Granted, this isn't a "function", per se, but didn't someone post a thread a few weeks ago with a PDF file listing all of the MINI Nav icons that aren't listed/identified anywhere in the manual? And I think even that post didn't explain what the heck the "gear" icon is supposed to represent.

 

That's true. Only a few of those are listed in the manual.

 

I have the nav and I really like it. I use the traffic information to allow the nav to guide me to work and back home. The traffic has saved my bacon numerous times. The nav display also shows the Sirius radio lists very well. Much better than the small standard display. When you route yourself to a destination, it shows you your ETA and like what was said earlier, it is easy to navigate mp3 discs, ipod and phonebook lists. All in all, it is a personal decision. Check one out. See if it works for you. I do not regret ordering it.

 

I got the Nav system, and despite the headaches that came with my delivery and subsequent installation of the iPod interface, I ***LOVE*** it, and love how everything works aside from the iPod interface's display glitches and slow functioning, which I wrote about in a different thread and won't re-hash here.

Anyway, I have the Sirius, the PDC, the iPod, and the traffic info, the bluetooth functionality (w/ my iPhone), and everything else is pretty great and I can't imagine trying to use it all with the "standard" 2-line interface. I got to drive a loaner car for a few weeks with that, and even working the radio was a bit of a pain in comparison. Plus, I love how it looks, and everyone who gets in my car thinks it looks just fantastic. Highly recommended, at least from this tech-y geek's perspective. I used the Nav to drive across the country and it did quite well for me whether it was getting me to my hotel, or finding a local Whole Foods or a movie theater while I was in states I'd never visited before. It was a great trip, and the Mini nav really helped.

 

First, I'm not suing anyone. I have nothing to do with the class action lawsuit being prepared by a law firm in Manhattan other than personally knowing somebody that works there, that's how I found out about it. I did not initiate it, and I'm not part of it. Although I'll certainly sign up for it when registration for owners starts if my Nav hasn't been updated by then.

Why they changed the map display so it is now worse than the 1st gen is the best question I've herd in a while. That is a bizare set of facts which does not make any sense whatsoever. Much better hardware and software has been available for many years now, why they choose this system is beyond me. I'd love to here a MINI rep come on here and try to explain the selection process for the Navigations system and software.

I doubt the street names problem would be changed, but I could be wrong. But I have herd from a BMW employee in Germany (I was there last month) that both an OS update and POI db update was in the works for both MINI and BMW make cars with Nav. He is a pretty reliable source, but who knows!! AT&T told me the Blackjack phone was getting an WM6 update last July. I actually received and installed the update (as a beta tester). Since, the OS was not released, and in fact they have come out with a new phone, the Blackjack 2 with WM6 on it. There are AT&T customers flipping over this right now...

So the 50 million dollar question is, IS mini going to release an OS update???

It amazes me, they don't post on here and let people know. I know for a fact they read it, why not inform people, we are not mushrooms!

 

I think it is quite likely that a new OS will be out very soon. Why do I think that? Because, after waiting six months, I just took my MCS in for a software update to fix the never-functioning Voice Activation. So, a new OS should appear as soon as MINI of Mountain View figures out how to update my software without crashing MINI's central server.

 

And the worst part of it all is that we can't do the updates ourselves... Instead, the car has to be taken into a MINI dealer and they can very well charge you to perform the update unless you can somehow prove to them that the update should be covered under warranty. Getting it done will be just like pulling teeth I'm sure. In fact, most dealers won't have a clue that an update is available nor how to even go about performing it. Heck, most of them don't even know what a nav system is. Oy!

 

In literature, MINI shows street names running along the angle of the street. I am guessing that's how they intended it, but they didn't have it working when the car came out. I predict that they will change it. Personally I consider this to be a far more serious problem than POIs. It doesn't take much street density before it becomes almost impossible to match up the labels with the map lines.

 

That's how it was in the first gen cars. The screen shots they show in the manual with the street names aligned properly are taken from a 1st gen car.

Nobody knows why they switched it. I agree, it's really hard to figure out street names from the map display. Very close to impossible.

 

Sorry MD, it looks like I mis-stated my intentions. I didn't mean to imply that you were arguing. I meant the statement to be a generic disclaimer because I refuse to argue my opinions with that person who can't seem to let an opinion go by without telling the author that his/her opinion is wrong.

 

I would love a factory nav system, but only if it looked and worked as well as the less than $200 Garmin unit my wife now has. It makes no sense to me that the auto companies wouldn't want to offer something like a Garmin branded factory unit.

I'm pretty sure that when I get my 2008 MCS, I'll be installing a Kuda mount to hold a brand new Garmin Nuvi.

 

Yeah, I pretty much gave up on the street names and use the perspective view almost exclusively. It still gives the interstate and major highway numbers and it lets me know where roads are. If I need the name then I just fiddle with the Direction-of-Travel view until I can discern the name. The names usually have a little black dot next to the first or last character. This dot lies on the road for which the name applies. I think if they changed the color of that dot to something a little more contrasting than black, it would be useable.

The perspective view looks kinda cool too.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. Actually, instead of just changing the color of the dot, they should just make it bigger and/or more prominent. It is really difficult to find the dot sometimes, it's just a tiny little dot like a period. It should be a bullseye looking thing, like two circles, one around the other (inner dot black, outer circle white). Then you would be able to see it.

 

I'm with Birdman on this one. I'm a computer nerd and love ripping into electronic devices, "manual be damned!"

MINI should really change the name of the Navigation option to something like "Multimedia Center." It incorporates some much of the car together, that it's name is a disservice.

We've all heard the argument about skipping the NAV and buying a Garmin/TomTom. My gf likes the MINI NAV and wanted to get a Garmin/TomTom. The reality is that you have to spend $400-600 to get a Garmin/TomTom the size of the MINI NAV screen. Then they tack on a $10/month charge to get Traffic updates with the caveat that you hook your cell phone up to the device (air charges). The Garmin/TomTom's still don't reroute you around traffic unless you manually tell it to find a different way.

I'm incredibly satisfied with the NAV and highly reccommend it. The way it brings together the bluetooth phone, GPS, MINI messages, Car Stats, Traffic Re-Route and Radio/Sirius/MP3 Player is phenomenal.

See my pcitures of it in action here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=106156