[JCM5]

Are those navigation system worth the extra costs?? I know they're standard on M5 but
on 540i or 530i are they worth the extra $2000 plus extra stuff you need to order to get this option. Or is it better spend my money on other factory option?
any advice?

 

[lofstrom]

Is nav standard in the US model of M5? If you travel around, especially in big unknown cities, it's definitely worth it in my opinion. I have had it in both my cars, and I 'm very satisfied allthough it sometimes shows some Microsoft-behaviour.

 

[bobafett]

if you drive at 45 on the freeway, then you might be able to use it. if it's standard, that's one thing. if you're VERY lost, that's the same thing, otherwise, don't bother.

--Dan

 

[Parkerfe]

Originally posted by JCM5:
Are those navigation system worth the extra costs?? I know they're standard on M5 but
on 540i or 530i are they worth the extra $2000 plus extra stuff you need to order to get this option. Or is it better spend my money on other factory option?
any advice?

I like mine although it's not as good as the Alpine unit that comes in my wife's Honda Odeysse.


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[MEnthusiast]

When I first got the M5, I thought the nav system was just gonna be a bell and whistle I never used. Boy was I wrong! This thing is fantastic! My friends cant believe how great it is. So far in nearly 6 months, its been wrong once. And when it was wrong it was off by 2 blocks. If youre comfortable with electronic things then you should have no problem operating it. to be sure, find a car at your dealership and insist that they let you play with it for a minute or two. I would consider spending the extra dough, but 2k is an awful amount of money. Even better than its ability to guide you to places is its map feature- you can have a scrolling map of where you are.

Dan,
Ive never experienced its slowness like you have- I did notice that if Im crusing at around 80mph youve got to look down at it and figure youre around 200 ft ahead of the system. But I look at this no differently than the tach gauge- its actually behind the actual rpms and youve got to adjust your behaviour accordingly.

ME

 

[Jim Catington]

This is the first nav system I have had. Like MEnthusiast I figured I would never use it, much less pay extra for it.
However, I have used it on two trips. The last to the TPC at Ponte Vedra. It was very useful in getting through Jacksonville. I found that I never had to dive into another lane to make an unexpected turn because of the mapping ability and the sexy voice.
I would get the option on my next car. The only doubt that I have about the BMW nav system is that it seems to have been programmed about two years ago. The data for the Southeast needs an update. It has several restaurants in our area in the menu that closed at least two years ago.

 

[bobafett]

ME: granted, it's not ging to be spot-on, but I have to admit, I'm disapopinted with the system after havnig tried the Lexus touch-screen setup as well as the Benz system. I feel as if they did some cost-cuttnig here, but hey, it's a car. They have to do it somewhere. For this amount of money anyways.

--Dan

 

[Roton]

I've got some simple questions. How does the
M5's navigation system work? Is it GPS? Do you load in ROM for different areas or cities? What areas are available?

Thanks,
Doug

 

[greg]

Roton -

The nav system has a GPS, but this is not sufficient. GPS's go out of coverage when you're in between buildings, in tunnels, etc. So the nav system combines GPS input with input from the wheel sensors. Thus even if you go out of coverage for a few moments, the system knows you're still moving at 40mph, and knows if you just made a right turn.

The CPU compares the position the GPS provides with the latitude and longitude of streets in the map database, which is supplied by a company called NavTech and is on a CD-ROM which you insert in its own dedicated player in the trunk. Note that map data isn't always accurate, but the computer also uses the "dead reckoning" info to correct - for example, the GPS might say you're exactly half way in between 1st and 2nd avenues - but that is impossible - you must be on 1st or 2nd. So the computer makes an educated guess. Because it knew which road you were on last, and which way you turned, etc, it IS almost always right. Frankly, I'm amazed it works as well as it does.

The quality of the map data varies from city to city, and is responsible for some of peoples' complaints. But to the best of my knowledge, almost all the nav systems on the market use the NavTech data.