I currently own an Infiniti G35 Coupe and I have an SLK55 on order due in early Spring. I was at my local dealer today to check out the nav system on the 05 cars. Can someone advise if the Mercedes Nav has the following options:

1. Is there a bird's eye view available?
2. I noticed that only the current street and the streets in the immediate area have their names displayed. Is there a way to display all street names?
3. My G35 Nav will tell me the distance remaining to my destination and the estimated time left till i arrive at my destination. My previous BMW Nav would also display and ETA at my destination which was constantly updated based on my speed. Are these functions available on the MB NAV?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

Check next few threads around. Here is no bird eye. All other seems to be present. Actually MB uses the simplest navigation but most functional and practical in my opinion

 

1. No
2. No
3. Yes

Hope it helps !

 

Actually, what do you mean by bird's eye view ?
As far as I would say that, it sure is - the nav has both arrows and pointers (with speech in 7 languages!) and a colour map view (with legend and symbols etc.) that is - the way I see it- very much bird's eye view. You can zoom in and out, enable symbols on the map etc.
This is a new system, first time ever on the SLK (in fact, it's straight out of the E class, actually).

Best,
Daniel

 

Thanks for the reply. In my previous BMW, the navi map was just a flat 2D type map. I first saw the "birds eye" view on my Infiniti G35. It is a somewhat 3D map, and as you drive, you can see icons / landmarks / etc. ahead on the horizon. Its best described as an aerial view looking forward angled down. The navi system that I saw at the dealer looked like a basic flat map. Not sure if there is a setting that we missed.

 

From reading several threads, I do believe that the NAV on SLK is only a 2D type display similar to the Command Nav I have on my 02 CLK since so many people who have already got their SLK with NAV reported it. However, there are ways to get it to display in 3D....you would have to read these postings to understand what they are talking about. In addition to add more confusion, the paper brochure of the SLK that was recently out showed a 3D type (bird's eyes) view display on the NAV system which is totally misleading to the consumers.

 

Oh, I understand. Yeah, the SLK's nav is not 3D per say. THe map is a 'from-above' 2D view (but icons and such though). As I said, as far as I could see (I used it in Germany, so the US spec Command MIGHT be different also), it was very similar if not identical to the nav system in the (current) E class in terms of looks and feel and graphics. It's quite fast too, and you still have teh arrows and pointers in your Tacho display, in addition to the map display (and voice).
Best,
Dan

 

hey dudes there is a birds eye view on current cl class s classs. now if it is available on the slk I am not sure

 

Can you share pictures?

 

Are you sure is a true 3D view? Or is the 2D view from above with the little icons and so?

 

Does anyone know of a decent, objective review of the Mercedes DVD Navigation system that is available on the SLK350? How it compares with that of the Lexus (the only one I have used, on my partner's 430 and my father's IS SportCross)?

I know it only comes with the Entertainment Package, so you end up losing your glove compartment to a 6 CD changer. But do you also lose the in-dash CD? Isn't the DVD in the trunk? And does it take up much room there? Why the DVD system, vs what Lexus uses (I don't think it's a DVD)?

Thanks

 

Don't know of a good review, but I like the Lexus system as well. The SLK (again, it's the same as in the CURRENT/new model E class) is DVD so that it can fit all of Europe (or all of the US and Canada) on the disc, along with all the other info (and there is a lot). It does not take up the slot in the dash. In the truns, this is a fairly small black box, mounted on the side. Doesn't take a lot of space. THe CD changer in the glove compartment takes up a lot on the other hand. THe system is fast, and quite good - frankly, I would head to MB and have them show you the new E class Command III - for all intents of purpose, it's identical to the SLK 2005.

Best,
Dan

 

One major difference between the MB NAV and the Lexus NAV is that the MB system does NOT have a touch screen. With Lexus, you can type your target address on a keyboard on the touchscreen. With the MB system, you need to use a knob and arrow combination to scroll across the keyboard on the screen. It's clumsy and I almost decided against ordering the NAV because of it.

 

SLK navi is the same as in E (w211) - Becker HU, Becker Navi
S and CL uses Siemens HU and Becker Navi

 

What's an HU?

 

HU = Head unit I guess.

Actually MB navigation system is very good. I like it much more than Lexus. Voice directions are very clear for me. Arrow directions in dashboards are very helpful. I do not use screen much so do not care how good its look. To enter address I'd prefer voice recognition, or beaming address directly from palm or PPC, like in Cadillac navigation

 

Yes, the overhead view is 2D, not 3D like the Infinity.

Yes, you can list all street names, giving you an output that looks something like the text part of a Yahoo Maps output, but it's kind of a pain in the *** to find it in the programming.

No. So far, I've not been able to find the distance and time to destination. It's not mentioned in the COMAND manual, so I really don't think it's there. A bummer, really, since my ML430 has that, and it's one of my favorite features.

Yes, the DVD nav is in the trunk, so you don't lose your in-dash cd player. Nice thing for everyone to know about this is that the glove box changer does not play MP3s, but the single disc in-dash does. The Nav drive is located in the trunk up on the lip, so it doesn't really take up any useable space. Kinda wish they'd put the changer back there since it takes up the ENTIRE glove box.

One more thing to be aware of. Mine shipped with the wrong NAVI disc. Make sure you check this out before leaving the lot. The salesman had to get an 04 S-class disc from the parts department, which worked fine. The C-class disc that came with the car did not read at all. Just something to be aware of on delivery day.

Hope that helps everyone.

Take it easy...
Wil

 

Is there info button, to get distance and time?

 

Not that I've noticed. Like I said, I have an ML430 that has it, so I know how it works, but this software seems to be completely different...

Like I said before, I'm also using an S-Class disc from 2004, not the 05 software that was supposed to come with it. They're going to send me the 05 when it comes out, so that may have the "info" stuff, but what I got now doesn't seem to.

 

That would be odd.
I drove the SLK200 with the 'small' Nav system (in europe, you can get no nav, DVD based nav like here, AND cd based nav - with a smaller screen, but still colour). I had the 'small' nav and it most definetely showed time to arrival by default. It would even change it if it detected traffic or accidents (but that's a European option only). I can't believe they would have let that out of the DVD system ?! It's basically the exact same as in the E CLass (i.e. same manufacturer, same CD etc.).
D

 

...........

 

Yes, the SLK350 Nav (US) does indeed have an Info button that will show the destination address, distance, and estimated time. Used the nav for the first time other than just playing with it, and found it. One simply has to hit any one of the control buttons lining the screen on either side and it will bring up a menu of choices as an overlay. One of these buttons is the "Info" button. Works like a charm, and does a better job of estimating time of arrival than does my ML430.

Sorry to mislead you all...
W

 

comand on 2005 C-class:

 

C class US-NAV is not the same as C class Euro-NAV.
Both systems look alike but there differences like CD drive in US is behind screen. Euro system has little slot above screen.
Both systems are made by two different companies.