Quote:
Originally Posted by ukwildcat
In a word, yes, but only probably every three years or so.
(oh, and if you think $200 is bad, they used to charge $400 for it)
Roads - even major roads - change in my area quite often, but that's rare for most folks.
It does take a year or more for changes to be reflected in the data sources, and there's a lot of effort in collecting those data. Someone didn't create it for free, so I don't expect to get it for free, either.
It's true that some NAV device makers offer "free lifetime updates" - for their little tiny awkward display that always makes you look like a tool driving down the road.
I prefer a large, integrated display, but I do understand those that want a newer device with maybe more features, it's cheap, etc. Suit yourself.
It probably would not kill BMW to make map updates free, though..
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Sorry, I forgot to add originally..
My version says..
112.9104.12
Road Map North America Premium 2010
A version number is good, but if they change the meaning, not so much.. and I don't know what it means, really. But that's what it says.
I thought I read an update on this thread but can't find it right now, so..
I'm not really a fan of Garmin or TomTom, but that's a matter of opinion, of course. The main thing I like about an integrated NAV unit is that it usually has a large screen (very true on the X5, and it's BEAUTIFUL) and of course ergonomics, etc. have been done to acccomodate everything.
I know folks who had manufacturer units that were based on TomTom or other designs and they were not happy with them. The graphics can be quite crude - new Acuras, for example - and their routing is.. interesting.
Certainly, people almost always question their car's NAV routing, forgetting that it may be basing that route on time, distance or efficiency, which are not always the most obvious routes.
Garmin seems better in this respect - and it's EXCELLENT for "not in the car" applications, particularly with terrain, etc. - but still seems somewhat ill-suited to the car.
Currently, my only two complaints about the 2011 X5 NAV is that it's ETA for "city" destinations is absurd. For example, it will say that it takes an hour and 20 minutes to get to work, which is 18 miles and takes maybe 40 minutes in heavy traffic, yet it gives very accurate estimates for highway trips. The Lexus was MUCH better in this regard.
It's POI database is not the best around, but to put that in perspective, it's actual road maps tend to be very, very recent based on whenever the data was finalized.
Yes, I think maybe it's high time they gave us "lifetime" or some period of free updates. Yes, it would be better if they were more frequent.
But even Garmin and TomTom owners have complained that yeah, the updates are free, and yeah, they're frequent, but they're also frequently WRONG. The most common problem being "road X" that is PLANNED to go from point A to point C through point B is on the map.. But the road dead ends at point B. I guess it's a matter of preference as to whether one likes THAT way or "there is no point B, so I'll give you another route to point C."
And something like the opposite is true.. Where the road DOES go from A to C but it shows that it does not pass through point B at this time.
I wish it gave me the option to "ignore" certain sections, but as far as I can tell, it doesn't. The Lexus did - although that was restricted to, as I recall, only THREE such points, but that was useful. Even major roads change around here yearly, so it's kind of a headache. I really don't want to buy a new map update if it's not going to reflect changes.
Such is the price of technology, I guess.