anewbie

I don't know about you. Driving around town, I don't normally need to use the navigation system. But on rare occasions that I do use it, the routing is so BAD! Years ago when I first got the car, I tried it on a couple of destinations that I was very familiar with. The routing generated by the system was so counter-intuitive. After ignoring the guidance and took my own turn, the GPS would automatically update the ETA which became much shorter in time, and the route was much more direct. Not using it for a while, I'd forgotten how bad it was.

The reason I bring up the topic now is that, I was in a hurry over the weekend, and had to use it to get to some place 16 miles away (so, it said). And it turned out I was more like 12 miles away. It made me late for a school function. The middle school I needed to go was in a well established neighborhood for decades. There is no excuse for stupid routing! I have to vent.... sorry!

AzCamel

I feel the same way, I tried the navigation route to my house, it took me in a big loop for no reason. I only use it when I must now, MB navigation has to be the worst out of any cars I have ever used. I have all the new update, 2010 map, updated command and all and it still sucks.

WEBSRFR

We all agree. The W211 pre-2009 navigation system is garbage.

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...stem-crap.html

bfisher

I wouldn't say it's crap, but it's not perfect. Overall, it gets me where I want to go but sometimes makes odd choices. I've started using Waze on my iPhone... Works quite well (but it also isn't perfect, but is constantly being improved). The thing I like about Waze is that it learns drivers speeds on roads and accounts for it when planning. The more people use it, the better it gets.

AzCamel

so a free/cheap app on your iphone works better than your OEM navigation from your Mercedes, point proven. From my previous Acura, BMW, etc... all had better navigation system, the point is that the navigation for a MB prior to 2009 is crap and not worth the money, it is just a pretty screen IMO. I am glad I did not buy a new updated list, instead got hooked up by people I know.

Sportstick

The problem is usually in the algorithm developed by the navigation supplier and approved by MB. For example, in another German developed system, I found that I would get either a logical or illogical routing depending on how the car was parked. If I needed to go south, and the car was parked in my garage pointing north, a built-in aversion to U-turns caused the route to send me miles out of the way around a lake, when all I needed to do was turn right (south) out of my driveway rather than left (north). When I took the logical path, the system immediately updated and corrected itself. I then parked the car by backing in to my garage, so the car pointed south, entered the same destination, and the system offered the logical, shorter route. I then was able to contact the supplier (I worked in the auto industry), and found this was the result of their engineering philosophy to avoid U-turns, based on their experience with European roads and disinterest in re-calibrating the system for North America.