Hi all. Love the yeti 1.2 elegance dsg! Better half and I will probably be getting one..

But should we get the sat nav? Think it is 600 sheets!

Any reviews on how good it is as a system?

Thx all x

Inbuilt:

Screen too low down.

Screen not in line of site.

Updates not easy to find.

Updates, when found, expensive.

Cost!!

 

Stand alone:

Easy to place where YOU want it.

Easy to update

Much cheaper.

 

Garmin for me every time!!

Directions are also shown in maxidot

Dunno what maxidot is but it sounds rubbish! !

Dunno what maxidot is but it sounds rubbish! !

Thanks littlerock, what would you think would sound better?

I have the columbus satnav fitted in my elegance.

I don't have a problem with the screen position. Generally you are looking at the road ahead when driving and just glancing at the screen along with listening to the directions. Also as said above the directions appear in the maxidot....which is not rubbish. Its a multi function display:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0Xxk_5Tkv4

Graham's analysis is correct. I got sat nav as part of the L&K package but if it were not thrown in I would have carried on with Garmin. Get the power supply wired in so as to avoid having the cable festooned across the dash and it makes just as neat a solution for much less money. The built in one I have is very good and the directions in the multi function display between the clocks (or Maxidot) mean it isn't necessary to look down at the low set screen.

Dunno what maxidot is but it sounds rubbish! !

 

I presume you are thinking of buying a Yeti?

 

Maxidot is the name for the display system between the speedo and rev counter on lots of Skodas.

I've had the Columbus fitted to both TIBET I and II.

 

Excellent piece of kit that does far more than just being a satnav with CD/DVD player, music store, hands free telephone etc.

 

Mounted too low down? Nope - works fine and as Marie said, it doesn't get in the way of looking out of the windscreen.  

 

It isn't cheap (you could buy an Audi and pay even more for the same unit) but I prefer paying for everything it does do and not having GPS's falling off the windscreen as a distraction.

Nice bright display, nice and neat, and the "countdown" indicator in the Maxidot display is great.

However on my old TomTom  entering destinations in was easier, routing options better, maps more up to date and cheap, and speed display/warnings useful.

Apologies thought it sounded something like a dot matrix printer. Yes I am that old!

Strange marketing that SE+ has sat-nav but Elegance ( higher up the price range ) doesn't.

Would have liked built in sat-nav but thought disproportionally expensive when ( as mentioned above)

You can buy Garmin or Tom Tom for much less.

Spent our 'extras' money on electric driver's seat 'cos we're needing such different seat positions - it's really worth it!

I really depends on your usage. I use a sat nav several times a day. I really miss the Columbus unit which was excellent, as I have to take my new Tom Tom off the screen and carry it with me wherever I go. It is one of the new dangled ones that is 6", so almost as big as the Columbus (6.5") but it has a sim built in and has Tpm Tom's excellent traffic built it.

It is a pain to take out and put back, but I have fitted it by the A pillar and used The Great Yeti's excellent guide to tap a switched live feed from the fuse box on my Freelander. It doesn't block my view and it is close to line of sight.

Mike

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is a Yeti forum ! ! !

Wow thx guys. For clarity I thought maxidot was a poorly presented low graphics screen representation of... Ok I don't know!

Please give the the noob dunce badge and I'll be good.

On topic, opinions seem to be more pro the factory fitted one than expected.

Inbuilt:

Screen too low down NOT TRUE The two screens for viewing are excellent postion and in no way are obstructive or awkwardly out of line of sight.

Screen not in line of site. So your garmin is stuck in the middle of the screen right where your looking as your driving along I think not so your garmin is not in line of sight.

Updates not easy to find. Dealer or download and burn to dvd disc and insert into unit and update

Updates, when found, expensive. Not really only through dealer

Cost!! Fair one it is bloody expensive but a lot of trim options nowadays come with the satnav as standard

Stand alone:

Easy to place where YOU want it. Thats If it will stick or sit without moving from where you want it and also you have to put it away every time you have to park so to as avoid your window being smashed in for some turd to steal it.

And let's not forget the dreaded window circles clogging windows from where people stick them to windscreens by firstly licking the sucker.

And I'm sure most people after spending around 20 grand on a car want to then have some nasty cheap looking screen plonked on there dashboard.

Easy to update only until they update the firmware type so as to incorporate a new faster chip or software bit type which will then render your one obsolete. Happened before will happen again.

Much cheaper. Once again agree but on resale having a built in sat Nav is a massive selling point and car will hold price better

Garmin for me every time!!

I have a Columbus and it is the perfect option for me does what it says on the tin it gets us to our destination.

And seeing as I have the Bluetooth installed as well I have voice control so I just chat to my satnav and input the general destination (although you cannot enter postcodes through voice control) of where I'm going which can be easily done while driving along perfectly LEGALLY.

Edited 19 September, 201312 yr by Yetigreenline2

Another YES vote for the built-in Columbus. It works well with the detail driving instructions in the Maxidot display and voice and the overview on the Columbus screen. An advantage of the Columbus screen is it's large size - easy to see and read for these ever ageing eyes. Touch screen is also easier to use than on smaller aftermarlet units - there is just more space for your fat little fingers to hit the right spot.

 

Agreed that the price is exorbitant and updates too expensive as well. On the other hand, the updates are only as good as the underlying data - and they are not often up to snuff on either the Columbus or the aftermarket units.

 

SatNav does not relieve you from using the inside of your head. Blindly following the electrons WILL lead you astray.

Edited 20 September, 201312 yr by Agerbundsen

I always assumed built-in satnavs were the norm of those who drive for a living. For travelling OAPs and private drivers they probably make less sense unless touring or travelling lots (e.g. volunteer services, etc). On the other hand there are loads of alternatives these days - you can even mount an iPad for satnav use if you want (I got a mount but found it took too much space!). Navfree app on smartphones is pretty good.

But obviously the builtin one avoids the wires and clutter... FWIW I'd be tempted to cough up the extra £500 for an Amundsen and DAB on a Yeti, but it would be towards the bottom of the options list priorities...

Personally I'm very happy with how my iPhone Sat-Nav (Google Maps) integrates with the Yeti.  I have Bluetooth so turn-by-turn instructions are fed though the speakers, and I have a mount which attaches to the far right hand side of the windscreen.

 

Admittedly I don't use it much, I don't particularly like being at the mercy of Sat-Nav, but it serves it's purpose if I'm going somewhere new, especially if that place is a residential dwelling.

Columbus is a great bit of kit.

 

Regarding negative feedback on its placement within the cabin - total rubbish imo and not an issue when in use. Ive had it in my last two Skoda's and have found it invaluable. Apart from setting the destination and waypoints before setting off theres actually no need to keep refering to the large screen in the centre console as you have the ultra clear instructions appearing right in front of you on the maxidot with full audio instructions via the speakers. Its not cheap but it shouldnt be looked at it as just a sat nav unit, its so much more than that and the hard disk storage and SD card reader are great for having 1000's of high quality tracks available at any time and bluetooth streaming and general sound quality is higher than the cheaper units Skoda offer as standard. Updates are also available fro a reasonable cost and some dealers apparently do the updates FOC for their customers but im unsure of the legalities of this. Having said that, how often do maojor roads actually change in the UK and around the rest of Europe? Not often from my experience so the whole 'how easy is it to update' is pretty much irrelevant as its not something that needs doing regularly.

 

So yes, it gets my vote as a quality bit of kit and also saves on having to wire in and disconnect and carry around a portable unit with you.

This is a Yeti forum ! ! !

 

And?

This is a discussion forum and Rockhopper used to own a Yeti. His comment was apt and relevant.

And?

This is a discussion forum and Rockhopper used to own a Yeti. His comment was apt and relevant.

But the interior of his freelander is not a pretty sight! 

As You quoted me, I shall reply.

Screen too low down

NOT TRUE The two screens for viewing are excellent postion and in no way are obstructive or awkwardly out of line of sight.

On the vehicle I tried I found that the Maxidot display was inadequate, so had to uese the central display, which I found too low.

 

Screen not in line of site.

So your garmin is stuck in the middle of the screen right where your looking as your driving along I think not so your garmin is not in line of sight.

No my Garmin is not stuck in the middle of the screen, but is mounted low down in the bottom right corner of the screen, very much like Rockhopper's above.

Updates not easy to find.

Dealer or download and burn to dvd disc and insert into unit and update

So not as easyas just hooking the Garmin to the computer and letting it get on with it. Plus once out of warranty there is no support from most dealers and updates can be very expensive.

Updates, when found, expensive.

Not really only through dealer

Try that after 3 years!

Cost!!

Fair one it is bloody expensive but a lot of trim options nowadays come with the satnav as standard

OP's didn't therefore he had to price it.

Stand alone:
Easy to place where YOU want it.

Thats If it will stick or sit without moving from where you want it and also you have to put it away every time you have to park so to as avoid your window being smashed in for some turd to steal it.
And let's not forget the dreaded window circles clogging windows from where people stick them to windscreens by firstly licking the sucker.
And I'm sure most people after spending around 20 grand on a car want to then have some nasty cheap looking screen plonked on there dashboard.

None of many have ever fallen off the screen, or have moved, and I've had Garmins for 5 years.

I wonder how real the "theft" threat is, and it certainly isn't one around here.

Easy to update

Only until they update the firmware type so as to incorporate a new faster chip or software bit type which will then render your one obsolete. Happened before will happen again.

I can still update the Garmin I bought 5 years ago! Exactly the same could be said for the in-built.

Much cheaper.

Once again agree but on resale having a built in sat Nav is a massive selling point and car will hold price better

Not according to friends in the motor trade.
 

Most positive comments come from people that have already decided to spend the near £2,000 on a Columbus.  Based on price alone it does not make remotely any sense to order one in my book unless it comes bundled in with your L&K.  But you pays your money and makes your choice as they say.

 

I'm 100% with Graham here that it is mounted WAY too low to be of SAFE use.  Yes of course you can see down there but it is too low and too close to the driver for safe use in my book as it takes too long to focus there and back on the road.  The only place for an OE Sat Nave is here:

 

 

This unit (on the Audi A7) can also fold away when not needed.  Perfect.

 

The Audi A3 has the same:

 

 

Compare that to this:

 

 

Nope way too low.

But - as pointed out by various others here - it depends how often you actually look at it. Think of all the other items around the cabin that require you to take your eyes momentarily off the road. Head-up information projected on the windscreen might be the only safe way forward, some would think, but then even that is a potential distraction. As with every aspect of driving, compromises and decisions have to be made. Good drivers make good decisions and use equipment appropriately.