[GTx08]

Does anyone here regret not getting Navigation. My car is set to arrive on the 10th and I'm having second doubts. The reason why I didnt order the navigation in the first place is because I didnt like the look of having two mounds on my dashboard. Now I know what some of you are thinking, why not just get an aftermarket Navi. I looked into it and it looks (in my opinion) tacky. I like the look and feel of a OEM navi (except the 3s, but its growing on me), since it blends in with its environment well. Any suggestions?

[Marven]

I know its now what u want to hear but I love mine

I dont think u can add it after

[ADHD]

Dude save your money and buy a thomas guide!!
ANd if dont know how to read one...
Mapquest a damb map before u leave.

Navigation has got to be the dumbest thing anyone could waste there money on! Especially when u can pay 120$ for SOS to have them tell u where to go if your lost and let alone give you directions all day long if your that stupid!

Hmm 120$sos vs 2k$Navigation????? Wow thats a hard choice!

[kevbh]

I would have liked to have included navigation on mine, but the budget wouldn't allow it. The add-on aftermarket navigation has appeal to me because I also own a motorcycle and would like to be able to use the navigation on it also.

[deltron]

I didn't get Navigation because it was out of my budget. It's my first BMW (and car purchase) so I was conservative with options and got what I think I really needed/wanted.

I figure a few years from if I like the car/brand and something new comes out I can trade my car in and recover some of the money I put in buying it, and not have to worry about a big out-of-pocket down payment again. I can get more options then. I'd probably get the built-in navigation next time for sure, it looks great IMO in the car.

For now I'll keep using my Garmin C300-series GPS

[Saosin17]

is retrofitting oem a possibility/ i had to buy a car off the lot because my lease ran out before i thought it did??? i dont want to mess with an aftermarket, but if i can get oem retrofitted i would consider it.. anybody know?

[jflecha]

I read and heard so many bad things about the idrive interface that i didnt even consider getting it when I got my car, but i will next time. I love the pictures i've seen of the interface and I think navigation is becoming a must have for cars in this class, and on the BMW side the technology can only get better. I hope.

[c-lee]

it is a bit clunky...i think it would have been better if they allowed for touch screen -- but i still like my idrive and navi.

its all personal preference

Originally Posted by jflecha

I read and heard so many bad things about the idrive interface that i didnt even consider getting it when I got my car, but i will next time. I love the pictures i've seen of the interface and I think navigation is becoming a must have for cars in this class, and on the BMW side the technology can only get better. I hope.

[ADHD]

Ok ive been really refraining from saying anything on this topic but here it goes::

WHAT THE HELL DO U NEED IT FOR??
1. Im a moron and dont know how to drive around my town.
2. I dont know how to read a thomas guide
3. Id rather waste money on something that will take a year to figure out.
4. I have no common sense and dont know left from right.
5. Ive never heard of mapquest and being prepared.
6. Id rather pay 2k for a unit when I can pay 120 a year for a real person to give me directions..

WTF....you gotta be plain stupid to not know where your going!.
I mean do you need directions to get to work every day??

[MoreCowbell]

Originally Posted by c-lee

it is a bit clunky...i think it would have been better if they allowed for touch screen -- but i still like my idrive and navi.

its all personal preference

Well Said!!!

And yes, every time you look at your dash now, you'll regret it!!!

[Saosin17]

adhd, what about somebody who drives outside of their town a lot, has been fucked over by incorrect mapquest directions countless times. doesnt have 5 hands to drive and write down directions at same time. and every navigation i have encountered has taken about 5 minutes to figure out... so, you are calling out every member on this forum with navigation as being an asshole ??? let me know if im incorrect

[MoreCowbell]

Originally Posted by Saosin17

adhd, what about somebody who drives outside of their town a lot, has been fucked over by incorrect mapquest directions countless times. doesnt have 5 hands to drive and write down directions at same time. and every navigation i have encountered has taken about 5 minutes to figure out... so, you are calling out every member on this forum with navigation as being an asshole ??? let me know if im incorrect

Totally agreed.

Great for people who take frequent road trips. Great for sales agents always driving to new locations they have never been at.

[magamaga]

I love mine. It makes a difference. It makes it so much more impressive.

[Saosin17]

also when peoplee go to college or move to a town they are not familiar with... i guess im not fully equipped with knowlege of roadmaps of the entire country in my mind and not needing any assistance... what if u think you knwo where your going and get lost... or on top of that decide randomly to go somewhere and dont have internet access

[ADHD]

Originally Posted by Saosin17

adhd, what about somebody who drives outside of their town a lot, has been fucked over by incorrect mapquest directions countless times. doesnt have 5 hands to drive and write down directions at same time. and every navigation i have encountered has taken about 5 minutes to figure out... so, you are calling out every member on this forum with navigation as being an asshole ??? let me know if im incorrect

I never said anything about bieng assholes for having navigation...
Where did u read that at??

And just an fyi but ahh u can pay 120$ for a real person to give u directions on the fly not some recording from a disc!

[Gripster]

I'm sorry, but those that say they don't need it have never had it.
I was a hold out re: nav. That was until my parents donated their TomTom GO unit to me after they bought a car with Nav.

At first, it was OK. I know how to get to work and back, so what's the big deal right? But then, we were out one night, and a friend calls and invites us to a restaurant. We had no idea how to get there from where we were. You just enter it in the Nav and it takes you there.

When we go to LA (my wife gets her hair cut there..), the Nav get's us there without fussin'. While she's get styled, I head to... well, anywhere I dang well want to go. Can't find my way back? Nav's got me covered.

- Running late? Relax. Nav tells you exactly when you'll be there.

- Traffic/construction blocked the road? Nav finds an alternative.

- Need to find a gas station off the highway in an unfamiliar area? Nav has you covered.

- Want to take the scenic route? Nav will tell you.

- Want to get there quick? Nav's got your back

- Make a wrong turn and can't find the highway? Nav's there for you.

- Need a bite to eat? Nav will tell you where.

------

You're catching my drift I hope... I will NEVER buy a car without.

When we bought the E90, we did Euro delivery. It took ALL of the stress out of the driving. Plug in the hotel address, hit 'avoid highways' and then relax as Nav takes you from Venice to Florence the scenic route.

No mappin, no messin, no arguing with your wife, no stopping to get directions, no speako italiano. Nav made our vacation possible.

While the E90 Nav is not as nice as the TomTom unit, the very fact that it opens up many of the car options makes it worth the cost of admission imo. There's so much in the menu that if you're a geek that likes to tweak, iDrive is a must. Plus the integration is really nice. No unit dangling of the windshield, or wires in the cabin.

GET THE NAV!

[Saosin17]

i dunno, this whole argument is pointless. some people find it very helpful, where others would rather do it a different way.

[ADHD]

Originally Posted by Gripster

I'm sorry, but those that say they don't need it have never had it.

thats funny cause I have the Alpine D310 monitor in my truck with nav that never gets used..Oh yea Ive Never once used it!

[c-lee]

everyone has their preferences on navi. for some people it really doesn't make sense to have it. if your driving entails going to work and back, and hanging out with friends around town - then maybe you don't need it and spending 2K for is not money well spent. But then again, some people get it b/c they think its cool...other's get it, b/c it helps them. sure you can use yahoo maps or what not to get directions - but for some people who are in sales (i.e. real estate agents). It's extremely convinient and helpful to have navi to find places on the fly when they are doing their work. I mean for someone who is driving around all over the place for their job - and they use it everyday, then its tough to say its not worth the money. for these people the time saved may be worth it.

IT'S ALL PERSONAL PREFERENCE. those people who purchase it do so b/c they want it and don't think its a waste of money. Those who don't purchase it don't b/c they don't think its worth the money - so to them its not worth it.

For me, I may be at one site conducting business, and I get a call from the office to go somewhere else i've never been - and its very convenient to plug in the address and find my bearings within minutes to get to my next point of business and interface with clients.

Originally Posted by ADHD

thats funny cause I have the Alpine D310 monitor in my truck with nav that never gets used..Oh yea Ive Never once used it!

[lcharles]

I wanted the Navi but cancelled my order and took a used car instead. Have regretted it. The I-drive has so many more features than just navigation.

[Broken1]

Originally Posted by lcharles

I wanted the Navi but cancelled my order and took a used car instead. Have regretted it. The I-drive has so many more features than just navigation.

If you want navi, you can get the garmin unit from Hi-fi Corp for like 2.5k for the cheap one and 4k for the touch screen one :-) (compared to the 20k i-drive costs here)

There is also going to be an apparently better navi unit released in South Africa in a month or two!! :-)

The only think you really loose is the parked car ventilation and the speed limit beep thing!

[lcharles]

Originally Posted by Broken1

If you want navi, you can get the garmin unit from Hi-fi Corp for like 2.5k for the cheap one and 4k for the touch screen one :-) (compared to the 20k i-drive costs here)

There is also going to be an apparently better navi unit released in South Africa in a month or two!! :-)

The only think you really loose is the parked car ventilation and the speed limit beep thing!

The Garmin units are like "grip on's" to the dash are they not (or stick onto the windshield with suckers)? Never seen one "installed".

I recall seeing sometime ago that there will be a BMW aftermarket product for Navi but I have not seen anything.

I can only imagine and I envisage it to be something along the lines of what the e46 had. (The whole radio cluster gets replaced). Can't see them cutting into the dash to install (unless they do a set up like the 1 series has)

The I-drive is also alot more user friendly when it comes to "configuring" your car and the biggest quirk I've had is the "americanised" way the date is displayed. A function, you can change with I-drive but cannot if you don't have I-drive.

BTW, would you believe that when I ordered the Navi, it was for the I-drive and not the Navi. (How insane is that?). I wanted I-drive but on the 3 series, you have to take the Navi too so I opted for Business Navi (The cheapest)