rjklein

I ordered a GTS, and I am contemplating the PCM. Is this little gizmo worth it? Or should I just go aftermarket.

SnP

Is it worth it?

Probably not when you consider the plasma screen you could buy with the equivalent cash.

That said, there are a couple of things I like about it that my Garmin Nuvi can't do.

I like the big screen for seeing the map,
I like that it is installed in the dash so I don't have to add and remove the winshield Nuvi every time I enter/exit the car,
I like the turn by turn directions that show up in the dash pod cluster,
and, I like that the nav will automatically turn the volume on the the stereo when the guid is speaking.

I don't like that you can't search on the name of a business, (at least I haven't figure out how to do that,)
and I don't like the lack of touch screen for data input.

The right choice is probably an aftermarket head unit that incoporates nav, bluetooth, ipod, and video integration.

droptop

look at the number of people who have had problems with it on this forum. now look at what is available for NAV on the 04, vs what is in best buy now, and project that forward 2 years. finally, with the PCM, you are stuck. there is no upgrade path, there is no way to get to the HD IPOD steve jobs has up his sleve, what you have when you roll out the door is it.

oh, and the maps suck on toast.

APXD 30

I am a Garmin user and researched upgrading to the _70 series with both US & European roads. I was pretty confident that I was going to skip ordering PCM for the limitations you mentioned (touch screen, etc). You may be able to update the maps in the future but, of course, Porsche will charge an arm & a leg.

In the end, I ordered it for the reasons SnP mentioned and because the stock radio looks terrible. IMO, it is a step back to my '99 986 head unit. The Cayenne is a great looking & performing vehicle but the interior is it's major short coming. At least the PCM spruces it up a bit.

JPD
'06 987 S
'06 GTI MkV
'03 A4Q
'08 Cayenne Euro Delivery 6/30/08

mudman2

I have PCM. The latest maps are dated 2005.

NO

buy a TomTom or a third party system which is feature rich and comes with support.

JRCTT

How long do you plan on keeping the GTS? If I was only going to keep it for 3-4 years I would get PCM hands down...most of the time I watch the cluster for turns - best feature IMO

ltc

Just wait until PCM3.0 is unleashed upon the world........you'll all be wishing you had it.

Widescreen touchscreen
HDTV
Bluetooth
iPod
Satellite radio
Satellite telephone
Radar jammer
Handsfree control
Voice/Thumbprint identificaiton
Espresso maker

droptop

if you are going to be giving away secrets, at least give them all away.

cloaking device
stargate dialing control
and best of all....

"GOOD MORNING, DAVE"

wilfred

Despite the navigation is not very good (no touchscreen and not user friendly IMO), I do like the looks of it over the standard single DIN radio and I do like the Onboard Computer and Electronic Logbook functions it offers. Especially if you do a lot of long distance traveling.

And if you are going to get it, consider getting the Telephone Module if you use GSM cell phone. It's one option I wish I have, there is a little slot where you can put your phone card.

bigboy

Not sure if I agree. Popping out SIM cards in and out of phones seems awfully inconvenient. I think adding the Parrot bluetooth or the Mobridge w/Bluetooth aftermarket with PCM is a better idea.

mudman2

In europe people get a Sim only phone so they do not have to swap out all the time. You cannot get such a thing in the states, not with the GSM carriers I use anyway.

ozcav

I didn't get it with my 997 because after fidling with it I knew it would just annoy me due to how bad it was. My wife really wanted it in her Cayenne and arguably the screen does look better so we got it. Now, when I make the mistake of attempting to use the nav, it really annoys me. It is generations behind the stuff you could get in say a Lexus and just doesn't work very well.

mudman2

I dont have any problems using it and it does work, but maps are my big issue. The user interface is different but so long as your not driving when your using it it works also

Compared to my wifes TomTom its barbaric tho'

MadFox

I disagree ---- IF ----- you get the PCM/Nav with '06 Tit.S or later (i.e. DVD version). My wife's Acura NAV sucks by comparison.. the display of vehicle and location is small - roads are not clearly legible. NavTeq/PAG is definitely better but also a lot more $$$ but it came with a big discount and then includes a lot of other features for CD/Radio etc.. I bought a inexpensive low end model of Tom-Tom for my daughter and for the money that is great.. but really only useful as voice-guided. With the PCM/DVD Nav.. I have had great turn by turn in British (and for fun other languages when "guests" are in the car!! ... and have yet to find any location that isn't in the upgraded NavTeq database. Beta CD version sucked only because of old data and no upgrade. Now I'm realisitic enough to know that PAG won't upgrade this.. but for another 3-4 years it is sufficient and I'm glad that I have it.

ozcav

Let me qualify this with my father has this weird GPS addiction and we get him a new handheld or auto one for basically every one of his birthdays and at Christmas. So, I have used a lot of aftermarket navs and am pretty familiar with the type of features I like to see in a nav. Our CS is an 08, so it is the newest version of PCM. But, it still blows IMO. You can't set it to always point north (it defaults to vehicle direction below a certain scale), the input screen is very poor and can make it difficult to find the proper street, town, etc, the street names on the map rarely display consistently enough to be overly useful, etc.. I had nav on an 03 BMW that I was not very fond of too and the 08 PCM is worse. Our Lexus nav was far more intuitive and touchscreen is far faster for input.