Pardon me if this was discussed already, but I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on one of 3 used R56s. 2 of the 3 have Nav and 1 does not.

I've heard 2 people tell me the Nav is the greatest option ever, but the dealer keeps pushing me away from Nav, saying it is hard to use and takes away from the timelessness of the Mini.

What do we think?

 

I prefer aftermarket Nav as the technology is updating so frequently and aftermarket costs so much less. It's not as clean, but that's my $0.02.

 

I agree...I got myself the Nuvi Garmin 660 from Ebay for $281...in two years I'll upgrade the latest and greatest. Go with a portable unit.

 

If you want nav for putting in addresses/traffic info and cleaning up the dash, it's good. If your primary goal is POI - the MINI/BMW interface is... unique. Still, it's great for finding gas stations, hotels, etc. without having an extra box & wires (that are vulnerable to theft.)
Find one with the nav and play with it for a bit - only you can decide if it's right for you.
I had always said I wouldn't get built in Nav due to aging technology, etc., but my used one had it, and I've been very happy with it.

 

If it doesn't add much to the cost of a used mini and you don't mind the "non-timeless" aesthetics (I like the look actually), get the nav IMHO. It's not the best of nav units, but it is useful to have one built-in and it is also integrated well with other car functions.

I didn't get one in my new mini due to the cost and so far have bought a couple Garmin Nuvi's since the first one got stolen because I was too lazy to put it away. I was only gone for an hour. Oh well, I still saved over $1000.

 

well I should also add that I only keep cars 18-24 months, so aging technology is not really an issue for me.

As far as finding POI's, I really only use my current navigations (I have Nav in a Toyota, Mercedes, and Jeep) for location purposes about twice a month. Otherwise, I just like the way it cleans up the radio interface and displays other useful info.

 

I think the controls are much better with the NAV than without. However, the actual POI portion of the NAV really sux. Garmin has a much better interface, period. I also prefer the looks of the dash with the NAV over without.

My 2¢.

 

I definitely recommend the nav. I'd also be suspicious of a dealer talking you out of something he will make money on. Must be easier to sell them used with the nav.

 

There are major differences between portable units and installed ones.

I would never buy a car without a built in nav based upon my experience. Yes they generally are "behind" the portable ones in features, yes they are expensive....

But... they are integrated into the car and use sensors in the car to suppliment their GPS sensors. For example in NYC the portable nav's sometimes don't know where the car is because of the lack of sat reception on some streets. In the built-in, a real compass and a link to the odometer/speedometer and steering wheel angle sensor let's the nav keep up to date. This is pretty common among cars that have MOST/CAN bus and have navigation like the mini.

And don't get me started on boston and the big dig...

 

Does the Mini Nav allow data entry while in motion? This will make a huge difference in the decision making process, as I find nav systems that lockout are almost useless.

 

Yep, it does allow entry while driving.

I'm also glad I got the Nav, the traffic notices are particularly nice during rush hour and I prefer the integrated look. As you mentioned, it's also nice for the extra view of radio/CD controls and the like.

I've given up trying to figure out which category stores like Target or Costco are in, but finding restaurants, coffee, shoe stores and the like is a breeze. One other possibility to consider is the age of the map DVD, there's just been a new release- if it's a dealer, maybe you could get them to throw an updated one in?

 

it "takes away from the timelessness of the mini," huh? LOL! it couldn't possibly be that cars without it are harder to sell, could it? never trust the opinion of someone trying to get into your wallet.

i love my nav. use it all the time. and i don't think i'd ever buy a car without a navigation device. i'd sooner give up air conditioning.

 

Perhaps your dealer is having a hard time selling the car with the Mickey Mouse speedometer.

The NAV is more than just GPS. It integrates the audio, Bluetooth (if you have it) and a number of car settings. The audio section is useful for seeing track titles on CDs (including mp3 CDs), and iPods if you have iPod Integration or USB. The display is large and easy to see.

There is a nice readout for the trip computer with distance, average speed, mpg, time, and I forget what else.

If the car has the Park Distance Control, it provides a graphic of where objects are behind you.

There are a few car settings that can only be set with NAV cars. Can't recall which ones.

The NAV screen is large and easy to see, and much more impressive than the giant speedo, IMO. The map in direction of travel is kind of cool. The real-time traffic alerts will guide you around traffic jams in major cities. It has worked well for me in Los Angeles and San Jose.

 

While looking at the new JCW pkg to come out this summer, I thought that I read that it will have a different nav unit with the screen bigger by an inch or so. Can anybody confirm or elaborate on that?
Thanks

 

well sounds like the "yes on navs" have the vote!

Gracias for everyone's input!

 

Just curious, how much more for a nav in a used mini?

 

It's $2100 new, figure it's worth half that used on a recent car, maybe less on an older usedmobile.

 

sounds about right...though it's not an apples to apples comparison because the 3 different cars I'm looking at are equipped slightly differently.

 

My 08 has the nav and its great how all the features are integrated in it and it is not hard to use, just unique. Remember the #1 car theft item today are portable GPS units. So unless you like removing your Nav unit everytime you get out of car, a uilt in one is the way to go. A news article said, theives will break into a car even if they just see the windshield mount, because they think the nav unit is in the car. So personally I do not want to keep removing all that stuff everytime I park my car, or even worse have my mini broken into and damaged. Get the nav, you will like it.

 

people with factory NAV are gonna tell you its a must have.
your MA rocks because he/she is telling you not to get an option. how often does that happen? then again, does the NAVless car cost more than the others? is it worth the 2k to ya? can you do better aftermarket? just keep that in mind.

 

When I first spoke to him, he had a car with nav in stock. Then I showed up to test drive and it had been sold already.

It's possible he was telling me the nav sucked so I would rollover and buy a car from inventory. However, I really don't think that was his motivation. He seemed like a cool guy and was not pushy at all.

 

No! NAV is definitely not a necessity. Personally I thought it all too confusing (and I consider myself tenchologically enabled at 23 1/2 years of age!) I'd say go with a garmin...and get a cool voice like Mr. Bean or Sean Connery to tell you directions!

 

I got the NAV only because the wife insisted on it. Now I won't buy a car without one built-in. It's great for circum-navigating traffic congestion and pinpointing gas and food when needed. Once they have a full keyboard fold out of the dash for data entry and internet access, I'll be buying a new MINI.

 

I love the OEM Nav in my car. The POI function is about 50% usable (so far 50% of the stuff I've looked for I found in a minute or two, the rest, for get it). The Nav function works well. I like the interface for the stereo better and easier access to the car's settings. I'd definitely buy it again.

 

For $2100 I would rather have a set of light wheels and tires! NAV in the car is a waste of money. The Garmin NUVI or some of the TOMTOM gps units are so much more fun. The new Garmin Mobile XT software even runs on your cell phone and integrates GPS with the internet so you can do things like find a nearby gas station with the cheapest premium fuel. Try THAT on a built-in system! That and I just drove a Clubman with NAV, the speedometer was almost impossible to read around the screen.