I'm currently finalising my spec and was just wondering if the 400 pound sat nav is worth it? I'll be doing some road trips to Europe but I already have a Garmin Nuvi.. Those of you who specced it, what are your thoughts?
How good is the sat nav?
- Thread starter Ryanytchan
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The actual navigation part is great, but I think entering destinations isn't as good as it could be - you can't just enter anything you like into a search box like you can with the (free) google nav on android for example. I tried to program my way to a leisure centre I was going to the other day and gave up in the end as it wasn't in its special destinations list! Overall though I'd say it's worth it, especially as it does add resale value to the car as well.
Thanks for the info. I'll spec it as a backup then!
Also I see that you've got advanced key, what are your thoughts on that?
Also I see that you've got advanced key, what are your thoughts on that?
Scotsman86
Registered User
You can download great apps that don't even use data for sat navs these days for free on your phone...save you a lot of money plus all the maps are free as well for any country
I like the advanced key. It seems like a gimmick at first but it really is quite convenient - you really notice it when going back to a car that use those old fashioned key things 
Yes, you can, but it's not integrated into the car. Clearly £500 for a satnav is very expensive, but £500 for the function integrated into a £20k+ car probably isn't.
Is it value for money - no. Is it worth it - probably - if you feel system integration is important.
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I think it will add more than that, especially when you can now have a satnav in a peugeot 208 ...
It will be more and more difficult to sell a car without satnav, moreover an A3
It will be more and more difficult to sell a car without satnav, moreover an A3
The Satnav equipment is already installed AFAIK. The £500 gets you the SD card and the dealer/factory enabling it. You should be able to enable it at any time (ity is software keyed) - in fact, this is what the brochure says for the SE model:
The real issue for resale value will be how current the maps are. If you are keeping for 1 or 2 years, then yes, it will probably add a little to resale. If you are keeping for 3+ years, the amount it will add will be dependent on how much the map updates are.
Audi A3 brochure said:
The real issue for resale value will be how current the maps are. If you are keeping for 1 or 2 years, then yes, it will probably add a little to resale. If you are keeping for 3+ years, the amount it will add will be dependent on how much the map updates are.
First 5 map updates are free (there's another thread about this), and £180 or something after that. Insane really given that google give you free updates all the time, and are constantly changing it - car manufacturers aren't going to get away with it for much longer TBH when people realise the alternatives are free!
Anyone know how often audi updates their maps then? And are these updates free?
Edit: beat me to it
Edit: beat me to it
That's thing thing though, I know I can use Google at a much cheaper price I'm just concerned about getting a signal when I'm going on road trips. I suppose the garmin would help with that
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I would say it is worth having some sort of integrated navi in your A3. I have the Tech pack navigation, (although only wanted it mainly for the bigger screen). Mapping wise, the SD-card based navi system is just as capable and integrates fully with the vehicle, (so includes spoken directions and the display between the dials will show you the route guidance instructions, in the same way as the Tech pack navi does).
For £495, the SD-card nav is reasonably good value considering it provides fully integrated navigation. There is, however, no arguing that a stand-alone nav unit like a TomTom or Garmin will be considerably cheaper, but I've always preferred an integrated unit that means not having to fuss with setting-up a standalone unit on the windscreen then running the appropriate wires to the charger.
Am sure it will also add to resale value having at least the SD-card nav. Although, to be fair, best to think about what you need / want in your car as a priority.
Hope this helps!
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where did you see that ?
as of now, map updates can only be accessed via my.audi.com and via audi connect services
myAudi is open to anyone to register - you just won't see the connect services listed there if you don't have connect. I saw it from the email my dealer sent me, which looks to be copied from an official release, and is at the top of the thread on this subject (which I've just posted to so should be near the top).
I love the alcantara in mine - real touch of class, while not being full leather (a bonus in my opinion - I wanted to avoid full leather).
Given that you get 5 updates for free that would normally be ~£200, the tech pack pays entirely for itself in updates - let alone the other bonus bits you get too like the bigger better screen, 3D view in sat nav, touch entry etc etc
If you update your satnav regularly that is. I'm still on 2010 maps with my Garmin and whatever came with the 18 month old Skoda Superb (which is running the VAG RNS510 unit). That's fine for me for the moment and I've saved the upgrade money
I have just purchased a new TomTom Sat Nav which gives me four free map updates a year for as long as I keep the unit. Personally I prefer the TomTom to the in-built Sat Nav because I also have a free lifetime subscription to the PGPSW speed camera database which is regarded as the best and most up-to-date one available which can be loaded onto the TomTom. To me this is as important as the actual direction instructions as most of the journeys I do I have done before and can remember the route. I have no problem mounting the unit in such a way that a can make a connection to the car's fuse box with only a very short amount of lead showing.
grantDUBshaw
Registered User
Dave, I purchased a tom tom for my work department with the same offer a few weeks back and seems great value and planning to uapgrade mine soon, only use maybe once a month so did not see value in speccing in the first place.
Would appreciate a couple of pics of your tom tom mounting and where you connect it the cars electric system if not via the 12v socket, so I could do the same.
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Here are some pictures showing my old TomTom One mounted in my previous 2009 A3 but I have done it the same in my current 2012 Sportback. Being right-handed I like the unit at the right-hand end of the screen rather than in the centre as it's 'out of the way' and much easier to enter things. It so happens that the fuse box on these models is also at the right-hand end of the dash just below the unit. I connect a power lead with a normal 12v socket on one end to an always live fuse in the fuse box and the earth to a fixing bolt and then plug a normal 12v plug into the socket, wrap it all in foam and loose it behind the fuse box. The cable comes out through the trim and runs up inside the door rubber.
Any idea if you can update on your own or does it have to be done at a dealership?
Our S3 will have Tech pack too but the Sd nav is pretty good at sub £400 with discount . Have used it over several thousand miles in a 2013 and it is pretty good. Got extra discount on S3 order which meant an upgrade to full Tech pack cost us very little. Graphics are better, screen bigger but Sd is fine!
And you also get touch control for MMI right? One thing I've forgot to ask-is this touch function referring to the trackpad or the screen?
Reading this thread has got me thinking if I want to the SD sat nav. Got a quote from the dealer at £495 to put it in, so basically the same price if I had ordered it in the first place.
Anyone else got a better price to fit it after collection?
Anyone else got a better price to fit it after collection?
Take a look at the online brochure on Audi.co.uk. In the options pages it gives the full spec. I have to say having experienced a VW RNS 510 in a golf is not that intuative. Touch screen is great for iPhones and iPads but not a fan in the car. MMI touch is good but ......
snakehips
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AFAIK it's just touch control on the control knob so you can spell out postcodes etc. I'm not convinced that's going to be any use at all in real life. I don't think any screen is touch sensitive.
Itguy
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Correct, it's not a touch screen, just the trackpad on the top of the mmi wheel. It is actually very good, you draw each letter out with your finger and it enters it. You can also scroll around the map like a computer trackpad too.
snakehips
Registered User
i asked the same in a different thread yesterday but a bit more research indicated no. So I am still keen to find out what the THE best format is for quality music that the MMI can handle.
Yes, especially with the B&O you might be able to discern the difference between mp3 and other formats
