Updated the map dvd for the nav system from the original NAV disk (late 2007 to current 2012). DVD is dual layer

The NTG2 system update involves starting the car, removing the old disk from behind the display (press EJECT to reveal the drives) inserting the new DVD.

For about 3 minutes it said something like "installing software update". I wasn't expecting that - but don't get your hopes up for anything special... You still can't type in an exact house number - only a range... There's no 3D/bird's eye view. There are new categories in the POI data base and the ability to sort by distance within each category.

However, for me, it was a tremendous improvement. Where I live there is a major street that has a west branch and east branch. They meet at the northern-most point and they parallel each other about a mile apart with both going south for several miles. The old nav system had very limited (at best!) ability to select between the two.

With the update, I can select East or West for any of the towns that those streets pass through. SO-O-O-O much better.

The POI selections allows me to select:
Restaurant -> Coffee and Tea House -> by distance
and it actually figures out where the nearest Starbucks is located!

In the updating process, I don't loose existing stored destination memory locations nor recent destinations.

So, is it worth $250?... maybe not on it's own. It's still no where near as capable as the Garmin 2460LMT that was recently stolen from my car...

On the other hand, a $500 insurance damage deductible and $1000 home-owners deductible for GPS loss mean that damage associated with theft of a Garmin/TomTom will (net) cost you about $700 plus the inconvenience/hassle of days in the shop and dealing with insurance and rentals. Maybe this update is worth $250 every four years or so...

(note: I've also recently updated the NTG1 in my W211. For the past few years, the NTG1 hs been more capable and competant than the NTG2. With both updated to the current versions, the NTG2 is now the better machine.)

 

Any chance that the updated disk also added a time to destination. That is the one thing that really bugs me about this command system.

Thanks

Mark.

 

I looked into the ETA display.

It's there - but I think it always was for me! I can't "go back" to the old version to check for sure.

Basically, press "MAP", then use the "inner" buttons and press the 2nd one down on the right to get to "Display", then press the third one down on the left to get to "MAP". In there are options for time/eta, coordinates, or nothing. (In my manual it says this button is labeld GPS, but I don't ever remember that! The current selections match what is in the manual.)

 

I did have an interesting observation today. A stored destination which I've used many times clearly wasn't going to take me to where it was supposed to go - by a couple miles. I stopped, deleted the entry, re-entered and stored - and found that it let me enter the exact street number where previously it had been only a range. Upon re-entering - it worked great and seemed to accurately reflect the street number. Not quite up to my Garmin standards, but not bad at all!

Bonus!!

 

I also took some time to select the "personal" options for POIs. I didn't understand this previously, but the gist is that there are lots of categories as POI's with many entries on the DVD. The "standard" option seems to display only gas stations. If you choose "personal", you get to select whether or not it displays each of Hospitals, Police stations, parking garages or any of the other categories. Of course, "none" is an option as well.

 

Thanks for the reply, right now all mine will do is add the Coordinates to the bottom of the display, and on the DIC it only give the milage to the next turn.

I do know that I have the original O/S and Maps from 06, so I guess I'll bit the bullet and buy and updated map disk.

Mark.