Cna anyone please comment on this option? i jsut got my Mini (loaded) ordered yesterday, and this was one of the main features i wanted on it. I currently am using my laptop for most of my GPS work, but am dyign to get an integrated system. I have visisted the BMW website and used their little dog and pony show Flash applet to try it out. Is it the same thing?

THANKS!!!!!

 

what website is this?? i'd like to check it out cause i've ordered mine with the
navigation system so i can tell you if it's the same 1 or not

cheers

 

yes the Navigation is more or less the same one used in BMW's, I ordered it also, but only to put my speedometer in front of me rather than the middle of the car, where I can see it. I bought a Mini S and I know I will have to pay attention to my speed.

 

My Mini Cooper does not have the navigation.
I test drove one at the weekend and it did NOT look good to me.
I love the center speedo (but I may be biased, having owned an original Mini back in England in the 80s).
The navigation looks like a "square peg in a round hole" which is EXACTLY what it is in the Mini Cooper center console!

And now that both the tacho and speedo are over the steering wheel, I found that you cannot see either of them because they are blocked by the wheel itself.
The one tacho in my car can be seen between the wheel - but with the two being offset from the center, both seem to be blocked from view.

I recommend you see a kitted car before you commit on your order ...

One other thing - I read that the navigation system is CD based (not DVD). My friend had a BMW 740 with CD navigation and it was ludicrously slow! Took so long to replot a route (eg: if you take a turn to avoid traffic) that you have got to where you want to be!
And it knew only the most important roads - there is not much storage space on the CD.

Good luck with your choice :smile:

 

Thanks all for the replies!

Hmmm.... that's a shame. I use Microsoft Streets and Trips for some of my detail GPS usage, and it contains alomst every street you can imagine all on one CD. I guess it's all about efficient programming. However, i also saw that the BMW system uses 6 CDs to cover hte entire US, so you'd think that the maps would be super detailed since they are spread across so many discs.

Pontiac: It's BURIED in teh website, and i can't direct link you, so do this:

On http://www.bmwusa.com goto the Joy of Driving link (top right corner)
Goto the Technology sub-menu
Goto Luxury on the middle menu under the car
Under Featured Technologies, choose On Board Navigation
Have fun!

 

One of the reviews of the MINI I read (alas, I don't remember where), said it was nice to have, but you really could not trust the traffic alert / reroute feature. Within the testing period (a few days), it notified the guy of a slowdown that didn't exist, and didn't mention a slowdown on a different day. Either way, it still looks like a cool system, but I'd probally trust my local AM station for traffic more, if the review is any indication on how it works.

Rocketboy X

 

Just remember that your not buying this car for the navigation system, in a bind, yeah its nice to have and its a cool "gadget". Just let the car drive itself and smile while you do it. We used the navigation at my dealer and it was pretty accurate and detailed, it knew which street we were on, however the navigation that was in the mini I was in had a european accent, kinda cool, but like I said DRiVE HARD, DRIVE YOUR MINI HARDER!!

 

Thanks for the info! I was considering getting the navigation, also more to get the speedometer onto the steering column where (I thought) it could be seen. You may have saved me from a bad decision. :smile:

 

I am almost sure the aftermarket suppliers will make a upgrade frame for the "Square in the hole" I ordered the Nav system too because I like the guages on the column. If no one designs this system or a better fuel guage then I'll have to design something!

 

Hey, everyone, I actually HAVE a Navigation system on my MINI (silver, black roof, sunroof, leather, sports and cold weather package) and already had mine for a 1.4 months! I must say I like the speedometer on the steering column and you can see it just fine! also, the Nav system has a really cool look, with the MINI logo coming on when you turn the car on and the color map whre you can adjust the scale, also has a computer option when on the screen you can see your mileage, etc - very nice, easy to see. It gives the car that modern edge, vs. just a retro re-make (I kind of like that) and makes it a little luxury mobile.

As for the speed and CD's, well, it does not bother me so far. It does speak with a british accent, which is very anusing. You can also switch to German. No Russian option, dear Black Eyes, sorry.

Anyway, I like my Nav and am happy with it. There you have it.

 

Nit parusky!!Oychen Harosure!

Descvdanya!
(Ill be in vladivostok next month)

 

Thanks for the replies folks. The fact that the NAV was the first option i choose when ordering is a good indicator as to how bad i wanted it. =) I think for those of us that have had a taste of it, we wouldn't want to be without it again. I found a person that knows someone else that MIGHT be willing to make a copy of the NAV manual. I'll post if i can get my hands on it. I'm dying to see the interface features. Thanks gomini for the overview!

 

Just some more feedback on the GPS navigation for BMW- it is pretty good, but being CD based you must update it every year, my friend had it in his 328 and it was very slow and somtimes even led us to streets that did not exist anymore! Just know that it can be fairly faulty but for general directions it worked pretty good. All in all it was pretty spiffy thing to have, just watch out when you are using it while driving~!!

Good Luck!

~Jeanna

 

Yeah, whether is is CD or DVD based, you still must update it each year (until Wi-Fi is universally accepted ). That's just the way it works, but that's no big deal. I have also read that the MINI NAV system is actaully better than what's being put in the BMW's nowadays. Someone else posted that it's easier to use and updates much quicker than the current BMW units. Hopefully that was accurate. If it's anything like the new Infinity system, i know i'll be pleased.

 

"Seat time in this Mini yielded few surprises to anyone familiar with BMW products. The high-quality switchgear, the CD-based navigation system and even the odometer display are identical to what you'll find in today's 3 Series lineup. However, compared to our BMW 328i long-term car, the Mini's navigation system is far more intuitive with just a simple ****/pushbutton control (iDrive for the underprivileged?). The screen also updates more quickly than in previous BMW products we've driven, but let's face it, the Germans need to step into the 21st Century with DVD-based navigation systems that don't require swapping discs between Los Angeles and Phoenix. Also, be forewarned that while we like having the speedometer mounted directly in front of us on the steering column (this is where it goes if you get the nav system), the temperature gauge that resides in the large center-mounted speedo becomes an idiot light in the smaller steering-column version."

Quoted from a recent article on edmunds.com . To read the whole article go to the "Reading List" in the Main Menu. Here.
The article is titled "Road test follow up"
SW

 

Hey, Zappa, do you actually speak Russian, or just learned a few words? (Need to work on your transliteration skills) What's in Vladivostok? I'll be in Moscow next week, by the way.

And ochi cherniye means Black Eyes in Russian, that is why I referred to that in my message, since he/she was asking if someone knows what it means.

By the way, on the language support - you computer buff out there - do you know how to make that Nav system talk in more than 2 languages (English and German)? I called BMW and they said no way. But how do people drive BMW's with the Nav let's say in France or Italy? Unless they are only into Ferrari and Peugeot over there... But seriously, I'd love to have my MINI speak all these languages - I can practice them at the same time. Any thoughts - anyone?

 

xs1vgamer, what is the interface you are talking about? I am not very informed on this stuff, but since I have the Nav, I'd like to know what I can do with it.

 

gomini,
I would imagine that the language is incoded on the CD ROM. Thus if you lived in France, Spain, or whatever... you could get CD ROMs that would meet your needs.
I could be wrong....
SW

 

I do not think it is CD Rom, since BMW told me it cannot sell me a different language version and cars in North America can only have English and German. I can't imagine why - other than that it is programmed in the central buid-in chip somehow - i.e. operation system is in the car's computer and the CD's just contain the map data (that's why you get updates so frequently and it's ok, otherwise, you have to relaod the operating system , or whatever this thing is.

But pehaps there is a a way to plug into the central processor...

 

w00t!! I'm am getting a copy of the NAV manual (hopefully) soon. It's 50 pages and i'm paying for it, but it's worth it to satisfy my curiosities. I'll try and answer any specific questions here when i get it.

 

Gomini
Oh, I have trouble spelling english! No, I don't speak Russian much. I have been learning for about 9 months. Never tried the transliteration until a day or so ago. Actually I am meeting a long time friend and then taking the Trans Siberian to Blagoveshchensk where I will stay at her place with her parents in one of those Soviet Era highrises. Her english is as bad as my russian so It will be quite an experience! - Sorry no Navigation system info.. HEHE


_________________
http://www.syntheticwarehouse.com

 

Does anyone know how much it costs to update their CDs for the NAV system? I've heard people have already done so.

Thanks in advance!

 

>>Does anyone know how much it costs to update their CDs for the NAV system? I've heard people have already done so.


The CD's are about $125 each. Remember, you don't HAVE to update them every year. The streets don't really "move" all that much . You'll primarily get "fixes" to errors in the database, and "additions" (new streets/businesses) in expanding areas.

I have a Garmin "hand-held" unit that my wife and I use occasionally in our cars, and every once in a while we find an error in it's data base as well (and it's about 5-6 years old). From other reviews, I believe the MINI uses about 5 or 6 CD's to cover the entire US. Usually the way these systems work is that you have "low resolution" roads for the entire US, and then the $125 CD's supply the "detailed" streets (points of interest, restaurants, etc). So, if you're going cross-country you would still see the major arteries (just not the details). Have any of the lucky MINI + Nav owners tried the areas outside of their "home" CD?

In the next 6months to a year this should be helped by MINI introducing the new generation of DVD Nav systems. There, one DVD covers the entire country! (should make updates more reasonable as well). If you are a traveling sales person, where you are continually going to new addresses, the updates would probably be more valuable. Personally, that level of accuracy is not that important. With my current hand-held unit, I mainly use the system to provide a quick "verification" as to where we are (on the endless stretches of I-5), and to get an estimate of "time-to-destination". For my purposes, I think the MINI system will be fine.

(that is, if my number ever gets to the top of the list!....)

 

>>>>Does anyone know how much it costs to update their CDs for the NAV system? I've heard people have already done so.
>>
>>
>>The CD's are about $125 each. Remember, you don't HAVE to update them every year. The streets don't really "move" all that much . You'll primarily get "fixes" to errors in the database, and "additions" (new streets/businesses) in expanding areas.
>>

Please don't tell me that if I want to go from Chicago to San Diego, and it requires three CDs, I will have to spend $375 for the $1600 NAV system to work!

 

"Please don't tell me that if I want to go from Chicago to San Diego, and it requires three CDs, I will have to spend $375 for the $1600 NAV system to work! "

You don't need 3 cd's for the traveling part of it since every cd comes with all the main roads in the US. but if you want street level maps while in San Diego then you'll need another CD. There has been some talk of setting up filesharing for the cd data. I would certainly trade my North east data for other disks.