Most car magazines 'mention' the Nav, the MINI dealer has some details on it, but no one I have encountered has used it.

Anyone have hands on experience?, how is the display size, features, voice quality (sound real or computer, F or M, etc..)

Any crystal clear pictures of the unit - big ones with lots of detail?

Appreciate anything you've got.

Cheers.

 

There are serveral review of the NAV on http://www.mini2.com/

I've decide to cancel the NAV. From what I heard, the NAV is intergrated with the head unit so this limits your ability to change the head unit if youwanted to.

 

my understanding is that the head unit integrates with the NAV system only for voice and audio commands. if you replace the head unit, the NAV system still works, but you don't get voice commands.

I can't be certain until I get my car in about 2 weeks.

 

I have actual used the the Sat Nav during a extended test drive in a UK Copper S. I can report that it works brilliantly. Very easy to use. The screen is large and clear with good contrast. At first I advised my girlfriend not to buy it, but after using it I changed my mind. I did have my reservations on having it positioned in the centre of the dash as apposed to the Speedo, but not anymore. When driving the car at speed, I prefer having the speedo in front of the steering wheel. Those who dont order one may end up regreting it!!!!

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Four weeks to delivery of a dark grey Cooper S, black roof and mirrors, Chill Pack, full leather, blue carpet, Sat Nav, 17 inch rims full loaded.

 

>>my understanding is that the head unit integrates with the NAV system only for voice and audio commands. if you replace the head unit, the NAV system still works, but you don't get voice commands.
>>
>>I can't be certain until I get my car in about 2 weeks.

This post is quite old. I was wondering if there has been any further evidence to support or refute this observation? :???:

Although the funds aren't there quite yet, I hope to upgrade the whole system - I just don't want to lose Molly's voice!

 

We have the Navigation system on our Chile Red MC. It's a trip! I names it "Emma," but my wife doesn't get it. It's her car, and we got the Navigation to keep her from getting lost. Works very very well. Nice friendly femals voice with a British accent, smoothly over-rides the audio system (and you get get the volume). Even tried using it on some routes that we knew all the short-cuts, and Emma found another. Took awhile to find a way to adjust the detail on the map -- it seemed like she only had the main US, state and county routes. But if you dial down the detail, you can get all the local streets. All in all, very satisfied, and the spouse won't have any more excuses for getting lost!!!!

>>Most car magazines 'mention' the Nav, the MINI dealer has some details on it, but no one I have encountered has used it.
>>
>>Anyone have hands on experience?, how is the display size, features, voice quality (sound real or computer, F or M, etc..)
>>
>>Any crystal clear pictures of the unit - big ones with lots of detail?
>>
>>Appreciate anything you've got.
>>
>>Cheers.

 

i have the NAV and replaced the head unit; the NAV continues to work fine, but without the voice commands (i've got no problem with that). It is possible that someone may work out a connection so the NAV voice will work with a replacement HU, but no reports yet. My HU is an alpine which can take a tel input; presumably the NAV voice can hijack that function.

 

Thanks for the update jlm. I still like it when Molly tells me where to go!

 

Mini2Go wrote:

>>On a side note, boy would it be a HOOT to be able to program Molly to say certain things.... Like when I turn her on she might say "Hello Master"... <<

 

Gee, MINIclo, you're a quick one! I didn't think that the tone of that would come through in text like it does in my head, and figured nobody would quite follow me.

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Pure Silver w/ black MC, Premium, Sports, and Cold-weather pkgs, CVT, + NAV system - and that little shark-fin antenna! (too much fun!)

 

Just love the Nav system. Even like to use it when I know exactly where I'm going. Kind of fun to see the arrow moving across the map.

First used it on a trip across three states. It worked wonderfully. Was able to locate roads I wasn't sure of and actually see my progress. Using around my local town, I am however able to see the problem associated with updating the map. I live in an area where we continue to have new streets and even a new highway route. Since the Nav doesn't know the streets, you get a lot of chatter from the Nav about being outside the area, off the planned route, etc. I usually use the system without the voice prompts when I'm not going going on a planned route, just so I can avoid the interrupts to the radio/cd unit.

By the way, I've mention in several post about the Nav interfering with the head unit. What is that?

 

the stock HU has provision to be interuppted so as to play audio comands from the nav (or even a phone, if that ever gets implemented.) if you replace the stock HU with a better one, this function is lost and the nav is silent. it may be possible to get it working, but no one has as yet, even though many aftermarket HU's can accept telephone input and normal audio interupt.

the stock unit is made by alpine, by the way. I replaced mine with a better alpine, but don't have the nav audio commands (no loss for me)

 

>>the stock unit is made by alpine, by the way.


That's interesting! Can I assume that you noticed this when replacing the OE HU? Was there some badging stickers? Or did you find this out through some other means?

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Pure Silver w/ black MC, Premium, Sports, and Cold-weather pkgs, CVT, + NAV system - and that little shark-fin antenna! (too much fun!)

 

noticed a sticker on the old unit; no model number. the new unit, a 7894, weighs about twice as much as the puny stocker.