Is the NAV option worth it?

[Alext]

Is the BMW on-board navigation system/iDrive-type display worth spending the extra dollars on or is it better to get an aftermarket nav system for a fraction of the cost?

[JAMS 135]

No.

Yes.

[sndprssr]

Not worth it. Our $200 Tom Tom works just fine, has maps available for pretty much any country, and travels with us even if we get out of the car...

[GT3]

Nope.

[spudw]

Here's a somewhat recent thread on the same subject:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ght=navigation

You may find more through a search.

IMO, a $2,000+ built-in system does not offer nearly the value and flexibility of the Garmin or Tom Tom units than can be had for a fraction of the price. The top-of-the-line Garmin is $860 and, in addition to a fully featured navi system, it does MP3s, JPEGs and games. And they can be moved from car to car.

Perhaps those that have more experience with them can speak to the added value of the built-in systems, but I struggle to see how they would offer better value-for-$ over the portables.

[jeremyc74]

I played around with one at the dealer a little, and personally I can't see how it's worth that much cash. I use a Garmin portable anyway, and it works great and was only $200. The iDrive adds some ease of adjustability for some features from what I understand, but it's not stuff you change on a daily basis.


My real issue with it is resale value down the road. For one thing it's a DVD based system, and the updates aren't free. As we all know, technology marches on, and when the car is 15 years old I'd be willing to bet no one wants that screen sticking out of their dash any more than we want a built in cell phone now.

The portable unit doesn't look as good, but it's not like most people use it on their way back and forth to work every day. I keep mine in the glovebox and just stick it in the window when I'm going on a trip, plus it's nice to take it with me when i'm flying somewhere and renting a car. The rental car places are charging about $10/day for them right now.

[JAMS 135]

$575..

[Alext]

Thanks for the advice guys. It is much appreciated believe me!

[topvega]

Yes it was a waste of a cpl grand in my G35...
This time I will go aftermarket for sure.

[Gabriel]

Living in a country like greece, I've only paid it and never used it. IMO the portable ones are much better.

[The Chad]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

The portable unit doesn't look as good, but it's not like most people use it on their way back and forth to work every day.

With the addition of traffic information these devices become more useful than ever. For example, on your way to work, you could have it automatically re-route you if there's an accident slowing up traffic.

Eventually, these types of units will be able to talk to each other to better determine traffic flow on main streets, as well as side streets, and be able to direct you that way. In the future, the unit might say "Stay in this slow traffic because the side streets aren't going to be any quicker sunshine."

Not disputing the value of a portable over the iDrive (since most portables have traffic), BUT I believe that you could use navigation every day and find it useful.

[topvega]

The bottom line is you just don't get the bang for your buck with the factory units... Nav can be great but the price they put on the factory installed one is absurd... I paid 3000 dollars for my Nav in my G35... You cld get a great after market one for a third of that and take the other 2 grand and get a sweet big screen LCD for your living room... just not worth the cost at all... by the way substitute a dinan tune for the big LCD if you want...

[tharpa]

no, go garmin.

[Dan203]

I mainly got it because I thought iDrive was cool and because I liked the bigger screen for iPod integration. I think the navigation will come in handy on occasion, but for me I was more interested in the total integration car/stereo.

Plus I'm kind of an aesthetics snob and hate things that are just stuck to the dash or windshield with wires running down to power. May not be worth the $ but it will look better and that will make me happier.

Dan

[randomquickness]

^^ I'm with ya...love my tom tom but wanted something factory this time

[Robert]

yes, no, yes, no, maybe.... hope this helps

[kbimmer135i]

i also mainly got the NAV because of the iDrive. it's just another toy tho. i also don't like things on my windshield and wires everywhere. i like my car to look clean inside and out.

before getting the 1, i was looking into a navigator and would like a thin and small so i can move it from car to car. i think it's just personally preference.

[morscode]

it's all up to you, I ordered it because I want the integration of all the components... Climate Control, Stereo, Nav with Traffic updates, car data etc. and for possible later resale value

[sethchan]

Strictly as a nav unit, it's not cost effective. But I think it's worth it because of all of the other things iDrive does, like handle my iPod playlists, telephone directory, climate, diagnostics and even the time/date.

Not a great interface, but one does get used to it pretty quickly. It gets terrible reviews from people who only work with it for a few hours and hen go write their articles.

[vivid]

I would not get it... first it costs $2100 and second it comes with I-drive...

I would, on the other hand get a portable nav system

[new2the3]

I have the Idrive in my 330i and love it. I would get it again till I found out that on the 1 series, the idrive is only one main screen. For example, on my 330i I can have the cd/radio on the main screen and still have a moving map on the right portion at all times. In the 1 series you can only do one function at a time. To me this limits the functionality of the unit to a point where i'm not sure if its worth $2100.

[ScottyGams]

Originally Posted by kbimmer135i

i also mainly got the NAV because of the iDrive. it's just another toy tho. i also don't like things on my windshield and wires everywhere. i like my car to look clean inside and out.

before getting the 1, i was looking into a navigator and would like a thin and small so i can move it from car to car. i think it's just personally preference.

I like that it makes iPod so much easier, as well as adds traffic information and navi. The amount of the 2100 cost I pay over the course of my lease make it easy to pay for just for aesthetic value.