I have envied BMWs for many years now and was ready to take the plunge last month only to learn that navigation won't be available until March/April 2004. A few questions:

- Why would BMW sell a $60k car without a navigation option?
- Why not do the basic engineering and offer nav as a retrofit?
- I read on another posting that nav may be available sooner. Any definitive news from BMW directly?

Thanks. - ezwing

 

My dealer told me that they will equip the E60 to be retrofitted for Nav starting in November I believe. The full Nav option will be availabe for cars that start production in March of 2004. He also told me that what you pay upfront for the retrofit is the cost of the Nav, and when they install, it should not cost more; however you may have to pay for labor.

 

So you would get the larger LCD screen in Nov ? What about buttons next to iDrive? I am very wary of these promises.

 

I too am weary. I really don't see them replacing the I-drive button and giving the larger screen, so you probably won't get the full Professional Nav. After he explained the retrofit, and the possibility of having to pay labor costs to implement the navigation, I told him I would wait until it was available, which I was planning to do anyway.

By the way I have heard that BMW Nav isn't the greatest. I just need something that gives me a good map and lets we know when to merge, turn, etc. Can someone share their experiences with BMW Nav...good or bad?

 

I agree...if it was just a module, with no screen changes, I could understand...but I don't see them doing the change to the 8.8in screen and adding the extra iDrive buttons. It will be interesting to see how they do this...

 

I saw on some othe website (not sure which, anymore) that the nav system deletes the in-dash cd player. I couldn't find any evidence of that, though. Anyone else?

 

Both the in-dash CD player and NAV DVD drive are in the dash right under the heating/AC controls:

rodybmw

 

So, we know that Nav is available in europe (how could it take 6 months to figure out how to put it in a US model!!), but what about the head-up display? Is that also available in europe now? Any observations from those who have it? I've not seen any other car that marries a nav and hud (i.e. nav directions in the hud), I've only seen hud's that give just speed or something like that. The nav/hud combo (directions in the hud) is a great idea (if it works).

 

In Europe there are two Sat-Nav options. A Business version which uses the smaller display, and does not use maps but directions using arrows. A professional version uses the larger display and utilises Maps for navigation. The Business version is already available in Europe but not the Professional version, which we will also have to wait until April for.

 

I have the business navigation system in my car in the UK and have found it to be extremely good. The professional version that will be offered in the US is basically the same system but with a wider screen that allows a split screen display between the directional arrow screen on the LHS and a map position screen on the RHS.

I was initially concerned that the directional arrow only display might not be good but I can now safely say that it is very clear and provides on screen information for current position, distance to next direction change, current road number/street name that you are on and ETA at your destination. The voice commands can be turned off if you don't want to be interrupted or the volume of the voice altered. When nav instructions are relayed by voice command from the system your other audio sources - hi-fi or phone - are temporarliy reduced in volume to let you hear the nav command.

Having now become used to the arrow only display I would think that the map display is more confusing and distracting whilst driving and will be of more interest to passengers who can afford to study it. Hope this helps.