Apologies if this is repetitive for some on this board but here's a new voice to add to the mix.
Here are 8 reasons to Skip the factory Nav. There are probably more. Feel free to add to this list if you're as disappointed as I am.
1. It's not intuitive. I'm not the only one saying this - most car reviews say the same thing. I know, you're probably saying "I'll get used to it." And maybe you will. But there are things that are just in the wrong place or deep in a submenu that should be on the main screen. Here's an example: setting the "Home" location. Good luck.
2. The Bluetooth integration is half-finished. Answering and ending a call interrupts the audio appropriately, and there's a display for signal and batt strength, but there's no phonebook download, voice commands for the phone book, etc. BASIC - but it doesn't do it. You have to record names for each of the folks in your phone. Looks like Mazda cut corners on this to allow for the same Bluetooth module for models sans Navigation. Shame, because the nav unit has a phonebook but it is not integrated nor accessible.
3. iPod integration is terrible and slow. There is no way (at least that I can tell) to jump through long lists. The iPod allows you to navigate a list of artists or albums by letter (so does Ford's Sync and countless other basic iPod interfaces). Not on the Mazda5 Nav unit. You have to page down dozens of times - just to get to the letter "F". You're left to create playlists.
4. Voice command is WEAK. There are some basic commands, but it looks like the OEM or Mazda engineers stopped after a few sips of coffee.
5. Good luck integrating iPod with Sirius. I was fortunate to have a persistent dealer that pestered corporate until it got an answer, but many haven't been so lucky.
6. No integration with a Rear Seat Entertainment system. Yep, Mazda's dealer-installed unit uses FM modulation. Nice, huh? In previous vehicles (Subaru as a recent example), the rear seat DVD played through the Nav display while the car was in park. Audio also played through the system natively, but could be switched to another source if the passengers were using wireless headphones. Now we have static to go along with the DVD play.
7. Update discs are few and far between. Our "brand new" 2010 unit that was manufactured in Feb 2010 has a disc dated 2008. There are numerous streets that just plain aren't there. Can anyone point me to a 2010 disc? An hour of Google searches only yielded people in the same boat as me - stuck without an oar.
8. No traffic integration. So basic. My 3 year old $200 Garmin unit has it. Apparently that's too advanced for the $2,000 Mazda unit.
It's obvious this unit was adapted to the M5 rather than made for it. More proof beyond the weak bluetooth integration? There's a duplicate clock (you know, an extra to the one that's a few inches above the Nav unit), that's on by default. Burrow into that sweet menu system to turn it off.
The ONLY reason I can tell to stay with the factory unit is keeping the steering wheel controls and the crappy bluetooth integration.
But lately, there are systems and knowledgeable stereo shops that can integrate with those without a hitch.
Good luck. And here's to the 2011 making up for the sins of the stereo/nav unit on its predecessor. But you have to live with those gawdawful doors.
Here are 8 reasons to Skip the factory Nav. There are probably more. Feel free to add to this list if you're as disappointed as I am.
1. It's not intuitive. I'm not the only one saying this - most car reviews say the same thing. I know, you're probably saying "I'll get used to it." And maybe you will. But there are things that are just in the wrong place or deep in a submenu that should be on the main screen. Here's an example: setting the "Home" location. Good luck.
2. The Bluetooth integration is half-finished. Answering and ending a call interrupts the audio appropriately, and there's a display for signal and batt strength, but there's no phonebook download, voice commands for the phone book, etc. BASIC - but it doesn't do it. You have to record names for each of the folks in your phone. Looks like Mazda cut corners on this to allow for the same Bluetooth module for models sans Navigation. Shame, because the nav unit has a phonebook but it is not integrated nor accessible.
3. iPod integration is terrible and slow. There is no way (at least that I can tell) to jump through long lists. The iPod allows you to navigate a list of artists or albums by letter (so does Ford's Sync and countless other basic iPod interfaces). Not on the Mazda5 Nav unit. You have to page down dozens of times - just to get to the letter "F". You're left to create playlists.
4. Voice command is WEAK. There are some basic commands, but it looks like the OEM or Mazda engineers stopped after a few sips of coffee.
5. Good luck integrating iPod with Sirius. I was fortunate to have a persistent dealer that pestered corporate until it got an answer, but many haven't been so lucky.
6. No integration with a Rear Seat Entertainment system. Yep, Mazda's dealer-installed unit uses FM modulation. Nice, huh? In previous vehicles (Subaru as a recent example), the rear seat DVD played through the Nav display while the car was in park. Audio also played through the system natively, but could be switched to another source if the passengers were using wireless headphones. Now we have static to go along with the DVD play.
7. Update discs are few and far between. Our "brand new" 2010 unit that was manufactured in Feb 2010 has a disc dated 2008. There are numerous streets that just plain aren't there. Can anyone point me to a 2010 disc? An hour of Google searches only yielded people in the same boat as me - stuck without an oar.
8. No traffic integration. So basic. My 3 year old $200 Garmin unit has it. Apparently that's too advanced for the $2,000 Mazda unit.
It's obvious this unit was adapted to the M5 rather than made for it. More proof beyond the weak bluetooth integration? There's a duplicate clock (you know, an extra to the one that's a few inches above the Nav unit), that's on by default. Burrow into that sweet menu system to turn it off.
The ONLY reason I can tell to stay with the factory unit is keeping the steering wheel controls and the crappy bluetooth integration.
But lately, there are systems and knowledgeable stereo shops that can integrate with those without a hitch.
Good luck. And here's to the 2011 making up for the sins of the stereo/nav unit on its predecessor. But you have to live with those gawdawful doors.
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The real question is HOW can you integrate them both.
