Car satnavs

[Buckman]

The satnav on our 2018 car is now out of date and to upgrade the unit is going to cost almost £500. Also it can take up to 5 hours to update the unit? Not sure why as to update my stand alone TT satnav with the Europe wide maps takes about an hour, if that.

On checking around it does seem that on most brands of cars to update the Satnav runs into hundreds of pounds making it a lot cheaper to buy stand alone satnavs. Also unlike stand alone satnavs you cannot simply connect to the Internet to update the unit althouhg ther eis a USB connection in the car.Not sure why?

On a new car costing tens of thousands, generally it seems the updates are for periods between 12 and 36 months. Not sure why this huge expense when to update most stand alone satnavs the cost is free? After the initial period having the satnav in the car is a waste of space as generally it becomes a useless expensive ornament!

It does seem that we are getting rippied off if you want to update the satnav unit in your car!

 

[Sam Vimes]

Never had an in built sat nav but most folks I've talked to that have are of the same opinion as you.

For me the app on my phone works very well.

 

[RogerL]

The satnav on our 2018 car is now out of date and to upgrade the unit is going to cost almost £500. Also it can take up to 5 hours to update the unit? Not sure why as to update my stand alone TT satnav with the Europe wide maps takes about an hour, if that.

On checking around it does seem that on most brands of cars to update the Satnav runs into hundreds of pounds making it a lot cheaper to buy stand alone satnavs. Also unlike stand alone satnavs you cannot simply connect to the Internet to update the unit althouhg ther eis a USB connection in the car.Not sure why?

On a new car costing tens of thousands, generally it seems the updates are for periods between 12 and 36 months. Not sure why this huge expense when to update most stand alone satnavs the cost is free? After the initial period having the satnav in the car is a waste of space as generally it becomes a useless expensive ornament!

It does seem that we are getting rippied off if you want to update the satnav unit in your car!

I agree - much of the time/cost involved comes from updates to the firmware and software as well as the maps themselves whereas standalone satnavs only update the maps.

One or two brands give free updates during the warranty period but after that the cost is silly money.

Twice now I've updated my built-in satnav using grey market sources from Lithuania via Ebay - they provide genuine VW SD cards but the 1-2 hours is done by the owner rather than VW techician at £120/hour and annoyingly , the access to traffic information has gone with no plans for VW UK to reinstate - but that only gives an up-to-date maps every 4 years (in my case) so I now use Waze on my smartphone for up-to-date maps and real-time traffic.

Google Maps is an alternative but I prefer Waze - the latter's downside is that you need an internet connection at the start of the journey which isn't always possible.

 

[otherclive]

My car has free updates until 2029. I just download to a 64 gb stick and download from Kia’ s website. Then transfer the memory stick to the car and update not just the satnav, but any changes to the infotainment system too. It also runs Apple and Google maps on its main screen if required. Updates are issued twice a year. But I still have my Garmin which is used in the runabout if required.

 

[GaryB]

My Volvo uses Google for it's sat-nav so is always up to date. Apparently Volvo did this as it was easier (cheaper) than using it's own system so I don't know why others don't follow the same.

 

[Buckman]

My Volvo uses Google for it's sat-nav so is always up to date. Apparently Volvo did this as it was easier (cheaper) than using it's own system so I don't know why others don't follow the same.

The Jeep satnav system is actually a Garmin and as we know updates for the Garmin stand alone Garmin satnavs are free. It seems that the excuse given by most brands is that the software updates everything and not just the satnav however Satnav is not really linked into anything else except the actual app on the touch screen?

 

[GaryB]

I'm not really tech-savvy with car systems, but another advantage of the Volvo (which I think is shared with other makes?) is that it has Apple I-Play where you connect your phone to the car with a USB cable and the car screen is a mirror of your phone, allowing you to use whatever map systems your phone has. The Volvo system isn't the most stable I have ever seen and it occasionally crashes so having the I-Play as a back up is a bonus.

 

[Beachball]

Just check my car has a free map updates till 2028

 

[otherclive]

In my Subaru Forester there were no alternative sources of updates other than via Subaru. The cost was well over £100 but the screen was small, it could not take full post codes and being positioned low down in the console wasn’t great. So the Garmin Drive smart was used, which was far superior in all respects to Subaru’s offering.

 

[otherclive]

Just check my car has a free map updates till 2028

That’s way beyond Fords normal warranty for the car. You did alright on that one.

 

[Bluetonic]

you can usually find cheaper methods to update built in sat navs, but I've yet to find a manufacturer satnav that is worth updating.
I have had TomTom and Garmin stand alones (preffered the Garmin) but now I just use Waze and a good old fashioned road map

 

[Raywood]

My son in law was looking at another car yesterday which had sat nav. The salesman said he never uses hat on his car but using the blue tooth he simply uses his mobile which is far better as it uses current up dates and can spot traffic jams and other problems better. May save you a lot of money if it avoids updating or buying another.

 

[Buckman]

My son in law was looking at another car yesterday which had sat nav. The salesman said he never uses hat on his car but using the blue tooth he simply uses his mobile which is far better as it uses current up dates and can spot traffic jams and other problems better. May save you a lot of money if it avoids updating or buying another.

Although our vehicle does have Bluetooth I am not sure how to link the phone to the car to use the mapping. No issue with normal phone use.

Very occasionally I need to use the car satnav rather than drag out the TT and set it up. However on the one occasion that I did need to use it recently, I then found out it was out of date.

 

[otherclive]

Although our vehicle does have Bluetooth I am not sure how to link the phone to the car to use the mapping. No issue with normal phone use.

Very occasionally I need to use the car satnav rather than drag out the TT and set it up. However on the one occasion that I did need to use it recently, I then found out it was out of date.

Some systems require the mobile phone to be plugged into a cars USB input. My phone will play music via Bluetooth but if I were to want interactive actions such as receipt of messages, emails etc on the cars screen it has to be plugged in. Not that I use those capabilities as the phone is set to driving mode. So if I need the phone satnav capability via the cars screen I plug it in, which also charges it when driving.

 

[Jcloughie]

My Volvo uses Google for it's sat-nav so is always up to date. Apparently Volvo did this as it was easier (cheaper) than using it's own system so I don't know why others don't follow the same.

Volvo used to be poor up to about 2016. Like Beckman's Jeep, expensive and time-consuming. They then suddenly announced free updates for life. (Probably a sales gimmick). I had my 2015 V70 updated to the new system.

Then they went over to Google. Which I thought was very sensible.

My MG has its own SatNav which looks fine. I think it might be free updates but the website is difficult to negotiate. I have hardly used it as it also comes with Carplay and Google Play. Which gives access to Google Maps, Apple Maps Waze, and CoPilot (a great option for caravan).

I see little point in car manufacturers supplying their own. And then trying to get inflated costs to upgrade for what is likely to be an inferior product.

John

 

[Buckman]

Some systems require the mobile phone to be plugged into a cars USB input. My phone will play music via Bluetooth but if I were to want interactive actions such as receipt of messages, emails etc on the cars screen it has to be plugged in. Not that I use those capabilities as the phone is set to driving mode. So if I need the phone satnav capability via the cars screen I plug it in, which also charges it when driving.

I can get music and texts via Bluetooth without phone being plugged into the car's system. Over the weekend I will fiddle around and see what else the connection can do as up to now never thought of using the screen in the car connected to the phone. I would think than then it would need to be plugged in otherwise the phone will be drained quickly.

 

[Jcloughie]

I can get music and texts via Bluetooth without phone being plugged into the car's system. Over the weekend I will fiddle around and see what else the connection can do as up to now never thought of using the screen in the car connected to the phone. I would think than then it would need to be plugged in otherwise the phone will be drained quickly.

So far as I know, to get apps on your screen, or to mirror your phone. The car's system will need to support either Car Play or Google Play, or both. I am not sure how long cars have been doing this but it's only a few years I think.

Perhaps some car systems can be updated. ut so long as people keep paying £300 for map updates, manufacturers have no incentive.

John

 

[otherclive]

I can get music and texts via Bluetooth without phone being plugged into the car's system. Over the weekend I will fiddle around and see what else the connection can do as up to now never thought of using the screen in the car connected to the phone. I would think than then it would need to be plugged in otherwise the phone will be drained quickly.

I can use the cars own satnav which keeps updating live traffic conditions on the route from its own connection. But if I use the Google or Apple facilities they update from their own servers and with a plug in connection they have direct access. Bluetooth would not enable them to do it. But mobile data would.

 

[Jcloughie]

I can get music and texts via Bluetooth without phone being plugged into the car's system. Over the weekend I will fiddle around and see what else the connection can do as up to now never thought of using the screen in the car connected to the phone. I would think than then it would need to be plugged in otherwise the phone will be drained quickly.

Researching Jeep, their current system is named Uconnect. It was fitted from 2017 on and is now at version 6 which allows for wireless connection to your phone.

This article might help.

I don't know how updateable older jeeps are. But if it has a standard 2-din head unit You might be able to get a 3rd party unit to fit, there are plenty. It would depend on how integrated and dependent other car systems are into the current head unit.

John

 

[Angus]

I have a 2020 Volvo V60 and TBH the sat nav in it is really a useless decoration. Utterly rubbish. Yes, I`ve tried updating it but a map and A-Z would be quicker, easier and more accurate.
We were in Pembrokeshire on holiday last year and wanted to from Haverfordwest to St.Davids. Well I know the road but thought as it`s holiday time there may be hold-ups and the sat-nav should identify them. Wrong. St.Davids didn`t exist. I know it`s small, but it is a city at the end of the day and as far as my wonderful sat-nav was concerned it was now gone. Strangely, it suddenly appeared when we`d got there and I could navigate away from it.
We also went to Chain Bridge site at Easter near Berwick, never been before but got to about 10 miles away and thought the sat-nav could guide me in as it`s a little bit out in the sticks. Put in the postcode and, hey presto! I`ve another 220 miles to do. Thinking I`d entered the wrong address I got SWMBO to do it again - same result. It was trying to send me somewhere near Oban.

After having a BMW for 10 years (in which the sat-nav was fabulous) it`s like going back to the dark ages,

 

[GaryB]

I have a 2020 Volvo V60 and TBH the sat nav in it is really a useless decoration. Utterly rubbish. Yes, I`ve tried updating it but a map and A-Z would be quicker, easier and more accurate.

Is that the Volvo Sensus system? I had the same in a previous V90 (2018) and while the infotainment system itself was good, the sat-nav wasn't a patch on the newer Volvo Google based one.

 

[Jcloughie]

I have a 2020 Volvo V60 and TBH the sat nav in it is really a useless decoration. Utterly rubbish. Yes, I`ve tried updating it but a map and A-Z would be quicker, easier and more accurate.
We were in Pembrokeshire on holiday last year and wanted to from Haverfordwest to St.Davids. Well I know the road but thought as it`s holiday time there may be hold-ups and the sat-nav should identify them. Wrong. St.Davids didn`t exist. I know it`s small, but it is a city at the end of the day and as far as my wonderful sat-nav was concerned it was now gone. Strangely, it suddenly appeared when we`d got there and I could navigate away from it.
We also went to Chain Bridge site at Easter near Berwick, never been before but got to about 10 miles away and thought the sat-nav could guide me in as it`s a little bit out in the sticks. Put in the postcode and, hey presto! I`ve another 220 miles to do. Thinking I`d entered the wrong address I got SWMBO to do it again - same result. It was trying to send me somewhere near Oban.

After having a BMW for 10 years (in which the sat-nav was fabulous) it`s like going back to the dark ages,

I agree with Gary. The Volvo sensus was awful. If yours is still the old system, can it be updated?

John

 

[Angus]

Don`t know which system it is TBH, asked at the dealership and all I got was "you can update it by downloading the updates on line` which i have done .

Car was registered in June 2020 so may just have been on the cusp of a chagneover?

 

[Guzzilazz]

Contrary to others here, I have Volvo Sensus currently, which I think is very good and there are very regular updates. In the past I've used Ford Sync 3, Renault R-Link, Google Maps and Waze.

The worst system without a doubt was Ford, which gave about one update about every year-18months.

The best has been Sensus, combined with traffic info via the phone has saved me hours of sitting in jams. It's slick and performs very well.

Using Android Auto to connect the phone to use Google Maps or Waze, in a couple of cars the system seems to get miles behind... i.e. you're approaching a junction and the SatNav is displaying info from a distnace further back, which doesn't help! There are elements of both Google Maps and Waze which I find irritating.

I also use an Avtex badged Garmin for using the van, and that is pretty goodas well

 

[Jcloughie]

Contrary to others here, I have Volvo Sensus currently, which I think is very good and there are very regular updates. In the past I've used Ford Sync 3, Renault R-Link, Google Maps and Waze.

The worst system without a doubt was Ford, which gave about one update about every year-18months.

The best has been Sensus, combined with traffic info via the phone has saved me hours of sitting in jams. It's slick and performs very well.

Using Android Auto to connect the phone to use Google Maps or Waze, in a couple of cars the system seems to get miles behind... i.e. you're approaching a junction and the SatNav is displaying info from a distnace further back, which doesn't help! There are elements of both Google Maps and Waze which I find irritating.

I also use an Avtex badged Garmin for using the van, and that is pretty goodas well

Your Sensus system is 2021. Angus has a 2020 car. I wonder if he has an older system. In my case, the Sensus was in a 2013 car. Clunky slow and poor. So will not be a good comparison.

It appears that Volvo currently does a choice of two.

https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/topics/article/5cb471cd562018fac0a8015167b6f67e#

John