Why do people complain about the Navigation system?
 

"I nearly went nuts trying to use the navigation system. I was driving my daughter to a birthday party at a house I had visited only once. I knew the general area, had the street address, but couldn't figure out how to get the nav to allow me to enter a new destination. After 15 minutes (and admittedly without consulting the owner's manual), I gave up, both frustrated and disappointed."
Edmunds.com Manager of Vehicle Testing Kelly Toepke

"On the downside, the factory navigation system is the worst system I've ever experienced!"
Edmunds.com alanmg, April 12, 2004

I don't understand why people say the navigation is so hard to use. I spent 15 minutes with it on my first day, figured out exactly how it works, and have had no problems with it ever since. The first quoted person didn't even bother looking at the manual, so I don't think she really tried. It's not too difficult to use the right knob to type in where you are going, and I've my 11 year old figured out how to put in directions just fine. Sigh, I think people are just priding themselves in being ignorant of technology sometimes.

Any comments? Was using the navigation in your X very difficult? Is the navigation really that bad?

It's not really that bad.

It kicks Mercedes ass in every which direction. It's about comparable to Lexus IMO because the Lexus loses second place for the following reasons.

1. You can't enter in stuff while in motion.
2. You can't hack it. (It's hard)

First place IMO is Honda's navigation systems. You can hack it, it's touch screen, and it works. I remember our 2000 Odyssey was faster, and overall better then even today's 2005 LS430. :(

All in all though, now that I've learned that you can get the navigation updates for the BMW for next to nothing (price of a dvd) and that you can upgrade it manually, it moved BMW to second place.

On that note, I think this person

Edmunds.com Manager of Vehicle Testing Kelly Toepke

must be a -f-ing idiot. BMW is almost idiot proof with their navigation. Perhaps they weren't using the X5's?

I thought it was very easy to use. It really isn't that hard. It took me maybe 15 minutes on the first day... The Volvo's navigation system is incredibly easy to use, but the map disk sucks. Anyway, the BMW one was great, I thought.

I wouldn't buy another without it

It's only bad when you compare it to a really good one. For example the new Mercedes and Lexus navs offer a touch screen and Acura offers touch and voice recognition. As BMW prides themselves on innovation, their nav became an easy target.

:iagree: :iagree:

I don't have nav in my 330xi and I miss it terribly. I hate being lost, and it's something I never had to worry about.. I could go for a drive in the X5 and not worry about where I ended up, because I could always put in my house... I really miss it! I don't like taking the 3 into Boston because I dont want to get lost..

I don't want to hijack the thread, but how much would my dealer charge for a nav retrofit, if they were even willing to do it?

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/compa...3/page004.html

They did use an X5 for this test

Acura's navigation is the best nav I have seen. Very accurate and precise.

Thats good news. Where can I get the update for that price?

They won't do it, so there's no reason to ask :) Like $5k maybe

http://www.xoutpost.com/showthread.php?t=1062

Bastards... I want my nav!

Geeze.. 5 grand? DAMMIT I WANT NAV and not one of those ones that sticks off the dash. Oh well, I guess I need a new car! :D :p

i think the nav is easy to use. I just played around with it for abouit 30 mins and figured everything out. The one thing I don't like about it is the position the nav screen is in. When its sunny outside, you literally can't see the screen.

I think the Nav is very easy to use. It literally took me minutes to figure it out. My dealer let me take the X for a solo test drive and by the time I returned, I had the Nav system figured out. As far as upgrades, my service advisor and my tech are really cool. I get all the latest downloads for nothing. IMO, anyone that can't figure out the Nav system in a
X5, deserves to get lost!!!

Dont know much about Nav systems, but every car enthusaist Ive ever talked to, says Acura's nav system is the best they've ever seen by far...What makes one so good?!

I think people like the touch screen, and the menu interface is pretty intuitive. I'll admit that when it comes to entering a destination it is quicker to use the touch screen, and there are other options available to search on versus the BMW system. But overall, probably because my familiarity is much greater with the BMW system, I tend to like the BMW system just as much.

From NewCarTestDrive..

"As mentioned, everything described here comes as standard equipment, including the navigation system with voice recognition, which features a large 8-inch screen. The all-new AcuraLink satellite communications system delivers in-car traffic information in real time for major cities. LA has the most mature infrastructure to support this, and it's an impressive feature that could make commuting easier by helping drivers avoid heavily congested areas. Traffic flow is shown by color coding the highways in three levels (flying, normal and forget about it). Unlike radio reports, which just hit the highlights and don't provide detailed instructions for getting around tangles, this system uses data from the highway departments and technology developed by XM Satellite Radio to give the RL driver the level of detail needed to change routes on the fly. The RL is on the leading edge of this technology, and it may prove to be well worth taking the time to fully master this navigation aid."

I think Nissan, Acura and Honda all have much better nav than BMW. It seems like the new BMW Nav were made 10 years ago! I have a nav on my e46 and it's such a pain inputting addresses. Also, the other Navs let you look forward, pan around, and see the next step while you are waiting at a light, etc. Oh.. and lets not forget the voice recognition.. I wonder why BMW fell behind with this technology..?

I think it is great....you gatta be a moron if you can't figure it out!

It's not about figuring it out. Any idiot with 5 minutes and the ability to turn a knob will figure it out. What i'm saying is that the way BMW has it setup sub-optimal. To catch up with the competition, they need to:

- add touch interface
- pop up keyboard to type in "MAIN ST." instead of scrolling with the damn wheel
- Add a better perspective mode like everyone else
- Add joystick so while you're driving, you can pan ahead to the next step, or look around

these things will let bmw catch up with just about every other nav system.. in order to pass the OEM competition, they need to extract traffic info from XM (like the pioneer deck, and lexus nav).

Not sure if BMW will ever add touchscreen since their solution is iDrive. Don't think you'll ever be able to get both. I thought one of the downfalls of the touchscreen is not being able to drive while typing in new destinations. I agree that iDrive is a lot safer to use while driving (although a heads-up display would be nice).

I would like to see traffic integrated into the NAV. Whats the point of using NAV if you have to sit in traffic? I'd also like to see a radar detector integrated as well.

Agreed. I can compare one of the best...the touchscreen/voice activated Nav in my 2006 Honda Odyssey...to the one in my 2005 BMW X5. The BMW Nav does all the basics just fine, but it is much more clunky to use...especially if you've used a really good one. Having said that, I'm certainly not frustrated with the one in the BMW, but it sure isn't the highlight of the vehicle...

Love my Nav!
 

Touch screen would be nice - but eRRRR the finger prints.
How many times do you need to find how to get where you are going. So the knob is no problem.
I really love the text of the Radio stations (RDS). Big TEXT, so nice.
One day I will get the iPod, that would also allow me to see the song label on the screen. Nice big text. Ya Ya. !!

Except for the glare issue, it seems pretty good, but this is my first car with nav. In fairness, the E53 has nav architecture that was designed in what, 1998? How many of us are running computers designed in 1998?

I have a feeling that the E70 will have a few new tricks to show the world.

Not really worth a new thread, but I have the nav lady voice as low as it can go and it still seems loud..normal?

I had a MDX for loaner last month and I noticed that MDX's nav interface is not as good as RL's. RL does not have touch screen but the interface for inputing the address (if you don't use voice) and menus with nav integration with idrive look-alike knob is very good. Even the screen appearance is sharp and crisp.