Driver72

All things you can get with an Iphone and more. The apps for many of those things too are free.

BTW, Magellan and others can be had with larger than 4.3 inch screens for those who wondered. I saw one with a 7" display for $239
Oh, and my current Magellan for my work van displays local gas stations, food, and other "points of interest".

I'd pass on the "electronics package"
Other than maybe the voice recognition, there is nothing it offers you can't get for LOTS less money anyway. (ie: $149-239 GPS and a $199 Iphone)

Just think with the $2000 you'll save you can put on Intake, exhaust, tune and be rocking an additional 50 hp. Money MUCH better spent in a performance car.

RedWings

Yes you can get probably piece together a system that is comparable to the electronics package but some prefer a clean install. NOt multiple pieces all over the car. One screen.

But no way are you going to get a system as kick *** as this by using multiple pieces.

- Steering wheel controls
- Plug/Play ipod or USB drive. It indexes your music and you don't have to fiddle with your ipod at all.
- Sync with phone. Syncs your contacts, text messages, call history.
- Navigation. I assume you can find a contact and tell it to drive to that person's location.

Those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this system.

When I get in my car, I don't want to have to fiddle with my ipod, my phone, and my garmin. I want it all in one place that is easily accessible by not only me...but by my passenger. Also, when you start bringing in Ipods, phones, and Garmins....you are going to have an unattractive spaghetti factory.

Just to add. I am a gadget freak and a geek. So this package was not an 'option'. It was mandatory.

RandyW

Yep, that's how I was able to afford it. Each time I was tempted to buy another bear, I just had to keep reminding myself I need to save up for the Electronics Package. The bad thing is that those **** bears keep scratching up the touch screen with their claws, even though I make them wear mittens in the car!

Driver72

If you are financing, the $40 with tax and interest is actually more like $48-52 per month.
So you are really spending closer to $3000 for it.

Overboost

That's why waiting to see if the incentives grow in the next few months might make it a more worthwhile option to choose.

Double-EDad

Re-read more carefully. I didn't say I thought they COULD do it, I just said that was what it was worth to ME. I know they won't/can't/don't do it for $500. I don't understand why you've seemingly made me your personal target.

RedWings

The way i look at it the electronics package was paid with my down payment

monkeystash

The EP is awesome, period. Although I didn't order it, I loved playing with it for an hour at the dealership. I personally couldn't justify it for myself, but I'm sure others can. I was really impressed how it shared information with the driver, and the overall layout of the programs.

corvettedreamin

One problem with the $199 iPhone theory. It doesn't really do jack by itself. You have to pay a monthly fee. And a contract. So there you have it... your $199 phone is now more like $2600. EP paid for and then some. Without a recurring cost after the first 2 years. Unless you upgrade the maps. Again, not the same as a new 2-year contract costing $2000+. You want to make calls occasionally? Get a trac phone (or equivalent.)

If I did not HAVE the extra money for the EP, I'd go the discount route and get the cheap upgradeable GPS and phone. But once you use the EP, it's one of those things that you'll probably always want in all your cars. It's not just nav, it's an entirely new driving experience and it's NOT BMW's iDrive.

Plus its lack of voice recognition ability requiring me to say an address 6 times does a good job of building coping skills. My therapist says I've come a long way since my purchase. :-)

laserred38

I didn't personally target you for no reason. I was responding to you saying if the EP were under $500, you'd take it. I'm simply pointing out how irrational that is. You came from Hondas. Don't tell me an Accord EX-L with navi is $500 more than a regular EX-L.

corvettedreamin

New or used?

DaSFGiants4Life

The EP IMO is well worth the money. If you wan't anything remotely like what the EP offers I say go for it, because any aftermarket place that you look for will charge you for the unit plus a steep instalation fee (depending on what features you want). I'm a very big electronic guy and if your into that kind of stuff, it's well worth the cash.

laserred38

This guy...

NEW!! And for that matter, aftermarket (in dash, not portable) GPS navi units can't be found for less than $1000, when you compare the ones that offer similar performance to the EP. That's before install.

corvettedreamin

Keeping you on your toes, Patrick!

Technology options will depreciate quickly in cars whether they're OEM or after market. You just have to decide if the features/benefits are worth the price for the time you're going to own it. I've done enough installs to know that they almost never LOOK right without some serious customization. And that's big bucks. I'd like my $30k+ car to look right, thanks. Having a bunch of wires and suction cups hanging in a car at this price point just seems, well, ghetto. Not that there's anything wrong with the ghetto... just sayin' you might as well add some 24" rims too. . .

Double-EDad

I know you're a young fellow but didn't you ever have a Grandpa or someone say, "I wouldn't give you 10 cents for that ___" (fill in the blank with any new-fangled object)? They weren't saying they actually THOUGHT someone might be actually selling it for 9 cents somewhere, they were just stating what the object in question was WORTH TO THEM, as in NOT MUCH.

My point, which you don't seem to be getting, is that the Electronics "Package"* is worth no more than $500 to me. Stop trying to read anything else into that statement.



*It would be more like a "Package" and worth closer to the asking price if it was indeed PACKAGED with the comfort "package" and the rear view camera (my opinion, and yes in this case I am saying they should be able to produce it all as a package for the absurd Electronics package asking price of $2340).

sdsguy

i test drove a GT/CS this morning, it had the EP package and it told me i was on the off ramp...that was pretty cool. i'm not aware of many other systems doing that. i will say i only noticed because the dealer pointed it to me, but it was nice.

db2797

The comparisons to the IPhone having the same functionality is a horrible comparison. I have a droid which has "all that stuff"...and I'm sorry, but a tiny 3" screen that I have to hold in my hand is NO comparison to the integrated EP. I used my droid nav many times before my Mustang and the EP and juggling the phone around while trying to hear the voice on it as it shouted out directions, and then missing it and trying to look at that tiny screen while driving and figuring out where the hell I was is a hilarious example compared to the ease of use of the EP.

Sorry...no comparison...and this is coming from a guy that pays the monthly fee for the data package and loves my Droid.

laserred38

That made me chuckle. However, I completely agree with that last statement. I even started a thread on it. For that money, they should be including the Comfort and Security Packages. The Backup Cam, you could argue either way, but I would leave it as a standalone option.

RoyBatty

My 2 cents:

1. Nope, get a cheap Magellan for less than $200. Take the rest of the money and get an intake, exhaust, and tune. More bang for your buck IMO. I don't want sports scores and I don't need a computer to tell me its raining

2. Go cashmere, its classy and 2 different blues look funky, contrast is good.

Driver72

Except that monthly fee is about $20 a month and it allows unlimited web surfing and use.
Something I'd of gotten anyway, so the Google Maps and Nav is therefore a bonus and in a sense free. Something the Electronics Package doesn't offer. So why pay $3000 for a larger screen and duplicate GPS and hard drive space for music?
Sure the screen and stuff is nicer in the car, but other than the voice command, it really does nothing more than what my $169 Magellan and $199 Iphone 4 does for me, and the Iphone 4 does much more than the EP can ever offer.
I get an all in one with the Iphone and FaceTime rocks, worth it for the iphone 4 for just that too.