Porsche not providing costs for PCM / Nav update

[George Smiley]

All,

new to Porsche ownership with a 970 Panamera 4S bought from Bristol.

The nav map needs updating, not fussed about the full postcode thing but I would like some up to date maps. The car has PCM 3.1 but is running 2.40. Pressing the source and info buttons show there has never been an update.

I've called both the OPC in Bristol and Swindon as they are the most local, neither one will provide a price and just say they will call back and never do.

All I want is to get the PCM and Nav updated. I've since left a voice message for the salesman that sold the car and he is really good at getting back but in case I hear nothing back, can you guys offer any advice on what needs doing?

Thanks

[anonymous-user]

Buy a Tomtom. It will be cheaper and work better.

[George Smiley]

Already have a great garmin but, despite the fact it comes with lifetime and fantastically accurate map upgrades, it doesn't flash warnings up onto my binnacle and I hate the bloody things stuck into the window.

[Koln-RS]

I'm a great fan of Porsche and their products, but their 'customer support' for people who have invested in PCM is nothing short of diabolical.

A full update should be offered at each service for £99.

They probably get away with it because too few people complain, but it is very shabby.

[George Smiley]

Ignoring the map upgrade, which I understand requires a license, is it possible to get PCM updated outside of the OPC?

[hoegaardenruls]

I've asked at a couple of OPC's recently about an update to my PCM3.0.

Part of the problem may be it's regarded as an add-on part, rather than a service item, and advice becomes reliant on the knowledge (or lack of it) of the local parts department.

Swindon didn't answer the question for me, although Cardiff were really helpful although the maps in the update are a bit older than I would have liked.

I'm not sure its a job they are that keen on due to the time relative to the cost.

[George Smiley]

Thanks!

Cardiff isn't too far and Bristol are on it now I've spoken to sales. It does seem odd the OPC's don't want to do the work but I understand it takes up a bay for considerable time too. The garmin is coming for backup purposes anyway.

[Porsche911R]

George Smiley said:

Thanks!

Cardiff isn't too far and Bristol are on it now I've spoken to sales. It does seem odd the OPC's don't want to do the work but I understand it takes up a bay for considerable time too. The garmin is coming for backup purposes anyway.

they have to pay for the upgrade and a bad car can take a day In a bay, hence why they don't want to do it.

Not sure why people need tom tom or Garmin a modern phone has upto date maps with jams and tracking info.

I am not sure why people use any NAV to be fair in the 1st place. the routes are shocking and are never what I would take.

Fastest routs take you 30 miles out of the way to find a motorway, shortest routes can lead you up single tracks !!

[Shaoxter]

Use Waze and get a air vent phone mount.
The built in nav is good as a backup but paying £300 for an update to an inferior product is a bit silly.

[George Smiley]

Cheers all. Got a price, 360 which I am happy with.

I refuse to use mobile apps as my phone is locked in the boot or out of reach, agree on Nav's being a bd but they are useful once you get close to destination. One drawback I find with the PCM version is there is no route selections. Most cars seem to give you 3 to pick from based on your criteria but with PCM it is blind faith.

[cd1957]

Hi, if the system has not been updated on a regular basis, then it has to go to main dealer.If car needs say 4 updates to reach the latest, then each of the previous updates must be carried out,first ,otherwise it will miss various sections of earlier updates, and system will not work properly..

Chris

[George Smiley]

thanks!

Booked in for Thursday. I presume the nav update, if it requires PCM updates, the PCM will be updated?

[SV_WDC]

PCM 3 refers to the hardware, the software is actually a lower rating.

Mine is PCM 3 but software v2.21. However, enquired with my OPC last year and they said it's ~£300.
That's for the DVD's + the labour, gather it takes service dept half a day.

Honestly though, was just advised using Google Maps/Waze would suffice & cost significantly less

[George Smiley]

SV_WDC said:

PCM 3 refers to the hardware, the software is actually a lower rating.

Mine is PCM 3 but software v2.21. However, enquired with my OPC last year and they said it's ~£300.
That's for the DVD's + the labour, gather it takes service dept half a day.

Honestly though, was just advised using Google Maps/Waze would suffice & cost significantly less

Thanks

I'm sure Google Maps/Waze is better as they are up to date, its just this update will give me a good few years of close to accurate directions and via the binnacle which is really handy.

[Cheib]

I don't think Porsche are any worse than other manufacturers to be honest. Given the Sat Nav is out of date within a year or two of going into production it would be a huge job to keep these systems up to date and whilst yor average PH'er likes these things to be as up to date as possible I don't think most customers really care and are happy to go with phone based alternatives...I certainly am when I use my 997 GTS.

Apple Car Play might be an answer in the future....as long as Apple keep supporting it. In theory that should mean that the current PCM is much more future proof. It's one of the reasons I went for a new Cayenne earlier this year as the new PCM is miles ahead of the previous generation.

[SV_WDC]

George Smiley said:

Thanks

I'm sure Google Maps/Waze is better as they are up to date, its just this update will give me a good few years of close to accurate directions and via the binnacle which is really handy.

Consider using Google Maps/Waze and PCM nav at the same time.

I have encountered maybe one issue where the road wasn't up to date. The biggest issue however is the route the PCM takes you on. It doesn't react to traffic as quickly as Google. There have also been instances where PCM tries to take me off a motorway junction earlier than Google Maps, when I go down to the next junction I have to get quite far down a A/B road before the navigation updates to the current route and actually ends up with an ETA shorter than where it was initially trying to take you.

So my issue is more to do with the confidence of the nav to take me the quickest route or react to traffic.

[Shaoxter]

^ So why do you even bother using the inbuilt nav in the first place?

[Magic919]

George Smiley said:

One drawback I find with the PCM version is there is no route selections. Most cars seem to give you 3 to pick from based on your criteria but with PCM it is blind faith.

Have you looked at the settings? I thought it had the possibility of offering a number of routes.

[andyc11]

When I bought my 997, the new software had just been released. I asked the dealer to upgrade but they were going to charge £149.99 (which I think was still a reduced rate). Cue an email to Porsche GB asking why approved used stock didn't have the latest updates included when available and a free update was swiftly done by the OPC. Worth a shot.

[AndyMort]

I hear if you have a Porsche warranty, they update the PCM version to latest for free. Though that may be if you have an issue with it.