E70 SatNav Aftermarket or OEM
 

Still await delivery of our E70 3.0D X5 in September here in Australia.

Considering updating it with a satnav system.

On the E53 we had - A mate had a similar car and purchased a mark 4 system and installed wiring harness, satnav unit, antenae and reprogrammed the unit to work - including dvd whilst driving

What can be done with the new E70 - keen to persue and do homework for fitment post delivery.

The upgrade to the satnav, reversing camera etc was something like another 8-10K ontop of the purchase price - and I am not keen to line the BMW dealerships pockets again as luxury car tax, stamp duty etc is a killer

ANy info links would be appreciated

cheers
O

You're probably not going to get anything that will fit in the dash and look original. I've checked on Crutchfield (big aftermarket stock of car electronics) and NOTHING made for the E70 or it's fiber optic bus. I skipped the factory navigation (I can hear the clicking of tongues already) and opted for a big screen Lowrance unit after I read about some of the problems with the first factory units. I understand most of the problems have been addressed and the factory unit is very good now. So, personal choice, if you like everything neat and in the dash, the factory is the way to go. If you don't mind a dash unit, which you can easily upgrade to the next generation of GPS gadgetry when it comes out, then that's the way to go.:boogie:

I would still prefer to use the LCD etc already in the dash. I guess I am looking for components that can be -"bolted on" to work with the existing system.

I only have the std radio - so I am considering what I will require to upgrade to DVD and satnav - utilising the dash LCD unit - whether it be BMW - or non OEM products

O

It's almost obligatory to have SatNav in the Uk.....at least if you want to be able to sell your car afterwards. Non Sat Nav equipped cars would be sold for almost a bigger discount second hand than it costs to spec it on a new car.

Not so in the U.S. Here's an article from USA Today:

....navigation isn't worth much in a used vehicle:
•Used-car buyers are looking for bargains, not technology, says James Clark, senior manager of consulting for ALG.
Clark's example: A high-end 2007 Acura TSX sedan should be worth 55% after three years without navigation, 53% with. The $2,000 navigation option winds up adding no more than $600 to the value of the 3-year-old car, he says.
"Navigation could be like cellphones built into cars in the '70s and '80s; those big, blocky phones that nobody has now. Everybody has a small, personal cellphone," says John Krafcik, vice president for product development at Hyundai Motor America.

I sold a 2003 Honda Accord this year w/factory NAV and 50k miles for $16.5 in Georgia. I thought I came out pretty good. 2 of the 3 serious offers specifically said they were looking for an Accord w/factory NAV. It is important to note that in 2003, the Honda/Acura nav was years ahead of most (if not all) the competition.

Tim

From a UK perspective, anyone that buys an X5 without sat nav is a mug. Who is going to buy a luxury car without sat nav?? Why would you want to buy a new car and then mess with the electrics. If you don't want to line bmw's pockets, don't buy an x5.

I own a 5 series (E60) with aftermarket nav (TomTom910), and an X5 (E70) with built in Nav.

Although I like the neatness of the built in nav, I have to say that in terms of usability and functionality, it is absolutely crap. No points of interest, no 7 digit postcode, no street level road names (only "major" roads), its PAINFULLY slow at calculating routes. Compare this to the TomTom, full worldwide maps with full postcode, every street name, very very fast, points of interest including speed camera alerts (updated monthly), ability to change voices, display options, etc etc etc. The list just goes on and on.

I agree that people in the UK would not want an X5 without Satnav. BUT, 95% would probably want this satnav to be a TomTom and not the built in crap outdated rip off satnav that BMW are still selling.

If I were to buy a 2nd hand BMW, I wouldn't bother to see if it had satnav or not. I'd fit a TomTom regardless even if it did have it built in. When I buy a new car, I always trade my old ones in, so options make hardly any difference to the sale price at all. If you sell your cars privately, then it would probably make sense to pick some of the more obvious options such as satnav.

Mess with electronics? As in, sitck a suction cup to your window and plug a wire in to the 12V output?

Ahh! The clicking of tongues!

It's a personal choice. I've seen some folks keep the factory stereo forever and others replace it as soon as they got home. Same with wheels, tires, etc.
If you like a clean look, keep the factory stuff. If you like modding, experimenting, the latest stuff, whatever, then go with high end aftermarket.
After about a year, after the initial scare of a new car wears off, most people start installing hard wired radar detectors, window tint and (gasp!) other stuff that didn't come from the factory.:whistle:

Erm, Satan, he's clearly talking about messing with the electrics. Read the post again.

And i fully agree, the bmw satnav is rubbish compared to tomtom. But your personal opinion is just that. The truth is in the general market resale values. Satnav is NOT an option. Should be considered in the same way as leather and automatic.

Sorry yes, I would certainly not go down the route of linking in to the iDrive, if you want an inbuilt unit then it would have to be the BMW unit. I disagree about satnav affecting market resale values, it is a well known fact that in the UK, options add much less value to the resale value of a car than the purchase price of those options. You should spec a car for what you want, not what the person who gets it after you might want!! :)

Every car I've sold that had navigation (four) has sold quickly. People specifically stated they wanted navigation. Perhaps the higher-end vehicles have a different consumer base, which does demand navigation and other electronic "helpers."

Joel

Perhaps, but here's another view:
Car Buying Tips: The Truth About Factory-Fitted Satellite Navigation Systems


By Megan Benoit
June 4, 2007

Thanks to the Original Equipment Manufacturers'' (OEMs') slow tech turnaround, by the time a customer comes to sell a car equipped with a factory-fitted sat nav system, the clever route guidance gizmo is not worth the silicon it’s printed on. Or, if you prefer, somewhere around $500.
That’s the average used car sat nav premium, and that’s not good. Not when you consider that an average built-in sat nav package costs the new car buyer a whopping $2k+ (not including tax). Of course, that’s the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP); the invoice cost is about $400 to $500 less.
:sw:

I have to say that I'm not swayed by articles when weighed against my own experience. In that particular case, they're not worth the paper (or silicon) they're printed on.

Further, of course one isn't going to get the full price of the navigation back when selling a vehicle. One doesn't get the full price of the vehicle back when selling a vehicle.

I had an Acura MDX. I listed it for sale. My friend had the identical model, sans Navigation. Mine sold in four days at the price I advertised. He only had two calls for his (which had lower mileage than mine)...and one of the two calls asked if it had navigation. Hardly empirical data, but it certainly was an indication.

The inherent benefits of a built-in navigation system are important to me. Steering wheel controls, voice recognition integrated into the device, integration with the vehicle's audio, reception optimization, etc. are things I see as a benefit. There are points, however, where the built-in units are not impressive. BMW's user interface is un-intuitive, Lexus locks out the ability to do almost anything unless the vehicle is stopped, Acura's joystick is annoying, etc. I also have a Garmin Nuvi 660 that I use when I travel. It is a very good unit. I'd like to see the functionality of that built into the X5. But, it is a pain to have to remove the window mount, power cord, and unit when I leave the vehicle. (Theft deterrent.)

As someone mentioned earlier, it really is a matter of choice. To reiterate my point, however, I'm not going to base my decision on a magazine (or webazine) article that isn't in alignment with my own experiences.

Joel

OK Guys - finally got the new X5 E70 and I want to fit an OEM satnav to it

I am unsure if I can add the MKIV to this car - or I have to have the newer unit. Looking at a few threads - I see some software still coming out in March2007 - but am unsure for what model its for

I guess I am after some help with this.

I did install a MKIV in an E53 years ago (2003) - but am unsure what my new car should now require for satnav.

Reason for not purchasing it in the first place was the dealer told us another 8 week wait - with No 4 child now here - we timed arrival of new car by 2 days - lucky

Now to install a satnav into a e70 X5 is my task and I prefer to use the original monitor and just get the required parts (part numbers) if possible

ANy help would be appreciated

O

From my point of view, if a person pays $85 000 for a vehicle, why wouldn't they spend another $10 000 for the tech package, which comes with alot more than just nav... plus you get the clean factory look. Doesn't it void the warranty if you tap into the system with aftermarket components?

I would think the new technology with the current model would be a huge resale upgrade. BMW's ConnectedDrive with BMWOnline. It's the only integrated system that will allow you to connect to the internet on the road and send google maps to your car. Nobody else has that :thumbup:

Apparently the retrofit kit for dealers to fit this to cars was to be available
We could not order it with the car because of timing and our 4th child has now arrived.

Without a 7 seater - we would need 2 cars to get about.
The car is now only 2 weeks old - I waited 3 months for it

I was not prepared to wait 5 months.

The dealer retrofit kit is still not available in Australia - but I am told it is overseas - so I am looking for any info on people that have installed it - part numbers etc

I would surely like to stick it up them for all the stuffing about they have recently given me over this and other options I could not get at the time of ordering

ANy positive info would be appreciated

cheers
O

i replaced the wheel/tires/stereo day after i drove it home from the dealer

bUMP!!!

I think that it is very much market driven, we only have one BMW dealership in my area and when I went looking for my X5 they had nothing with Navigation. The sales person said that every car they ordered with Nav. to sell on the lot has taken a lot longer to sell than the rest. Basically no one wanted to pay for the Navigation. Also, not many young people in my area drive BMW's. The only ones I see around with someone under 50 driving it are college students from the East Coast and Me and most of them have the 3 series.

What couldn't you get on the vehicle when you ordered it? The third row of seats or the Nav. or the combination of the two and you had to pick one or the other?

Hopefully someone can help you with your Nav. questions?