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2018 Navigator-2nd Row Center Console


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I am considering getting a 2018 Navigator (Reserve) in Rhapsody Blue. The only feature that I am waffling about is the 2nd row center console. The Nav I am looking at does not have the center console. I am going to use the Nav for family use and large hauling.



Please let me know your thoughts and experiences.


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Im not a fan of the center console at all, especially for a family car. If you don't need the pass-thru, get the full bench. Tilt and slide makes it easy to get into the 3rd row in every seating config.

 

The console is the same cheap black plastic as the front center console, and it scratches easily. Plus, the center console is a non-removable monstrosity that provides very little utility. It sticks up and gets in the way when hauling big stuff. Bad radio tuning? Cupholders? Its a poor man's imitation of rear executive seating you find in an executive S-class or executive range rover.

 

Our 2018 navigator is 2nd row pass thru, because we frequently move between rows while underway. Sometimes it's the dog, sometimes the nanny, sometimes a parent, and always useful.

 

If you don't need the passthru, get the bench for more seating. You can also put an aftermarket console in our if you really needed the center cupholders.

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I got a bench for mine the middle row can still use the heater and radio controls on the back of the front console. I wanted a big vehicle for moving passengers and dogs and the middle row center console would get in the way. But to each their own. Our tesla model X has the passthrough and we like that it gives more space and legroom to those in the back 3rd row, but the Navigator is much bigger so we didn't want the extra open space.

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  • 1 month later...

Im not a fan of the center console at all, especially for a family car. If you don't need the pass-thru, get the full bench. Tilt and slide makes it easy to get into the 3rd row in every seating config.

 

The console is the same cheap black plastic as the front center console, and it scratches easily. Plus, the center console is a non-removable monstrosity that provides very little utility. It sticks up and gets in the way when hauling big stuff. Bad radio tuning? Cupholders? Its a poor man's imitation of rear executive seating you find in an executive S-class or executive range rover.

 

Our 2018 navigator is 2nd row pass thru, because we frequently move between rows while underway. Sometimes it's the dog, sometimes the nanny, sometimes a parent, and always useful.

 

If you don't need the passthru, get the bench for more seating. You can also put an aftermarket console in our if you really needed the center cupholders.

Interested to hear update on scratching on rear center console. @ 1:15 mark in this video, shows terrible scratching on a press car with only a couple thousand miles. I hope that normal wear will not be this poor...

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Interested to hear update on scratching on rear center console. @ 1:15 mark in this video, shows terrible scratching on a press car with only a couple thousand miles. I hope that normal wear will not be this poor...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGhOOI_akQ&t=12s

Seeing as this is a press vehicle Im assuming its used pretty hard, lots of gear being sat on the console and what not. That being said my black plastic isnt spotless. It appears that the c-pilar is the same material as the black plastic on the interior and its got tiny scratches too.
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Seeing as this is a press vehicle Im assuming its used pretty hard, lots of gear being sat on the console and what not. That being said my black plastic isnt spotless. It appears that the c-pilar is the same material as the black plastic on the interior and its got tiny scratches too.

 

Thanks for input... I'm thinking of perhaps using a clear film tape to protect black plastic sections...

Edited by Navi657
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Thanks for input... I'm thinking of perhaps using a clear film tape to protect black plastic sections...

To give you an idea on how delicate the finish is I placed a .45 round in that little cubby where the e brake button is and it immediately marred where the casing rim made contact. The detailer that applied my ceramic coating said he can polish all the black trim with a similar compound used for headlights if it get to be bad enough but that will be a while. Honestly, dust looks worse on it so keep a microfiber cloth in your center console for the black plastic and fingerprints on the nav screen. Edited by boredinbirmingham
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To give you an idea on how delicate the finish is I placed a .45 round in that little cubby where the e brake button is and it immediately marred where the casing rim made contact. The detailer that applied my ceramic coating said he can polish all the black trim with a similar compound used for headlights if it get to be bad enough but that will be a while. Honestly, dust looks worse on it so keep a microfiber cloth in your center console for the black plastic and fingerprints on the nav screen.

I'm more of a 9x19mm Parabellum man myself...?
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I'm more of a 9x19mm Parabellum man myself...?

thats my go to when Ive been off my diet and my shorts are tight. If you ccw often look for wear in your seat. Mine has developed an indentation from my grip but it hasnt seem to cause any additional wear in the leather but Im gonna be watching that spot. I got the 30 way seat so that particular area is adjusted to try to mitigate the grip.
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thats my go to when Ive been off my diet and my shorts are tight. If you ccw often look for wear in your seat. Mine has developed an indentation from my grip but it hasnt seem to cause any additional wear in the leather but Im gonna be watching that spot. I got the 30 way seat so that particular area is adjusted to try to mitigate the grip.

God himself couldn't get a ccw permit where I live. Even mags are restricted to 10 rounds, lol...

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Honestly, dust looks worse on it so keep a microfiber cloth in your center console for the black plastic and fingerprints on the nav screen.

 

Isn't that the truth. My center console is a dust magnet. I keep a cloth in the sunglasses holder up above.

 

At 5k miles the front console hasn't scratched up yet, but we normally put stuff in the bins not on the shiny plastic. If it ever scratches up I plan to wrap it with satin black.

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Isn't that the truth. My center console is a dust magnet. I keep a cloth in the sunglasses holder up above.

 

At 5k miles the front console hasn't scratched up yet, but we normally put stuff in the bins not on the shiny plastic. If it ever scratches up I plan to wrap it with satin black.

wrap sounds like a good idea, I hadnt thought about that. Id love to see pics once you get it done.
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  • 11 months later...

It all depends on use I think. We will order the bench when we finally do so. Our kids will be 4 and 2 then and it will be nice to have an extra seating space in back between them for traveling (so the non-driver can tend to them). We may travel with my in-laws as well and I suppose we could move the two car seats next to each other and make it easier to pass through to the 3rd row and also only force one person to be in the way back allowing us to drop one side of the seating in the third row for more cargo.

I do wish there was a drop down cupholder/armrest in the middle section of the bench however. It probably appears more luxurious with the console there, but depending on one's usage it makes little to no sense.

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  • 11 months later...

I deleted the rear center console in my 2019 navigator this past weekend.  Definitely possible.

 

1- There are 4 plastic panels that need to be removed from around the console (gently pulling so as to not break the tabs)

2- then there are 4 bolts that need to be removed on the sides of the console

3- the entire console will lift out vertically and you'll have plenty of slack in the electronic cord to unplug from a plastic harness.  

4- there are two large'ish metal brackets that are bolted into the floorboard to which the console's 4 earlier bolts were connected.  Those metal brackets can be removed completely, but I recommend putting the washer and bolts back into the floor so there aren't any open holes in the floor.  

5- I wrapped the plastic wiring harness liberally in electrical tape and tucked it into one of the spaces in the floor where the brackets were located

6- there are a couple of openings where the brackets used to be that probably need to be filled in with either pieces of foam or wood or something to make sure the floor is level in all places.  

7- then put a proper floor liner or carpet over the area

 

The rear audio controls obviously don't work anymore after this, but it doesn't throw any weird lights or messages elsewhere in the car's system so that's good.  

 

 

  • Like 1
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We had the bench seat in our mountaineer for 10yrs.

 

We wanted the center console

In the navigator.

We are not regretting our decision to get the console.

 

The kids have storage and seperates the 2 children from acting up.

 

We would never get a bench seat again.

 

We don't haul stuff in our navigator. But If you do haul alot things around. The console will be a nuisance, because it sticks up higher than the seats when folded down.

Edited by vipersinu2
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Snowmotion,

 

Thank you!  Our '07 had no console.  Our '16 came with one and I removed it and replaced it with a center seat acquired inexpensively through car-parts.com... a wrecking yard network.

 

We really like the 8 person functionality.  I was bummed when the '18 Black Label's were only offered with 7-passenger seating... it looks exotic but just doesn't work for us.  I'd like to upgrade to the new design but the popularity of the console (and not knowing if it could be deleted) was really limiting my pre-owned choices!

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  • 2 months later...
On 8/6/2020 at 12:39 PM, snowmotion said:

I deleted the rear center console in my 2019 navigator this past weekend.  Definitely possible.

 

1- There are 4 plastic panels that need to be removed from around the console (gently pulling so as to not break the tabs)

2- then there are 4 bolts that need to be removed on the sides of the console

3- the entire console will lift out vertically and you'll have plenty of slack in the electronic cord to unplug from a plastic harness.  

4- there are two large'ish metal brackets that are bolted into the floorboard to which the console's 4 earlier bolts were connected.  Those metal brackets can be removed completely, but I recommend putting the washer and bolts back into the floor so there aren't any open holes in the floor.  

5- I wrapped the plastic wiring harness liberally in electrical tape and tucked it into one of the spaces in the floor where the brackets were located

6- there are a couple of openings where the brackets used to be that probably need to be filled in with either pieces of foam or wood or something to make sure the floor is level in all places.  

7- then put a proper floor liner or carpet over the area

 

The rear audio controls obviously don't work anymore after this, but it doesn't throw any weird lights or messages elsewhere in the car's system so that's good.  

 

 

Snowmotion! Clutch, thank you so much for the info.  As cool as the center console looks its just kind of useless and impairs the space for large flat objects. I did want to ask if you have ever tried to open up the front center console.  I'm trying to replace the CD player with a blu-ray player as part of a larger project to make the rear seat entertainment what it should've been from the factory.  Any tips to get to that area?  

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