NEW OWERNER
 

looking to get a new x5 soon.this will be my first bmw. i want one with the navigation system. does the navi have text-to-speech function(like turn right on oak street) or is it the one that just says turn right.help out a soon to be bmw owerner.

Congratulations on your choice and welcome to X5 World!

The X5 nav isn't as robust as what you will find in a Garmin 680, but it serves just fine. It has the added plus of being built into the communication bus, so it will lower volume on radio, phone, sat, Bluetooth, etc, to give you directions. It also has the added benefit over the Garmom of being extremely difficult to steal.

I have an 02 X5, so mine is based on the older CD system. It does lower the radio when communicating, but I don't think it says street names. Only gives distances and which way to turn. For example; "prepare to turn right in 400 feet". I don't really use it very much. I will say that with updated mapping cd's it has worked very well for me when I have utilized it. GPS has come a long way in the past few years, so the new systems are head and shoulders above the older ones when it comes to text-to-speech, points of interest, and real time traffic updates.

On another note, good choice on the X. Chances are you will love it. If I were you I wouldn't pass up a good X just because it didn't have a nav system. I'm sure those window mounted units will work just as well if not better. After you drive an X5 a few times you won't care where you are going anymore and just enjoy the long way. GPS, what?

Congratulations and an excellent choice!

To answer your original question, the NAVI does not pronounce street names. Just "turn left/right"...

There's a distance indicator that works just as well, except you don't have to actually look at street signs. When the indicator drops progressively from 800ft to 100ft you know you're at the corner to turn. Just as good if not better than looking at street signs if you ask me.

Mine doesn't pronounce local street names, but it does pronounce highway names.

It's always nice to have a new owerner around here.

You will enjoy the X5!