Well had my Navigator III for just over a year now, good bit of kit, pitty about the dim screen in sunlight! Now I am a sucker for the latest gadgets and was wondering if the Zumo 660 was worth swapping to? I've read most of the gumf on it but was just wondering if anyone has made the switch from the Navigator III to Zumo 660 yet? Worth doing or not?
Navigator III vs Zumo 660?
- Thread starter gsbiker
- Start date
Hi there, I'm in the same boat mate. I"ve had my BMW nav 3 for just over two years now with no problems at all. I even bought the latest disc recently to keep it up to date. You say your screen is poor in sun light. I changed my GS last year to a new GS SE and treated myself to a new mount. I had to tilt it down a tad as the sun was making it difficult to read. Point is that I have no problems with sun etc and wondered have you tried repositioning yours (tilting it down a little more)?
Have you bought a new zumo 660 yet? There are some features on the zumo 660 which appeal to me but as I say I can not fault my navigator. I have also read that the new zumo 550 is crap compared to the navigator 3. There must be some guys on here with experience of the navigator 3 and zumo 660? Anyone?
Chris
Have you bought a new zumo 660 yet? There are some features on the zumo 660 which appeal to me but as I say I can not fault my navigator. I have also read that the new zumo 550 is crap compared to the navigator 3. There must be some guys on here with experience of the navigator 3 and zumo 660? Anyone?
Chris
Hello, Yes I have played around with the angle but it doesn't make much difference. My Nav III is on the screen bar above the clocks (pictured below). Had wondered if it would be better mounted on the handle bars or above the yoke but then that takes your eyes off the road when looking at it. No I have not bought the Zumo yet, it's not a priority as my Nav III works very and that cost me an arm & a leg last year!
My local Motorrad dealer says the Zumo 660 is not as good as the Navigator III also. I guess it depends on what you want from your sat nav?
My local Motorrad dealer says the Zumo 660 is not as good as the Navigator III also. I guess it depends on what you want from your sat nav?
I wonder if he'd say the same if you were asking to buy a new Navigator IV? FWIW, I have a Nav IV and so far I'm more than happy with it on the bike. In the car it could do with a lot more volume when taking phone calls but that's probably my only criticism so far.
Not quite. Navigator IV = Zumo 660 in a BMW specific cradle with the BMW Motorrad dealership location installed.
Also, the cradle blocks both the 3.5mm stereo audio output jack and the MCX connector for the external GPS antenna when the GPS unit is in it. Voice directions, phone calls and music can only be streamed from the Nav IV via Bluetooth unless you have an R1200RT complete with sound system which the Nav IV plugs into.
There's also no car mount supplied with the Nav IV.
and the Navigator IV is £150 ish more expensive than the 660 + then you have to purchase a car mount,should you wish to use in your car etc.
Yes I did look at the nav 4 as I like the cradel. But I've read a lot of reports that it has a BT pairing issue with auto com which I use. Plus as you say it appears BM really have not thought the nav 4 through as it has several other daft problems which the 660 does not have not to mention the £150 extra.
I like the variuos extras in the software of the zumo 660 plus the option to store mp3's on an SD card. Also I personally like the look of the 660 over my nav3. As you say £400 does seem a lot to pay up when there is nothing wrong with the item I have. Plus I paid a lot of wonga for my nav 3 to my BM dealer who is always too happy to take my money. However the main reason I"m unsure is I"ve read reports that the zumos are not as good as the nav 3. But for all I know that may be just peoples opinions.
I would like to hear the opinion of someone who has owned a nav3 and a zumo 660.
Chris.
I like the variuos extras in the software of the zumo 660 plus the option to store mp3's on an SD card. Also I personally like the look of the 660 over my nav3. As you say £400 does seem a lot to pay up when there is nothing wrong with the item I have. Plus I paid a lot of wonga for my nav 3 to my BM dealer who is always too happy to take my money. However the main reason I"m unsure is I"ve read reports that the zumos are not as good as the nav 3. But for all I know that may be just peoples opinions.
I would like to hear the opinion of someone who has owned a nav3 and a zumo 660.
Chris.
I also have my nav 3 mounted there but I have no trouble with glare from the sun. But saying that I do have a NN high tinted screen. I seem to recal turning the brightness up to full. 
The test would be to find someone who has sold their Zumo 660 and bought a 2820/NavIII. I don't think you will find anybody.
I'd be very surprised if some went back to Nav3 from Zumo 660! For one the Zumo has a battery which is really handy! My GSA has a dark screen also so I'm very surprise that SteveH says he has no issues with sunlight. I have to have my contrast to 100% otherwise it auto dims all the time due to the dark screen behind it. During the day it's readable but could be brighter, when the sun is behind you forget it, it's just a dark screen then! The Zumo 660 has slightly better contrast also. I prefer the BMW Nav IV cause I like the buttons and it's in black. Whereas the Zumo 660 is gray - buts that's just cosmetic, seems the 660 is the better all rounder then.
I do like the look of the 660 too but as I say - I've heard the software isn't as good as the Nav 3. Plus there was a second hand 660 on ebay not so long back. I sent the guy a message asking why he was selling it and this was one of the people saying his wife had bought him the new 660 but decided he liked his old nav 3 better.
This is what confeused me as it doesn't make sense to me but I've not had a 660 to play with
I figured the guy was perhaps one of these techno-phobes and was simply too used to his old system.
Is there anyone on here who has previously had an actual Nav 3 (not one of the older garmin varients 26.. / 27.. etc) and now moved on to a 660 zumo?
Regards...
Chris.
This is what confeused me as it doesn't make sense to me but I've not had a 660 to play with
I figured the guy was perhaps one of these techno-phobes and was simply too used to his old system.
Is there anyone on here who has previously had an actual Nav 3 (not one of the older garmin varients 26.. / 27.. etc) and now moved on to a 660 zumo?
Regards...
Chris.
Had a Nav 3, now have a 550 Zumo. Got bored with update issues maps / software on the Nav 3 as its a "BM GPS". The Nav 3 / 2820 are much more configurable than the zumo, eg you can select auto zoom / dim roads on the Nav 3, the zumo is pre-set with it in auto. Now if the 660 is as configurable as the Nav 3 / 26xx / 28xx / Nav 2, then I'd be very tempted to get one.
One thing I've also noted is that the 550's screen is almost square whereas the Nav 3 etc is in landscape, great it you want to head off at 90 degrees to where you're pointing now, otherwise a bit silly, IMO.
One thing I've also noted is that the 550's screen is almost square whereas the Nav 3 etc is in landscape, great it you want to head off at 90 degrees to where you're pointing now, otherwise a bit silly, IMO.
"Now if the 660 is as configurable as the Nav 3 / 26xx / 28xx / Nav 2, then I'd be very tempted to get one." quote J A
alas tis not.
now a 660 with configuration possibility's of a 2610 ! Heaven
So going on that John, am I better keeping the Nav 3? Then again I've also heard the 660 is an improvement on the 550 but I have no idea if there is any truth in that.
Also John, I've never had any problems at all with my nav 3 and I've updated it etc so not sure what you mean. Thinking about it my ony two little gripes with navigator are the bulky looks and the worst one (which I'd like to know if the 660 does this too?) sometimes when first setting off it's as if it doesn't know which direction the bike is pointing in. Few times I've set and then had to do a U turn when the sat nav realises which direction we are going!
sometimes when first setting off it's as if it doesn't know which direction the bike is pointing in. Few times I've set and then had to do a U turn when the sat nav realises which direction we are going!
That's a matter of the number of satellite fixes which the unit has achieved when you set off. Fitting an external antenna would probably solve this. I've seen my Nav IV do this for a maybe 20 or 30 yds but I don't recall it causing me any problems.
On the 660 - Tools > Settings > Map > Map View > Track Up (Autozoom On/Off) / North Up (Autozoom On/Off) / 3-D (Autozoom On/Off).
I'm not sure what you mean by "dim roads" but Driving Map Detail is configurable to High / Normal / Low; although I'd also prefer a Most setting as per my nüvi 760 and 770.
I've often thought about one of them antenna's...I feel a right tit setting off in the wrong direction especially if there is a gang of us
The roads around the route do not have the colour if you weren't routing IYSWIM. When routing and dim roads is on, then motorways / A roads / cart tracks are all the same yellow / beige colour
Having it's own battery is a big +ve in my opinion, as you can use it as a hand held in towns etc
Pity the 660 can't be configured as much, less money to Mr Garmin then
Hi PH, may I appologise for the terrible way in which I knicked this thread. I honestly didn't realise I'd done it until I opened it up today and read it start to finnish. Sorry mate, I hope I'm forgiven.
Anyway all this talk is getting me on the verge of buying a new zumo 660 (like yourself I love the latest toys). Plus a nav 3 sold on ebay a week or so back for just under £400. Saying that I paid a shed load more than that for mine when it was new. If I get one soon I'll let you know if it's worth it if you like and please let me know if you get one and how it compares.
Regards...
Chris.
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