SD SatNav

[IBaudiSport]

I've got an A3 Sline due next week (!!!). I didn't choose the sd satnav, or the tech pack. Mistake. I'm now tempted to add the SD SatNav and have been quoted £495 per car by the dealer - my wife has a shiny new A1 on the drive. Both ordered the same time, hers turned up over a week ago.

My question: Is it worth getting the SD SatNav? Could someone post some pictures please?

Thanks. Happy Weekend!

 

[The Challinor]

No tech pack,

SD Nav is well worth it if only for the seamless integration with the car.

 

[smokeymike]

Yep, definitely. I have the SD based Sat Nav in my new S3 and it works fine. The screen resolution is good and it's easy to program. The only thing it doesn't seem to like is storing your home address (which has been covered on other threads) but for security it's best not to use this function. If a scrote steals your car he knows where you live! Well worth amending your order. Hope this helps.

 

[The Challinor]

I'd not describe the screen resolution as good, it's very year 2002.

Does the job though.

 

[steeve]

Certainly the SD screen resolution isn't a patch on the Tech Pack screen, but it's ok and certainly better than not having nav.

 

[The Challinor]

Certainly the SD screen resolution isn't a patch on the Tech Pack screen, but it's ok and certainly better than not having nav.

Agreed, can't beat the integrated solution.

 

[Pulp84]

I have it and can recommend it. It works well - the maps are 2D but have a nice bit of detail.

It does have some info in the DIS too as it's navigating and you can control it from steering wheel.

£495 is what I paid your it (had it installed on delivery) and do prefer its integration. The standard screen is fine - have no issues with it what so ever

I would post some pics but car is at home and I'm in France!

 

[S32B]

This reminds me, on the test drive the salesman was showing me the mmi and said it's set up for sat nav but this has no SD card, I replied with I'm not going for sat nav, he looked at me and said I know, but it's ready for sat nav....still looking at me I thought wtf is he on about???? He then said all you need is the SD card, you don't have to buy it with the car.

So was he hinting you can get it much cheaper from other sources???

 

[Liquidfusion-S3]

No he wasn't hinting anything, just stating the fact that you can take the SD card sat nav out at a later option if you wish.
SD sat nav still needs to be activated at an Audi dealer which connects to their German counterpart database.

 

[Pulp84]

This reminds me, on the test drive the salesman was showing me the mmi and said it's set up for sat nav but this has no SD card, I replied with I'm not going for sat nav, he looked at me and said I know, but it's ready for sat nav....still looking at me I thought wtf is he on about???? He then said all you need is the SD card, you don't have to buy it with the car.

So was he hinting you can get it much cheaper from other sources???

No. It's £495 for the card and then it needs to be activated by a dealer. Some dealers do the activation for free and some charge - think I heard its about an hours labour.

 

[The Challinor]

Do a search for SD nav mate, there are so so many posts explaining it all.

#searchpolice

 

[S32B]

OK thanks

 

[Relliott6879]

No. It's £495 for the card and then it needs to be activated by a dealer. Some dealers do the activation for free and some charge - think I heard its about an hours labour.

Correct. Watford Audi stiffed me £600 to add it to the car. I tried to negotiate it down to the £495 option price on the basis that I haven't actually taken delivery of the car yet, but they were having none of it. Having the screen there though and knowing the car was satnav ready but for the want of an SD card would bug the hell out me, especially when using an aftermarket nav stuck to the windscreen.

 

[Bristle Hound]

I haven't spec'ed nav in either of its forms on our S3

Do I REALLY need it?

 

[The Challinor]

Yes

 

[Bristle Hound]

Yes

Come on Chall's, you'll have to be a little more specific

 

[Liquidfusion-S3]

Correct. Watford Audi stiffed me £600 to add it to the car. I tried to negotiate it down to the £495 option price on the basis that I haven't actually taken delivery of the car yet, but they were having none of it. Having the screen there though and knowing the car was satnav ready but for the want of an SD card would bug the hell out me, especially when using an aftermarket nav stuck to the windscreen.

I don't get how they stiff you £600 when in the brochure it clearly states £495.

 

[Pulp84]

Well it could be £600 taking in to account £495 for the card (which I think is the actually RRP to buy separately) and then £105 labour.

When I bought my car, my dealer gave me a voucher for 20% off accessories and clearly in the small print it excluded the A3 SD card. Must be no margin on it.

Not seen or heard of anyone getting the proper SD card for less than £495 (and activated) after purchasing their car. I got mine for £400 installed but that was a deal before pick up.....

 

[B5NUT]

I don't get how they stiff you £600 when in the brochure it clearly states £495.

They get to add labor charge, if it's fitted at the factory you don't have that

 

[A3_Rider]

The price of 495 is manufacture fit, aftermarket is any price really.

The used ones or in fact any ones on eBay are pretty much useless.

There are some really nice tomtom and garmin ones for 250-300, 3D, fast, etc but it's the integration that bothers me. That being said it may be rare I use it, but when I need it I need it!

I've now asked if I can have this added, if it's more than manufacture price I won't bother. A clever idea doing SD sat nav preparation.

 

[The Challinor]

I'm sure you'll find a dealer doing it for £495 mate

 

[The Challinor]

Come on Chall's, you'll have to be a little more specific

I've spoke at length about the greatness of tech pack + connect

 

[S32B]

Not looking to keep the car for much longer than 2 years, so I'll be going the mobile route for the amount of times I'll be using a sat nav. £160 with lifetime updates will do http://www.halfords.com/sat-nav-aud...m-traffic-maps-of-full-europe-free-carry-case

 

[Pulp84]

Not looking to keep the car for much longer than 2 years, so I'll be going the mobile route for the amount of times I'll be using a sat nav. £160 with lifetime updates will do http://www.halfords.com/sat-nav-aud...m-traffic-maps-of-full-europe-free-carry-case

That's a good shout.

I only added the SD card nav at the last minute as got all excited etc.

Used it about 3 times in four months

 

[Bristle Hound]

I've spoke at length about the greatness of tech pack + connect

Fair comment buddy Altho' I am a newbie here ...

I only added the SD card nav at the last minute as got all excited etc.

Used it about 3 times in four months

Sounds like the what I would do, hence I'm going to resist the urge

 

[Bristle Hound]

Not looking to keep the car for much longer than 2 years, so I'll be going the mobile route for the amount of times I'll be using a sat nav. £160 with lifetime updates will do http://www.halfords.com/sat-nav-aud...m-traffic-maps-of-full-europe-free-carry-case

Another couple of Sat Nav's here -

Garmin nuvi 2595LMT 5" Sat Nav with UK and Full Europe Maps, Free Lifetime Map Updates and Free Lifetime Traffic Alerts and Bluetooth - £119.99 delivered @ Amazon Uk
&
TomTom XL UK, ROI & Western Europe Classic 4.3" Sat Nav - £82.99 (With case) @ Halfords
http://www.halfords.com/sat-nav-aud...es-_-PerformanceHorizon-_-drytinder-_-TopLink

 

[The Challinor]

Your old hat now mate the amount you post! Haha

 

[Bristle Hound]

Your old hat now mate the amount you post! Haha

lol

 

[driver_tim]

I had it retro-fitted to my car a few months ago. I've actually surprised myself how often I use it; having it there ready and waiting makes it a lot easier. Living in London I also find the moving map function useful; if I get stuck in a jam it enables me to easily see whether I can duck down a side street and take a parallel route.

 

[glospete]

And don't dismiss the advantage of the hidden screen - no-one knows you have satnav. Whereas with an aftermarket TomTom etc you have to hide it when you park or risk your car being broken into. And for resale value people expect satnav especially on an S3. But you can always add it anytime. I have the Tech Pack and the satnav is on the whole time - for the map if not for the directions.

 

[steeve]

I haven't spec'ed nav in either of its forms on our S3

Do I REALLY need it?

lol

I'll explain it as I see it. On my last A3 I had the Tech Pack, the only bit of this I really used was the sat nav. The display size is great as is the resolution, I only got it because I bought a car from stock which already had it fitted. Originally I was told that it just had SD card nav, but the salesman had made a mistake. So I got it for an absolute steal. Would I have paid the full price, not on your life. So when I specced my S3 I went for the SD card sat nav. Obviously some aspects are not as good as the Tech Pack but it's more than adequate. The reason I went for a built in sat nav is convenience, I already have a high spec unit I use on my motorbike, but I find it all a bit of a fuss putting it in the car, taking it out of the car when I park, including rubbing the tell tale ring on the inside of the screen off. A good friend of mine, who is a keen rambler, was parked up, his was the only car with a ring on the screen, when he came back the passenger window was broken, glove box open and sat nav gone. His was the only car damaged.

So I would strongly recommend the SD card nav. I do appreciate that many younger people are well into their tech but much of it is well beyond me. If I want access to the net then I'll do it on my phone when I'm parked. But this is only my opinion, other opinions are available.
Hope this helps?

 

[Bristle Hound]

I'll explain it as I see it. On my last A3 I had the Tech Pack, the only bit of this I really used was the sat nav. The display size is great as is the resolution, I only got it because I bought a car from stock which already had it fitted. Originally I was told that it just had SD card nav, but the salesman had made a mistake. So I got it for an absolute steal. Would I have paid the full price, not on your life. So when I specced my S3 I went for the SD card sat nav. Obviously some aspects are not as good as the Tech Pack but it's more than adequate. The reason I went for a built in sat nav is convenience, I already have a high spec unit I use on my motorbike, but I find it all a bit of a fuss putting it in the car, taking it out of the car when I park, including rubbing the tell tale ring on the inside of the screen off. A good friend of mine, who is a keen rambler, was parked up, his was the only car with a ring on the screen, when he came back the passenger window was broken, glove box open and sat nav gone. His was the only car damaged.

So I would strongly recommend the SD card nav. I do appreciate that many younger people are well into their tech but much of it is well beyond me. If I want access to the net then I'll do it on my phone when I'm parked. But this is only my opinion, other opinions are available.
Hope this helps?

Cheers Steve

 

[Relliott6879]

Correct. Watford Audi stiffed me £600 to add it to the car. I tried to negotiate it down to the £495 option price on the basis that I haven't actually taken delivery of the car yet, but they were having none of it.

I don't get how they stiff you £600 when in the brochure it clearly states £495.

Well it could be £600 taking in to account £495 for the card (which I think is the actually RRP to buy separately) and then £105 labour.

This is how the dealer explained it, too. I could sort of understand if it was a case of rewiring something or something having to be physically retro-fitted into the car, but a£105 'labour' fee to push an SD card into a slot and maybe type a product key into a computer? C'mon! As I said to the dealer, it'd be one thing applying this fee for someone bringing in their car to have the nav added aftersales, but to load the brochure option price by this much before one has even taken delivery of the car is a poor show in my book. They have me over a barrel though, if I want the nav then that's the price and that's that, take it or leave it.

 

[Bristle Hound]

I'll explain it as I see it. On my last A3 I had the Tech Pack, the only bit of this I really used was the sat nav. The display size is great as is the resolution, I only got it because I bought a car from stock which already had it fitted. Originally I was told that it just had SD card nav, but the salesman had made a mistake. So I got it for an absolute steal. Would I have paid the full price, not on your life. So when I specced my S3 I went for the SD card sat nav. Obviously some aspects are not as good as the Tech Pack but it's more than adequate. The reason I went for a built in sat nav is convenience, I already have a high spec unit I use on my motorbike, but I find it all a bit of a fuss putting it in the car, taking it out of the car when I park, including rubbing the tell tale ring on the inside of the screen off. A good friend of mine, who is a keen rambler, was parked up, his was the only car with a ring on the screen, when he came back the passenger window was broken, glove box open and sat nav gone. His was the only car damaged.

So I would strongly recommend the SD card nav. I do appreciate that many younger people are well into their tech but much of it is well beyond me. If I want access to the net then I'll do it on my phone when I'm parked. But this is only my opinion, other opinions are available.
Hope this helps?

I know who to blame if I end up spending another £495 then ...

This is how the dealer explained it, too. I could sort of understand if it was a case of rewiring something or something having to be physically retro-fitted into the car, but a£105 'labour' fee to push an SD card into a slot and maybe type a product key into a computer? C'mon! As I said to the dealer, it'd be one thing applying this fee for someone bringing in their car to have the nav added aftersales, but to load the brochure option price by this much before one has even taken delivery of the car is a poor show in my book. They have me over a barrel though, if I want the nav then that's the price and that's that, take it or leave it.

Shocking behaviour on part of your supplying Dealer if you ask me

Name & shame the Dealer buddy

 

[veeeight]

But why?

BT charge £150 just to make a line live at the exchange, just by sitting in front of a PC and using a web interface.

I don't see why everyone thinks it's an unreasonable charge, expensive, yes, but just normal in the commercial world!

 

[Bristle Hound]

I was more thinking about a bit of goodwill on behalf of the Dealer V8

Relliot6879 has spent enough money on his new A3 cabrio with the Dealer, so why not fit the SD nav FOC. Would do wonders for the Dealers reputation IMHO

 

[veeeight]

Hey, Dealers don't make money by giving away anything FOC

If however, you find a dealer or a service wanting, then there would be a case for goodwill

 

[PembsA3]

I talked to dealer about retro fitting... Parts dept quoted £180 odd for the card, a further £300 odd payable to Audi for activating it PLUS the dealer labour charge (which they 'generously...') waived... Still WAY too expensive for what it is. Yes it's annoying having a TomTom stuck to the screen but £150 vs £500+? - not THAT annoying!...

 

[Martinbanshee]

I'm getting the SD Sat-Nav activated at a later date, I'll probably wait a couple of months and I'll probably not need it for a few months anyway. Got other things I want to buy first as I went over my initial budget with the S3.

I'm now concentrating on my Carbon Di2 road bike fund so I'm happy that it's pre-fitted awaiting activation as I can get other toys first and add factory Sat-Nav at a later date.
Don't mind paying a little more to the dealer either but I'll ask nicely for a discount on the 'labour'.

 

[steeve]

You could always try another dealer............................. but I would have thought the selling dealer would have been a little more sympathetic