BMW Navigator and V6

[Elvin]

I need some advice. I purchased a BMW Navigator in Nov via SPC. I went for the BMW over the SP 3 because I was told by local dealer that with the Navigator I get free mapsource upgrades. Now City nav V6 is out I am being told I will have to pay as the free map upgrades have ceased.

Any advice? It's a bummer as I need V6 for the detailed maps of N. Ireland

 

[skipper]

Mapsource is the operating system behind the garmin maps. i.e. that’s what makes them work.
My local dealer also told me that free upgrades would be available even after many debates he still said all upgrades were free. Still not convinced I contacted Garmin to be told otherwise. Good luck in your fight with SPS . I feel that the dealers were not aware that 3 types of upgrade are available, firmware for the unit, software for Mapsource and the actual mapping software updated about once a year at the cost of approx £60.

bill

 

[John Armstrong]

£60

Where's that? I paid about £100 from Garmin.

 

[skipper]

sorry the software price I used was City Select @ $100 not City Navigator @ $150........... that's expensive



http://www.garmin.com/unlock/

bill

 

[Elvin]

Thanks Guys, I was coming to that conclusion. In other words the sales pitch BMW dealers have been using to dupe us to buy the navigator is a load of rubbish. Must be something under the Trades Discription Act about that.

I don't intend to let it go, I paid top dollar just to be sure to have the map upgrades promised by the dealer. I'll keep you all posted as to how it pans out.

 

[Elvin]

Mapsource V6

Guys,

I have had a lot of debate with BMW GB and my local dealer and basically the dealer confirms that BMW GB told them that free mapsource upgrades were available to Navigator buyers and this was to be used as one of the sales pitches. BMW GB deny this. CAN ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE CONFIRM OR DENY THAT THEY WERE TOLD THE SAME THING WHEN THEY BOUGHT A BMW NAVIGATOR.

Cheers.

 

[roadrider]

Re: Mapsource V6

Guys, I have had a lot of debate with BMW GB and my local dealer and basically the dealer confirms that BMW GB told them that free mapsource upgrades

Mapsource upgrades are free to anyone who has the SP3, but City Navigator is a chargable upgrade. Are you confusing the 2 products??
Mapsource is how you view the detailed maps on the pc and interacts with the SP3 unit, and City Navigator is the detailed mapping cartography.
John

Mapsource upgrade is currently ver 5.4.
City Navigator is currently Ver 6.

 

[BurnieM]

Garmin sells the mapping products as;
Mapsource City Navigator Europe

with the 2 components being the Mapsource loading/viewing program on the PC and the other being the Mapsource maps.

If you were told that you would receive Mapsource updates free for the life of the unit then it would be reasonable to expect that you would receive both components.

As always, the devil is in the detail; EXACTLY what were you told ?

If the dealer told you that you would receive both and he acknowledges this then he (the dealer) has a obilgation to provide it (regardless of what BMW says).

Looks like another example of a verbal contract being worth the paper that it is written on.

 

[PanEuropean]

Elvin:

Here is some additional information that might help you come to a better understanding.

There are four software components involved in any auto-routing Garmin GPSR. These are:

1) The system software that runs the GPSR itself.

2) MapSource.exe , which is an application that installs on your PC.

3) The cartographic product (in your case, City Navigator Europe) that contains detailed map data.

4) A basemap that is burned into your GPSR when it is manufactured.

There is no upgrade process of any kind for item 4), the basemap. No upgrade is needed, the basemap has remained unchanged for several years now. You will have either a European or North American basemap (referred to by Garmin as 'Atlantic' or 'Americas' basemap), depending on whether you bought your GPSR in Europe or America.

The system software that operates the GPSR is periodically updated by Garmin. These updates either fix problems that have been discovered, or add new functionality to the GPSR. The current system software for the SP III and the original BMW Navigator I (which was based on the SP III platform) is 2.50. Garmin's policy has always been to provide system software updates free of charge to the GPSR owners without limitation. If you need newer system software, visit this web page: Garmin Software Updates

Garmin also offers free updates to the program 'MapSource.exe', which is used to load map segments onto your data chip, and also to create routes and waypoints on your PC and download / upload this information to and from your GPSR. The current version of MapSource.exe is 5.4 (as of today, March 4 2004) and if you would like an update for it, you can download it from the same URL as I gave in the paragraph above for the system software updates.

This leaves the issue of map data updates. These are not free. It might help you a bit if you understand that Garmin themselves do not collect any map data. They buy the map data from a variety of vendors - principally NavTech BV, which is the Netherlands based 800 pound gorilla of the electronic mapping business. Garmin then recompiles the NavTech data in a format that allows use in the Garmin GPSR's (as opposed to using it straight off the CD, which is what most in-car systems do), and Garmin then resells this data under their own brand names, such as "CityNavigator", "CitySelect", and "MetroGuide".

Historically, Garmin has released new versions of the mapping data about every 18 months. This process has been accelerating recently - if you track it from when the autorouting products first came out in 2000, you will see that it is headed more or less in the direction of having annual updates, although this is not a formal commitment. Garmin's policy, which is heavily influenced by NavTech, the copyright owner of the map data, is that they provide one free update (to the current shipping product) to anyone who purchases a new GPSR that comes with an old map data CD in it after the official release date of a newer version of the same data. The most recent release of CityNavigator Europe was version 6, and this was officially released on December 1, 2003. If you go to this web page Garmin Map Unlock Page, you can see the release dates of the current products.

I don't know if the policy for map updates is any different with the BMW Motorcycle Navigator (I or II), however, I presume (note carefully: PRESUME) it is the same as it is with the normal StreetPilot products that the BMW products are based on.

What this means, then, is that if you bought (and subsequently unlocked) your SP III on or after December 1, 2003, you will probably be eligible for a free update to the current shipping product. If you bought and unlocked your SP III prior to December 1, 2003, you will have to pay for the update.

I have written to a contact of mine at Garmin and asked for confirmation that the upgrade path for maps for the BMW Navigators is the same as it is for the similar Garmin products. If the answer is any different than what I have posted (presumed) above, I will post the new info as soon as I get it.

PanEuropean

 

[Greg Masters]

To add to what Pan European has posted, I work for an organisation that uses GPS (not Garmin) in all of its operational vehicles.

I understand that we procure mapping updates directly from NavTech but are charged more for UK-only updates than Garmin charges for pan-European (no play on words intended!) updates of City Navigator!

Greg

 

[L]

I'm being really thick..

I bought my SPIII back in June last year, but as far as I recall, I didn't register/unlock anything with Garmin after advice from here about potential updates. I've checked with Garmin and I'm not on their system, but I've been using the SPIII without any problems for the past 6 months.

So if I unlock the unit now, what will I get? What exactly will v.6 give me over what I have already? (in laymens terms please)

Cheers

L

 

[L]

And for what its worth

I distinctly remember Shaun at Wollastons trying to sell me a Navigator over the SPIII on the grounds of:
- Complete with the BMW wiring etc.
- 2 Year warranty instead of 1 year
- Anti glare screen
- Free updates forever

As the definition of "updates" seems to be quite ambiguous, I would argue with BMW GB that they didn;t make it very clear in there spiel. Maybe there is something in the manual/instructions you can use?

L

I went for the SPIII in the end - half the price of the Navigator!

 

[Elvin]

Thanks for all that information Guys, it has been really useful. It has finally come to light that the people at BMW GB have been using the free map upgrades as a sales ploy, not fully understanding the product themselves, as very clearly laid out by PanEuropean and others.

However, I did receive a nice letter from BMW GB today stating they would provide V6 free of charge on this occasion, at the expense of my local dealer.

So I get the upgrade free this time, but no others. It's not really what I was sold, but it's better than nothing.

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[PanEuropean]

Elvin:

Glad to hear that all turned out well in the end. That was thoughtful of BMW UK to look after you like that.

PanEuropean

 

[Jimb]

Elvin

The mapping for Ireland is basic, i don't think there are detailed maps, maybe this has changed for V6 but you'd do well to check it first.