I recently ordered a MCS and am in production week 31. I was considering adding the Navigation System but I haven't read many good reviews on it. Does this system have iDrive? Please let me know what you think of your nav systems and let me know if it's worth the extra $2100.00. Thanks!

 

To my knowledge, it does utilize iDrive.

 

I like mine. It has steered me around numerous traffic jams in San Jose, and Los Angeles. The integration with the MINI is nice. The NAV screen is large and much more appealing than the huge speedometer.

A friend recently purchased a Garmin for RAV. One day when we were driving in my MINI he brought his Garmin along. The guidance was almost identical to the MINI NAV. His spoke the street names, the MINI just says, "Take the next street on the left." We found that the street names can actually be more confusing.

 

I enjoy mine, both for it's functionality and for how it finishes off the dash and center console. I've got piano black dash and that with the SAT/NAV make the interior seem complete, just my opinion, for what that's worth.

 

You can purchase a Garmin or Magelean for under $500.00 and it can be moved from vehicle to vehicle.
We used the Garmin on our 4300 mile trip in the Cooper this June and it did very well.
Save yourself a lot of $$$$ and don't get the Nav in the dash.

 

I think the Nav is a clean interface and I hear it functions pretty well. However, IMO $2,100 is just way over priced. Unless of course you do ALOT of driving I would opt for a portable unit and go on nice trip...buy a hot tub, add it to your 401K...lol

 

it looks nice, but i just got a nuvi 360 and got it mounted with a kuda mount. n

 

$2100 for a built-in screen that doesn't play videos or use the backup camera is way too much. You can buy a NUVI, a bunch of accessories and every chart Garmin makes for half that much. NUVIs are fun, and work well. Incidently, all NUVI 360 models read street names, it is a function of what voice you use. The TTS voices read street names, the regular voices don't. And a few of us here on NAM have the MINI NUVI files that update your NUVI with new icons and screens, so no need to buy the one from the dealer.

 

Ive got OEM NAV with Voice Control and Parking Distance Control. Love all of it for its functionality and looks. No regrets.

 

I've got the same setup, along with bluetooth prep. Works well, and having the nav screen for phone directory is also a great benefit of having nav. It's also nice that the "Accept" screen goes away by itself after five seconds, with no user intervention, as is not the case on my X5.

 

If you have the money or just don't care about money, get it if you really want it. I was all hot on the built in nav too, but a co-worker put things in perspective for me...he said "You can get an HDTV for $2100!".

Now before you think I'm easily influenced, almost none of my co-workers are on board with me buying a Mini, including this guy.

But back your decision...buy what YOU want and what YOU can live with paying for.

 

Love mine, it also integrates a lot of the OBC functions into the nav as well as the stereo settings and as stated makes for clean integration with BT.

HOWEVER, ensure the Voice Recognition works as the odd car (including mine) have arrived with non functional voice recognition and as such we are waiting on a software update with no date for release!:impatient

 

Update your X5's Nav firmware to V27 or newer (current version is 29.1). It has the auto-accept timeout feature. The Nav unit in X5 (except for the new updated X5) is the same as in 1st gen MINI and uses the same firmware.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=63769
http://www.x5world.com/navigation-system/

 

True, but what it can't do is navigate when it can't lock on to the sats. Not very useful if you are entering or leaving Manhattan on the lower deck of one of the bridges or via one of the tunnels. Not so useful in Boston these days either.

Of course if you are driving in the rural midwest, the NUVI will work just as well.

 

While it is true that the portables will loose contact w/sats in garages and some confined zones...the notion that they are only suited for the Rural midwest is ........

 

I was very hot for the MINI Nav as well. I did the math and at least for me adding the MINI Nav (and the auto A/C, which I didn't really want anyway) including tax and interest would cost around $3400. I can get a nice Nuvi 660 with accessories for around $800. And it plays MP3s and has Bluetooth among other things.

 

Excerpt from GPS Magazine reviewing the nuvi 680. I'm not endorsing it just providing information for those that may be seeking an alternative to the $2,100 Mini charges. I've seen the 680 listed as low as $675.00 in Amazon.


"When I first reviewed the Garmin nuvi 660 last year, I gave it the highest rating of Editor's Choice. Like the 660, the nuvi 680 remains an outstanding GPS packed full of handy features without adding clutter or confusion to the interface. Each feature is thoughtfully implemented and well-designed.
I really loved using the integrated FM transmitter to play MP3's over the car's stereo system (although I wished the transmitter was more powerful - finding a usable station in a large city is almost impossible, and you have to adjust it multiple times on a long road trip). When nuvi wanted to tell me about an up-coming maneuver, it politely paused the music, announced the next maneuver, and resumed playing the music. Using Bluetooth and the FM transmitter to transmit phone calls over the stereo was easy and made phone calls easy to hear.
The super-bright, white backlit screen would be reason enough to upgrade to the nuvi 680, especially given its newly reduced pricing. Add Bluetooth, traffic data, an MP3 player, photo viewer, travel guides, and long battery life, and you've got yourself one great GPS. At its core, navigation on the nuvi 680 is excellent. NAVTEQ mapping data and a sophisticated routing engine produced reliable and efficient routes. The nuvi could be built a little more solidly, but there's really very little to complain about - this is an excellent GPS.
The ability to view real-time gas pricing, movie times, and weather is a more useful feature than one might assume -- especially since they're all part of the same MSN subscription bundle.
If you already own a nuvi 660, it's probably not worth upgrading. If you're in the market for a new GPS, the nuvi 680 is a great GPS that offers first rate navigation, hands-free speakerphone, a built-in FM transmitter, real-time traffic, movie, weather, and gas pricing information, as well as text-to-speech and over 6 million Points of interest -- all in an easy to use package with a bright 4.3" wide display. As of this writing, you'd be hard pressed to find a better GPS."

From GPS Magazine February 7, 2007

 

Velcro it in the center of the cartoon speedo and you might have something there.

I've never heard an mp3 to FM transmitter that didn't sound like crap. Since the MINI has an AUX you can plug an mp3 player into and the CD player will play mp3s, this seems like a really stupid way to play mp3s in a MINI.

The built-in NAV does this with any audio source.

Ouch! You have to run your phone calls through FM as well? Doesn't the 680 have an audio out that would go into the AUX? You are driving and get a call. In addition to the usual cel reception problems, do you really want to have to be adjusting your FM channel to keep reception?

That sounds pretty cool.

 

I have the Garmin Nuvi 360 and it's fantastic...very accurate. In fact I've had it for 3 months now and there has never been a Nav error. I think that the street call outs are one of the most valuable features. I don't know how that can be confusing...I bought mine for $399.00 from Buydig.com

 

You generally pay 3 to 4 times what the Nav unit costs to have it as OEM. For me it added 10% to the cost of the car, so I passed on it. If travel a lot to strange places maybe it's worth it. And the Nav unit you get OEM is probably older than the ones you can buy now as is the software. Software updates for the car will cost you a bundle too.

 

For everyone's information...I recently read an article, I think it was from J.D. Powers but I'm not sure so don't hold me to it, that OEM nav units can lower, repeat lower the resale value of an automobile by as much as $3000.00. This of course is on more expensive cars than the MINI. This is due to the rapidly moving technology and the fact they are not easily upgraded. A Nuvi can be upgraded on line in a few minutes.

 

I've always heard and read the other way around, that they increase the resale value. The units themselves shouldn't need any, repeat any updates. The software needs to be updatable but their hasn't been any significant changes in GPS hardware in quite some time. Software yes, hardware no.

 

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Yeah... if you do a cost analysis on the OEM Nav vs. a portable, the OEM will never win... BUT I've had both portable and OEM and the integration and usablility of OEM makes it a better system in most cases. I never use my portable because I don't feel like puling it out and attaching it to the windshield, I don't like the clutter, and the POI info is limited (on mine at least). So, for me, it's worth the money, because having a portable is like not having a Nav at all.

 

According to the Garmin specs, it has an audio out port. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=400