Navigation question...
 

I know it's a stupid question but here goes..I have an 08 X5 and have never loaded the navigation disk. I have several friends that tell me the latest Garmin is much better than Toyota, BMW, etc., for navigation. Routes, updated maps, lane changes and more. Is this the truth?? If it is I am going to buy the latest Garmin and not load my disk.:D Could I please have some feedback?

Ok I'm presuming you have navigation right?

Why would you "NOT load the navigation disk
and use it before going out and buying
something else based on someone's opinion?

I have an O5 X5 and I would not and will
not go out and buy the latest and the
greatest Garmin or whatever when what
I have works just fine.

Guess that answers my question. I have been told the map info is outdated and doesn't have the new features that are really useful. Have 25000 miles on the X and have never needed it but will in the future and was needing a good gps. That's why I asked the stupid question. Ha!

Not a stupid question but a questionable conclusion.
Load the disc. After you do read the manual
to use it and enjoy. I use mine often and honestly
I find it quick and easy to use. In fact while I'm driving
the wife will find destinations quick fast and in a hurry.

Also if the map is up while driving I can see surrounding
streets making it easy to locate additional directions.

BMW navigation really isn't good. It'll get you where you want to go, but not always the best way.

Just took a trip from LA to San Jose. Put in the address and it mapped a 420 mile route. After getting to my destination, I was told that I could have taken a different route which would have taken me only 370 miles (the route I took back). Prior to going on the route, I tried the various settings "fastest route, highway, shortest route, etc). They all did about the 420 route. And on the way back it kept on trying to map me back to the original 420 route, until about 20 miles in where it realized I wanted to go a different route and recalcuated properly.

I have a Garmin portable unit in my wife's 3. Works great. If Garmin's navigation would work in the X5, I'd definitely replace it. Just doubt it would work.

I bet the new navigation in the new iDrive is much better.

The latest maps from navteq (what BMW and other companies use) aren't necessarily accurate... even the latest one would tell me to get off this ramp and make a left when you can't make lefts there,... you're supposed to get off at the next exit which lets you go in that direction. Navigation failure. But I'll say that having a dynamic map with traffic info still helps a great deal. I don't know how good the garmin devices are with accuracy...

[QUOTE=mtech8;644638]BMW navigation really isn't good. It'll get you where you want to go, but not always the best way.

Just took a trip from LA to San Jose. Put in the address and it mapped a 420 mile route. After getting to my destination, I was told that I could have taken a different route which would have taken me only 370 miles (the route I took back). Prior to going on the route, I tried the various settings "fastest route, highway, shortest route, etc). They all did about the 420 route. And on the way back it kept on trying to map me back to the original 420 route, until about 20 miles in where it realized I wanted to go a different route and recalcuated properly.

I have a Garmin portable unit in my wife's 3. Works great. If Garmin's navigation would work in the X5, I'd definitely replace it. Just doubt it would work.



Thanks for the info.. I have been told by quite a few friends to not mess with the nav and put a portable on the dash. They say they work much better and have some newer features which really help. I am not too proud to put one on my dash if it does a better job. Just was afraid to ask the question on here and have X5ers think I'm crazy. :D

Don't mess with the nav and put a
portable on the dash.....:confused:

Ok I guess you could do that. But
to do that without using your own
doesn't seem logical. But listen to what
and who you want to.

To me it makes sense to put the disc in the Navi.
What do you have to lose? You will either get to your
destination or you won't.

My navi is older than yours and it get's
me to my destination every time.

In fact I went to LA from the bay area
to 3 different destinations and the navi
dropped me right at the door of every single
destination.

If I were you, I would still load the disc.

Anyway, I find BMW's (Navteq's) navigation system adequate for my needs (I have simple needs).

The only thing I don't like about it is that - you can only enter an address to make it work. For example, if you are in a different place and you want to go to a Walmart store or to the nearest hotel/restaurant, you can only use BMW's navteq if you know the store's address. The portables ones have a pre-loaded and useful interesting locations.

The new portable ones also have the traffic updates/alerts, most fuel efficient route, allows you to make hand free calls, shows you the public tranportation locations (where to catch the trains and buses), touch screen features and because they're portables, you can take it anywhere and use it in different vehicles.

Etc.

Put me in the camp that believes this is not only a total waste of money but also terrible to look at for your X.

Why would you want to strap on that ugly thing on the dash when you have a built in screen?

The BMW Navteq navigation does not always take you on the shortest route because of preferences and traffic. I do find the traffic info very helpful even though I know where I'm going. It shows me which roads to avoid.

There are concerns about sometimes it not being up-to-date, but other systems (garmin, etc) have the same issues.

I can see absolutely zero downside loading the disc. While Garmin is superior, and so are most other manufacturers navigation systems, since you bought the feature, might as well get the benefits. If you use it occasionally, it will do a decent job.

You will only gain with the disc in. Traffic information and current location information. I have my right hand side of the display that shows the coordinates, direction, and current road and town. I always find that to be useful.

I use the Nav in my 2008 X5 & we have a Garmin that we use in rentals.

Both use Navtec base maps. If you are using the same version (annual updates for both) there is no difference in the map.

Features between the two systems are different as is the interface software, Both will get you to the correct location (usually) however if the base map is incorrect neither will.

Base maps are updated annually. Our US road network has thousands of changes over 12 months. So until someone comes up with a way to correct base maps dynamically as construction changes occur this is not going to change.

Hope this helps.

There's no guarantee that a Garmin (or any other add-on nav device) will give you the absolute best routing for a given trip or situation. For trips of significant distance, I always do some reasonability checks on the suggested route (even when using Google Maps).

Load the Nav DVD, leave it in there and try it out.

This is not specific to the X5, but coming into Greensboro, NC from OKC I was sent to the wrong locations for three separate destinations (e.g. like the Sheraton). I have the latest dvd and had same problems with my mobile Garmin as this is a Navteq issue.

Anyway, the cover of today's paper in Greensboro has a team from Navteq that was trying to remap Greensboro with all the changes on major roads here.

Yes. I agree with you. This is a stupid question and adds no value what so ever. If the same logic applies, why not put another radio in the car because it's "better" than the one that come with the car? I don't want to sound harsh or attack you -- doesn't matter what NAV you're using, the data is for reference only, so they will alwasy have their faults. Teh only thing you can compare is Ease of Use. I do want to say however, that the idrive wheel is stupid when it comes to inputing info. Touch screen's got that beat hands down