[128Guy]

I have a 2015 228i with the optional Tech Pkg on order. It will be here in 2-3 weeks, when we plan to take it on a long driving vacation. In the mean time, I'm using a program called "Microsoft Streets and Trips" to plan out the details of our route, including scenic drives and stops for lodging, attractions, meals, etc. From what I've been able to determine, we are planning many more stops than can be handled by the BMW's built-in Route Planner.

Of course I'd prefer to use the car's navigation system for route guidance; but since I can't find any way to import our entire route into the 228i's nav system, I plan to convert our route plan from "MS Streets and Trips" to Garmin's "Base Camp" program, and then load it onto my handheld Garmin GPS, which I guess I will have to use for navigation.

My question is, does anyone know how to get all of my 100+ waypoints into the BMW's nav system; or have any better ideas on how to accomplish this. BTW, I will have a Samsung smartphone and a Windows laptop computer with me as well, if they could somehow be interfaced with the car's system?

I would appreciate any and all suggestions.

[BEM-S4]

The gf is a realtor and often does 10+ stops in a single trip. Around town but for all intents and purposes the same sort of thing. Her 3-series nav is a major pain in the ass to use, would assume for what you're trying to do you're better off downloading an app on the smart phone.

[Zooks527]

Streets and Trips? Damn, I haven't seen S&T for years! Used to use it all the time, then it fell off for Mapquest, followed by Google Maps.

You can use Google Maps and send the waypoints to the car. Name them in numeric order, do them in batches of 20 or so (not sure how many sent points the message function will hold before it starts deleting the oldest), send them to the car, then save them to the car's address book. When you set up the route on the nav, you'd choose WP01 -> WP02 -> WP03 -> ... etc.

Clunky way to do it, though. Unfortunately, Google doesn't support sending a route or a string of points. You need to send them one by one, then go to the car, enter the message interface, and save each point (1 point per message) to the address book. However, once you've worked up a route on Google Maps, it does let you click on each waypoint and send it, so it's not as bad as it could be.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by 128Guy

I have a 2015 228i with the optional Tech Pkg on order. It will be here in 2-3 weeks, when we plan to take it on a long driving vacation. In the mean time, I'm using a program called "Microsoft Streets and Trips" to plan out the details of our route, including scenic drives and stops for lodging, attractions, meals, etc. From what I've been able to determine, we are planning many more stops than can be handled by the BMW's built-in Route Planner.

Of course I'd prefer to use the car's navigation system for route guidance; but since I can't find any way to import our entire route into the 228i's nav system, I plan to convert our route plan from "MS Streets and Trips" to Garmin's "Base Camp" program, and then load it onto my handheld Garmin GPS, which I guess I will have to use for navigation.

My question is, does anyone know how to get all of my 100+ waypoints into the BMW's nav system; or have any better ideas on how to accomplish this. BTW, I will have a Samsung smartphone and a Windows laptop computer with me as well, if they could somehow be interfaced with the car's system?

I would appreciate any and all suggestions.

You need to code HU_NBT 3000 NAVI_TRIP_IMPORT aktiv

to allow importing routes then you can use tyre-basic to generate the route on iDrive format http://www.tyretotravel.com/download-tyre/

and copy the file on a usb in \BMWData\Navigation\Routes
Then on iDrive go to Then go to Navigation Menu - My trips - Import from USB

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by Zooks527

Streets and Trips? Damn, I haven't seen S&T for years! Used to use it all the time, then it fell off for Mapquest, followed by Google Maps.

You can use Google Maps and send the waypoints to the car. Name them in numeric order, do them in batches of 20 or so (not sure how many sent points the message function will hold before it starts deleting the oldest), send them to the car, then save them to the car's address book. When you set up the route on the nav, you'd choose WP01 -> WP02 -> WP03 -> ... etc.

Clunky way to do it, though. Unfortunately, Google doesn't support sending a route or a string of points. You need to send them one by one, then go to the car, enter the message interface, and save each point (1 point per message) to the address book. However, once you've worked up a route on Google Maps, it does let you click on each waypoint and send it, so it's not as bad as it could be.

Thanks for the suggestion. Do I need a gMail/Google account to do this?

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

You need to code HU_NBT 3000 NAVI_TRIP_IMPORT aktiv

to allow importing routes then you can use tyre-basic to generate the route on iDrive format http://www.tyretotravel.com/download-tyre/

and copy the file on a usb in \BMWData\Navigation\Routes
Then on iDrive go to Then go to Navigation Menu - My trips - Import from USB

Thanks. Does that circumvent the 30 stops per route limitation of BMW's nav system?

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by 128Guy

Thanks. Does that circumvent the 30 stops per route limitation of BMW's nav system?

No but you can easily break the trip into 2 trips if you have more than 30 points

[Zooks527]

Originally Posted by 128Guy

Thanks for the suggestion. Do I need a gMail/Google account to do this?

Straight Gmail does it. The system will try to upsell you to Google+, but it's not necessary.

Once you're signed in, it's 3 clicks to send a point to the car with no other typing beyond naming the point: click on the point, click on "Send to car" in the popup box, click on "Send" after another popup appears to let you name the point (which will be the preloaded with the address whereas you would want to do a sequential number).

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by Zooks527

Straight Gmail does it. They system will try to upsell you to Google+, but it's not necessary.

Once you're signed in, it's 3 clicks to send a point to the car with no other typing beyond naming the point: click on the point, click on "Send to car" in the popup box, click on "Send" after another popup appears to let you name the point (which will be the preloaded with the address whereas you would want to do a sequential number).

OK, thanks.