Changing options on the car? (Sat Nav - Is it worth it?)

[JBirchy]

I went for it on my GTI for the reason that I had in my Passat CC and I actually ended up using it a lot more than I thought I would. Even if not using it for directions it's really useful to have an ETA.

I've just plumped for the standard £700 Discover Nav as I can't justify an extra £1k on the PRO (although it does look superb with the huge screen!).

Same as you, I hate seeing nice cars with phones/nav suckered to the screen and then leaving a horrible mark there when it's removed. For that reason alone I'd say if you have the budget, it's well worth it.

[Sootchucker]

I'm not so sure how easy a retro fit will be even in a years time. As I understand it, it's not only the touch screen that needs to be changed (as the hardware buttons are different), but also the Control unit for information electronics - CUIE (the bit in the glovebox). This unit is responsible for more than just media, as the bluetooth is built into it, and it also is responsible for a number of convenience functions (if you have the opportunity - have a look at the  data blocks in VCDS for these units !). As well the optical cabling between the units also changes so it's quite a big rip out of hardware.

Couple to that, is as I understand it, the CUIE is coded to the car chassis number. This is probably why the few people over on the German Forums that have had the recent firmware update performed on their units (to sort out some bugs on the early models), had to take their units into the dealers and it takes between 2-4 hours to perform, as a number of other modules need to be re-coded back and their settings changed again.

Don't think I would want to attempt this myself !

[p3asa]

Built in Nav for me is definitely worth it.
There is nothing better than jumping in the car and just going rather than messing about with wires and mounts.
Also using your phone as a Sat Nav on a mount "could" be construed as using your phone while driving if you have an awkward cop seeing you do it!

[Mark V GTD]

probably cheaper than retrimming the seats in leather lol!

Re-trimming the seats in leather would cost around half the price of the factory option.... leather seats are something I would never order anyway - and particularly from VW as theirs are the most expensive of any comparative manufacturer....

[Ginagee]

All,

I have been going backwards and forwards in my head for ages about adding a Sat Nav onto the options for my car (currently base GTD DSG, in red, with dynaudio, winter pack and a reversing camera).

The £700 I am struggling to justify. I will use it for 2 weeks a year on a trip somewhere to Europe, and I will only use it occasionally throughout the rest of the year.

I am quiet anal, and have estimated I will probably only use the nav for around 70 times over 3 years. That works out at £10 ago. When I put it like that, it strikes me as a complete rip off when I can just use my phone. But that means 70 times I'm going to have to put a sucky thing on the windscreen, and have wires sticking out.

But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking I'm spending £28k of car, I want it to be nice. And the worst thing of all is when I go to pick my car up from London, I'm then going to have to stick my phone on the windscreen of a brand new car to get me home. Feel it will spoil the moment. 

So, has anyone else pondered over this, and then added it on. Also, I am right in thinking the normal nav also shows you the speed limit signs in the corner of the car?

And probably one of the biggest concerns, if I make a change now, will I then have to pay the 1% extra? I was accepted on PCP on the old price of the car, so if they do a new quote, will this then put the price up, or am I protected?

Thanks.

For me the Sat Nav is a must. There are times when it's so handy, plus it's good to see your ETA. I'm not keen on a Tom Tom/mobile stuck to dash/window, esp on this damn fine car. Also think of re-selling, it adds value having it.
On the changing your order front: As long as your tracker is still on 'With Factory', you can change with no problem. I recently added PP, and it's just updated the same order number. If it goes into confirmed BW, then I believe making a change would mean raising a new order & going to the back of the queue (and add that 1%).

[monkeyhanger]

Satnav adds £104 to the GFV for what is a £700 spend. I wouldn’t get it to add value to your car come resale time. If you’re only going to use it 70 times in the time you own the car, I’d be looking at a TomTom or similar – not very often you’d have to put up with the trailing wires and something stuck to your vent.

[Mark V GTD]

Personally for me its down to expecatation of the specification of a car. I would not expect sat-nav to be in a £10k Polo - I would expect it to be in a £28k GTI (or similarly priced Roc in my current case). I look at it simply as an omission and add the cost of fitting it regardless of what it is and not think about it in terms of the individual option cost.

On the future value - it may not add much but if you are selling privately you can bet your life that potential purchasers are going to be much keener on a used GTI/GTD with standard Discover sat-nav or even Discover Pro than one that has no sat-nav fitted at all.

[CraigW]

After saying what a fantastic system the nav pro is mine has gone and developed a fault  . Whilst in the car yesterday morning i was listening to the tunes on my iphone via the media cable. I then turned over to the radio and no sound whatsoever. It wasnt letting me change radio station either. I changed the media source to the SD card and again there was nothing. Then after at least 5 minutes the music on my SD card began playing. However, there were no issues with the sat nav. When i got in the car last night everything was fine again.

On my way to work this morning, half way through the journey listening to the radio and the sound just dissappears. Again, it wont let me change radio station and again the SD card takes an eternity to load up. I get to the work car park and switch the car off. After a few minutes i switch the engine back on and the radio is working again 

I recently had the car in to VW for a rattle that was coming from behind the dash and they had to remove the dash for some work. I wonder if there may be a loose connection but its puzzling me that the sound is coming and going.

I'm going to have to take it back in to get it checked. I'm beginning to wonder if i've been landed with a Friday car 

 

[KyleB]

For me, as has been mentioned, sat nav is a must in a car in this price bracket. I also think that it makes the screen have a purpose. But maybe that's just me.

Norbeck made some good points about comparing the systems to TomTom. They are massively overpriced but a necessary expense.

[Geomets]

Practice your orientation skills. Sat navs makes our brain like yoghurt. Would you like to pay your hard-earned money to become...brain-dead? Nope. If you're afraid of  getting in a really bad situation, just buy the cheapest gps you can find. As for the "great things" the pro gives (song names etc), come on...cars are for driving them. Watch the road instead, it's safer and its called driving.
Of course that's my opinion, everyone is different and has other principles. Just act as you like.