Retro Fit - Sat Nav - Can it be done

[Charliecloud]

Really want the factory Sat Nav and have discounted cars without it. Having seen BMW Sat Navs being sold,the question is can you fit one to the same model and year car ? Anybody know a good company that could do it in the South East if you supplied the parts.

[belleair302]

Don't waste your time and money. A modern GPS based system, ie garmin, Navman or TomTom will leave any factory fitted system for dead. Older CD based systems are hard to upgrade for new roads etc and the DVD systems in newer cars are very expensive.

Save your money and buy a portable unit with speed camera warning software and don't destroy the dash of a great car. It wont increase the sale price either.

[paoloh]

Charliecloud said:

Really want the factory Sat Nav and have discounted cars without it. Having seen BMW Sat Navs being sold,the question is can you fit one to the same model and year car ? Anybody know a good company that could do it in the South East if you supplied the parts.

Guy on ebay does the job all in for about £1200 inc genuine BMW parts

[JezF]

belleair302 said:

Don't waste your time and money. A modern GPS based system, ie garmin, Navman or TomTom will leave any factory fitted system for dead. Older CD based systems are hard to upgrade for new roads etc and the DVD systems in newer cars are very expensive.

Save your money and buy a portable unit with speed camera warning software and don't destroy the dash of a great car. It wont increase the sale price either.

Totally agree. Portable sat nav systems are the way to go, they can also incorporate effective speed camera detection, be moved from car to car, cost peanuts and you can route plan in the pub/at home.

You wouldn't be mad to invest in a factory fit system - you'd be INSANE!!

I have had TomTom for years, but a friend showed me his Road Angel 7000, which was really impressive and he had 1:50,000 OS maps loaded on for all National Parks in the UK, so great if you are into fell walking, etc and he paid £175 from Halfords for it.

Jez

Edited by JezF on Tuesday 4th December 14:49

[Charliecloud]

OK Guys ! - Not Insane - yet! Just looking at options, as I have been discounting cars without a built in factory sat nav. Any recommendations for a comprehensive system, see a few cars with a plug in Pioneer system.

[paoloh]

Retro fit will add value and saleability to your car. Problem with TomTom etc, is they get stolen and people break into your car for them causing £100s of damage and maybe a claim, hence, loss of NCB. I would go retro fit all the way.

[ian in lancs]

JezF said:

belleair302 said:

Don't waste your time and money. A modern GPS based system, ie garmin, Navman or TomTom will leave any factory fitted system for dead. Older CD based systems are hard to upgrade for new roads etc and the DVD systems in newer cars are very expensive.

Save your money and buy a portable unit with speed camera warning software and don't destroy the dash of a great car. It wont increase the sale price either.

Totally agree. Portable sat nav systems are the way to go, they can also incorporate effective speed camera detection, be moved from car to car, cost peanuts and you can route plan in the pub/at home.

You wouldn't be mad to invest in a factory fit system - you'd be INSANE!!

I have had TomTom for years, but a friend showed me his Road Angel 7000, which was really impressive and he had 1:50,000 OS maps loaded on for all National Parks in the UK, so great if you are into fell walking, etc and he paid £175 from Halfords for it.

Jez

Edited by JezF on Tuesday 4th December 14:49

I have a new 2007 BMW with factory fitted Sat Nav Pro (sic) and a 4 year old PDA based NavTeq Sat Nav. The BMW system is pathetic in comparison - I certainly wouldn't pay again for it. The only saving grace is bluetooth, phone directory display, phone features all on the screen. So I agree with the above don't bother.

Edited by ian in lancs on Tuesday 4th December 21:38

[belleair302]

paoloh said:

Retro fit will add value and saleability to your car. Problem with TomTom etc, is they get stolen and people break into your car for them causing £100s of damage and maybe a claim, hence, loss of NCB. I would go retro fit all the way.

I disagree. Buyers will want to know why the system was retro fitted, and if you leave your sat nav visible you must be a fool. Retro fitting is not sensible and the money would be better spent elsewhere.

[belleair302]

Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine etc make some interestingsat nav units with DVD palyers, blue tooth etc, but all will cost around £1,000 plus. becker also make an interesting head unit that not only looks great, but sounds wonderful and has navigation and bluetooth capabilities.

[paoloh]

belleair302 said:

paoloh said:

Retro fit will add value and saleability to your car. Problem with TomTom etc, is they get stolen and people break into your car for them causing £100s of damage and maybe a claim, hence, loss of NCB. I would go retro fit all the way.

I disagree. Buyers will want to know why the system was retro fitted, and if you leave your sat nav visible you must be a fool. Retro fitting is not sensible and the money would be better spent elsewhere.

How would they know it had been retro fitted?

[belleair302]

Build sheet of the car available from any BMW dealership. Give the dealer the chassis number and they will produce a full spec sheet of the car from new with all optional extras listed. It also tells you the build date of the car and a whole list of additional info.

[paoloh]

belleair302 said:

Build sheet of the car available from any BMW dealership. Give the dealer the chassis number and they will produce a full spec sheet of the car from new with all optional extras listed. It also tells you the build date of the car and a whole list of additional info.

I have never in professional career come across a customer who has phoned a main dealer to check the build spec.....

Get real

[belleair302]

I know of a number of BMW M Owners who will not buy a car without the original build sheet! It is the holy grail of the purchae plan and tells you exactly how the car was delivered and when.

Would you buy a house without a survey?

[JezF]

paoloh said:

Retro fit will add value and saleability to your car. Problem with TomTom etc, is they get stolen and people break into your car for them causing £100s of damage and maybe a claim, hence, loss of NCB. I would go retro fit all the way.

They won't nick mine as it's on my Ipac and I never leave it in the car. Anyway, what's to stop someone pulling out a satnav system from the dash? That surely could cause a lot more damage?

I certainly never leave anything on display in the car and anyone who does has to be asking for it.

[paoloh]

belleair302 said:

I know of a number of BMW M Owners who will not buy a car without the original build sheet! It is the holy grail of the purchae plan and tells you exactly how the car was delivered and when.

Would you buy a house without a survey?

Can't buy many houses for the money of an M car...............

I sell lots of M cars and have never had a person ask what you have written above. Maybe, not everyone is that anal?!

Who cares if it was retro fitted? Only adds value, not detracts.

Edited by paoloh on Thursday 6th December 08:34

[petrolhead76]

paoloh said:

belleair302 said:

I know of a number of BMW M Owners who will not buy a car without the original build sheet! It is the holy grail of the purchae plan and tells you exactly how the car was delivered and when.

Would you buy a house without a survey?

Can't buy many houses for the money of an M car...............

I sell lots of M cars and have never had a person ask what you have written above. Maybe, not everyone is that anal?!

Who cares if it was retro fitted? Only adds value, not detracts.

Edited by paoloh on Thursday 6th December 08:34

Providing it was BMW who gives a crap if t was retro fitted - I'm VERY particular about my car but I'm not than anal to see if it was a retro fit.