That flaming SAT NAV again

[apotek]

I have just done 170 ish miles Nantwich to Worcester and back with nothing but hinderence from astons sat nav.Going fastest route was 92 miles, shortest 91,but actual distance to get there using some personal nouse was 78miles.Coming back followed shortest route verbatim and did 90 miles granted along some great back roads.
Right then other than a big hammer and a garmin on the screen has anyone got any suggestions to, shall we say, not get the worst out of the piece of expensive cr**.

[tuscaneer]

i refuse to use the little fker.just do an aa routeplanner and print it out.that`s the way i do it

[CRA1G]

I have been told it's the VOLVO system.!I think you need a Pipe and flat Cap to use it....!!!!I do know what you mean though it's the worst system i have used.

[Adam2S]

I agree its horrible. Ive missed more turnings (at those slightly vague junctions you meet once in a while) on the Aston system in 3 months than I have done ever on all my other sat navs put together!

[SXO]

Even worse, it's a Volvo system that doesn't even have the traffic alerts which the gentlemen with pipe / slippers get when they part with £30k for a Swedish saloon. I tried to insert discs from our Xc90 once but to no avail. "SatNav as an option sir? You know it makes sense for re-sale value" On your bike.

[djakarta]

Hmm I think it's fine

It could be worse - think the single DIN becker nav in the Ferrari 430. but wait.. it's a Ferrari They really stepped it up with the California's nav..

I hope AM will come out with a slick integrated system like that for their next generation rides. Even if they just pull it from the ford parts bin - think the SYNC system in newer FORDs.

[bogie]

a few people claim to have bought the latest Volvo DVD off fleabay, for like 25% of dealer price ...will have to find the part number.....

[rick-derby-]

bogie said:

a few people claim to have bought the latest Volvo DVD off fleabay, for like 25% of dealer price ...will have to find the part number.....

volvo part number is 31285852, I have tried these and work fine, with full postcode, we now have tried them in three cars with no problems, think it,s going to be a stock item, there is a bit of a setup procedure but not difficult, also has updated speed cameras as well,

[Neil1300R]

rick-derby- said:

bogie said:
a few people claim to have bought the latest Volvo DVD off fleabay, for like 25% of dealer price ...will have to find the part number.....
volvo part number is 31285852, I have tried these and work fine, with full postcode, we now have tried them in three cars with no problems, think it,s going to be a stock item, there is a bit of a setup procedure but not difficult, also has updated speed cameras as well,

On the latest Volvo DVD do the graphics still look as if they were drawn by my 5 year old niece? Or is it actually useful - like a decent TomTom?

[Murph7355]

I was going to post up on Saturday when the stupid fecking thing tried to take me 25 miles out of my way! I was tempted to take it out and post it to the exec at AM and tell them to stick it up there arses!

What else does the Volvo DVD add? Full post code searching would be very handy, as would traffic cam alerts. Though to be honest I'm not convinced I'd trust it on either!

Rick - what age were the cars you tried it in?

[Mark2008]

I use a separate navman most of the time. I remember on the way down to Le Mans we overheard a chap at a petrol station saying "you'd think for that money it'd at least have a satnav built in" :-(

[ariel]

I've tried the Volvo DVD and have to report that the graphics are indeed tat, just like the rest of the satnav I'm afraid. I've come to the conclusion that you should raise the satnav and stick a tomtom or some such on the screen, it just annoys and frustrates otherwise.
The satnav is simply the most aggravating piece of st and whoever specced it for the car is now probably happy in his new job collecting animal sperm farm to farm (using a tomtom to navigate).

Neil1300R said:

rick-derby- said:

bogie said:
a few people claim to have bought the latest Volvo DVD off fleabay, for like 25% of dealer price ...will have to find the part number.....
volvo part number is 31285852, I have tried these and work fine, with full postcode, we now have tried them in three cars with no problems, think it,s going to be a stock item, there is a bit of a setup procedure but not difficult, also has updated speed cameras as well,

On the latest Volvo DVD do the graphics still look as if they were drawn by my 5 year old niece? Or is it actually useful - like a decent TomTom?

[rick-derby-]

Okay here is the question, no one likes the built in sat nav after many phone calls this morning i may have a solution, the screen would open and close as it does now, the operation would be through the touchscreen and not the buttons as they are now, additional features would be ipod integration through existing radio controls, and possibly phone connection as well, As you can imagine this upgrade would not be cheap, so even though you don not like the built in one, would you sooner use a tomtom etc, or would you want an integrated solution, I can pursue the design and organise manufacture of the additional parts that will be required, to make it a direct replacement, but is it worthwhile to develop,

[Zod]

I've looked into this, Rick, because I have an Alpine navigation module from a car a couple of years ago. It was suggested that it would cost £2.5k. The Alpine control unit could connect to a touch screen in place of the existing screen and to the OEM hifi.

Is this the sort of thing you have in mind?

[rick-derby-]

yes using a hub and gateway system so there are options for things such as cameras, dvd playback all on the screen etc so it would customisable and be able to updated etc, If the screen could be fixed into say a purpose built pod replacing the folding system this would give more options and be less expensive,

[thorfun]

personally, i don't like a tom-tom stuck to the windscreen. i upgraded my wife's touran's stereo to a VW RNS-510 at a cost of about £900 second hand. was a doddle to fit and has a built in hdd for playing mp3s and has a lovely 3D sat nav. (our current software doesn't do postcodes but i believe that a newer DVD will add that feature). we can watch DVDs when the car is stationary, play music from an SD card and, i believe, that some people have hooked their parking sensors up to the satnav to give a radar type display showing the distance to the obstruction behind them! the features go on and on.

i'd like the AM in-built satnav to be similar to that. if VW can do it why can't AM?

[CatalystV8V]

what really need is for the software supplier to write some decent code for this kit, or am I missing something?
If we know who supplies the software(?) then surely we could commission an update, provided there was enough interest of course...

[Captain Beaky]

rick-derby- said:

Okay here is the question, no one likes the built in sat nav after many phone calls this morning i may have a solution, the screen would open and close as it does now, the operation would be through the touchscreen and not the buttons as they are now, additional features would be ipod integration through existing radio controls, and possibly phone connection as well, As you can imagine this upgrade would not be cheap, so even though you don not like the built in one, would you sooner use a tomtom etc, or would you want an integrated solution, I can pursue the design and organise manufacture of the additional parts that will be required, to make it a direct replacement, but is it worthwhile to develop,

Currently I like the screen size and position (though it could open a little further) and the integration with the audio for muting but that's it. So, a touch screen of the same size, hopefully with higher resolution, would be fine by me, along with some replacement software and maps of course...

The bluetooth phone is fine for me, I rarely use the phone in the car. iPod/MP3 integration would be good, as would the possibility of a USB audio source. The chances of me watching TV or a DVD in the car are almost nil but I'm sure some would like that possibility.

[Neil1300R]

Gave my integrated satnav one last chance today - knew where I was going (bar the last 1/2 mile) and know of more than one route. The fecking useless piece of crap was incapable of sending me the fastest route. At one stage it was showing 32 minutes to destination, went the route I know (using dual carrigeways / motorways) in 16 minutes. How difficult is it in this day and age to find the quickest route? Actually checked the settings before posting to check it was set for Fastest not Shortest.
Rick - I'm more than happy to use the TomTom on my smartphone. Personally wouldn't go out of my way to replace the existing, especially as it would be touchscreen (screen is too far away to comfortably use in touchscreen mode for me). Just glad I bought my Vantage pre owned and didn't have to pay the additional cost for the fecking pile of st of the Aston Satnav system.

[rick-derby-]

Neil that's exactly what I am asking for, straight forward honest answers, is develop cost worth it or is it just a gripe,