http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...ale-usat_N.htm

Glad (I was glad before I read this too) I got a Garmin nav, and not the built-in one.

I think there are benefits to going either way, built-in, or aftermarket. I doubt the aftermarket units retain any bigger percentage of the original price than the article reports for the in-dash units. New car options in general, are a loser at resale time, most return much less than 50% of the original price....oh well....I am not about to do without A/C, and now, that I have NAV in my TCH, I won't do without it on my next car either.

I like my factory built-in unit for it's estetics, and the fact that I don't have dangling cords and the fear of theft whenever I park it outside of my garage. I agree, the aftermarket units offer some great features, specificaly the ability to take it with you and change cars, and a few more data points. (elevation, vehicle speed...)

Thanks for the link, interesting reading!

I would agree for any conventional factory installed unit but not for the one in the camry hybrid. I drive the car mostly in the city where I do not need the navigation but the other features for energy management/Bluetooth dial are very useful. When I got the car last summer I fought over this choice for a long time knowing that I will use it scarcely for the navigation but now I am glad I bought it with factory installed unit for the additional features. In fact it shouldn't even be called a navigation unit since it is more of a communication interface between you and your car .

I agree 100% I even forgot that the main reason I wanted a TCH with the Factory NAV was for the energy screens. Now, I doubt I would buy a car without NAV...or without the energy screens.

Like lovekills I also went back and fourth trying to decided if I should get the factory NAV. I had no desire for at all to tell you the truth. I figured I do NOT NEED it. But I got it anyhow since it had all the other nice features and I am happy with it. I wish they didn't have those annoying lockouts and that the voice was a bit better but all-in-all it was worth it. People like to look at it too :-)

There is no question I would have got the TCH with the NAV, resale value or not. In fact yesterday the NAV helped me avoid siting in grid lock traffic because of road work. I was able to find an alternate route to my destination.

More than likely all future cars will be bought with a NAV in it...

I got the NAV and I'm glad I did. Resale value or not is up to the owner. I'm the one using the car and the NAV. I bought the car for me. If someone is always worried about resale value when buying a car, he/she should just lease a luxury car.

Just my 2 cents.

If the Navigation is not updated (re: software), it doesn't matter if it's handheld or integrated it would be worthless. Certainly if Toyota fails to upgrade the data periodically, the Navigation would be useless. I can see how that would lead to greater depreciation.

I have no regrets regarding the Nav in my car. Considering it just happened to have everything else that I wanted, I didn't care either way (if it had Nav or even if it were a hybrid).

TCH 50th Anniversary Edition

I think this whole article is little misleading. That 53% original price for car with Nav unit is still higher than 55% price of the car without it.
First of all I don't recall my TCH Nav system was $2000 option, more like $1300????
Second of all factory Nav units are ripoff, way overpriced, like most dealer options. They should cost no more than $1000.
3 people who buy used cars are usually looking for quality, INEXPENSIVE cars and since you can buy portable navigation system for less than $500, I can see why somebody on the tight budget wouldn't want to pay extra money for Nav. system and spend that extra cash on lower millage car instead.
Electronic gadgets are one of the fastest depreciating items, if you don't believe me try to sell 1 year old computer for 50% of price you paid.
I have both factory and portable navigation system and use both extensively and can't imagine driving without one, but if I was going to buy new car, it would be with factory Nav for sure, regardless.

The implication is that the NAV system is not worth the money if it is factory installed. However, since the TCH also includes the energy screen with minute by minute graphics of FE and the ability to look at FE over any period you want to test, that premise is invalid. I contend that I have increased my FE by at least 5% by using this screen. Over the life that I will keep the TCH, that will more than offset depreciation of the NAV system with fuel savings.