What the hell is going on. I was in a new X5 yesterday checking out the nav system. I have to say it is much better than the one I have in my 06 550. You can search cities using zip codes and search stores using partial names. I cant understand why this older style nav is more user friendly than the newest one that we have?

 

I agree... I like the location of the iDrive knob better but the older MkII/MkIII Carin units in my 2000 540 and 2002 X4 had many features that are missing in my 2007 530! I really miss searching for a POI by name rather than scrolling down a LONG list.

 

Like many others said, BMW and MB nav are the worst. E60 nav is the worst of the worst. But I retrofit it anyway . Can't wait for the part arrive today and do software retrofit tomorrow

 

Contrary to popular opinion I think the Toyota NAV to be the worst of the worst (that I've used). It will let me search by POI name but it's so irritating to use that we often avoid the thing all together.

 

I have had to pull my old garmin out of the glove box more than a few times to search by POI while in my e60. Once was with a car full of co-workers. Now that was embarassing!

 

Toyota is the worst because it won't let you change anything or use the nav while driving (For saftey obviously but for little changes you have to put in park which is annoying) lol.

Honda/Acura navigations are by far the best.

I just chekced out the navi in a 530i yesterday it was so annoying even the salesperson was getting frustrated at it lol.

For aftermarket the best is eclipse.

 

I can make it works while driving
Anyhew, just happy with what you have. Sometime we feel a little embarassed by taking Garmin out of the box to find POI. I hope BMW read these lines and do something about it. Fire NAVTEQ, and get Alpine.

 

So can I but it's irritating to have do the little trick. And the method the Toy gives direction is enough to drive you insane.

 

Anyhew, my nav retrofit successfully done without programming.
I'm gonna use BMW nav anyway.

 

I hope they will do major update on future CIP upgrades.