Ohhhhh. Is the nav a Tom-Tom, or does it just use that service? I heard the Tom-Tom is good, but I hate their dumb commercials.

 

TOMTOM is the nav.. they offer traffic service for 39.95 a year, plus you have to pay your cell compay if you have any additiona charges. Say for example if via nextel you didn't have an unlimited data plan - then you would be hit for data time to download the updates etc....

 

According to a press release on MotoringFile (back in September 2006), the real-time traffic feed for the OEM NAV is supplied by Clear Channel, picked up by a dedicated radio tuner in the car, and is no-cost for four years. Isn't that correct?

 

Note that 07PepperS is in GERMANY - his experience does not apply to those in the US WRT traffic updates.

 

Yes there is real time traffic control integrated into the NAV. I believe the subscription to this service is free for life of the car. So anyways, when there is a traffic jam ahead, the voice will say "there is a traffic jam, do you want to detour?" It really is live. Today, I was about to hit a traffic jam, like the nav told me. It didn't seem like it, so I didn't take the detour. Two minutes later, there it was. If you choose not to take the detour, the voice prompt will repeatedly ask you to up until you hit the traffic, which can get annoying.

 

Thankls for the info!

 

ummm yes , don't pay attention to the guy ' in germany ' (is this really not my thread LOL)

sorry..

 

Hello, did you order the REAL Leather Seats or just the Leatherette???

Thank you.

 

Leatherette... It holds its shape and is much more durable than leather. Plus it was a no-cost option.

 

Update: It's been 2 weeks, and I have just finished my break-in period. Now I can start using the Sport Button! This past Saturday I also got the driving lamps installed. When all 6 lights are on (high beams, front fogs, driving lamps), it's blindingly bright. I haven't used them on the streets yet, but was very tempted this morning during the torrential rains. I will post pictures soon (in the light, and at night).

I've also noticed that every hour, on the hour, a little "MINI tone" goes off. The chime is just 3 notes, but lets me know what time it is.

I've become adept at using the Sat Nav, and will post the review soon. I have to say that I'm becoming increasingly dependant on the Nav. The other day I was driving on a highway that is notorious for being jammed during rush hour, and I choose to take the given detour. It led me around the traffic on the smaller off-streets.

I've also used the sunroof numerous times and can report no noise. The "secret glove box compartment" does not rattle.

As many people have pointed out, the seatbelt is in a position that will scratch the door and trim if pulled back and forth repeatedly. I've notice that if the seatbelt is left in its default position after the door is opened and closed, the next time you sit in the driver's seat and pull it forward, it will scrape the door panel and very possibly the trim. Because I have the Piano Black and Cream colorline, my solution is just leaving the seatbelt resting on the side bolster of the sport seat.

Overall, I've been having a blast in my new MINI. It's very difficult not to go over the speed limit! And yes, I have used the Speed Limit function.

 

Speed limit function?

 

yeah do all minis have the speed limit function or are they just on the nav's???

 

I've posted this in the Nav forum, but thought I would share it here too.

I picked up my PW/B MINI on Mar. 30 and spent the whole weekend motoring. Half of that time I was motoring while exploring the capabilities of the Sat Nav. I've been told that mine was one of the first in the US to have the Nav. Since this is the first vehicle I've gotten with OEM navigation, I have nothing to compare it to. I also have never used any portable navigation systems.

Many of you have probably already read my thread of the general overview:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=96618

I've also posted videos of the Voice Control and Sat Nav in use here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMveKNx99HQ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q17lXod0XKg



Let me first start off with the visuals of the system. The wide screen is centered in the Speedo with the needle running along the outer edge. This "needle" is actually a little indicator attached to an outer silver circle. This whole circular piece rotates inside the clear housing, giving the impression that only the "needle" is floating around the Speedo. The joystick near the emergency brake and the voice-control button on the multi-function steering wheel are used to control the Nav. The location is reachable with my arm at the side. It's a very bright and clear display, especially visible at night (it lights up the entire interior of the car). Even in direct daylight it is very readable. The maps appear as colored lines against a black background, which is very different than Nav systems I've seen in other vehicles. It looks thoroughly modern and very MINI.

The joystick can be tilted in 4 directions: up, down, left, right. The top portion also has a turn dial. On top is a button. The hard part is learning when to use the directionals and when to use the turn dial. Because the Owner's Manual has a very basic section on the nav, you really learn by trial and error. It seems that to navigate through menus and submenus, you use the directionals. To scroll through choices, you use the turn dials. For example, directionals are used to select Navigation or Entertainment on the Home screen (also accessed by the button to the left of the joystick with the house symbol), while the turn dial is used to scroll through tracks on a CD. The main problem with the turn dial is that with choices that are displayed horizontally across the top of the screen, the dial is rotated left or right to select, but this is also true with choices that are displayed in a column, reading top to bottom. Instinct will tell you to nudge the joystick down to select choices in a column, but you will have to turn the dial. This is one thing that will take some getting used to. One has to perfect this in order to enter addresses quickly (if entering manually).

You can also use voice control to enter addresses. The trick is to know which commands to speak, and to be patient for the beep that signals when to start speaking. There were many times when I spoke too soon after the prompt, before the beep, and found myself repeating the command several times. In entering addresses, you are asked to say the information in a specific order. For example, you are first asked for the country, state, city, street, and then house number. This can get a little repetitive. After starting guidance, you can enable a split-screen view that shows the map on the left and directional arrows on the right. The time to destination appears on the bottom. Map views include: direction of travel (shown in the video above), facing north, or arrows. When guidance isn't in use, the split-screen shows the location along with the altitude. There is also a view with just a directional arrow and a vertical bar. As the bar fills up, the next directional is given. At any given location, there is an option to search for points of interest in that area. This is useful for finding gas stations, banks, and other businesses in an unfamiliar area.

The Real-Time Traffic Info has been very helpful. At any time, you can access the major highways for updated info and driving conditions. It will tell you if a car has broken down, and in which lane. When there is traffic up ahead, the Nav will ask if you want to take a detour. It will also alert you of exits you should take to avoid the traffic ahead. If you choose to accept the detour, the Nav recalculates another route for you to take. I ignored the warning of traffic one time, thinking that the highway was too clear for it to occur anytime soon. Two miles later I was stuck in a jam, and I've never doubted my Nav since!

Car data and personal preferences can also be viewed and set on the screen. All the owner's settings can be programmed this way, instead of on the Tach. You can also view trip info such as miles left on the tank, average fuel consumption, etc. You can program a speed limit so that when you reach that speed, a "Limit" indication will appear on the Tach, along with a musical tone. I've had to use this on many occasions. There is a Stop Watch function also.

The Entertainment sections can show the tracks and progress of CDs and the radio. When a CD is inserted, by default it plays automatically, and shows the progress of a track with a horizontal line. If an MP3 disc is inserted, you can see a listing of all the tracks. If the disc has subfolders, these are shown across the top of the screen. The tracks can be changed with the MFSW or by twisting the joystick. With voice control, you can change tracks by saying "Track 15." The radio tuning is illustrated by a wavy line with the frequencies selectable by twisting the joystick. Underneath the line is where the station name and song titles appear. The presets are shown on a horizontal line with call-outs above and below. I have yet to figure out how to clear the default stations and program my own.

The Sat Nav edition of the owner's manual gives the basics, but does not go into much depth. A small list of voice commands is provided, but most functions and commands will just be discovered on your own. Here's just a partial list of some functions used with voice control:

-choosing between Nav, CD, radio
-choosing map views
-starting/stopping voice guidance
-changing tracks, radio stations (you can just say "94.5 FM")
-entering address info such as city, house number, street, etc.

I'm very happy with my decision to go with the Nav. It definitely improved the looks of the interior. It looks breathtaking at night, and is very useful when you need to get to a place you've never been to before. When searching for restaurants, it even gives you the phone number so you can call ahead for reservations. The satellite signal has been great in all the Boston tunnels. Recalculating routes has been quick. Voice guidance is clear. But the one thing missing is the British accent!

 

Thanks for the great reviews, I'm so jealous of your beautiful car, I had to go out and build one almost just like it, great color choice!!! Should have mine in 10-12 weeks!

 

UPDATE:
After almost exactly one month of ownership, I've added some accessories to the MINI. Here's the list:

-Windows tinted with 35% SunTek Carbon Film (Non-metallic so it won't interfere w/ my NAV)
-Chrome Driving Lamps
-OEM Checkered Sunroof (It's not perforated)
-Rockford Fosgate Amplifier, 10" Subwoofer, 1/2 Farad Capacitor in the boot

Here are some pics of the MINI:

 

Cool pictures

 

Nice ride, great media presentation, enjoy.................

 

Thanks for the informative review. Mine is due in a week or two.

Can you dim the Nav illumination at night? Bright interior lights are fine in an over-illuminated city, but can be very annoying on dark country roads.

 

Yes, you can dim the NAV illumination.

 

Thankx for the awesome review! I don't think I've found anything better on the internet about the mini nav...and I was really looking hard cause I'm trying to decide whether or not to get one with a nav system.

I had a question though (possibly a little off topic -- sorry). If I were to buy either A) a used mni or B) a mini from the dealer -- both without nav factory installed -- Can I still have it installed? Cause I want the integrated nav...especially after seeing/reading this post.

Thanks,

Jason

 

Integrated Nav is only available as a factory install. It is heavily integrated into almost all aspects of the car's operation.

Here are my thoughs on the SatNav in my 07:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=99558

Just beware software updates if you get it! :-)

 

Went for a midnight drive lsat night and I played with the dimming feature. Yes, you can use the instrument lighting shaft on the tachometer to dim both the tachometer as well as the center nav console.

 

After almost four months of ownership, I've put over 5k miles on the MINI and so far no problems. I'm planning on retrofitting the alarm kit once it becomes available and maybe upgrade to R98 or R90 wheels. On a side note, my girlfriend and I went to our first MINI meet (MINIs on Top). There were a lot MINIs! Here are some pics...

For more pics, click on this link:
http://flickr.com/photos/21158955@N0...93531147/show/