Im just obsessed with having sat nav in my next car.

[Derp]

I dont know what it is, but any car without a 'screen' in front of me, seems so bland and boring, and for some reason just doesn't feel right.

Looking for 320/330d's and anything without idrive instantly gets disregarded (which makes car searching hard). This is the same for the Vectra, C-Class and A4.

Anyone else have this weird obsession?

[davepoth]

Instead of your obsession, I have a Garmin Nuvi. It goes in my pocket, and then every car has a screen.

[Derp]

davepoth said:

Instead of your obsession, I have a Garmin Nuvi. It goes in my pocket, and then every car has a screen.

I dont think it's the navigation element, it's just the fact i have a screen in front of me, with lots of buttons and settings and a nice display and all that. In my vectra, i used the in-built nav about 5 times in 12 months!

[sebhaque]

I don't like the 'nav in my 911. It doesn't even accept postcodes - what bloody good is that? Maps could do with an update although I'm loath to spend the price of a brand new satnav on a new disc for the car. TBH the screen makes a pretty handy spot to pop my TomTom - although I will admit that the ability to have directions on the LCD display in the gauge cluster is fantastic.

[Fantuzzi]

Im getting sick of sat nav, my tom tom is broken. Must be, because it takes me the longest, most awkward route. And I cant seem to find the bit that changes the most eco route to fastest route, dont think it has that option...

[Futuramic]

Derp said:

I dont know what it is, but any car without a 'screen' in front of me, seems so bland and boring, and for some reason just doesn't feel right.

Looking for 320/330d's and anything without idrive instantly gets disregarded (which makes car searching hard). This is the same for the Vectra, C-Class and A4.

Anyone else have this weird obsession?

Real men use maps. Anyway who wants a screen in their car? I'd rather have good steering or a growly engine than resort to tinny distractions.

[trackerjack]

I wish all cars had sat naf and my reason is simple. All the odd country routes which I enjoy would have less traffic as the sat naffs guide people along the main routes.
I love the nagging "turn around when possible" when I use one of my routes.

[Baryonyx]

I haven't used the navigation in my A8 yet, though I know it works as the seller used it to find my house when he brought the car to me. It's a neat feature to have, though I've generally found that an A-Z and road signs will do for local trips and google maps will suffice for longer journeys! As much as I think in-car sat navs are cool, they have long, long been outclassed by the ones you can buy in the shops.

I prefer using the screen in my Audi as a radio display!



Here we go!

[J4CKO]

I fully predict the LCD colour screen to invade every single car purchased, I remember the little animated display in my Audi 100 that showed various exciting little icons that actually moved, I prayed to run out of screen wash when someone was in the car so they could see its magnificance, it did eventually dissapear up its own arse and was then like one of those puzzles where you move the squares round to make a picture.

I reckon it is becoming so common, everything has a colour LCD screen now and they are losing their wow factor, I fully predict BMW and Audi to produce "Unplugged" versions, at extra cost where the by now standard screen is deleted so you can enjoy a dash devoid of the naff, garish little LCD, back to simple dashboards now that even a ten grand Kia has a 26 inch 1080P LCD in the dash, 32 if you go for the Super GLX. BMW fot them to everything I notice, in a five series you get the basic colour screen regardless but it just shows a test card because you bought the car without any of the 10 expensive options that makes the screen show cool stuff.

[deadslow]

Futuramic said:

Derp said:

I dont know what it is, but any car without a 'screen' in front of me, seems so bland and boring, and for some reason just doesn't feel right.

Looking for 320/330d's and anything without idrive instantly gets disregarded (which makes car searching hard). This is the same for the Vectra, C-Class and A4.

Anyone else have this weird obsession?

Real men use maps. Anyway who wants a screen in their car? I'd rather have good steering or a growly engine than resort to tinny distractions.

satnav is for girls. Detracts from the driving experience. In fact like having your mother-in-law permanantly in the back seat.

[Shaw Tarse]

Baryonyx said:

I haven't used the navigation in my A8 yet, though I know it works as the seller used it to find my house when he brought the car to me. It's a neat feature to have, though I've generally found that an A-Z and road signs will do for local trips and google maps will suffice for longer journeys! As much as I think in-car sat navs are cool, they have long, long been outclassed by the ones you can buy in the shops.

I prefer using the screen in my Audi as a radio display!



Here we go!

You've got an A8?

I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it before!

[rallycross]

My BMW has i-drive sat Nav factory fit but I prefer to use my Tom Tom works much better than any factory fit Nav I have used. Can't understand why people will pay such a high premium for factory Nav that is usually rubbish to use.

[Fox-]

Derp said:

I dont know what it is, but any car without a 'screen' in front of me, seems so bland and boring, and for some reason just doesn't feel right.

Looking for 320/330d's and anything without idrive instantly gets disregarded (which makes car searching hard). This is the same for the Vectra, C-Class and A4.

Anyone else have this weird obsession?

Absolutely. Never want to own another car without an integrated colour widescreen somewhere in the dash. It's fantastic.

[-Pete-]

I have Mrs BMW and Mrs TomTom and each have their pro's and con's, it's fun to turn them both on and listen to them arguing about whether I should turn left, right, U-turn or go forwards. If my wife is in the car too, it's mayhem...

[Baryonyx]

Shaw Tarse said:

You've got an A8?

I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it before!

I'm also getting a lot of mileage from my iPhone camera! I really do need to get hold of an owners manual though, as I am still finding out lots of little features and functions with the car. I couldn't figure out the Sat Nav though when I was sitting at B&Q yesterday. I still get the message to say the navigation unit is active when I start the car up but if there is some way to manually input and search for an address/postcode, I haven't found it yet!

Which brings me back to the £90 Tom Tom or Garmin; always so user friendly!

[Big News]

If I'm doing a longer journey - even one that I know turn by turn off by heart like my route to uni, I still like to have my TomTom running so I get an ETA and milage countdown.

[C8LNJ]

I dont have this problem. I use sat-nav about once a year so would rather save the £1500-ish premium and have a portable unit in the glove box.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Baryonyx said:

I had no idea there was a radio station called "SMOOTH". It's very name fills my heart with dread.

[Dixie68]

I have a lovely Sony unit fitted in my ST that has a TomTom module which sits hidden away in my glovebox. All the benefits of a TomTom unit as I can unclip the module, take it in the house, connect it to the laptop and download the latest maps, camera alerts etc. Plus the headunit plays all manner of media and has a lovely touch screen.
Waiting for the missus to finish work you'll often find me in the car park watching Scooby Doo DVDs

[McSam]

Baryonyx said:

The seller used it when he brought the car to me.

Like a sir. Good PH directorship there!

Car looks excellent, too, I love seeing those around and especially V8 ones, none of the A4's 2.8 V6 nonsense..