Preferred Nav Systems

ggggbmw · 07-23-2021, 07:48 PM

I really prefer in the onboard nav for most things. Mainly for the iDrive control and ability to easily zoom in/out. I also find that it's more precise on exact location and more accurate and timely on when to turn. I also really like the split screen exit sign view as you get close to your exit. And of course, it's fully onboard, so works in spotty/no cell areas.

But, the BMW nav can be annoying. It is optimized to take the shortest, must fuel-efficient route. NOT the fastest. Even with RTTI, it is often clueless about road closures/detours. And sometimes it just makes odd decisions. And I don't think an RTTI alternate route has ever been better.

If I'm going somewhere new, or farther away, I'll often use Google maps to look at alternative routes. Google always has the best overall routing info, and generally has a much better idea of road closures and such. Apple maps is not as good, but not far behind.

Last week I did a trip in my wife's car with CarPlay. Lots of back road driving. We flipped between Google maps and Apple maps and they both worked great for basic wayfinding. And the ability to search for destinations and go straight to directions is great. BUT, i HATED the car interface. Zooming in/out is a multi-button adventure on a touch-screen, and not even sticky in Apple maps. The display was always several hundred feet behind, making timely turn info hard. Not bad in outstate Minnesota, but it was horrible in a rental on tight New England roads earlier this year.

One surprising thing that BMW is better than Google at is finding Interstate rest areas. You can just search for 'rest areas' in iDrive, and they show up. I've never been able to search for them with Google maps. (Could just be doing it wrong, but still....)

So, I often find myself using both, but for different things, and for different parts of my driving.

MarcoZandrini · 07-24-2021, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Thank you. Downloaded to the car for display on the larger screen? How does that handle traffic information changes/detours/stops along the way?

It's downloaded to your phone or tablet. It can't update as there's no cell service.

Neverlost99 · 07-24-2021, 09:57 AM

I recently tried using my 2017 Lexus NAV. What a piece of crap. I do like the BMW but get tired of the annual updates and with the sunset of the 3G support I cant get real time traffic. I do like the turn by turn on the main display. Looks like Waze and BMW nav when it really counts

Unicorn123 · 07-24-2021, 03:50 PM

Interesting thread...

I use a standalone Garmin that gets regular updates. Simple, easy and can be located within my field of view to monitor quickly rather than the factory GPS for road trips.

For local driving, I will use the BMW GPS until the traffic alerts stop. Then it will be the Garmin full time, since it has lifetime traffic, which I need here in the land of car wrecks and traffic jams...

nikijack · 07-25-2021, 08:09 AM

Do not use TomTom.

07-23-2021, 07:48 PM	#23
ggggbmw Lieutenant 433 Rep 442 Posts Drives: 2017 M2 Manual Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	I really prefer in the onboard nav for most things. Mainly for the iDrive control and ability to easily zoom in/out. I also find that it's more precise on exact location and more accurate and timely on when to turn. I also really like the split screen exit sign view as you get close to your exit. And of course, it's fully onboard, so works in spotty/no cell areas. But, the BMW nav can be annoying. It is optimized to take the shortest, must fuel-efficient route. NOT the fastest. Even with RTTI, it is often clueless about road closures/detours. And sometimes it just makes odd decisions. And I don't think an RTTI alternate route has ever been better. If I'm going somewhere new, or farther away, I'll often use Google maps to look at alternative routes. Google always has the best overall routing info, and generally has a much better idea of road closures and such. Apple maps is not as good, but not far behind. Last week I did a trip in my wife's car with CarPlay. Lots of back road driving. We flipped between Google maps and Apple maps and they both worked great for basic wayfinding. And the ability to search for destinations and go straight to directions is great. BUT, i HATED the car interface. Zooming in/out is a multi-button adventure on a touch-screen, and not even sticky in Apple maps. The display was always several hundred feet behind, making timely turn info hard. Not bad in outstate Minnesota, but it was horrible in a rental on tight New England roads earlier this year. One surprising thing that BMW is better than Google at is finding Interstate rest areas. You can just search for 'rest areas' in iDrive, and they show up. I've never been able to search for them with Google maps. (Could just be doing it wrong, but still....) So, I often find myself using both, but for different things, and for different parts of my driving.
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07-24-2021, 09:57 AM	#25
Neverlost99 Private First Class 46 Rep 101 Posts Drives: 2105 228ix Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	I recently tried using my 2017 Lexus NAV. What a piece of crap. I do like the BMW but get tired of the annual updates and with the sunset of the 3G support I cant get real time traffic. I do like the turn by turn on the main display. Looks like Waze and BMW nav when it really counts __________________ neverlost99
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07-24-2021, 03:50 PM	#26
Unicorn123 Second Lieutenant 187 Rep 255 Posts Drives: 2016 M235i xDrive Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Hartford, CT iTrader: (0)	Interesting thread... I use a standalone Garmin that gets regular updates. Simple, easy and can be located within my field of view to monitor quickly rather than the factory GPS for road trips. For local driving, I will use the BMW GPS until the traffic alerts stop. Then it will be the Garmin full time, since it has lifetime traffic, which I need here in the land of car wrecks and traffic jams... __________________ Current Fleet, 16 F22 M235i xDrive, 15 Audi Q5 3.0 TDI (my Wife's), 07 E85 Z4M Roadster, 01 Toyota Tundra 2wd Long Bed Retired (a few of them...), 08 E60 550i 6M, 01 Audi S4, 70 Fiat 124, 88 E28 M5, 72 Datsun 510 2Dr, 73 TR6
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07-25-2021, 08:09 AM	#27
nikijack Second Lieutenant 37 Rep 246 Posts Drives: 2016 M235i, Grey, manual Join Date: May 2010 Location: Markdale, On, Canada iTrader: (0)	Do not use TomTom.
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