PNI Wayfinder V2000 Deluxe Vehicle Information Center
By: PNI Average Rating: 3.0 Total Reviews: 28
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 On: 2007-09-14
This compass is excellent at being a compass, in the demanding situation of a rally car. Forget fiddling with the temperature sensor, not worth it. Easy to calibrate (but vital that you do) Accurate and has the most desirable feature - 16 Cardinal points, not the 8 points like other wayfinder models (The V1000 also has 16 points, but night light situation not a good as the V2000 as it is not auto and continuous).
The back lighting is excellent, clear but not dictracting and turns on when needed.
 On: 2007-05-23
I bought this product after seeing the reviews. At first, I couldnt get the thermo to work at the right temp. It was always 7 deg higher. Then I changed the location to the front grill and it works! However, when I am at a light or stopped, the temp then goes way up. As soon as I drive, it goes to the right temp. Does anyone have a suggestion to stabilize the temp? The compass works great, though. I tried to move it closer to me - on the dashboard not on the windshield - and it wouldnt work. It said "distortion". So I moved it back and everything is OK. I have not installed the hard wire yet. Battery seems good enough.
 On: 2007-02-16
This compass fails to do the one simple task I purchased it for, which is simply telling me which direction I am going.
I spent $[...] for a [...] compass made out of crap materials. It works only for the direction you set it at. For example if you set it while facing north, it will be correct when you go north- but if you change directions, the result is completely random....
This compass only works for one direction- and therefore it is utterly useless for a car situation where you actually (gasp) might turn.
absolute rippoff.
On: 2007-02-01
Please advise me if I can get a new Plu in senor Temp wire plug in this item come in defective and dont work? Please advise ASAP
Thanks
Walter Gay
On: 2007-01-27
I purchased this because I get my directions mixed up so easily and am always wanting to know what the temperature is outside. This was so easy to install and set up. I just love it and would encourage anyone to get this if you have a vehicle that does not already have the temp and directions in your rear view mirror.
On: 2007-01-10
The compass is very accurate and works great most of the time. The only small problem Ive experienced is the need to re-set the compass about 2 to 3 times per month. Also the temp. reading is not very accurate even by placing in the door jamb as stated in instructions. Buy this for the compass and you should be happy, not for the temperature readings, mine are almost always off about 10 degrees.
On: 2006-03-15
I installed the V2000 only for the compass, as my vehicle is already equipped with a temperature sensor. I appreciate the easy-to-read dual display of compass rose and degrees. The V2000 seems to be very accurate as it displayed the same degrees as my army-issue lensatic compass. It is easily installed and aligned and was very helpful at night with an overcast sky, when no stars were visible. I would definitely recommend this product.
 On: 2006-02-28
This unit works as advertised. I mounted it using the suction cups on my windshield in the lower left hand corner, and ran the temp sensor cable about a foot over to the edge of the door frame to get outside temperature. The suction cups work well if you clean the glass first.
Pros: Easy setup and good results.
Cons: temp gage is too small to read easily.
On: 2006-02-21
Easy to install, but I dont trust the compass. I have not moved the unit, but it doesnt always read correctly, therefore requiring recalibration. I have not hooked up the thermometer yet. I couldnt find a very good spot to mount the unit, but thats not the fault of the product.
My last vehicle had one in the rear view mirror, and I miss that one a great deal. I was trying to get the same attributes with this unit, but its just not the same.
On: 2006-01-19
The first one I bought started going crazy within a day. The ecreen showed unintelligible symbols and the like. EVentually I could not even power it on. I was told by PNI Global to take out battery and let in sit for 12 hours. Did that then it started breaking down again. The temp sensor did not work because anywhere I placed it it was affected by other sources of heat or cold. They sent me another one which did the same thing. Now I have sent my second one back and they are going to test it and probably send me another one (my third!!!). The good news is that they are nice in customer service.
On: 2005-09-20
I was so reluctant to buy this item. Having read the user review of its relative models and it sounds so horrible. Anyhow, it turns out that this one work like its supposed to. I read the manual and follow the instruction carefully and it functions like a magic. Very darn accurate for my standard (ordinary people who get lost every now and then). Compare to the map, itll be off no more than 5 degree. Im happy with the purchase after finding that the $2 compass sold in Target wont work in my car. Now were travelling with more confidence.
On: 2004-07-25
I bought the V2000 last year and it has worked great since then. The compass has always given me accurate directions and has lasted through one winter and one summer so far. I always left my V2000 in the vehicle, although the manual did state that you should take the device with you when the temperature is hot. The V2000 has visible at all situations. I can see it clearly in the dark with the V2000s automatic backlight, and see it clearly on a sunny day. Finding a good place to put the temperature probe, however, is a hassle if you want to get accurate results. Calibration was also a hassle for me. You have to be on leveled ground and make a fairly even circle in order to get accurate readings.
On: 2003-09-27
Got the item on time. Cost was good. So far it works well. No complaints and would buy from this company again.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-08-08
I am continually getting lost when Im in unfamiliar territory. Even when Im SURE Im going in the right direction, theres always a nagging thought that Im not. This compass isnt close to telling you where youre going, its dead-on. My car has an outside temperature gauge and an inside thermostat, so I dont care about the temperature features. Beside, theres no fear if you dont know the temp; there is a fear when you dont know where youre going. Classy looking gadget.
 On: 2003-02-19
Although the information is useful and accurate, the product is cumbersome to use for gauging external temps. You need to find a suitable place to put the sensor in order to get a "true" outside temp. We placed it in the door jam as a suggested placement, but found the reading to be off 10 degrees. If placed under the hood or in the grille, you would need to buy an extension cord.
Also, the unit can not be left in the car during extreme heat or cold so it would require remembering to take the unit inside and back to the car in summer or winter months. To me, it was not worth the extra effort. Easier to turn on the radio and listen for the temp.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-13
Of course many cards come with compasses built in. Mine doesnt. So I bought a V2000. Pretty easy to set up but the manual was a bit hard to follow. It reads in 5 deg. increments which is just fine for my wilderness excursions in central Oregon. Temp. seems to work fine but since I use it in a jeep and Im often exposed to the elements that doesnt matter too much. Overall it does what its suppose to and it looks pretty cool with great screen contrast- I recommend it.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-12
It only goes down to ONE degree - will not show temps below ONE. Need I say more? Its horrible and the company, when contacted had NO explanation why their product wouldnt read the full range of temperatures to be expected in the USA.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-02
I received the PNI V2000 as a gift in September 2002. It seemed to work fairly well until the temperature got below 30 degrees. The accuracy of the thermometer below 30 is very poor, and as it gets colder the accuracy gets worse. I exchanged the unit, and the new one was even worse. The thermometer was at least as inaccurate, and it did not display any temperatures between 9 and 15 degrees. If the thermometer did work, the fact that it doesnt register temperatures below 1 degree limits its usefullness in Vermont. The compass seems accurate most of the time but is prone to go out of adjustment and requires re-calibration fairly frequently. It would be a fun device to have in your vehicle if it worked.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-08-29
Driving to me is pretty boring you listen to the radio, steer, accelerate and stop. So anything other than these automatic functions to stimulate my brain is welcome. My dad thought me to read a compass when I was 12 and I have owned one off and on for 45 years. Until my sister gave me a V2000 I had never even thought of using one in a car. Well I must say its a novel idea. I am thoroughly enjoying mine.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-07-09
My husband is a gadget lover and he especially loves gadgets for his car. Well I ran across a review of the V2000 in the local paper and decided that this was unique enough. You should have seen his eyes light up when he opened this birthday present. Apparently he had read the same review and intended on getting it for himself. Anyway, he set up (which he found to be quite simple) and he just loves it. I would strongly recommend this as a gift for anyone who likes gadgets! Great Gift!!!
On: 2002-02-13
well all i can say is i should have paid attention to all the bad vibes this was giving me from other editorials. this products is a buy at your on risk product. i live in los angeles,ca and this product could not give good temp readings no matter where you hid the sensor, door jam trunk even under the car. when it got warm it would read 10 or more degrees higher then it was. and the compass, i did a 360 degree turn just buy driving straight passed a freeway interchange system. the compass worked well at times but seemed cunfused more then it should have. i had a chrysler with a built in compass, but this thing does not even come close to it or the ones installed in other cars...
On: 2001-12-21
This state of the art compass works well and stays on for as long as the car is changing directions, and when its connected on the DC power sorce the night light comes on automatic when it gets dark enough and stays lit for as long as its dark. BUT, the light sometimes stays on after you park and shut the car off and not shut off at all which can drain the car battery. It also does a good job showing the temperture and warns you when its showing a temperture of 35º or lower to tell you that its cold enough for the roads to freeze. BUT, it sometimes will show false temperture, for example, it may be 20° outside and it will show 70° and may not correct it self for a long time or not at all, my is still showing the temperture about 50° higher then what it really is and thats been since 12/26/2001 and I dont think its going to correct it self anymore. BUT, it does work good as a compass and always right dead on of showing the direction thats its pointing to and its so easy to set up as it only takes matter of seconds to do.
On: 2001-09-10
After searching for something decent in local stores, I found this unit while searching the net.Where cheaper models only show the degrees reading, I like the fact that it shows the numeric reading, the letters (N, W, NW, etc.) and the graphical representation. For the most part, you could skip the numbers, since the graphic and letters say it all. Calibration was a snap, and its been dead-on for a couple of months now. The suction cup mounts can vibrate a little, but taking some time to clean the windshield and securing them well will eliminate any problems. The pivot screw between the unit and the mount did loosen once, but a quick re-tightening fixed that issue. The backlight works very well in a dark vehicle, without being too bright and annoying. Daylight visibility is also very good. The auto-shutoff feature is very nice to save the batteries, and not force you to remember to turn it off. Weve left it in our van during one of the hottest summers on record, and have not had any problems with the unit. Time will tell how it will handle the cold Wisconsin winter, but I dont anticipate any problems. I havent connected the temperature probe yet, but this was one of the very few units I found that combined the compass and temperature readings together. An interior temp sensor inside the unit would have been a nice addition, however. All in all, this compass was very useful when navigating the north woods of Wisconsin. You can get turned around pretty easily while exploring the back roads, and know what direction youre heading is very nice. This is a quality item, and worth the money.
On: 2001-07-20
Vehicle installation is a snap with this compass. Plug power into cigarette lighter and temp sensor for inside/outside temp (I use mine inside). Calibration is a no-brainer on this one. The backlit display for evening usage was very useful on my roadtrip from TX to WI and back. I found it to shake around a bit more than I wanted to on the trip, but perhaps the suction cups needed re-adjustment. Other than that, this unit works great. Ive had mine for a few weeks now and had no problems yet. Ive even used the temp probe to tell me how cold my ac is blowing! (lol) If i were to purchase something like this in the future Id probably look for a better price. ...
by: Anonymous On: 2001-07-07
After reading the instruction booklet, it only took a few minutes to mount and calibrate this unit. It not only is very easy to view, but is also very accurate and responsive! It is not a toy! I found it to be easy to operate and the fact that you dont have to worry about leaving it on and draining the battery when you exit the vehicle was a nice touch. Also, in another members review, the person complained about having the compass fall off the windshield, and that the connection keeping the compass and mounting base together was poor; I am absolutely positive that the person did NOT install the "screw" which keeps the base and compass together! This is an oversite by the installer, and not a defect! It is a very tight fit, and will not come apart until you take it apart. One more point, and that is the above installer also complained about having to re-calibrate the unit because it was always falling off; this "problem" does not come into play if it is installed correctly. A great product with no drawbacks!
by: Anonymous On: 2001-07-04
Interesting gadget, the kind of thing thats great to get but the usefulness is questionable. Set up was easy. The compass is of good quality. It would be great to just put it in the car and forget it. But the instructions say to remove it from your car and not to expose it to heat or cold. Its just a little too big to put in my pocket each time I get to my destination.
On: 2001-07-03
The V2000 compass was the first one of its kind that had everything I was looking for...an easy to read graphical LCD and a numerical counterpart with a display for temperature as well. This unit is very easy to set up and read. I like the fact that it has the temperature option instead of a clock display and that it is backlit and shows my direction with a graphic instead of just letters or numerals. I also like that I didnt have to permanently stick it to my dashboard with the option of using a windshield suction-cup mount. I guess the reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is that it comes with an unusual battery and the wires for the temperature sensor and optional cigarette adapter make it a little cumbersome to mount in an inconspicuous place. Overall, if youre looking for a good vehicle mountable compass thats extremely easy to read with great reliability and a lot of extra features, this is definitely the one for you.
On: 2001-07-02
I bought this about 2 weeks ago. I would have loved it except for 2 things. The most disappointing thing is, this thing will not stay on the windshield. it comes as two parts one part will go on the glass and it will connect to the main unit. the connection looks advanced. but it doesnt work. I really mean it. as soon as you enter the freeway it will start flying. my all time record that it stayed on the windshield is 2 minutes. The other thing is after a day of calibrating the unit it will show completely the wrong direction. if you dont mind picking it up every second and calibrating it everyday, you should consider buying this - its a great gadget unless otherwise....
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