R53 Sat Nav vs R56 Sat Nav

[Perm]

Hi,

Has anyone moved from R53 Sat Nav to R56 Sat Nav system ?
{ my current R53 sat nav has the latest firmware and I am very happy with it }

How does the new car’s version compare ?

1) Can the R56 do everything the R53 version did ?
2) Is the R56 any quicker / better in the graphics display ?
3) Does the R56 sat nav have any new features ?
4) Is the R56 sat nav as good as the R53 version ?


Thanks

Perm

[Perm]

bump....
has no one experienced both systems ?

Thanks

Perm

[Sowellman]

I have the new system, but can't compare it with the old one for you. I think it works very well, other than coming with a generic voice. I was hoping for a British voice to guide me to the freeway, errr, sorry, motorway.

The instructions are good and if I choose to ignore a command and start down another path, the system quickly reconfigures the route to reflect your new course. I like that. I also like how it allows you to change the perspective from 400 feet up to several hundred miles.

[ALD0]

I too would be interested to know the differences, I know the R56 looks more modern as of course it should, I think the mapping will be the same though and similar features, would like to have a good play around with an R56 version to see if any differences there are?

I would of liked to see:

Different map colours
More road names on Perspective view
Alert for Speed camera database
Easier clarification of different route types, as in Fast route/Shortest route and that they show a Travel summary dialogue at beginning of journey.
Different voices

Si

[DaFlake]

I don't think that they are the same system. it actually looks more like the one that is in the Idrive vehicles that uses the Professional Disk.

[DaFlake]

Now I am curious. Are there any numbers on the new system that someone would be willing to post? I don't think that BMW came out with a new system (MK5?) but I would like to see what the differences are. On the old system, we have a setup menu and in the upper right side are a series of numbers. If you have something like this, could you post them?

[Perm]

My understanding is that they are completely different systems.....
I think the one for the MINI was specifically developed for the MINI...... and not used in other vehicles.....(BMWs)

Hope someone can post the truth about this.

Thanks

Perm

[DaFlake]

That is what I am trying to determine. To be honest the front end looked like the Magellan system.

[Blusox]

when I took an R56 for a test drive the sat nav it had looked very much like the idrive sat nav in terms of what it did. Even the scroll dial worked in a similar way to the dial on the BMW models. Didn't get a real chance to play though.

Its a real shame the R56 is so hard/impossible to change the head unit because for the price of the integrated sat nav you can get a much better after market head and sat nav, just my opinion though

[Perm]

Gents,

See reply from MINI Customer care...

Thank you for your email to MINI Customer Information.

In response to your questions:

1. The Satellite Navigation in the new MINI runs on the same software as BMW cars, but the hardware is different to accommodate the system in the MINI.

2. The system is DVD Based.

3. The system is different to the old R53 Model MINI Cooper S.

We hope this information is of use. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.
Yours sincerely

MINI UK

[Blusox]

Had a feeling that might be the case

[DaFlake]

I figured all of this. What I want are specifics!

I'll have to find a guy locally.

[gcp]

Is the R53 nav the same as "older" generation BMW's, E46 3 series etc. ?

We have an 04 E46 with NAV and an 07 R56 with it too.

Won't post any comments as not sure if they have the same system.

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by gcp (original)

Is the R53 nav the same as "older" generation BMW's, E46 3 series etc. ?

We have an 04 E46 with NAV and an 07 R56 with it too.

Won't post any comments as not sure if they have the same system.

I believe that the R53 and the older 3 series were the same. However, that is changing...

The MK4 system is becoming outdated and they have really gotten all they can out of it. I played with the new NAV in a friends 7 series and it is fast and smooth compared to our older models. So, I suspect that the MK4 will be falling by the wayside very soon.

I'm curious to see if a R56 NAV could be fitted to the R53.

[rkw]

Yes the R53 and previous generation BMW 3 and 5 series shared the same Nav (even the hardware units were interchangeable).

A lot was updated in the R56 and new generation BMW. The cars now use a fiber optic bus instead of the earlier iBus. Just about everything is incompatible between the old and new Nav units.