tinyurl.com/yaa62o8j
For John Lewis customers - posh enough to have one fitted in car or use their phones!
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It's more the fact that people now use their phones. Garmin appear to be withdrawing from the car satnav market in the U.K. Halfords have very few as do Amazon.
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My next car will have inbuilt satnav as standard, with a nice big 9.2" screen. With an Internet connection (e.g. from the phone) it could get accurate traffic updates etc. I didn't pay for the car to have it's own Internet connection (either it's own SIM or using rSIM Bluetooth profile).... because it has Android Auto and Apple equivalent and MirrorLink.
So for an Android phone, plug in a phone and get access to Google maps or Waze. Use MirrorLink and get access to even more. And lots of cars now have Android/iPhone connectivity as standard.
In my case, Google Maps on a 9.2" widescreen touch display is even better than using the phone in a holder.
Go for a BMW 5 series, and Apple CarPlay can be done wirelessly.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 15 Oct 17 at 20:28
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>> Go for a BMW 5 series, and Apple CarPlay can be done wirelessly.
you need to pay 160 quid for the feature and 800 quid for the Iphone. I declined.
Built in Sat Navs in cars have traditionally been useless. Outrageously expensive, appalling usability and graphics, non existent traffic info, difficult and expensive map updates.
All changed now of course, with waze and google maps on phones filling in for those who dont have good car sat navs. Tom Tom realised that and have turned into a mapping company, and GPS systems consultancy for industry and auto makers. Seen their streetview type cars round here recently.
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If the car did have its own SIM then presumably Skoda also have an app that would remotely let you check the status of doors, windows, lights etc, and remotely locate the car as well as send destinations to it? I find Apple CarPlay very irritating in the cars I’ve used it in; it takes over the cars system and then uses Apple maps and navigation, but that’s usually nowhere nears as good as the Nav that the car has as standard. But the easiest way to access audio in a hire car is with CarPlay... :(
And for Z, I find the BMW sat nav pretty good; ceratinly it’s traffic info is usually very accurate, and it tells you how much time traffic will add to your journey and offer re-routes that, usually, make sense. The junction diagrams on the black screen display in front of the driver are a model of clarity :)
Last edited by: PeterS on Sun 15 Oct 17 at 20:39
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The one in the 335 seems different to the 320 I had. It made a very odd decision on the way to Nottingham the other day though !! Interesting to note though having programmed it to where we were going a couple of days before we went was how it altered the route when I had a look at different times. Very clever stuff.
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I don't know whether you have tried the MX-5 one yet Rob? It isn't especially intuitive to program, but it does seem to work quite well. Fairly on the ball with traffic today as well, although I don't know how it does it - it might be using the connected phone. Need to read the book of words some more.
Sitting outside the house this morning before setting off, while it was directly connected to wifi, it gave me the weather.
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No Mrs RP did to get home. She said it was OK. However, the BMW sent me home avoiding the M6 and sent her up the M6 - she used local knowledge to get home via Sandbach - I got home 3 minutes before her..(even allowing for a wrong turn in Wrexham). I assume both are Garmin based.
I bought a TomTom Rider for the bike a few weeks ago. TT discounted it by 25% as I had a 6 year old version. None of the retailers could touch that price.
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>> I don't know whether you have tried the MX-5 one yet Rob? It isn't especially
>> intuitive to program, but it does seem to work quite well.
...be interesting to know which version you have. Mazda have used a few suppliers, including on the MX-5 where there are, I think, three different types. One at least is TomTom, and obviously so, another is MZD Connect (and I don't know the underlying supplier) and a third option is NNG (Naviextras) based.
I actually prefer the latter implementation to any of the others I have available to me (BMW, and TomTom), though it pays to understand its workings.
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How do you tell which one it is ?
Last edited by: R.P. on Sun 15 Oct 17 at 22:04
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The whole thing (entertainment, navigation, phone) seems to be branded MZD-connect on the Mk4. The Mk3 I believe has used the other systems. Earlier versions presumably did not have built in navigation.
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MZD Connect on ours. I like the interface...not quite BMW like but close ;-)
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Seems to have been developed by Visteon - a one time arm of Ford. Which kind of makes sense...
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>> f the car did have its own SIM then presumably Skoda also have an app that would remotely
>> let you check the status of doors, windows, lights etc, and remotely locate the car as well as
>> send destinations to it?
All Skoda Superbs now have built in 'phone' because they have the ability to phone the emergency services if there's an accident. But to get Internet you need the upgrade to get a SIM slot in the unit in the glove box which either takes an actual SIM or supports rSIM.
I think you can still connect to the 'cheaper' version with an app... not sure. Will find out tomorrow. It just doesn't do Google sat views, etc. without using the WiFi hotspot on a phone.
I'll probably stick to Android Auto for longer journeys. But the music app I like does not support that. So stuck with Google Music or Spotify.
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>>
>> Go for a BMW 5 series, and Apple CarPlay can be done wirelessly.
>>
It can be coded FOC in most contemporary BMWs if you know what you are doing, though I use a Sony Xperia Android phone out of choice which the BMW plays from wirelessly anyway, so Spotify etc is dead easy.
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>> >>
>> >> Go for a BMW 5 series, and Apple CarPlay can be done wirelessly.
>> >>
>>
>> It can be coded FOC at a cost in most contemporary BMWs
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>> >> >>
>> >> >> Go for a BMW 5 series, and Apple CarPlay can be done wirelessly.
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >> It can be coded FOC at a cost in most contemporary BMWs
>>
You missed the "if you know what you are doing" ...
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>> You missed the "if you know what you are doing" ...
The latest I drive in the 5 hasn't been cracked yet.
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My Sat Nav must be about a 20 year old design and the (latest/last) map is five years old.
The map cost me £30 from a member on another forum.
I do not venture far so it is fine for me.
I do double check the destination on line prior to departure.
With an very old phone and a bit of luck I make it :-)
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But it does not let you control Spotify on the head unit does it? If its streaming music you still need to use the phone. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay let you browse Spotify and use compatible apps.
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>> But it does not let you control Spotify on the head unit does it? If
>> its streaming music you still need to use the phone. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
>> let you browse Spotify and use compatible apps.
>>
Mine doesn’t have CarPlay, but Spotify is still fully controllable whether connected by USB or Bluetooth. That’s true for a couple of other streaming services as well - from memory Napster and Deezer.
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>> It can be coded FOC in most contemporary BMWs if you know what you are
>> doing, though I use a Sony Xperia Android phone out of choice which the BMW
>> plays from wirelessly anyway, so Spotify etc is dead easy.
My M140i came with a free 12 month subscription to Napster Premier which will stream directly to the car. I can also sync playlists between the Napster mobile app and the car.
It's pretty cool, but I'm not sure I'll continue to pay for it when it expires. I keep a 64GB flash drive permanently plugged in to the USB port in the car with my entire music collection on it, and it's no hassle to update it every so often. I've been organised from day 1 with my mp3 collection, tagging all the songs and albums correctly, keeping a sensible file structure, and even embedding cover art, so finding stuff is very easy.
I would rather avoid any proprietary mobile OS based technology where possible, as I'm not loyal to any one make, model or OS when it comes to phones. Currently on an iPhone, but had several Androids before that, and a Windows phone before that. iPhone will be swapped out for a Galaxy S8 once I save some pennies, so back to Android we go again.
Last edited by: DP on Mon 16 Oct 17 at 07:35
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>> I keep a 64GB flash drive permanently plugged in to the USB port in
>> the car with my entire music collection on it, and it's no hassle to update
>> it every so often. I've been organised from day 1 with my mp3 collection, tagging
>> all the songs and albums correctly, keeping a sensible file structure, and even embedding cover art, so finding stuff is very easy.>>
I do the same with an iPod Nano v5 with 32kbps AAC files.
>> Currently on an iPhone, but had several Androids before that, and a Windows phone before that. iPhone will be swapped out for a Galaxy S8 once I save some pennies, so back
>> to Android we go again.>>
All I would say is why a Note 8? The Sony Xperias are far superior IMO though Samsung's marketing lead approach has given them market share and they have become the default Android for many. Though the Sony's are the thinking man's choice I reckon.
www.sonymobile.com/gb/xperia/
www.sonymobile.com/gb/products/phones/
The XZ1 and XZ1 Compact are beautifully made though my Z5 Compact is as good as new at 18 months old, lightening fast, so will probably go on a SIM only contract for a year or so.
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Shame.
I have built in satnav, but also have an independent device (a Tom Tom) that has got me out of trouble when the built in satnav in my previous car let me down and I couldn't get a phone signal to use Google maps on the phone.
>>With an Internet connection (e.g. from the phone)
My car has that. I think there is a bug in the iPhone that requires the hotspot to be turned off and on again before the car connects to it. Otherwise its fine.
There is also a shortage of analogue radios. I don't like the sound quality of DAB in the UK and it drops out too much on the road.
Last edited by: zippy on Sun 15 Oct 17 at 21:26
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Download google maps before your journey then you don’t need internet or reception
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>> Download google maps before your journey then you don’t need internet or reception
>>
Though you don't get updates and reroutes due to traffic and road closures etc.
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Indeed. But is it’s got no reception then chances are it’s got no rush hour jams either!
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Isn't that like saying if you don't use a sat nav you won't get stuck in traffic ...
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>> Isn't that like saying if you don't use a sat nav you won't get stuck
>> in traffic ...
>>
No, I think he's saying that if you are driving somewhere so remote tht there is no internet or phone signal then there probably won't be a lot of traffic either.
In those circumstances you need a satnav that tells you where you are, loaded with a map that can distinguish a road from a track that ends in a bog or a cliff edge.
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We live somewhere so remote there's no phone signal. It's eight miles from Cambridge.
This means that if I want to use the phone for satnav noting, I have to do it all before leaving home on the wifi. It's no good leaving the house and then thinking, now, is the A14 clear today or do I need to nip through the villages. I won't get a phone signal until I'm virtually at the A14 and long since committed.
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"Satnav noting" should read "Satnav traffic planning" in my last.
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>> Go for a BMW 5 series, and Apple CarPlay can be done wirelessly.
>>
I'd quite like to buy a 3-series or 5-series estate, but they don't support Android Auto.
As I have AA in my existing car (and use it a lot), I'm unlikely to switch to BMW.
I never thought my choice of phone would affect my choice of car!
Last edited by: Tigger on Mon 16 Oct 17 at 07:21
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>> I never thought my choice of phone would affect my choice of car!
No way would my choice of phone influence my choice of car or the other way round. Its simply not important enough.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 16 Oct 17 at 11:02
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New cars should just provide a cradle for keeping mobile phone or tablet.
But then they can't charge outrageous fees for sat nav etc. upgrade.
Built in sat navs are unnecessary as phone maps are free to update and thus always latest. These apps now work in offline mode too.
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>> New cars should just provide a cradle for keeping mobile phone or tablet.
Ok so you want car makers to provide you with a cradle, of variable size from two inches to 6 inches? with three different types of usb plug?
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It isn't that difficult.
Alternatively they can offer a free tablet (Android/iOS based on user's choice) and allow it to be taken away from central console if required - so that it can be operated standalone.
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Ok so now your car maker is telling you what make of tablet or phone to have.
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>> It isn't that difficult.
>>
>> Alternatively they can offer a free tablet (Android/iOS based on user's choice) and allow it
>> to be taken away from central console if required - so that it can be
>> operated standalone.
>>
So I am working on my BMWPad tablet in the lounge and my wife gets in the car to go shopping ... hmm.
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Why not? The three types of USB plug is trivial, and the phone cradle I use in the car will absolutely cope with any Android I've ever put in there - though I don't think any has been as big as 6". If it was stock equipment it would no doubt not be hiding stuff behind it and be mounted better.
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>> - though I don't think any has been as big as 6".
He said "and tablet"
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>> Ok so you want car makers to provide you with a cradle, of variable size
>> from two inches to 6 inches? with three different types of usb plug?
The cradle in the Ford Courier van looks like it could take an iPad mini without any problems.
www.van-discount.co.uk/images/van_models/courier/ford-transit-courier-5.jpg
Just behind it in the pop up flap is a standard usb socket, and you use your own charging lead.
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Hard Disc in the Beemer was a bit of a surprise. I played a particular CD in it a couple of times, i'm now stuck with it ! Need to read up on it..
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End of road for SatNav- it is for JLewis custs - CGNorwich
