Ok, the navigation search functions are driving me NUTS!! I showed it to my dealer this past weekend and they said they'd contact MINI directly and see what can be done.

There MUST be a change made to the software!! Who else is seeing this?

The problem: There is no way of searching for something simply by name. You must first select either "On Location" (current location) or a new location(destination area) AND then a catagory. Sometimes, you have no idea what catagory to search, and you must search many, and re-type the name in for each search/re-search in a new catagory....

Example: Try to find a Pepboy's autoparts store. What catagory would you search, Auto and Travel, no, there is no stores in there.... how about business and services? Is it a business or is it a service, if it's a business, is it a corporation or a business.... WHO CARS?? I just want to search for "PEPBOYS" and find the nearest one!!

So, I spent 45 minutes at lunch time trying to locatate a pepboys store in the nav, searching every catagory one by one, retyping the name each time.... It is in there, just not where you might think.

A worse example: Try finding "J. Signs" in Bayport, NY. It is a sign shop, they make store signs, displays, decals, stickers, bonnet stripes ( ), magnetic signs, ..... lots of stuff. So what catagory would they be in?? Auto, business, travel, corp, Home Imporvments? Business Services? OR, ALL of the above??? So where do you search???? I searched for hours for it, with no luck. Oh, it is in there, you just have to know EXACTLY where it is to find it in the POI db.

THEY NEED TO UPDATE THE SOFTWARE ON THE NAV TO ALLOW A SIMPLE NAME SEARCH with NO catagories required!!! Simply typing "J.Signs" would have foudn it in 2 seconds!!!

 

Have you tried looking at Pimp-My-Nav yet?

Using this software you "should" be able to re-master the nav DVD and set up the POIs as you want them. According to their web site the program will work with the Professional version of BMW's nav DVD (which is what's used in the 2nd gen MINI's nav system), and it's specifically set up to support the MINI's nav (i.e. it allows you to customize the POIs in the MINI section of the nav DVD).

I would imagine that you could create a "Search All" category and then dump a copy of every single POI on the nav DVD into that one category. Doing that, you'd be able to search everything in there. However, I don't know if there's any limitations on the numbers of POIs a nav DVD (or a specific category) will support and so you might want to ask the author about that. Also, I don't know if it has an export feature so that you can access all of the existing POIs (in order to dump them all into your custom category).

If nothing else, you can modify the nav DVD with your own custom POIs and that's better than nothing I guess.

I agree that this should have been something that BMW/MINI thought out better, but it may be fixable using an aftermarket approach like this. Note that the BMW/MINI nav system has been this way for MANY years now and so I wouldn't look for BMW/MINI to change it any time soon (especially since they just redesigned the whole system for the 2nd gen cars and they didn't fix it then).


EDIT: The software does indeed appear to support an export feature so that's a good thing (i.e. it's a step in the right direction).

 

Thanks for the info, I'll take a look at that.

AS for fixing it, they WILL fix it, TRUST ME. OR they will be refundign me $2,100. As it is, the Nav POI db is basically useless.

 

Same problem in the 1st gen Nav.

I challenge you to locate OfficeMax or Staples on a MINI Nav (either 1st or 2nd gen). These are major businesses with huge stores and many locations. Go ahead, look under any category. I wasn't able to find them.

The ironic thing is, I wouldn't be surprised if the information is on the Navteq map disc, just that the BMW software doesn't offer any method to find them.

 

I don't think it works for the 2nd gen Nav because it uses a different map disc format.

 

Yea, that's what I think (won't work yet on R56 idrive), but looks like they are workin on it. I sent them an email asking... will report back.

And yes, your are right, all the POI's are in the Navtech db, (and in our mini's POI db since it's a NAVTECH db), BUT, the MINI software (written by Siemens VDO it looks like!) is SO BAD, there is no way of finding them unless you accidently bump into it looking for something else ussually!!

THIS WILL BE FIXED, TRUST ME!! MINI, are you READING this??

 

The 1st gen MINI uses the "High" map DVD format. The 2nd gen MINI uses the "Professional" map DVD format. The PMN web site claims they support both. However, I don't know if the MINI is using the incompatible "i-Drive Business" system that is talked about on the PMN web site (I kind of doubt it). If someone with a 2nd gen R56 MINI has their nav DVD handy, check it against what is said on the PMN web site (here: http://www.pimp-my-nav.com/Requirements.htm) and see. I.e. does the disc have a \TPD directory? If so, then it will work with PMN.

 

LOL. Yeah, like MINI gives a crap what you think, once they've sold you the car.

 

Just ran out into the parking lot and checked mine, an R56 delivered last week, came with the North America 2007.2 DVD, which does include the TPD directory.

 

Just wanted to add my support for this cause. The NAV (which I would buy again) can be so damn frustrating, and this issue is at the top of my ***** list (followed closely behind by the way all street names are displayed horizontally, instead of along the streets).

Edit: BTW, it is actually possible for a car manufacturer to provide a fully competent NAV. Just spend a few minutes using the touch-screen Nav in a Lexus and you will be even more pissed at BMW.

 

Awesome! It will indeed work then.

Thanks for the info nicknbecka.

 

Hmmm...that Pimp-My-Nav software sounds very interesting. I think NAVTeq should be about due to release their 2008 maps for the Mini though. I know they've released the 2008 map update for the Garmin portable NAV units. It doesn't say anything on the Pimp-My-Nav site about 2008 map support.

 

It wasn't Mini who released the 2008 map update for the Garmin portable option, it was GARMIN. They just released a 2008 map update for many of their products.

 

Yes, Garmin uses NavTeq map data but they do their own map releases (along with their own custom POI sets, etc.). The problem with Garmin is that they always seem to be behind with their map data. I.e. even though they call their maps "2008", they actually use much older map data purchased from NavTeq (TomTom does the same thing with their horrible TeleAtlas based maps as well). Whereas with the BMW/MINI map discs being produced directly by NavTeq, you are actually getting the map data that matches the version number that's on the disc (e.g. 2007-2, 2008-1, etc.).

 

Gee - coulda saved the $2100 and spent $400 for a Garmin Nuvi 650 and a $40 mount. :impatient
We had been warned about the Mini (Can you say "BMW Navigation") system.
Long experience with Garmin told us to stick with what we liked.

 

Gee, thanks for contributing. BTW, does the Nuvi 650 display info from MP3 music CDs? Does it provide visual integration with a BT phone? Does it allow setting of many options on the car? Does it allow the car to report detailed diagnostic messages? Does it turn down the music so the navigation lady can advise you? Does it have a 6.5" inch display? Does it make a much more attractive & functional use of a very large portion of dashboard real estate?

As I said previously, warts and all, I'd buy the Nav again. It completes the car in a very cool way that even the most sophisticated aftermarket tack-on cannot. Is there room for improvement? Definitely.

 

Actually, (as pastabatman has stated) you can't really compare the two at all. The MINI nav system is sooo much more than just a nav system. It is so well integrated in the car that navigation is just one of the many things it does.

Also, just as an FYI, for many years I've compared various Garmin and TomTom nav units side-by-side with the BMW/MINI OEM nav system and the OEM system ALWAYS comes out on top as far as routing goes. Sure, the Garmin/TomTom units may look better (with their cool 3D graphics) and have lots of extra features, but the OEM unit actually routes and gives guided directions MUCH better. When I'm in an unfamiliar area and I'm really pressed to get somewhere, I'll take the OEM system over a portable unit any day. This has been proved to me time-and-time again in the areas I drive in.

Don't get me wrong as I'm a HUGE Garmin fan (always have been), but the OEM nav system is pretty darn good at what it does and so you shouldn't be so quick to judge/knock it is all I'm saying.

 

I have been very pleased with my new nav that came with my mini on Saturday! The unit's traffic data is fantastic. I also love the way I can view my phonebook from the bluetooth connection on the display. Sadly, my street is not on the map. I'm hoping for a newer map disk early here in 2008!

 

+1 for me too, the integration is fantastic.

 

I went with the integrated nav, even though I agree that the search function for a particular place is pitiful. The other integrations (and use of the otherwise way-too-large speedometer) made it worthwhile. I can always look up a place on my iphone....

Seriously, I would love to see a software upgrade that would improve the search functionality, but I don't see it coming any time soon.

 

And you forgot to mention 2 other things the OEM nav does; TRAFFIC re-routing and info, and displays the park distance control when in reverse.

But, this thread is not about which is better, they both have there goods and bads.

Lynn,
I assure you, they WILL CARE about what I think now that I own the car. And this problem WILL be fixed, by them. I just might purchase the pimp software to fix it manually in the interim, but they will still fix this problem. They will also re-imburse me for the $40 purchase price.

Oh, they may not at first, but there marketing dept will change the outcome when they find a new website acive: www.MiniNavSucks.com and/or www.MiniNavNeedsFixed.com

Impaitently awaiting Mini's response. I KNOW your reading this!!!

 

What really amazes me about this, is HOW in the world did this software get thru Mini's QC dept?? Did nobody acutally sit in a finished car with Nav, and try to search for a POI destination??

One search for just about anything would have sent up the RED flag and forced a software fix prior to release.

Does MINI have a QC dept?? If they do, I would FIRE whoever is in charge of it and get somebody in there who is competent.

 

How does the pimp my nav software fix the searching problem? Their website indicates you can create custom POI lists and update the system to display them, but doesn't mention that it changes the way you search for things.

 

@Minidrivr,

Read the second post in this thread and you'll understand.

@Birdman,

It's not just MINI's... ALL of the BMW cars use the same nav system and have the exact same problem. It has been this way for MANY YEARS!

 

Don't care!! I bought a MINI, I paid and EXTREME amount of money for the NAV option ($2,100) as opposed to $200 for any other system available off the shelve. So, from my standpoint, MINI will FIX it, period. Whether or not they also fix BMW's, yours, or future cars is irrelevant. MINE WILL be fixed, period. I'm sure a judge would agree. How they handle the rest is MINI's and BMW's problem.

I can tell you this, I'm currently shopping for a replacement car for my wife who currently drives an Audi A8. We looked at the BMW 740 over the weekend. We liked the car, but it had a similar joystick (actually a wheel) Nav system in it. We walked away from the car because of it. So BMW lost a $80k sale mainly becuase of this problem. We will be visiting Audi and others this week.

So I'd guess, they will want to FIX this problem, don't ya think?