seat in grease, but the service tech managed to get it out (thank you Scott!).
I had forgotten how spoiled I am by two other dealers in my town (Serra Honda, and Town and Country Ford). Premiere Chevrolet simply sucks!
EDIT: On a side note, the dealership (a large one along the interstate) only had 4 Malibus; two LTZ V6s and two LT1s. They had probably 3 dozen Cobalts and 70 Silverados, however.
The only point I was attempting to make was that is doesn't pay to underestimate what folks will do nowadays. And, don't underestimate folks intelligence...the under 18 crowd knows how they will be treated by the courts if apprehended (no jail time in most cases unless multiple court appearances/charges), so in a sense, our legal system actually encourages some of this behavior.
Whether accomplished and selective thieves or simple opportunists, the result is still the same. Stolen items and property damage that must be dealt with by the car owner...
Just another example of the sad state of affairs we have to deal with these days....
Personally, I liked the security system of the "6000SUX" car in the movie "Robocop"...20,000 volts !!!
Both were more hassle that using my Garmin and putting it away when not needed, so I canceled both. I managed to live with AT&T's Telenav for a few months and canceled Sprint Navigation after 2 days.
Depending on your exact plan, some airtime/data charges may apply. The only way to know for sure is to call verizon wireless and ask them.
I was trying to be objective but I didn't like the base Malibu. The base Camry and Accord seems to be a better package overall.
I guess I must spend all my time in low crime areas, because I sure don't give much thought to the possibility of someone smashing windows to steal whatever is in my car. Of course, my MODT navigation system is not of much value, most components of it were free.
MODT = maps on dead tree
This just seems like a car that could steal sales away from their slow selling Passat. Can we say VW has an identity crisis? :confuse:
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
I'm sure that this questions has come up before but I'm going to ask it anyway.I have a couple of questions about resales values.
1. how are resale values calculated ?
2 How is it that the Fusion/Milan are better built than the Camry. But, the Camry still has a better resale value ?
Thanks
I can answer this one. The Camry has a higher resale value because more people want one, and are simply willing to pay more for them.
1) Does resale mean "trade-in" to a dealer or a private party sale?
2) Is resale value compared in the actual $ of the used car sale?
3) Is comparative resale based upon MSRP or the price actually paid to purchase the car new.
IMO, it crazy to say that a three year old car of brand X has better resale than brand Y, unless the purchase price new is more than the difference in value when sold three years later. Yet, a lot of people think that way.
2008 Ford Fusion
MSRP Ford Fusion $19,660.00
2008 Ford Fusion Resale value
2008 Toyota Camry
MSRP Toyota Camry $21,735.00
2008 Toyota Camry resale value
Now the graph for the Toyota Camry is clearly higher than the Fusion. Help me understand this :confuse:
The fact that everyone pays MSRP would give Scions a perceived high residual, and (as you already know) is one reason why most domestics have such lousy residuals ($6000 Lincoln Town Car rebate, anyone??? :P )
Like you, I wish it were possible to track the actual purchase price of each car vs the resale price years later in order to get a clearer picture.
Edmunds "true cost to own" provides an estimate of this and is based on their TMV as the starting point, rather than MSRP. Edmunds TCO also provides estimated reasale value so you can estimate your own personal depreciation based on the price you actually pay.
http://www.edmunds.com/apps/cto/CTOintroController
For the Fusion SE total estimated depreciation, based on $15,000 miles per year, is:
$4700 after 1 year
$6670 after 2
$8403 after 3
$9939 after 4
$11,318 after 5
For the Camry
$3939 after 1 year
$6242 after 2
$8268 after 3
$10,063 after 4
$11,675 after 5
So at 4 years or more the Ford has lower depreciation. But at any time, I think your personal depreciation is going to depend as much on how good a deal you get as it is on the resale value. The actual price paid can certainly vary by a few hundred to maybe as much as a couple thousand dollars at the time of purchase.
Where does KBB give this information? The links given, in the post that I was responding to, showed some vague graphs based on MSRP.
I assume wind resistance may be a very small player but is the gearing possibly that much different? I would think that a Corolla with the same drivetrain combo would have earned a better rating, not worse.
'08 Camry LE
2.4L / 5-speed Automatic
curb weight: 3,343 lbs
...............................1/4 mile time: 17.0 at 83 MPH
'09 Corolla XRS
2.4L / 5-speed Manual
curb weight: 2,930 lbs
..............................1/4 mile time: 15.9 at 88 MPH
FACTS:
1) The Corolla XRS (with manual) weighs 413 lbs less than the Camry LE (with automatic)
2) The Corolla's manual transmission sends more power to the drive wheel, compared to the Camry's automatic (torque converter power loss)
MY CONCLUSION:
The Corolla, being significantly lighter, and having more power at the drive wheel, should not require shorter gearing to reach the 1/4 mile 1.1 second faster than the Camry. Could it be the cheesy tacked-on ground effects on the XRS causing more drag at highway speeds? I assumed that as well, but the Camry SE has the same cheesy tacked on ground effects kit as the XRS, and the Camry SE gets EPA ratings identical to the Camry LE. So that rules out the drag theory. So.....either the XRS is running considerably higher RPM than the Camry at highway speeds (which would require the XRS the have shorter gearing, which is unlikely given the facts above), or somethin' aint right with the EPA's calculation formula. Or you can use your imagination and speculate as people love to do.
However, all joking aside, the EPA numbers are supposed to be accurate(comparatively) so I really wonder what gives.
My wiper motor works just fine. I'll see about it whenever I get a notice from Honda. I've been wanting to go by the dealership though, to check out the new models. Unfortunately, the wife will probably be the one to take it in. Oh well, I'll stop by one day.
Don't forget to look at the new Pilot when you go to the dealership, it looks like a winner.
I hope you're joking. That's the ugliest thing Honda has made since the Isuzu rebadge.