Has any one retrofitted the OEM nav for their 997.1? I'm looking at the following item from Suncoast:

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/me...997ELECTRONICS

Is there anything else that is needed, other than the installation? Also, does the installation have to be done at a dealership for programing purposes? TIA!

 

I ordered mine with it already installed, like many do. It's not a difficult endeavor. Make sure that it's a complete kit (assumably so) with the antenna, and appropriate cabling. I suspect but don't know for sure if you have to get the dealer to activate some sort of PCM recognition within the car. It would stand to reason that the system would have to undergo some sore of polling to initialize the recognition of it, and then you're set.

Personally, I like the way this unit works. The latest offering from Porsche requires a hard drive data dump to update it (not easily pirated) while these are DVD based. I also don't care for a touch screen as that means you have to look over to ensure what you 'touched' took the input. With a tactile live button you get the feedback without having to actually look away from the road.

 

I'd go w/ a 'portable' Garmin, Tom Tom, etc if I was you. They'll cost you considerable less, have more features, easily update-able, can be moved for car-to-car, etc. etc. The top of the line unit will cost you less than $500; that's close to $2000 less than sticking a 'genuine' Porsche unit in. They also offer 'traffic monitoring'; a nice plus if you do a lot of city, fwy or expressway driving.

Sure it's nice having the NAV integrated but for the price of $2300 plus installation it's not the best post factory option.

 

Call me El Cheapo Grande...but I bought a Garmin for about $160 and couldn't be happier. It also matches my car interior. Thats alot of change left over. Not only does my 997 Targa have a nav unit but since its portable my 280sl, 83sc, and bmw 3.0csi all share the same unit for the same price!
abe

 

Which is the best portable nav available? Can someone offer up a model #? MTIA

 

There are so many models out there that alot depends on what features you like. I went with Garmin and it was a wider screen basic unit...don't recall the model. Best thing is to go to best buy or circuit city and look at them.
abe

 

+1 on the Garmin!

 

I like my Garmin Nuvi 250 a lot. But there are many good makes and models. One good source of technical evaluations is CNET.com. There are some excellent performers for less than $250 now.

I agree that the portables are as good or better than the Porsche Nav, other than the fact that they don't mute your sound system. On the other hand, I find adjusting the volume on the Porsche nav to be awkward.

 

Just sent you email.

 

Yes, I've had an OEM nav system retrofitted in my 997S (2005). The car had the PCM screen, phone keyboard, etc. But the original owner didn't check the Nav system option box.
I did run in to a difficulty in ordering/installing it in that there is a subtle difference between the Nav kit for an AWD versus the kit for RWD. They accidentally installed the AWD unit in my RWD car, and it frequently and severely got 'lost'. Pretty funny once I and my dealer realized what had happened. It wasn't actually my dealers fault. There was a comedy of errors leading up to the substitution of the correct unit.
But the Nav now works perfectly - so again, it can readily be done.
Net net is that I have a perfect, unused, fully boxed and packed Nav add-on kit for a 997 AWD car sitting in my garage. For sale - at a reasonable price. If anyone is interested.
(and I hope I'm not violating the by-laws of the forum)

 

Oh, and I strongly recommend that the installation be left to your dealer or tech.

 

Would someone who is using a portable Garmin or Tom Tom please post some interior photos so we can see what it would look like? I'm having a hard time picturing exactly where I would mount it...Thanks

 

Here is a shot of where I installed my Garmin in my C55. I expect the same location should work in the Porsche. This location makes it easy to touch the screen, and doesn't block visibility very much. I can never understand why some people mount their smack in the middle of the windshield, thus blocking their view of the road.

 

Thanks, that is an excellent photo showing a sensible placement...I have the Sport Chrono, so even if I was to put it in the centre of the dash (which seems to be dangerous), I'm not sure it would really fit. Again, thanks...

 

Or you could stick it on the face of your Sport Chrono lap timer!