# What do you think of the BMW navigation system?



## mquetel (Jan 30, 2003)

I've been kinda interested in the navigation system but choking on the $1640 price tag. I'm curious what people think of it and if you have any suggestions on where I can read more about it and see screen grabs. Also, do you use the same interface to control the radio/cd?

I read one review on PC Magazine and they really railed on it: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,2929,00.asp 

Thanks in advance!


----------



## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

cumbersome


----------



## 3or5er (Nov 26, 2002)

mquetel said:


> *I've been kinda interested in the navigation system but choking on the $1640 price tag. I'm curious what people think of it and if you have any suggestions on where I can read more about it and see screen grabs. Also, do you use the same interface to control the radio/cd?
> 
> I read one review on PC Magazine and they really railed on it: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,2929,00.asp
> 
> Thanks in advance! *


The one PC Mag reviewed was the CD-based old system. The current one is much much better: click this

Go for it.


----------



## JeffW (Apr 10, 2002)

It's pretty good, not as good as the one's on Lexus/Acura but it does get the job done and it's pretty acurate, plus it makes the dash looks 100% better! (IMHO of course).


















Jeff



mquetel said:


> *I've been kinda interested in the navigation system but choking on the $1640 price tag. I'm curious what people think of it and if you have any suggestions on where I can read more about it and see screen grabs. Also, do you use the same interface to control the radio/cd?
> 
> I read one review on PC Magazine and they really railed on it: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,2929,00.asp
> 
> Thanks in advance! *


----------



## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

*Re: Re: What do you think of the BMW navigation system?*



JeffW said:


> *It's pretty good, not as good as the one's on Lexus/Acura but it does get the job done and it's pretty acurate, plus it makes the dash looks 100% better! (IMHO of course).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I beg to differ...

And, I did not realize that the NAV takes console storage away :yikes:


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

*Re: Re: Re: What do you think of the BMW navigation system?*



nate328Ci said:


> *I beg to differ...*


Of course you do. 

I liked it so much, for a little while I had 2 of them.


----------



## mquetel (Jan 30, 2003)

*Where does the CD go?*

OK, now I'm really showing my ignorance... After looking at the pictures posted, where does the CD go? Does the nav system replace an in-dash CD? Do you have to have a changer to do Nav and CDs? :dunno:


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

*Re: Where does the CD go?*



mquetel said:


> *where does the CD go?*


Behind the screen.


----------



## beauport (Jul 2, 2002)

I am a Navigation fan and very much like what they do...but, after having Nav in an Acura and then coming to BMW's Nav it has a long way to go, DVD based or not. Yesterday it had me exit the highway, make a 180 back toward Washington DC and then after a mile it must have realized that it was wrong, did another 180, tried to back track again but I ignored it. If I hadn't had a pretty good idea of where I needed to go and had blindly followed it who knows where it would have taken me. The user interface is about 50% as efficient as Acura/Lexus as far as user friendly. I really wish a few BMW engineers would drive some Acuras or Lexus with Nav and learn some lessons the Japanese have already learned.


----------



## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

beauport said:


> *I am a Navigation fan and very much like what they do...but, after having Nav in an Acura and then coming to BMW's Nav it has a long way to go, DVD based or not. Yesterday it had me exit the highway, make a 180 back toward Washington DC and then after a mile it must have realized that it was wrong, did another 180, tried to back track again but I ignored it. If I hadn't had a pretty good idea of where I needed to go and had blindly followed it who knows where it would have taken me. The user interface is about 50% as efficient as Acura/Lexus as far as user friendly. I really wish a few BMW engineers would drive some Acuras or Lexus with Nav and learn some lessons the Japanese have already learned. *


True. I don't know why BMW doesn't just buy their nav systems from the same supplier as Lexus and Acura. Actually, they should probably buy all electrical items from a Japanese supplier. :dunno:


----------



## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

Are the nav systems on the 3er same exact one that comes in the 5er and X5? Just wondering cause my parents might get an X5 with the nav. Also are they still CD based? I thought they were DVD. :dunno:


----------



## dusterbuster (Jan 29, 2003)

tgravo2 said:


> *Are the nav systems on the 3er same exact one that comes in the 5er and X5? Just wondering cause my parents might get an X5 with the nav. Also are they still CD based? I thought they were DVD. :dunno: *


yes, they are the same nav systems. i wanted to try it out before ordering my 330i, and so the dealer demonstrated the nav unit in an x5. there's a dvd player in the cargo area of the x5, where you load the map of the dvd. the cd player behind the nav unit on the dash is preserved for music.

the system seemed okay, and would definitely be convenient for those who travel often to new places. however, the dealer and i concluded that it's otherwise a nice, but perhaps not useful enough for most people to justify the price. he also mentioned that his guess was about 70% of nav purchasers were women, and 30% men. don't know what that says, except maybe the general tendency for men to refuse to ask for directions includes asking directions from a computer?


----------



## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

I love my nav. Won't ever buy a car (for myself) again without it. But I'm a gadget geek.

Aftermarket and other manufacturer's units may be better, but none will integrate functionally and aesthetically as well as the OEM.


----------



## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

mquetel said:


> *I'm curious what people think of it and if you have any suggestions on where I can read more about it and see screen grabs. Also, do you use the same interface to control the radio/cd?*


 I really like the nav system. I had initially ordered my car without it because I was working from the MY2002 info, where you give up the in-dash CD if you get it, but as soon as I heard that MY2003 cars had NAV and CD, I modified my order.

I can honestly say I've never even opened the NAV manual - I just started using the system. I keep the system on split-screen map even if I'm not getting spoken directions to a destination from the unit.

A friend who has a Lexus was drooling over the BMW NAV implementation - from brief tests, he liked it a lot better than the one in his new Lexus. Just shows that tastes can vary. Using the knob for input isn't too inconvenient, since the system knows what the valid next characters are when you start to spell something.

Everybody I've shown it to does think it has a touch screen, though - I keep busy polishing fingerprints off the [Accept] area of the screen. 

One thing that it is particularly handy for is visiting friends in places you haven't been to - just enter their address once on the way there, and whenever you get lost in their neighborhood when running out for errands, just call up the address again to get back to their place.

I have found a few oddities in the data on the CDs - I got a Map # 6 with the car and bought a MAP # 5 from eBay before visiting Amanda in Illinois. The maps got confused around Indianapolis, taking me past the Speedway on the way out, and leading me onto smaller and smaller roads, ending up with a "Turn left... You are not on a digitized road" in a rather bad neighborhood on the way back. I haven't yet made the trip with the new DVD that arrived recently - hopefully that has been fixed.

One of the other oddities is that the data disc now knows about the various aliases for a road, and will accept any alias for input, but will only display the "main" name (normally a route #) on the display. This makes some things odd, as some well-known roads display route numbers I've never heard of. I'll submit feedback to Navtech on this in a bit, once I've built a list of examples.

But overall I'm very pleased with the system. I guess I'm one of the 30% of the guys that aren't afraid to ask for directions.


----------



## beauport (Jul 2, 2002)

Plaz said:


> *Aftermarket and other manufacturer's units may be better, but none will integrate functionally and aesthetically as well as the OEM. *


I fully agree regarding the integration and aesthetics in the car that the oem is best. I would venture a guess though that you've never used Nav in an Acura or Lexus though.


----------



## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

beauport said:


> *I fully agree regarding the integration and aesthetics in the car that the oem is best. I would venture a guess though that you've never used Nav in an Acura or Lexus though. *


I haven't, but I said they may be better... are you saying they're not? :dunno:


----------



## dusterbuster (Jan 29, 2003)

*Re: Re: What do you think of the BMW navigation system?*



Terry Kennedy said:


> *I guess I'm one of the 30% of the guys that aren't afraid to ask for directions. *


and one of the 30% of the guys with some degree of common sense.


----------



## JB330Ci (Feb 17, 2002)

*Re: Re: What do you think of the BMW navigation system?*



Terry Kennedy said:


> *
> A friend who has a Lexus was drooling over the BMW NAV implementation - from brief tests, he liked it a lot better than the one in his new Lexus. Just shows that tastes can vary. *


:loco:


----------



## Chip (Jan 15, 2003)

I love my Nav, it's damn slow, but it does the job, plus you can do some crazy stuff with it:











Chip-


----------



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

I can't second the comments that BMW Nav is slow. I have the NAV on my 2003 car and it's very quick. 

However, I have ordered the NAV with the faster main unit, which is a $50 option here.


----------



## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

Chip said:


> *I love my Nav, it's damn slow, but it does the job, plus you can do some crazy stuff with it:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dude, that's crazy!  You have the controls of an N64 in your steering wheel. I can honestly say I have never seen that before.


----------



## Rezdawg (Jan 29, 2003)

90% of the reason I ordered NAV for my bimmer was for looks. The price isnt worth it if I truly wanted to use it for directions. If I wanted that, I could have spent 5 bucks on some maps. The car just looks much better with it, IMO.


----------



## Mystikal (Dec 20, 2001)

tgravo2 said:


> *Dude, that's crazy!  You have the controls of an N64 in your steering wheel. I can honestly say I have never seen that before.  *


LOL, that MUST be photoshopped.

Look closely, I think it is. Still, :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


----------



## Mathew (Feb 8, 2002)

I like it, and i think it gives practical info. I hardly use it, but when i do, it's speed, or lack thereof doesnt seem to bother me(but then again, i program in destinations before im on the move). My only gripe is that they could clean up the interface a bit. The only non BMW nav system ive tried was Jaguar's, and i like BMW's better

It's very easy to get used to. For a while i thought it was cumbersome, but i reserve that adjective for the e65s nav system

edit - since when did the last 7 digits of the VIN come up under the emergency settings?


----------



## JeffW (Apr 10, 2002)

*What?*

Me dealer didn't tell me about the "nintendo" option?! Damn!!!

Jeff


----------



## Chip (Jan 15, 2003)

Yeah, it comes with the Extra airbags because you will get in an accident while playing for sure  

I photoshopped that, it isn't real  

My Nav is the CD based one that I upgraded to Version 19. I like hte look and extra features, but it got slower with the upgrade. I"ll try version 20 and see if that helps any.

Chip-


----------



## bls (Sep 16, 2002)

Pro: it's nice for travelling in unfamiliar areas. It plots routes satisfyingly quickly. It looks nice in the dashboard. It has a pretty good database of streets and places (especially with the DVD). It's integrated into the rest of the car systems, so you're also getting a nice screen for the on-board computer and radio.

Con: it costs a lot of money. You can't turn the screen completely off (there's a "Monitor off" function, but it only turns the screen black, it doesn't kill the backlighting, and it throws a noticeable amount of light at night). It's somewhat clumsy to use (one dial to enter information with, no touch screen). It costs you precious storage space, and there's little enough already. When I told my mother about the speaking directions, she said, "Oh, like Knight Rider!", which took a lot of the pleasure out of it. 

I got one. If it had cost $500, it would have been a really easy choice. But I love gadgets, and I hate getting lost. If I were trying to save money, I probably would have bought a Garmin Street Pilot or something instead, rather than skipping navigation entirely.


----------



## Chip (Jan 15, 2003)

Hmm, when I turn the Monitor Off, there is no light what so ever :dunno: 

Chip-


----------



## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

Isn't the OBC integrated into the Nav screen? If so, do you just not have one on your dash?


----------



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

tgravo2 said:


> *Isn't the OBC integrated into the Nav screen? If so, do you just not have one on your dash? *


You have the OBC both on the dash and Nav.


----------



## bmwguynj (Jun 12, 2002)

If you need NAV to get around and love BMW vehicles, you have no choice but to get the NAV (unless you go aftermarket options).

But whoever says this BMW NAV is awesome is kidding themselves. It's actually kind of shocking why BMW with all its latest advances can't outfit their cars with decent, state of the art NAVS (at least a touch screen please for this kind of money!).

I travel a lot on the road for business and half of the time, even with this latest DVD NAV system, I can't find the exact address in the NAV. I settle for just the middle of the street.

And turning and pressing the knobs is just cumbersome as another member on here pointed out. It's easy to operate, but still not user friendly at all. 

I also have a Lexus NAV in my other vehicle and the touch screen capability makes it so much easier to use and for some reason, it can find the exact address quicker too. This is the best factory / OEM NAV in the industry at this moment (not including aftermarket of course).

The BMW NAV is not worth it if you are not going to use it often and it's just for show (the money could be spent elsewhere in your car or saved). However if you do need it, it will get the job done, but it will also irritate you at the same time.


----------



## dusterbuster (Jan 29, 2003)

bmwguynj said:


> *
> 
> The BMW NAV is not worth it if you are not going to use it often and it's just for show (the money could be spent elsewhere in your car or saved). However if you do need it, it will get the job done, but it will also irritate you at the same time. *


thanks for your thoughts. i think you've help me decide to forego the nav system. it definitely seems like a nice idea, but i don't know if i'd use it that often. wish it was cheaper, then i'd get it in a second.


----------



## bmwguynj (Jun 12, 2002)

dusterbuster said:


> *thanks for your thoughts. i think you've help me decide to forego the nav system. it definitely seems like a nice idea, but i don't know if i'd use it that often. wish it was cheaper, then i'd get it in a second. *


Here's a link below to the Harmon Kardon Traffic Pro, which is another aftermarket GPS option - not sure if it's good or not, since I just received the info recently.

http://www.hktrafficpro.com/


----------



## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

Maybe this just goes in the "ignorance is bliss" column, but I've never been frustrated with my Nav. I've never had difficulty locating an address, it's never given me wacky directions or told me to turn onto a non-existant road, and it always has proven to use the shortest route from A to B for me, even when I thought ahead of time my usual route was better. It has never steered me wrong.

I don't understand everyone's beef with it. :dunno:


----------



## JeffW (Apr 10, 2002)

It might have something to do with location, some areas are not fully detailed as some major cities. I opt for the NAV on my 328i and have been really pleased with it that's why I ordered it with my 2003 M3 which is actually 80% better than the old one (mark II system) though it would have been nice if I could get the same screen option of the old system (Radio display on the top while displaying the on board computer info on the bottom.

I do like how it now says the freeway number.

Jeff
Mark II system - In 800 feet if possible make a U-turn
Mark IV system - In 800 feet if possible make a LEGAL U-turn 



Plaz said:


> *Maybe this just goes in the "ignorance is bliss" column, but I've never been frustrated with my Nav. I've never had difficulty locating an address, it's never given me wacky directions or told me to turn onto a non-existant road, and it always has proven to use the shortest route from A to B for me, even when I thought ahead of time my usual route was better. It has never steered me wrong.
> 
> I don't understand everyone's beef with it. :dunno: *


----------



## traumamc (Feb 7, 2003)

I love mine and wouldn't buy a car without it:thumbup:


----------



## mquetel (Jan 30, 2003)

*This is interesting...*

Sorry if this is a repost, however, I just came across this on the Phatbox forums: http://www.car-amp.de/ Click on the US flag to google a (mostly) readable translation.

Now sure it involves a miniturized PC in the trunk, but I had no idea that sort of thing was even possible with the screen on the Nav system. Cool potential :thumbup:


----------



## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

*Re: This is interesting...*



mquetel said:


> *Now sure it involves a miniturized PC in the trunk, but I had no idea that sort of thing was even possible with the screen on the Nav system. Cool potential :thumbup: *


It is a "cheat" but it is a cool idea nonetheless. You have to have the TV module installed, and tune to the "Aux" video input. That connects the PC's video output to the NAV display, and the author has created a display that looks very similar to the NAV menus, although the whole thing is video generated on a PC. I'm not sure how he is getting stereo input into the car audio system, though, since the Aux in is mono only.


----------



## bls (Sep 16, 2002)

Plaz said:


> *Maybe this just goes in the "ignorance is bliss" column, but I've never been frustrated with my Nav.*


Once you've selected a destination, the actual directions given are quite good -- I agree with you that there's nothing to complain about there.

But if you've used a touch-screen system, the destination selection process on the BMW system begins to seem clunky.

And suppose you're looking for a place to eat. My little handheld Garmin eMap (~$200) shows a list of restaurants by category and sorted by distance (the BMW system has no category filter, and shows all restaurants, in alphabetical order, within a certain radius). On the map view of the eMap, it can show symbols for restaurants (as the BMW system can), but there's a four-way pad to allow you to move a cursor over any of those symbols and see what it is.

I like the Nav system, and I'm glad I got it, but it doesn't really shine in comparison to what else is out there.


----------



## JeffW (Apr 10, 2002)

Huh? Mine shows the category.










Jeff



bls said:


> *And suppose you're looking for a place to eat. My little handheld Garmin eMap (~$200) shows a list of restaurants by category and sorted by distance (the BMW system has no category filter, and shows all restaurants, in alphabetical order, within a certain radius). On the map view of the eMap, it can show symbols for restaurants (as the BMW system can), but there's a four-way pad to allow you to move a cursor over any of those symbols and see what it is.
> *


----------

