Does anyone know if the yearly map updates to the navigation system are included with OEM system (at least during the warranty period)? Or do does it cost extra to keep the system up to date?

 

http://www.navigation.com/is-bin/INT...llProducts=YES

According to the manufacturer's website, the updated maps for the 2006 Mini Coopers are $200. I do not believe they are included in the warranty.

 

Thanks for the link! The updates are more expensive than those for the Garmin units. The yearly update for my wife's Nuvi 360 runs $140. But I'm still glad I went with the OEM Nav system. I'd much rather have it built in than not.

 

Just curious, since updates have been mentioned. Is there a USB interface or some other way of connecting to the NAV system?

I don't have my MINI yet and haven't been able to find any NAV documentation from the Owner's Lounge.

 

No USB. Both software and maps are utilized via DVD.

Updated Nav maps are definitely NOT included in the warranty. In fact, there have been previous issues of owners getting 1-2 year old map DVDs in their new cars.:impatient

 

Not to sound totally dense, but does that mean that the in-dash cd player also reads DVD's or am I missing something?

 

My car has the computer under the passenger seat - that's where the DVD goes in. I believe I saw that on the R56, a portion of the center stack (where the volume **** is??) gets removed, and that's where the Nav DVD lives. Pretty trick.

 

Thanks for the info. I had been wondering how it worked.

 

Excuse the duplicate

 

Never. You'll be hunted down with extreme prejudice.

Welcome to NAM.

 

I'll add, my F-150's nav (Alpine system) has never been updated in 5 years (there are cd's avail, but I just never bought). And I have yet to find something missing or wrong on the 5 year old nav dvd.

 

Thats great! Unfortunately they've been working on a lot of construction in my area and it would be nice to update the system to add in the new roads, different exits off from the highways etc.

So, I'll be shelling out the money to update it every few years. It'll probably be a couple before some of the construction is done so I'll have to go to a local retailer and check their Tom Tom units to see if they have the road changes with their most recent software before spending the money to update it when they haven't included my local changes in there updates.

 

As Eric stated, the DVD loads behind the cd control piece. You can load a DVD with mp3's in directories and sub-directories and the SAT/NAV will see them the same way it sees CD's loaded with mp3's. Of course, with the navigation DVD exchanged for a mp3 DVD, you no longer can use Navigation. Also there are limits to the number of files that the system can see, I think it's around 255 or 256. I've done it and it works fine, although it does take a minute or two to load the disc's directory data.

 

You should always find out what they updated on the DVD. Sometimes the DVD is updated but not in your state or area. I found this out on my friends Nav. He needed new maps for a newly developed area but the new update didnt have the new area. So it would have been a waste of money.

 

There will be a significant lag between the times things change and when they are the updates.