Is the satnav option worthwhile?

[Nauend]

I bought the 103TSI, and agree the integration of the satnav is great. It displays information in the centre of the instrument display as well as the colour map on the main unit so easier to stay on track. The main unit also displays the name of the street you are on at all times which is handy. Like all satnavs, it's a bit clumsy at times with street name pronunciation. Timing of announcements seems fine to me.

Would I pay just for the satnav upgrade? Nope. A $75 unit from Aldi is sufficient - I bought one of these when the satnav in my ford died out of warranty - choice of $2400 to fix the ford or $75 for the Aldi unit which is a no brainer decision (aldi also had spoken street names which the ford didnt), and same applies to high specs units from Garman, tomtom etc. They also go portable if you need them which is fairly difficult with the inbuilt!

[Ryan_R]

I'm just a bit curious... doesn't almost everyone have a modern smartphone (mostly IOS or Android) these days with a data plan (pretty much all post-paid plans have 1-2GB these days)? The reason I ask is that Google Maps is otherwise free and excellent (you can download a large portion of maps for offline viewing as well, although you need a connection when you first ask for directions). If you have the phone paired via bluetooth you hear the voice through the car stereo. Also when you arrive at your destination the phone shows the place you're looking for (StreetView). Live traffic conditions are also shown.

Or if you want the proper offline experience you can buy an IOS/Android app called Sygic which is similar to TomTom/Garmins.

Basically I don't get why some buy portable navigation devices (PNDs) when they already have one.


I have a pretty good sense of direction and often just leave my RNS510 on the maps screen without navigation (otherwise use voice control to enter a destination) but I do find Google Maps a great supplement when looking for things like shops, etc where I don't know the address. I have a Galaxy S3 4G on the Telstra network with 1.5GB of data. I'm an IT guy and use data a fair bit but never get close to the limit (just use an app to measure your usage and alert you - I use Onavo for Android).

[Hillbilly]

I'm just a bit curious... doesn't almost everyone have a modern smartphone (mostly IOS or Android) these days with a data plan (pretty much all post-paid plans have 1-2GB these days)? The reason I ask is that Google Maps is otherwise free and excellent (you can download a large portion of maps for offline viewing as well, although you need a connection when you first ask for directions). If you have the phone paired via bluetooth you hear the voice through the car stereo. Also when you arrive at your destination the phone shows the place you're looking for (StreetView). Live traffic conditions are also shown.

Or if you want the proper offline experience you can buy an IOS/Android app called Sygic which is similar to TomTom/Garmins.

Basically I don't get why some buy portable navigation devices (PNDs) when they already have one.


I have a pretty good sense of direction and often just leave my RNS510 on the maps screen without navigation (otherwise use voice control to enter a destination) but I do find Google Maps a great supplement when looking for things like shops, etc where I don't know the address. I have a Galaxy S3 4G on the Telstra network with 1.5GB of data. I'm an IT guy and use data a fair bit but never get close to the limit (just use an app to measure your usage and alert you - I use Onavo for Android).

Then there are those of us who use a phone for making phone calls and not much else. I have an Iphone but dont have any data on it at all.

Only have it cos it was free.

Am quite happy to use it as I do and not worry about fancy things on it. It does have Google maps on it and Whereis but havent bothered with them much.

The RNS 510 would be a good unit if they would put some decent navigation software in it. As others have said an $75 Aldi unit has very good text to speech but the 510 sucks bigtime in that area. Cant be too hard to do it proprely surely

[tonymy01]

Replying to Ryan's post:
This then means you can't listen to the radio, or use the head unit usb/hdd if you use Bluetooth. But yes,I mix my navigating between the rns and phone too depending on my mood. I have a Brodit vent mount and a charging mount for my Note 2 in landscape (because in portrait this phone is huuge) so have a near rns screen size just above the rns
I guess you could argue that most would have their fave music collection on the phone these days anyway.

But also remember most states have very high penalties these days for handling your mobile phone whilst the engine is running (because let's face it, everyone once in their life will experience a heavily "experienced" 21 year old rookie cop arguing that despite being stuck in a 2 min traffic light sequence, that you touched your phone could have killed that bus load of young school children there).
Sometimes it is definitely handy googling something and just hitting "navigate"though, so I do mix my navigation between Google, the slightly paid for Samsung Navigon (it has traffic and camera warnings) and the rns depending on situation.
But very few people would have their phones nicely mounted like I have.. one thing that does peeve me is seeing super bright portable navigation units smack in front on the drivers vision, blocking a good part of the forward view. I tried widescreen mounting my phone somewhere, there is nowhere to put it that isn't severely limiting visibility where it counts,I.e cars/people/cyclists coming from side streets..

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
edit:grr,what looked like an edit option in 4 beta was a quote option.. sorry for double post. I hate icons that don't explain what they do in phone apps now, e.g copy/paste...icons all look nearly the same for select all, copy and paste now... can lose a big wad of something I was planning to copy by pasting over it..

[pologti18t]

VW needs it's own version of GM's MyLink. That uses your smartphone as the data source and processing grunt for Sat Nav and displays the result on the cars AV screen.

[dubstyle]

So you're willing to spend $1300ish on driver assistance but not get SatNav. I'd get both if I was you. The type of market that you are appealing to when it comes time to sell it with Driver assistance will also demand integrated Satnav.

however it may just be worth paying a bit extra and getting the 103TSi Highline.

[Finance_Analyst]

So you're willing to spend $1300ish on driver assistance but not get SatNav. I'd get both if I was you. The type of market that you are appealing to when it comes time to sell it with Driver assistance will also demand integrated Satnav.

however it may just be worth paying a bit extra and getting the 103TSi Highline.

The additional cost won't ever be recouped come sale time. Sure may make it more appealing but you can't get $ for $ back - just like metallic paint.