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      05-24-2012, 03:31 AM   #11
eskdale
Second Lieutenant
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Drives: 520d M Sport Touring F11
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Gloucestershire UK

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Quote:
I'm also in the DC area and the traffic info takes way too long to update. It feels about 10 to 15 minutes behind - which in rush hour when you are making critical route choices - does more harm then good.
What does your BMW use as the source of the traffic info?. In the UK there is TMC which is not updated so often and only covers the major roads and it is received as a sub carrier on some FM radio broadcasts. But if you have the BMW assist package and Post Sept 2011 build you get the RTTI Real Time Traffic Info which updates every 3 minutes and covers a larger proportion of the roads.

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I also don't understand why you can't access the route list from the map screen
If you zoom out on the map you can see your whole route as a quick check its going the way you want to go. Also on the left icons there is a preferences option which shows your route and a couple of alternative options. This is what I use especially if I want to avoid Toll roads or ferries.

Quote:
Then there's the voice recognition...after a year of trying, I've just given up.
To be fair I find the voice recognition works quite well most of the time.

As for the Sat-Nav overall - It works and the screen is great and its built in. However a lot of the routes that it plans are no where near as good as the TomTom's route and as for its estimated arrival time compared to the TomTom. With the TomTom unless there was some major holdup the TomTom was never more than 5 minutes adrift with its Estimated arrival time but the BMW on a typical 3.5 hr trip is atleast half an hour out!!

Traffic - OK you get a yellow or red triangle appear when there is traffic but you have to have the nav screeen on and then you have to constantly go and check it to see if its changed. The TomTom displays the time delay on your journey constantly so you can see at a glance if it is changing and also announces by voice if there is a significant change. With the TomTom you can also see at a glance where on the route the traffic is. Far Superior to the BMW.

Points of interest are not very good. One of the most common things I want when in a strange area is a Supermarket. Tried to get directions to my nearest Tesco - It sends me to Poland !!. When in Cornwall I knew there was a big Asda near by but according to the Sat nav my nearest Asda was South Wales
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