Anybody Like Their Navigation System?
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Anybody Like Their Navigation System?
Please rate the navigation system in your E-Class on the following scale:
1 - Excellent
2 - Good
3 - Fair
4 - Poor
I would also like to know what you like and dislike about the navigation system.
Thank you - ahg54
1 - Excellent
2 - Good
3 - Fair
4 - Poor
I would also like to know what you like and dislike about the navigation system.
Thank you - ahg54
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 550
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From: San Antonio, Texas
04' E500 w/Appear. PKG, Panorama Roof
Seems very basic- But the few minutes I spent in a Bimmer 745i their system looked very similar imho. I am looking at the Land Rover Range Rover and the Lexus LX470 as a sreplacement to my Chev Suburban- I sure hate to find those a lot better than my E500 but I am prepared that I will.
MB Rating- FAIR
MB Rating- FAIR
Almost a Member!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 64
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From: Atlanta, GA
Here's a long answer to your short question. I would rate the navigation system to be 3 (Fair). It does get you to your destination but the following annoyances should not be in a car that costs 50-70k.
1. You can't choose an exact destination address. For example, if you need to go to 120 Main Street, the system will give you a choice of 100-150 Main Street. This is the biggest problem as you have to write down (or memorize) the actual destination address and be on your own to locate the actual address. Not acceptable.
2. The zoom is static. That is, if you set the zoom at the street level and you plan to travel 300 miles, the display won't automatically zoom in or out to show the appropriate level of map. In this example, you will continue to see the street level map for the entire 300 miles. Other systems automatically zoom out if you are going to be travelling on a freeway for an extended length of time or distance.
3. There is no easy way to know turn by turn route.
There are a few other minor compliants that can be forgiven. This car is a joy to drive. I don't think anyone should not buy the car because of Nav system. This Nav system only confirms that german cars are very well engineered and have features that truly require brilliant thinking but not intuitive and hence have missed things that can be implemented with relative ease.
1. You can't choose an exact destination address. For example, if you need to go to 120 Main Street, the system will give you a choice of 100-150 Main Street. This is the biggest problem as you have to write down (or memorize) the actual destination address and be on your own to locate the actual address. Not acceptable.
2. The zoom is static. That is, if you set the zoom at the street level and you plan to travel 300 miles, the display won't automatically zoom in or out to show the appropriate level of map. In this example, you will continue to see the street level map for the entire 300 miles. Other systems automatically zoom out if you are going to be travelling on a freeway for an extended length of time or distance.
3. There is no easy way to know turn by turn route.
There are a few other minor compliants that can be forgiven. This car is a joy to drive. I don't think anyone should not buy the car because of Nav system. This Nav system only confirms that german cars are very well engineered and have features that truly require brilliant thinking but not intuitive and hence have missed things that can be implemented with relative ease.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 25
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From: TX USA
I would have to give it a 3 (fair). I believe the Nav system in my previous car (an Infiniti G35 coupe) was superior. Even better is the Nav system in my son's new car, a Mazda 3. It has the best Nav system I have personally used in a car- which is kind of frustrating since it costs way less than half of what I paid for my MB!.
The previous post by rksharma does a good job of explaining some of the basic deficiencies of the Benz's system. The one thing I really wish the Nav on the MB did was display more street names. It is nice to be a able to glance at the Nav screen and see the street names as you approach them (or even what the parallel street's name is).
While MB touts its technology it appears that they are one step behind in the Nav systems. Don't even get me started on the reliability of the Nav in the MB - my Nav system crashes about 3 times per week (for details, see previous posts about radio static and nav system problems).
Anyway that my $.02 worth!
The previous post by rksharma does a good job of explaining some of the basic deficiencies of the Benz's system. The one thing I really wish the Nav on the MB did was display more street names. It is nice to be a able to glance at the Nav screen and see the street names as you approach them (or even what the parallel street's name is).
While MB touts its technology it appears that they are one step behind in the Nav systems. Don't even get me started on the reliability of the Nav in the MB - my Nav system crashes about 3 times per week (for details, see previous posts about radio static and nav system problems).
Anyway that my $.02 worth!
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 304
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From: San Clemente, CA
2003 E-500
I rank it as good.
Mine is very reliable and we use it constantly. I prefer the cursor button and soft keys to the touch screen on the Lexus and several other systems. We freguently move the cursor to place we are going and then set route to cursor location. This is difficult to do with your finger tip on a touch screen.
We also like the optional display in the speedometer for ease of advance notice on the upcoming turns and distance to key decision points.
While it is a bit cumbersome to get to the List for turn by turn directions, once you've done it a few times it's pretty easy to do.
Mine is very reliable and we use it constantly. I prefer the cursor button and soft keys to the touch screen on the Lexus and several other systems. We freguently move the cursor to place we are going and then set route to cursor location. This is difficult to do with your finger tip on a touch screen.
We also like the optional display in the speedometer for ease of advance notice on the upcoming turns and distance to key decision points.
While it is a bit cumbersome to get to the List for turn by turn directions, once you've done it a few times it's pretty easy to do.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,348
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From: Northern NJ
2014 BMW 550i
Fair. As noted previously by myself and others, while it is for the most part accurate, I have had a few problems with it displaying my position slightly off from where it should be. I have also noticed a great deficiency of rural coverage, as well as a lot of errors with the POI's.
Operation of the system can be a little cumbersome at times, and a touch screen would help greatly, especially when entering words.
But, having said that, it does work. And the ability to display the Nav information in the MFD is great.
Operation of the system can be a little cumbersome at times, and a touch screen would help greatly, especially when entering words.
But, having said that, it does work. And the ability to display the Nav information in the MFD is great.
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Super Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 926
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From: VA
03 E320, sport package, moon roof, sound upgrade, brilliant silver, charcoal leather, heated seats..
I give the nav a 3.5. It is improved over the 01 E nav. Superior nav has been out for years, as everyone point out over and over. I had an Alpine installed in my 98 E which was better in numerous ways than the nav in the 03 E.
I suspect nav is not a priority for MB, and hence the nav standard is way below average of all navs available regardless of the car make and model. If the manufacturer does not care to provide what its customers want, like 21st century GPS navigation, then the only alternative is to buy aftermarket or go with a Jeep.
I suspect nav is not a priority for MB, and hence the nav standard is way below average of all navs available regardless of the car make and model. If the manufacturer does not care to provide what its customers want, like 21st century GPS navigation, then the only alternative is to buy aftermarket or go with a Jeep.
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: N. California
ML430, E500
I would rate it as quite good. It is not perfect but it serves its purpose quite well. Mine works perfectly and the direction in the speedo is great. Obviously it could be more intuitive.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 335
Likes: 1
From: NJ
MGT, 12 CLS63 Launch
2, my old 99 TL had a much better navi. I could enter phone numbers for a business and it would pop up, i could enter the business name and have the address pop up, it was far more accurate, TOUCH SCREEN which makes life 100 times easier putting in a address. And this was 4 years ago, merc needs to step it up on their tech
