Puzzled about the SatNav CD in my new S Convertble

[M800JCW]

Hi all,

Have been lurking here whilst expecting my new JCW Convertible, delivered on Wednesday, and I just love it.

There is one thing that really puzzles me, and I'm sure one of you can kindly point me in the right direction:

I was slightly annoyed that I cannot enter a post code into the SatNav, But then I got the speed camera database from PocketGPSWorld, read all the instructions, and found that my SatNav DVD is in fact a CD, labelled "Digital Road Map GB/Ireland CD 2007" containig just 5 files, and the file "COPYRIGH" tells me that the software is by Siemens/VDO.

Have I missed something, can the data for the Converible SatNav not be updated with speed camera information?

Thanks in advance!

Harold

[mls]

Check the player under the driver's seat - it should be a DVD player, in which case it will take the DVD maps as well (eg whole of Europe, rather than just UK and Ireland). I doubt there's space on the CD for all the postcode data, but it's fine on DVD.

That said, our version only does the first part of the postcode and the first number of the second part (eg NR1 1, rather than NR1 1JE), which is a real shame. MLS

[S33BBY]

I take it this isn't a brand new MINI? If it's CD, you won't have post code search. You need the later DVD system for that (even so, it's not full post code search anyway).

[M800JCW]

Thank you both for answering! Just had a look, it is indeed a DVD drive.

Does that mean Nini delivers a CD with a car that has a pretty expensive SatNav, and then leaves it for the customer to buy the proper DVD somewhere else?

And will the SatNav I have accept a the DVD that BMW ships with their cars?

Thanks again!

Harold

[Robguy67]

Hi If you get a BMW High DVD that will work fine in your Mini's Sat nav.

Just done it with mine and no problems

[mls]

Quote: Originally Posted by M800JCW (original)

Does that mean Nini delivers a CD with a car that has a pretty expensive SatNav, and then leaves it for the customer to buy the proper DVD somewhere else?

I guess it may be down to each dealership (we got the Europe DVD with ours last year), but it does seem odd if they've only given you a CD - maybe a mistake? It's certainly worth asking them to swap it. MLS

[S33BBY]

I think if they've given you a CD when it's the DVD system, then they've made a mistake. After all, it's the dealer who provides the map disc AFAIK.

[DaFlake]

CD/DVD is not included in the cost if you can believe it. Most dealers will give you a copy of a CD just to get you started, but you will have to buy the additional DVD to get the updated maps and features.

[S33BBY]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaFlake (original)

CD/DVD is not included in the cost if you can believe it. Most dealers will give you a copy of a CD just to get you started, but you will have to buy the additional DVD to get the updated maps and features.

Are you sure? I'm almost 100% that the cost of the navigation system includes the latest map disc, i.e. DVD.

[J8YMP]

I've got a 2002 MCS with sat nav and was told by the dealer that BMW's use the best system out there, never owned one before so i presumed he was tellin me the truth. I was shocked to find out later that you couldnt enter post codes, plus a lot of existing roads couldnt be entered into the system, yet when we got to the destinations the road in question did come up on the screen....odd Contacted the dealer who informs me that a new dvd is £99 with me handing in the old one. Someone has now told me that my car will have cd and not dvd and cant be updated. Cars on staff car park at mo so cant look. Anyone know what I've got? Only had it a few weeks and never looked....plus i'm female

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by S33BBY (original)

Are you sure? I'm almost 100% that the cost of the navigation system includes the latest map disc, i.e. DVD.

OK, too much wine while in Italy. Yes, it is included in the cost. My dealer knocked off 200 as they do not ship from the factory. Duh...

OK, so if you have a copied CD or DVD in your MINI I would complain to get the official version as well as the updated version as that is what you have paid for.

[S33BBY]

Quote: Originally Posted by J8YMP (original)

I've got a 2002 MCS with sat nav and was told by the dealer that BMW's use the best system out there, never owned one before so i presumed he was tellin me the truth. I was shocked to find out later that you couldnt enter post codes, plus a lot of existing roads couldnt be entered into the system, yet when we got to the destinations the road in question did come up on the screen....odd Contacted the dealer who informs me that a new dvd is £99 with me handing in the old one. Someone has now told me that my car will have cd and not dvd and cant be updated. Cars on staff car park at mo so cant look. Anyone know what I've got? Only had it a few weeks and never looked....plus i'm female

The first thing to check is if you've got the DVD-based system. If you go into the "Set" menu and look at the number in the top right-hand corner. If it's 3-1/xx (which I suspect it is as it's a 2002 model MINI) then it's the CD system; if it's 4-1/xx then it's DVD. If you only have the CD system, you won't be able to get post code search, even with a new disc. If you have the DVD system, you'll need the updated map disc as I believe post code search was only introduced on the 2007-1 version.

I have to say that I think the BMW navigation system is brilliant (the DVD system). I've seen many other systems (Porsche, VW, Vauxhall) and they are extremely poor. This is probably difficult for you to accept at the moment; the chances are that your navigation OS software is very old so it's probably not a terribly great experience at the moment. Once we have some more details, we might be able to help you improve things somewhat.

[rkw]

Quote: Originally Posted by S33BBY (original)

I think if they've given you a CD when it's the DVD system, then they've made a mistake.

It seems to me that GB/Ireland map data should fit on a CD and there would be no reason for Navteq to release it on DVD.

Separately from the map data, you might not have postcode if the Nav unit is loaded with old software. As S33BBY described, check the version in the settings screen and report back here.

[S33BBY]

Quote: Originally Posted by rkw (original)

It seems to me that GB/Ireland map data should fit on a CD and there would be no reason for Navteq to release it on DVD.

But Navteq do release it on DVD, and this is what MINI supply for DVD-based systems. I know, I've got it.

[mls]

Quote: Originally Posted by J8YMP (original)

I've got a 2002 MCS with sat nav and was told by the dealer that BMW's use the best system out there, never owned one before so i presumed he was tellin me the truth.

We had a 2003 MCS and the SatNav system was CD-based. We now have a 2006 MCS and the DVD-based system is a lot faster and generally much better. The dealer was probably talking about the latest system, not the one in your car! MLS

Quote: Originally Posted by S33BBY (original)

I believe post code search was only introduced on the 2007-1 version.

We have the 2006-1 DVD and that allows postcode searches, but only at postal sector level (eg NR1 1, rather than the full NR1 1JE), so it can only be used to narrow down the choice of local roads, rather then identify an actual destination, which is a shame. MLS

Quote: Originally Posted by rkw (original)

It seems to me that GB/Ireland map data should fit on a CD and there would be no reason for Navteq to release it on DVD.

DVDs offer much faster data transmission rates, so I expect Navteq would still put the maps on DVD, even if they amount to less than 700MB data. MLS