[home7271]

Hi All,

I know it's been disussed many times before but what a POS NAV from BMW....

This NAV system simply drives me nuts. The information database is so lacking in my area, Bellevue WA, that it's a joke. Cannot find our library, Best Buy, Target just to name a few.

The latest was I couldn't even figure out which category I should look to find Staples or Office Depot? Not that I don't know where to find them physically, but I am just curious which category, according to BMW, would these stores belong?

I simply cannot find them using the BMW NAV system!

Mike

[Josh49]

I found sometimes its helpful just to do a search within 20 miles or something of different categories to get an idea which category different stores are under. Then I'll go under that category and do a search and it brings all locations of that store up..

I think Circuit City, Best Buy were under gifts then electronics or computers if I recall correctly..

[Josh49]

BTW, what sometimes might be faster is just using the free google information number and getting an address, and just plugging it in..

[home7271]

Thanks Josh49,

What about Staples and Office Depot, etc? Have you tried looking for these stores? What category would these be under?

I have a 2006 330i and the I-Drive does not allow the search range to be specified...so mine is doublly bad!

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by home7271

Thanks Josh49,

What about Staples and Office Depot, etc? Have you tried looking for these stores? What category would these be under?

I have a 2006 330i and the I-Drive does not allow the search range to be specified...so mine is doublly bad!

Get it updated if possible. I have a 2006 as well, which was recently updated to the new version. Complain about some idrive problems, and they should fix it under warranty hopefully..

I'll look for staples next time I'm in the car..
Josh

[magmd]

Originally Posted by home7271

Thanks Josh49,

What about Staples and Office Depot, etc? Have you tried looking for these stores? What category would these be under?

I have a 2006 330i and the I-Drive does not allow the search range to be specified...so mine is doublly bad!

Get it updated man. You will still have to figure out which category things are in (update does not solve this crap portion)...but before you hit search, you will be able to specify "staples" within 20 miles.

[JB BMW]

Originally Posted by magmd

Get it updated man. You will still have to figure out which category things are in (update does not solve this crap portion)...but before you hit search, you will be able to specify "staples" within 20 miles.

Does the update allow you to search within 20 miles or do I have no clue what I am doing with my Nav. It doesnt let me search by name. My car only searches categories within a 4 mile radius of where I am.

[home7271]

I actually had a chance to play with the NAV on a brand new X5. It is still no luck.

Even though the updated version allow search by name, but you still have to be in the RIGHT CATEGORY! Frustration or what!

My dealer was going to charge me $300 for the upgrade and after playing with the updated version on the X5 I said, "forget it"!

Still bugs me though, what is the category for Staples or Office Depot????? I just need to know because it is bugging me to no end:mad:

[kgoto]

I have a 335i coupe with a manufacture date of May 2007 and using a 2007.2 Nav Disk. Office Depot is under Banking and Shopping, Gifts and Leisure, Specialty Stores. I couldn't find anything for Staples. Target has listings in Banking and Shopping, General, Department Stores as well as in Banking and Shopping, General, Discount Stores. You need to look in both places to get a complete list of stores. I've also noticed that some stores like Fry's Electronics has different spellings for different locations. I've found the POI database in the BMW Nav helpful in many cases, but I've learned that you should not seriously depend on it. There are too many errors and omissions.

[magmd]

Originally Posted by JB BMW

Does the update allow you to search within 20 miles or do I have no clue what I am doing with my Nav. It doesnt let me search by name. My car only searches categories within a 4 mile radius of where I am.

Yes, you can search within particular miles...you set it. It can do a search for all items within that category...or you can put in the name of a particular point of interest. See below from another thread.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...78&postcount=1

[GregL]

Originally Posted by home7271

I actually had a chance to play with the NAV on a brand new X5. It is still no luck.

Even though the updated version allow search by name, but you still have to be in the RIGHT CATEGORY! Frustration or what!

My dealer was going to charge me $300 for the upgrade and after playing with the updated version on the X5 I said, "forget it"!

Still bugs me though, what is the category for Staples or Office Depot????? I just need to know because it is bugging me to no end:mad:

Mine is even worse, my dealer wants to charge the standard labour rate by the hour for however long it takes to get the update done.

[JB BMW]

For those who have paid for the update, how much did the dealership charge?

[magmd]

Originally Posted by JB BMW

For those who have paid for the update, how much did the dealership charge?

Don't pay for it. For sure you can get it covered under warranty...you just need to find a good reason...search TSB's and see what applies to you. If they want to charge you for the update....forget about it. Takes about 20 hours of the car being plugged into their system!

[trey100]

This POI interface is stupid at best. Why should you have to try and figure out a category?? That's a waste of time and almost guarantees you never find what you want. This thing needs an overhaul.

[home7271]

Overhaul is right!!!

Our other car at home, Oddyssey minivan, has a GREAT navigation system. It does everything I thought a nav system should do and then some. Keyword search from the very top of the menu, not going into categories and all that...much more user-friendly...database is so much more complete compared to BMW...tells you which side of the road the POI is...even shows you detours for restaurants, gas and so on from the original route. Very cool!

The BMW system is so overlooked that it is a joke. It may be a frivolous item but can you imagine shelling out $45K plus for a POS like that being part of the car! It needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL.

If only I can take out the Honda Nav and put it in my 330i!:mad:

[trey100]

There's someone on here that posted an article he/she wrote for Roundel about how the BMW system is the best in the industry. Everyone replied with things like "Great article", etc. I was laughing my a$$ off. These people need to use another manufacturer's integrated system to understand the shortfalls of the BMW system. It is so overly complex for such simple tasks (and slow). This has nothing to do with learning how to use it - it has to do with making it user-friendly and faster at getting you what you want. I love when people defend the system not being touch screen because "I don't want fingerprints on my screen" lol.

I still ordered my car with it only because of the novelty aspect and I figured a $45k+ car should have one. At least I should get a better interface for my Ipod (then again, there's the FM switching problem....).

[aemullick]

Has anyone tried to locate an auto parts store (e.g. Autozone, Pep Boys, etc) with the crap Nav system? I must have tried 10 different categories, but no luck.

[SoYank]

Isn't the information the system displays coming from the NAV disc? If so and the information isn't on the disc then there is no way for even the best system to show it...unless it gets it from out of the air. I'll admit the NAV system is lacking in some areas but to complain about its inability to give the data you want may not be its fault. Talk to Navteq.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by SoYank

Isn't the information the system displays coming from the NAV disc? If so and the information isn't on the disc then there is no way for even the best system to show it...unless it gets it from out of the air. I'll admit the NAV system is lacking in some areas but to complain about its inability to give the data you want may not be its fault. Talk to Navteq.

I had a Pioneer nav system (2002 model year catalogue) in my previous Infiniti and it was extremely comprehensive in it's directory listings, that was courtesy of the Navteq database several years ago so I can't imagine the listings would have gotten worse.

[SoYank]

I'm just guessing but is it possible that Navteq provides different data to different manufacturers? If BMW doesn't license all the data, Navteq may not provide all the data.

[aemullick]

Originally Posted by SoYank

Isn't the information the system displays coming from the NAV disc? If so and the information isn't on the disc then there is no way for even the best system to show it...unless it gets it from out of the air. I'll admit the NAV system is lacking in some areas but to complain about its inability to give the data you want may not be its fault. Talk to Navteq.

I think it is more the software interface than the information on the disc. Again, I cannot find ANY autoparts store on this NAV system...surely the disc has such information (it has a ridiculous amount of obscure POIs...how could it not have ANY autoparts stores?!!?). The funny thing is that how potentially useful such information would be...I mean really, knowing the closest (or any) autoparts store would seem like an obvious POI in a car NAV system.

Again, maybe I am looking in the wrong category (or really categories)?

[CameraShy]

Originally Posted by aemullick

Has anyone tried to locate an auto parts store (e.g. Autozone, Pep Boys, etc) with the crap Nav system? I must have tried 10 different categories, but no luck.

There's nothing you can do about the user interface of the Nav. However there are loads of free internet sites offering the additional POI information you're wanting that Navteq didn't include. So why don't you download whatever it is you're after, and customize your navigation disk? Tools such as Pimp-My-Nav.com will let you do this.