[pacsk07]

Hi All,
I am planning to buy a new Pacifica Touring L Plus and am interested in buying the Uconnect 8.4 Nav. Should I buy this navigation system through the dealer while purchasing the car or buy it later from the Chrysler website? what are the pros and cons ?

Thanks for your help

 

[tsax6010]

If you are adding the navigation to a factory Uconnect 8.4 radio, the upgrade can be purchased at any time. Keep in mind that there are a couple of differences between the Uconnect 8.4/RA3 with upgrade to navigation, and the Uconnect 8.4 Nav/RA4 as these are two different head unit models. Namely, with doing the upgrade to the Uconnect 8.4/RA3 you will not have HD Radio or 3-D City and Terrain Maps. If those things are important for you, you will want a Pacifica that comes with the RA4 head unit from the factory.

 

[pacsk07]

Thanks tsax6010 for your reply. This is helpful to know

 

[Tusk White]

I installed mine myself a week after purchase. Its pretty easy to do with activation codes. It downloads through the satellite antenna.

 

[Gohawks1224]

you WANT the HD radio! Trust me.

 

[SurfNC02]

Agreed...Get the Nav now if you want it...otherwise wait for the 2018s to launch and get it with Car/Android Play

 

[1984 Sheepdog]

you WANT the HD radio! Trust me.

When I was looking, I decided that I wanted the HD radio and NAV and preferred to stick with the 17" wheels (due to cost). I think the only one the dealer had with those specs was in a color my wife didn't like.


I decided I could do without the nice radio because there are very few HD radio stations in my area, so it wouldn't get used much anyway. Plus, if I end up activating the navigation in my car, I'd probably eventually decide to pay up for map updates, so I guess I save even a little more with the cheaper 8.4" infotainment option.


I think all cars should come with HD radios these days just because it is awesome, but I was very disappointed 2 years ago when I moved and plugged in my HD radio in my house, scanned for channels and it only found a couple of them . Plus, on road trips, the XM radio is much more useful than HD because you can listen to stations across a much larger area (though scanning through FM or AM can be fun sometimes too, but not when there is nothing there!). Later, I'll have to decide if I want to activate my Nav ready unit, or if I want to continue the XM once the free trial expires (would SiriusXM even still exist if it wasn't for the deals they have with car makers?).

 

[tsax6010]

you WANT the HD radio! Trust me.

It is staggering the audio quality difference. Since it can take a few seconds for the HD feed to take over, you get to listen to the standard FM feed briefly before getting smacked upside the head with the glorious full depth of ear candy that is HD Radio.

Once thing I do wish was handled a bit differently is browsing the alt HD feeds (-2, -3, etc). When a HD station is set to a favorite and you browse up/down to an alt feed, the next time you hit the steering wheel rear left audio control middle button to go to the next favorite it starts back over at the beginning of the fav list, unless you first browse back to the -x feed that is configured as the favorite.

1st world problems...

 

[Gohawks1224]

another thing that crossed my mind is, having NAV, in theory, should help sell your van later on.

 

[Badge56]

what version RA3 or RA4

How can you tell what version of Uconnect you are getting when you order your van?
RA3 or RA4 ?

 

[CentralFla]

If you order the van with the factory installed NAV, you'll get the RA4 with HD and 3D terrain. The RA3 NAV is the one that you purchase an activation code (at any time after purchase of vehicle) for your NAV capable vehicle, no 3D or HD radio.


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[volt779]

I installed mine myself a week after purchase. Its pretty easy to do with activation codes. It downloads through the satellite antenna.

Tusk, wondering whether you can use voice recognition for inputting destinations on your newly unlocked nav. It looks like only the RA4 unit has single entry voice input for the Nav - i.e., you can press the voice recognition button (VR button) say 123 Smith Street, Chicago, IL and it will process but does yours allow you to input destinations by voice command at all?

My Dad's Volt has the latter - you press the VR button and then it will ask for a command; you then say navigation and it will process, beep and ask for state; then process, beep and ask for city; and so on. Cumbersome to the say the least but at least you can input a destination while driving.

If anyone else has unlocked theirs and knows, would appreciate it the info. Hoping the RA3 has some kind of voice input for the Nav (at least is should for $595)!

 

[CentralFla]

My Dad's Volt has the latter - you press the VR button and then it will ask for a command; you then say navigation and it will process, beep and ask for state; then process, beep and ask for city; and so on. Cumbersome to the say the least but at least you can input a destination while driving.

If anyone else has unlocked theirs and knows, would appreciate it the info. Hoping the RA3 has some kind of voice input for the Nav (at least is should for $595)!

That's exactly the way the RA3 works (voice input), kinda of a pain but it can be done. I generally enter a destination before I hit the road by using the NAV keyboard or the "Send & Go" App (1 more month remaining on my trial subscription).



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[volt779]

That's exactly the way the RA3 works (voice input), kinda of a pain but it can be done. I generally enter a destination before I hit the road by using the NAV keyboard or the "Send & Go" App (1 more month remaining on my trial subscription).



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Thanks Central, that is great to know. Probably will go ahead and get it then but wait until there is a promo going on. Ordered a Kenu Airframe Vent mount for my wife's phone in the meantime so she can use her phone to navigate.

 

[mjoshi]

Hi All,
I am planning to buy a new Pacifica Touring L Plus and am interested in buying the Uconnect 8.4 Nav. Should I buy this navigation system through the dealer while purchasing the car or buy it later from the Chrysler website? what are the pros and cons ?

Thanks for your help

Curious - if you are already interested in getting NAV why not get it now instead of later ? There is not much of price difference as an add-on v/s activate later.

 

[CentralFla]

mjoshi, I'm not sure what the dealer charges the buyer for the activation, but purchasing the activation code yourself after delivery right now is $595+ tax. I fortunately hit a $100 off promo last December and got it for $495+ tax. The process of activating the code is simple and straight forward. Anyone with a portable GPS unit may want to continue using that until there is another promo, as I'm sure at some point there will be. If the dealerships' fee is $595+ tax (and no labor charge), and your'e sure that you want the NAV now, then I say go ahead and have them do it.

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[Badge56]

I ordered a Touring L Plus with the NAV option. Will it be the RA4 or RA3?
Thanks

 

[CentralFla]

RA4, $695 option.


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