I received the new nav DVD for the MY 04-06 S-Class & CL Class; MY 04-08 E-Class; MY 05-08 SLK and SL Classes; and MY 06-08 CLS Class cars today.

I bought it directly from NavTeq, for $199 plus tax & shipping - about $95 less than through the dealer. However, it arrived in the same box one gets from the dealer, and with an MB part number.

The NavTeq reference number is DVD 2008 (NTG1), version 7.0. It was released mid-December 2007.

The Mercedes part number is BQ 6 46 0232.

The Navteq page for ordering discs for Mercedes is at http://www.navigation.com/is-bin/INT...llProducts=YES

 

Thanks Skylaw. I've been following the Nav upgrade threads for awhile now and I'm wondering if it's desirable or necessary to install a COMAND update to run the latest map version. I've got an 06 E320 and I've been generally disappointed with the Nav system so far.

Ed

 

As I understand it, if you update your nav DVD each year, the nav system updates are applied incrementally (they are the very first thing a new disc does the first time it is inserted). If you skip some updates, you may have to have your system updated by the dealer before a new disc will work.

Also as I understand it, there may be other COMAND updates that address issues other than those in the nav components. My car had a firmware update applied when i bought it, as part of its regular scheduled maintenance. I don't know what it addressed. I do know that in some earlier DVD based COMANDs, firmware updates were required to use the 3D (Bird's Eye) view, and to provide estimated travel time. My COMAND provides that.

I do know that to have your maps relatively current, you need the newest map data. For instance, in my current locale, a new ramp that keeps downtown-bound traffic from having to mix with merging traffic at I-275 and I-4, which was completed late in 2005, did not show on the nav disc released in December 2006; but it is properly included on the disc released in December 2007.

Because the December 2006 disc recently missed the new ramp, directed me to an exit that could no longer be taken, and ran me all over town getting back to where I was going, it was the first thing I checked upon receiving the new disc yesterday.

However, there is no need to install a general COMAND update in order to use the new disc. Many of the changes will be subtle, like the one above. Others include some major expansions in some locales (you can see them on the navTeq site). But the POIs still provide a weak "Yellow Pages" feature that needs beefing up. They seem no better on the new disc.

Since the MB nav DVD is only half full, and NavTeq provides data to such as Garmin (which people seem to rave over as a portable), I don't understand why this feature isn't made better.

Just today I was trying to assist a gentleman through private correspondence regarding his DVD nav system. What follows is all in the operator's manual, but I sought to provide a "quick & dirty" for someone unfamiliar with the system because he will begin a long trip just after receiving discs for his car (his had none), and his car is new to him. You and others probably know this stuff - but it may help a new user enjoy their system a bit more, so here goes for what it's worth (experienced users may want to stop here):

When you first insert a new disc and then turn on COMAND, you'll get a window saying "Updating Software" and a progress bar. Then, the nav program will start. You'll then be ready to go with pretty current information. If the system has not been updated annually, the dealer may have to apply apply the missing updates before you can use the newest disc. If updating a system that hasn't had new discs annually, and you have access to older discs, do this with the oldest disc first, then with each subsequent newer disc.

If you have voice control (a thin push-pull stalk on the upper right of your steering column), you can control many of the nav functions by voice. I frequently use it to zoom in and out; I use a wide coverage for the long portion of trips, and zoom in until I can see street names for local travel. Other functions are available through voice control, and show up in a window onscreen when you activate the stalk.

You'll also want to set your display preferences to show symbols for things such as gas stations, ATM locations, parking lots, hospital emergency room entrances, and so forth (in fact, most of the things shown in your POIs). This feature is not extensively documented in your manual, so it bears some exploration. The manual will tell you how to get into the feature.

Another trick is that you can get into menu options by pressing any of the buttons running in a vertical row on either side of your display. The menus are not usually shown, but all will come up if you press any button. Each "page" of the nav menus may have additional menus associated with the buttons.

Last, you will find the POIs (Points of Interest) useful, especially on long trips, for finding hotels, motels, restaurants, shopping centers, airports, Mercedes dealers, and the like. Also tourist attractions. It's not good for finding individual businesses other than those examples, however (e.g., you can't find "Home Depot" but you can usually locate the shopping center it is in or adjacent to if you know its name). Also, unlike many "Yellow Page" functions, you cannot get telephone numbers, etc. from the disc. Something I wish they'd improve - NavTeq provides such info in the very same database that it sells to MB, to folks like Garmin and others.

You can adjust the orientation of the map display in the "display" menu. It can be always oriented north (I don't like that because the car seems to be moving in a direction other than the way you are steering it, if you are making (for instance) a right turn while headed south, it shows as a left on the map. I orient map display in the direction the car travels; that way left turns always show left on the map, and roads are always in sequence - it's just easier. Sometimes I use the Bird's-Eye (3D view) but that takes a little getting used to. The 3D view may be one that has to be activated by a dealer firmware update - I recall reading that some time ago. However, if it's available to you in the "display" menu, then the update isn't needed for it. The 3D view is automatically oriented to the car's direction of travel.

You can also save any location and name it. One of the most useful is to save your house location, and program it as "Home." Then to get there, you just press "Home" and it will take you there. No scrolling through lists of addresses. You can also choose "Home" as a destination through voice command.

Be sure to set your route preferences so you don't get taken astray. If you tell the system to avoid Interstates, it will try to take you to your destination entirely on back roads - really bad on a long trip. If you tell it to avoid toll roads, it may take you on a more circuitous route than you want. I get the best results allowing the system to select from all options.

If you want to take a particular route - say, I-75 vice I-95 - use the "Via" option to take you through or by (via) a city on the route you wish to take. You can always check the route the nav system has chosen in advance, by using the "List" function (menu).

You can adjust the volume of the navigation instructions only while they are being spoken. You can press the "RPT" (repeat) button as often as you like while you set the volume with your steering wheel buttons.

Have fun!! It is a flexible system that is best enjoyed by practicing with its functions. Other than its weak Yellow Pages (Points of Interest), I find it to be excellent.

 

The latest (2008) DVD makes this a little easier. Just press the SETTINGS softkey in NAV mode and the system continuously repeats the last instruction (or a test phrase if navigation is not active) and allows you to change audio settings.

 

Is the via feature new in 2008? my 07 does not truely have the via feature.

 

I was talking about the 2008 DVD for the W220 COMAND, and I think Skylaw was too. The VIA function is invoked with a softkey on that model. The W221 COMAND interface is totally different, and it seems that they dropped the VIA function. The closest approximation is to use a STOPOVER to force a route through a given waypoint. The older COMAND had VIA for a coarse adjustment, while STOPOVER was used for a precise intermediate destination.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

Me too did not know before the difference of VIA and STOPOVER options. Thanks for clarifying that.

 

I need to go get one..

 

[QUOTEversion 7.0. It was released mid-December 2007.

The Mercedes part number is BQ 6 46 0232.

I live in SanFrancisco Bay Area, and just check with a local dealer about getting the update disk for my 2001 S500 and was quoted a price and stock number of Q6 46 0222
for $275.00. It was stated that it was January 2007 update for my car...Does that mean they are not interchangeble?
Would your BQ 6 46 0232 work in the 2001 S500?
Thanks for some feed back
Ken
imn8xtc

 

Yes, I am certain that the part number is correct for the models and years I specified in the first line of my post. Plainly, your car is not one of those. Your car does not use DVDs for navigation; it uses CDs, which have a different part number. They are not interchangeable. CD set Q 6 46 0222 was in fact released in January 2007 and is the last nav CD update of which I am aware.

In addition, for the benefit of others readers, not all models within a given model year use the same nav disc. See http://www.whnet.com/4x4/radios.html and scroll about halfway down the page for a list by year, model, and disc type and part number.

 

I have a 08 CLS with the 07/08 DVD. I never had bird's eye view.
Anyone - can that be activated by the dealer?

Thanks!

 

My '05 S-Class has always had it; I'd be surprised if your '08 didn't. Check your COMAND manual - it may be called 3-D view (it is Bird's Eye View on my car). The setting is made with the "View" soft key.

 

Trust me there is no bird's eye view, no 3D. In the View menu you can only select the heading - north or the driving direction ...
It has been like this from day 0 and I tried 06, 07 and the 08 DVD. Now, the rendering should be in the car software... so I should go ask the dealer maybe they can update and enable.

Thanks!

 

It's certainly strange. The same disc is used for SL and E, and yet SL has 3D and E does not.

 

I believe buzescu may be correct - that a nav firmware update may be necessary. Those are normally done by the dealer.

Buzescu, we would be interested in your feedback.

 

It will take me 3k miles more to go to the dealer, but I will update. Honestly I have very little confidence they can do that. Pure and simple they don't offer bird's eye on this car. I would be OK with that if the points of interest would make some sense. What we have today is most likely a joke! You can't look for a specific store, only shopping malls. Who needs "recreation are" etc etc. A search would make sense. My phone bits the crap of the nav system in this car. Navteq provides all the data but MB is 5 years behind... The new C-class, the CL and maybe the S-class have a decent system. anyway ... I just cannot believe this and the bad menus.. this is German engineering two left hands

 

Hi, I just went to the dealer today and he told me that there is an updated for the Navigation DVD expected in September but he was not sure. Does anybody know if this would be in line with their update cycle? The last one came out in Jan 07.

 

Update intervals are not precise; the North American discs have usually been updated in December or January for the S and E Class, but I don't believe there is a firm cycle. And, as I said in my first post above, the latest North American DVD came out in December '07, not January '07.

Models that use a different disc than the S and E (etc.) may update at different times of the year.

I have found NavTeq more reliable in providing information on when a navigation disc has been updated than the local dealers.

 

The Mercedes part number is BQ 6 46 0233.

was out a few weeks ago and been shipping.

 

Thanks for the udpate, jbondox.

Ordering information on the NavTeq site as of today still shows the January 2008 release version 7.0 (actually shown as Dec 2007, version 7.0 on the disc) as being current. The NavTeq page does not list the MB part number (that info came from my disc). I hope they will update their site soon.

In any case, owners wanting the latest disc should either call NavTeq to ensure they get it, until the page is updated; or order by MB part number from the dealer.

 

I have 2008 Nav DVD for $165 includes shipping. Part #BQ6460232.
Fits the following:
04 - 06 S & CL Class
04 - 08 E Class
05 - 08 SLK & SL Class
06 - 08 CLS

 

MB will be able to get it, just call navteq and their customer service people can get it for you.. the part number I think is the last 4 of the MB part number

 

Cane that disc you are selling is now superseded by another, so technically it is worthless...$34 more they can have the new version

 

I know it's been stated in here that some of the map updates need COMAND firmware updates as well...but can anyone with an E (preferable an '06) who has the latest updated maps tell me if the software now has phone number input? My '08 ML has it, but my '06 doesn't. I'm not sure if it's fully software/firmware based...or if it's just a function of having the latest map update (or both), or if the E just doesn' have this option, but the ML does. I know the E and the ML run differing version of the COMAND made by different manufacturers.