Ok, so I've been looking at these units for over 2 years now and I still can't decide. Overall, I think these navigation units are to expensive, but dang it I can't get over the WOW factor they seem to offer and the way they seem to add extra class to the interior of our trucks. Here is my delima/questions...

I really like the Z1 but the price tag is more than I can talk my self into spending. Love all the features but not impressed with the blue lights on the buttons. I know that's a picky detail but I have this thing about maintainig the factory appreance. I would never need the blue tooth feature. Love the hard drive, no more CD's. XM ready!!

The avn 5495 offers me basicly the same basic features of the Z1, and I can get the green lights on the buttons, but again the price tag is more than I'm willing to fork out. Got the hard drive no more CD's. No good for XM

The avn 5435...Hmm now this is getting in my price range, over at crutchfield they've got it at $1200. Same green lights and trime as the 5495 which I think looks as close to a factory trim with brushed aluminum as we can get. Doesn't have a hard drive No good for XM

The avn 5500/6600... Can't see much difference between these units other than map view, and about 300 bucks or so. More so, I can't really see that many differences between these 2 units and the 5435.

Ok, so here's my requirements. I've got XM radio and as long as I can connect my XM and gain bettere reception than the current FM modulation that I've got I'll be happy. I really like the hard drive feature on the more pricey units but can't convience my self to spend that much for one of these units, especially the 5495. Finaly, I just personally think the Eclipse units look much better in our trucks. I don't travel that much but want to have the navigation feature for the times I do travel. I may be getting an Ipod for Christmas, and would like for it to be functional with the head unit.

So, would it be crazy to go with the 5435, get the ipod and use it like the Hard drive in the more pricey units. I've read the IPC-106's don't fully intergrate with the 5435, but will allow you to listen to the music stored on your Ipod. That should be fine wiht me, heck I don't need to see the name of the band and what album the song is on, on my screen to be happy. As long as I can hook up my Ipod to the 5435 and be able to randomize my play list I'll be happy. Will the 5435 and the IPC-106 allow me to do this? Thanks for any comments and accept my appologies for my excesive length!

 

im telling ya man....go with eclipse....but i did what i thought was smarter.....took my 1500, bought me 2 10" subs...a box....a amp for them...a speaker amp...and some components.

vs

the one 7 inch tv screen in your dash....that tells you where to go. honestly when i buy a double din im not going navigation.....i can use a map if i have to which is rare that i need to.

 

I can use a map also, but the nav systems ar so nice to have and much more convenient than trying to read a map while driving and then remember the directions. I admit I dont use my nav system very often (maybe once a month), it comes in very handy when I do need it. My wife on the other hand absolutely loves having a GPS unit and constantly uses hers.

 

thanks for the input guys. I agree that the use of a map or getting directions off the net prior to setting out on a road trip have always gotten me to my destination. But during those times, traveling in an unknown territory makes driving difficult sometimes. Say if you're by yourself and you're traveling to large metropolitian city during rush hour traffic, you know your exit or the street you looking for, but trying to glance at your map/directions, keeping your eyes on the road and trying to make lane changes at the last minute instead of having the navigation system tell you.

As far as speakers, that's just not my interest. I'm one of those that thinks the factory audiophile system is awesome and more than I could ever want. I've read several posts where guys have kept the factory audiophile system and added an aftermarket head unit and made the factory speakers sound that mmuch better. Nothing wrong with it, but I'm just not one of those guys that listens to my music that loud, or an audiophile head that needs the ulitmate mix of mids and highs with great bass.

I just need conformation about the use of the IPC-106 with the AVN 5435. Will it at least shuffle the tracks on the Ipod? If it can perform that feature that's all I'll need. I've got a 1gb flash drive that has ~6 hours of music, so I'm thinking a 30gb Ipod would hold at least 140+ hours of music, if this thing can shuffle the play list I'll be happy.

 

The main differences between the 5435 and 5500/6600 are as follows:
5435 last years model replaced this year with the 5500
the mapping is a newer version and has the street level mapping for some areas.
the ipod control is basically the same between the 2
5500 has a one year warranty
5435 has a 3 year warranty if purchased from an authorized(not ebay) dealer.

The 6600 is a step up above both
new mapping inc street level
dual dvd slots so you can play a movie and use nav simultaneously
rear seat function allows you to play a movie for an additional screen while listening to the radio in the front
subwoofer crossover control (very useful when integrating with the stock audiophile system)
the 6600 has the best ipod control eclipse has to offer including browse list, text, and album random.

all 3 eclipse models have an aux set of rca inputs so you can easilly adapt an xm player into them.

I do a lot of traveling and don't always know where my next destination may be, my eclipse takes all the difficulty out of that. Maps and mapquest don't even come close.

 

I agree with nothinbutaford...my eclipse avn 5500 is the ****...the only thing is I wish so bad that I had gotten the avn 6600...all the differences he mentioned PLUS it actually has a tv tuner that you can hook up to it too....and get some channels...besides the ipc 06 doesnt really work for **** with my 5500...but I hear it works great with the 6600