As far as GPS nav on a car....why? I always drive my car on roads. Maps are reasonably cheap. Roads are on maps. Unless you are dropping in on a remote area via a C-130 HALO excersise, is it worth the cost. Is it another toy we have to have? No offense to those who ordered it, of course! My $.02

 

Well it is a very cool toy... I would have got it if it hadn't displaced the speedo! GPS saves lots of marital spats over trying to read the map while you are driving down the road. Think about it. I have a handheld Magellan GPS that works great, but then it doesn't speak to me in a sexy english voice and tell me where to turn.....



jc

 

>>but then it doesn't speak to me in a sexy english voice and tell me where to turn.....

Are there any sound files on the net of this sexy English voice? I'd love to hear it.

 

>>>>but then it doesn't speak to me in a sexy english voice and tell me where to turn.....
>>
>>Are there any sound files on the net of this sexy English voice? I'd love to hear it.

I'll try to record some Quicktime footage today, but I'll need someone to host the vid on the net. Anyone?

 

Sent you a PM about hosting.

 

In making a decision on weather you want (hardly something mostly anyone *needs*) one or not depends on where you live. I'm from Texas and this place is f'n huge. Around here we are used to traveling say 1 hour and still be in the same city or traveling 3 hours and still be nowhere near the next city. Saying that means there is a lot of ground to cover. There is no way you can know every street or if you get a little lost a map is not much help if you can't find the little one block length street your on. A GPS can go a very long way but in the end it's just a convenience. Me, I have handheld GPS and it's so great I'm almost ashamed I ever bought a paper map (I'm kidding of course.) I also ordered my MCS with a NAV as well, I'm tired of my monochrome GPS and tired of holding it too.

So it's up to you, if you live in a big metropolitan city a map is not very convenient in finding the closest ATM, food joint, police station, freeway, address, etc, etc. It's a very handy tool and if you can afford it I recommend it. The digital map has come a long way. But if you like to mainly go to places your've always been to and don't like to go out much or try new routes a GPS could just be a waste of your money.

My 2¢.

H.é.c.t.o.r.

 

I have ordered Sat/Nav in the hope of arriving at our destination feeling cool and not arriving ready to blow because somebody cant read a map.It may also give me confidence to drive through some of our busiest (UK) cities. Receive Cooper in March and we shall see if it is worth £1450. ( for the sake of my marriage I hope so)

 

I firmly believe that SatNav systems save relationships. Every trip I've had one in has gone sooo smoothly, compared to trying to navigate with maps, missing turns, and the ensuing arguments and blames. I always rent cars with them and have for the last few years. Of course, I think the Nav is sorta worthless around your local town, but I got it anyway! Maybe encourage me to go on trips in the MINI. Plus it'll make it a ton easier to drive home from the dealer (1700 miles or so).

I've been hoping someone would post a video of the Nav system in operation, even though I should see mine in a few weeks.:smile: It'll help other buyers make more informed decisions though - since the operaytion of the Nav is NOT in the online manual.

 

I like it for these reasons:

Cool toy.
Cheaper then divorce.
Moves the speedometer to the steering wheel
Cool shark fine on top
Add on DVD for watching movies while you drive.

 

So, if getting the sat/nav moves the speedo the where the tach ususally goes, does that mean you need to get the transparent steering wheel? I noticed right off that, unless I slouched, I couldn't see but the bottom half of the tach when I took the test drive. Fortunately, I regard tachometers as being somewhat superfluous but speedo's, now . . .

Mark of Pemburnia

 

>>So, if getting the sat/nav moves the speedo the where the tach ususally goes, does that mean you need to get the transparent steering wheel? I noticed right off that, unless I slouched, I couldn't see but the bottom half of the tach when I took the test drive. Fortunately, I regard tachometers as being somewhat superfluous but speedo's, now . . .
>>
>>Mark of Pemburnia

I never thought much about tachs either...until I got my MCS. You'll understand when you get your car.

I also have the Nav. system so my speedo is on the sterring column. I don't have much of a problem seeing either the tach or speedo. If anything The wheel cuts off part of the top of the speedo. You must be a lot taller than me ( I'm 5'9&quotif you have to slouch to see it.

 

We have the Nav for several reasons.

1. It is way cool.
2. My hubby doesn't believe I'm a decent Nava-guesser.
3. It encourages us to Motor to new and exciting locals because we have a list of places to go when we get there.
4.It moved the speedo (something we both wanted)
5. Seems very few have the little shark fin...and that's cool too.

The reality is I don't feel that the Mini was built to only use the well known roads I've been on every day...if I just wanted that I'd buy another car. I have the Mini to explore to motor to move along...and finally to make the old roads more interesting. The Nav is better than a map and well worth the expense.

________
BRG/BRG all packages; HK; NAV

 

I find it funny that you would create a whole string about GPS and start it with the bashing of GPS. I hope you've tried it out before you cast it aside.

I'm not sure where all of you live, but I live in Germany right now. I can read and understand most of the german road signs, but when I get out of the country and into France, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweeden, Switzerland, Austria, etc, etc...I can't really read the signs. If the NAV isn't for you than don't get it. But I would love to see you try to cross europe without one and keep your sanity.

All in all the GPS does alot for the car. Instead of the onboard computer output being 1 1/2 in by 1/2 in, its a large well lit display. The screen can be split in half where the left side is your map and the right side contains your direction finders and even symbles to indicate which exit to use on a multi-exit interchange. It's quite an awsome device. I bet you wish you thought of it first.

Also, Im not very partial to the Speedo in the center. Even if I did not get the GPS I wiould have converted to the steering wheel version. It's all IMO.

See Ya....GPS ROCKS!!!
Frank

 

I did not get the factory NAV system, but do have the Garmin Streetpilot III.

When you begin to use this type of tool, you quickly learn that your mental map of your own hometown is really not as good as you think it is.

I am new to Birmingham which has a very complicated street plan. Because I do not know my way around, I use my GPS to assist me in learning how to get around the town.

My sister has lived in this town for about 15 years and was amazed when she was with me in my MCS and I made what she considered a "wrong turn" only to see that I was taking a huge shortcut and avoiding some very congested intersections. She said "I didn't know that road went through there. .. . "

 

Try reading a map while you fly over the twisting, pitching potholed Pittsburgh North Hills just driving hard to go nowhere and then figure out you found nowhere and don't know where it is or you are! Confused? Now you get it!

 

The Quicktime movie of a few seconds of the navigation system is available at:
http://www.wrinkled.com/MINI

 

A pointless gadget, as far as I'm concerned. Besides, I like the speedo in the middle of the dash where it belongs.

 

Navigation system is a fun toy and useful tool, and in the MINI it puts the speedometer were it should be, in front of the driver next to the tachometer. The center mounted speedometer may be quaint, but if having the speedometer in the center of the dash were the best place to position it, all the manufacturers would locate it there.

 

>>As far as GPS nav on a car....why? I always drive my car on roads. Maps are reasonably cheap. Roads are on maps. Unless you are dropping in on a remote area via a C-130 HALO excersise, is it worth the cost. Is it another toy we have to have? No offense to those who ordered it, of course! My $.02

Primarily because reading with a map while driving is lethal, as is reading a printout from mapquest- and because some believe the extra cost is worth it. my $.02.

 

I Have a hand held GPS and have found it to be extremely valuable when traveling up and down the east coast visiting customers. I just look up the latitude and longitude of my destination on Microsoft Streets and Trips and always known how far I need to go and in what direction. I have used the talking kind of GPS on rental cars and they are great too.

Vincent

 

>>Navigation system is a fun toy and useful tool, and in the MINI it puts the speedometer were it should be, in front of the driver next to the tachometer. The center mounted speedometer may be quaint, but if having the speedometer in the center of the dash were the best place to position it, all the manufacturers would locate it there.

I bought the gps because it put the speedo next to the tach. :smile:

 

>>I did not get the factory NAV system, but do have the Garmin Streetpilot III.
>>
>>When you begin to use this type of tool, you quickly learn that your mental map of your own hometown is really not as good as you think it is.

Greetings - I have a Garmin SPIII also. I think it is an absolutely wonderful tool. I rarely use it around town, but on trips it is priceless. Out in the middle of nowhere and need to find the nearest Gas Station? Punch a couple of buttons - not only does it tell you how far away, it is, it tells you how to get there - speaking, turn by turn. Closest ATM? Hospital? Restaurant? Hotel? Its wonderful. And, here is a huge advantage, it is not attatched to the car. Flying to you vacation destination? You can just throw it in the suitcase. Hop in your rental, put it on the dash, and its just like you are in your hometown.
The only downside, really, is that it does take up some space on top of the dash, as well as a 12v outlet (thats one for the SP, one for the laptop, one for the Radar detector, oh no). And, of course, its only half the price of the GPS in the Cooper.
I can't wait for April, I can't wait for April - and my dealer is 2200 miles away from home - guess what the first thing in MY suitcase is going to be.

:smile: Phil :smile:

 

I second everything everyone has said. I love my navigation. I use it often, esp when going to PA , since I'm not very familliar with the areas there. I also love, as was mentioned above, that the on board computer is bigger on the screen. I can't say enough. Everyone just has different ideas about what they want in a car. That's why the MINI exists with all of it's features!