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Navigator VI. Definitely, positively, utterly crap

8K views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  Hampsteadmotorcyclist 
#1 ·
So I bought a new RT a couple of months ago and splashed out on a Nav V1, which here in the UK costs £650. Probably the most expensive standalone car or bike satnav available.

I've done 3000 miles and can honestly say that the Nav V1 (or Nav 6 if you prefer), has been a total pain in the arse.
On the fastest route setting between two towns, it's taken me onto unmade gravel roads in the Pyrenees,(two up , fully laden, on an RT) that were massively slower than the alternative tarmac route), and directly into a quarry.

I've spent days, with and without the help of Garmin support attempting to get it to function like a satnav should, to no avail.

Last weekend I used my Nav 6 for a 150 mile journey. No exaggeration, it added at least two hours to my trip. Most comical error was using 'fastest' option, riding along the A26, it directed me into a left turn off the A road, into a layby for all of 30 metres and then told me to turn left back on to the A road in the same direction.

This evening, I planned (or rather attempted to plan) a simple route from Gloucester to Taunton on the Nav 6 using the trip planner app. I added a starting point, 11 waypoints and a finishing point. I click 'next' and get "Cannot calculate the route". No explanation, no suggestion, just in effect, 'Computer says no'.

A satnav, that cannot calculate a route, using its own internal app. Just what I wanted when I splashed out £650.

That's it. I'm done with it. It's been nothing but pain every time I've wanted to use it, both with basecamp and without. Total, utter, shite. It's going back for a full refund. Grrrr.
 
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#2 ·
I have a Nav.V which is not accurate at all. I seldom use for that reason. Last Sunday I was about 100 miles from home in a well known territory by me and punched "Go Home" on it and if I had followed it's directions I would still be gone. I knew every road it told me to turn on and some would have got me home and some would have but hours later. The last oneit told me to turn left on was an unknown road to me so when I arived at home I looked on Google maps and this road is Tar and Chip for about 5 miles then to gravel for another 2=3 miles then DEAD END......I will not be useing this anymore without a road map to help also......
 
#3 ·
I got my Nav VI earlier this year and used it on a 12K KM trip. It worked reasonably well but does sometimes come up with puzzling routes. Definitely need to question the unit sometimes and double check on real maps or google. One time it had me turning off a paved road to travel up a steep mountain trail with mud and loose gravel. Not a great option on a fully loaded RT riding two-up. But the most curious result was when I entered an address in Toronto, Ontario and requested a route from Buffalo, NY. The Nav VI came up with a 1559 mile route circling one of the Great Lake, travelling to Northern Quebec and Northern Ontario before eventually turning south towards Toronto. Google Maps gave me an 98 mile option that was a bit more direct.

I still like the Nav VI though for a variety of reasons including the clear screen resolution, integration with the bike and clarity of verbal directions. The voice guidance was invaluable when travelling through a couple of large cities on the trip.
 
#6 ·
To be honest, this is not unlike most of the Garmin products and is not specific to the BMW version. In fact, in my experience with multiple Garmin products (Zumos and others) I have found most of the discussions in this thread to be true. I really don't think it is BMW specific. It is a Garmin issue.

I have solved it by mapping out routes in Basecamp (with waypoints to keep the route on track when converted) reasonably well. And also selected dirt roads as a feature to avoid. I don't recall that my GPS has routed me on dirt without my knowledge when that feature is selected unless it just doesn't know the road is dirt, which is a possibility.

I have been happy with my Nav VI - not the price, but performance has been on par with my other Garmin products and the interface with the bike has been useful.
 
#4 ·
If it's any consolation, I had a '14 Lincoln MKX with the prior version of Ford's GPS system, and was headed from the San Fernando Valley region in the greater Los Angeles area to Disneyland (a VERY well known route that I've done many times), and decided to test the new GPS. I entered Disneyland as the Point of Interest destination, and it took us to downtown Anaheim. On my old LT, I had an out of date map data base (as Garmin no longer supported the old Nav III system), and it basically did the same thing to me as the Nav VI did to the OP. I've basically concluded that paper maps or your smartphone mapping application should be used to supplement any GPS system when going to unknown areas. In the States, I have a set of Butler maps, or stop at the American Automobile Association (AAA) for maps to eyeball. :corn:
 
#5 ·
I've been using dual Nav VI's for about 17,000 miles.

No issues with routing or mapping, all over North America and Canada.

Have you tried updating to the latest UK maps?
 
#7 ·
I do all route planning on Base Camp then "fly the route" in Google earth. I find all the errors before I leave and correct them. Never been a real user of "on the fly routing" in the GPS unit itself. But when I ride mindlessly around and need to be home at a set time I just hit "Go Home" and ignore it until ETA matches my get home requirement. Never let me down doing that. (2620/2720/660)
 
#8 ·
The Nav VI is definitely a little wonky from my experience as well. Used Trip Planner on the unit, added waypoints, etc. Worked reasonably well however at times it would send me to some arbitrary place when going to my hotel for example. I also experienced the turn back thing a couple of times and it took an on/off to reset it. I think it is the Trip Planner app on the unit itself that may be a POS because when using it to go to Point A to Point B it works fine.
 
#9 ·
I bought a VI a few months ago from BMW, Park Lane, London when I bought my brand new bike.

It's a load of rubbish.

I've call BMW customer services and asked the to take it back and give me a refund, they refused and I've written to Garmin who haven't bothered to reply.

Very disappointing after I spent £13,400 on a new bike!
 
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