I'm getting a TCH without the Nav system in a few days. However, reading the reviews, a lot of TCH owners rave about the Nav system. I'm beginning to wonder if I had made a mistake of NOT buying one. However, to upgrade, it will be not only the Nav system but also leather as well. We're talking about around $3,000 more!

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

If you can afford it....Do it!!

Look into the future for a minute...once the car is paid for....you'll wish you had loaded it up with all the bells and whistles.

It's a car that will be difficult to be bored with and the additional toys are both useful and impressive.

Byron

I never thought I wanted a NAV system but I did want leather and heated seats so I got a loaded one. I'm still not used to using the Navagation part but found it extreemly handly on vacation. However my greatest interest is the Consumption and Energy screens which have helped me understand better what my TCH is doing and has heled me learn how to increase my FE. Can't say though that it would be worth $3000 since you can't get it without the leather.

I don't really have a need for a GPS system but as far as the monitoring of the energy consumption feature, shouldn't you be able to do the same thing with the "barebone" TCH (i.e. without Nav Sys)?

Hesatechie,

When I purchased my TCH the dealership only had a stripped one coming in so I have the TCH without NAV. I do wish that I had the energy and consumption display. However, I didn't see a need for a NAV system. But for $3000 extra I wouldn't want it that much.

As to your 2nd question - the barebones model gives you a lot of the information. However you only get one piece of information at a time. I find myself going back and forth between the energy flow display (which is much less detailed than the NAVs) the trip FE bar graph, and the tank average. Most, if not all of that info is available on the NAV screen simultaneously.

Also, the NAV version gives you more info. The energy consumption on the non-NAV just shows an engine, battery and wheels. It will show when the battery and/or the engine is driving the wheels. It will show when regen is charging the battery. But it won't show when the engine is recharging the battery. The NAV system will show a minute by minute breakdown of FE. It will show a minute by minute breakdown of battery regen. It has a resettable FE display that will hold your 'best' FE.

With that said I would have spent several hundred dollars for it. If I had wanted leather and a moon roof I would have sprung for the cost of the NAV system. But I wouldn't spend well over $3000 for several options I don't want to get the display.

My dealership is accepting "Build to Order" TCH's also sometimes referred to "out of box" orders. 60 to 90 day delivery but you get to specify exactly the options you want or don't want. So you could order a NAV sans leather etc.
I believe only TCH's built in the US (as in Kentucky etc.) are capable of being BTO.
J

I thought the hybrids were still only being manufactured in Japan. Is the Kentucky plant really starting to produce hybrids as well?

If building to order puts you past a September 30 delivery date then you lose $1300 of your tax credit which coincidentally is about the cost of the NAV system.

Not true. I have a BTO camry sitting at the dock to be delivered to my dealership within the next couple of days. It is coming from Japan. It has taken nearly 90 days from the order date to get here.

Thanks for the detail explanination on the non-Nav vs. Nav features, Orcrone. I think I can live with the scrolling to save $3000.

However, a follow up question that may tip the scale on the upgrade: Besides display energy information, can the Nav sys display car diagnostic problems? For example, the AC does not work and the display shows which component is failing or which break pads are too thin need replacing. If this is possible then looks like I may have to take the plunge on the Nav Sys.