Ok, I have ordered the car etc done a nice options list added it all, but I am constantly thinking about the Amundsen, not interested in the Columbus as in my current car that had Columbus although I find it a great device, I dont use it to its full ability, however, I do use the Sat Nav quite often, I like the integration with teh maxi-dot etc and the fact that there are no wires etc trailing across the dashboard etc etc etc!!!

 

However, I am not sure if the £550 option is really worth it for the Amundsen.... that is what I cant decide in my head.

 

Is the Amundsen just purely a Bolero with Navigation added?  Or does it add or do anything (other than the Nav obviously) the Bolero doesn't?

 

I have sat nav on my phone and tablet, so I could easily just hook those up to a phone charger and use that, however, like I say I cant stand the mess with wires, holders etc all around my dash, I just like the ease and integration of the OEM units!

 

So I suppose what I am asking is, can anyone tell me is it worth it, was a good option to add, thoughts on it etc etc

 

My car has been on order a month now, so I suppose I might have another couple of weeks before it goes to locked down (if I am lucky) so I need to make my decision sooner rather than later I think.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think there is any difference between Bolero and Amunsden other than Sat nav feature.

For me, I would have been content with the well equipped SE spec but then asked the dealer to work out the elegance spec. It worked out at £11 more a month overall. No brainer when it comes to how many gadgets you get as standard on the higher spec!

Realistically I don't think the Amunsden will be any better (possibly worse) at guiding your journey than google maps on your phone. Just depends on whether you want a sexy fully built in dash!

Buy a decent TomTom or Garmin with lifetimw map updates for £200 or so. The maps will be better, more intuitive, and more up to date. Alternatively buy a decent phone holder and use Google Maps.

I was going to add the Columbus to my car, but as I have a Garmin unit which had a LMU offer on, I didn't feel much need for either.

 

There are times when I think it would be nice to have, but as you cannot easily add speed camera locations to it, which you can with a Garmin or Tom Tom, it made the decision a tad easier.

Likewise would have liked the built in Amunsden but I'd already gone overboard with the options, so decided best stick to the trusty old Garmin.

 

Shame Skoda UK limit our choices so much, would have been nice to have Elegance spec to consider but we only get 4x4 on the SE :S

 

 

TP

I have a Garmin with lifetime map updates for £219 (less 12% cashback so £179-ish).

 

£550 is outrageous.

I have a Garmin with lifetime map updates for £219 (less 12% cashback so £179-ish).

 

£550 is outrageous.

 

So what does that make the £1350 Columbus then? 

Thanks for the views, for me its either the Amundsen as an option, or using the Navigation app on my phone, which works perfectly well and I have used when driving vehicles without Navigation, but for me, its the wires and holders etc they drive me nuts, however, do they drive me nuts enough to warrant spending £550 on integrated sat nav, if it had a host of other neat features that came with it as well then I guess it would be a more worthwhile investment, but at the moment, probvably not.

 

Ok, if I stayed with the Bolero and sat nav on my phone, when using the nav on my phone would the directions be pushed over BT to the Bolero?  If they did then I am guessing you would have to have the Bolero on 'BT Streaming' for that to happen, so if I had a music playlist for example playing via BT, then had the navigation running as well, when an instruction was being given by the sat nav, would the music be paused slightly while the instruction was given over the BT streaming function??

So what does that make the £1350 Columbus then? 

 

Do I want to spend £219 or £1350 for a system that tells me which direction I should steer my car?

 

Ooooh, £219 or £1350........I just can't decide.

 

:think:  :think:  :think:

So what does that make the £1350 Columbus then? 

Amundsen = Bolero + Basic Satnav. Columbus is a much bigger leap with larger & much clearer screen, better maps, dvd palyer and built in storage. Both the Amundsen and Columbus are grossly overpriced. Adding mapping to the Bolero probably costs Skoda ~£15 for the license, but atleast the Columbus will probably cost them a few hundred more. GPS III satellites will begin launching next year, but it will be a few years before the newer tech becomes commercially available. Current in-car satnav's will then be like raido-cassette players.

 

edit: The best thing about a Garmin or Tomtom is that you can mount it closer to eye level, in a position where you do not have to look downwards and to the center console whilst driving. If the Amundsen was £200 I would still buy a Garmin because it is better at what t does.

Edited 12 October, 201312 yr by Orville

The Amundsen is always there, don't have to remove or hide it when leaving the car like a tomTom or Garmin.

 

Yes, it's not as fast or as good as a TomTom but as part of the elegance spec it's great.

 

Would I pay for it if it wasn't standard.... No.

Amundsen = Bolero + Basic Satnav. Columbus is a much bigger leap with larger & much clearer screen, better maps, dvd palyer and built in storage.

 

TheWanderer seems like one of these sorts who drives a 42 tonne hgv down a one-way track to some cliffs that drop 200m to the sea and then blames his sat-nav because it told him to do so (even thought there were great big signs saying "one way only, large vehicles cannot perform U-turns").

 

And then wants compensation :think:

No, because I have a brain, unlike WVM, The Chelsea Tractor Women.

I'm with Sheldon. Had it on both my octys as standard and find it useful but wouldn't pay that sort of money for it as an option as thete are better stand alone satnavs out there with better functions for less money

Perfectly decent lifetime maps Garmin for £125!

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-2595LMT-Lifetime-Updates-Bluetooth/dp/B005LGTLWQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1381609787&sr=1-1

 

I do have an Amundsen on my Superb - not the same as the Amundsen on a new Octavia. However I still prefer the Garmin. I got the Amundsen as a part of the SE+ package. If it had been a £500 option, I wouldn't have specified it

I've added it on mine purely on the basis that I want a sat nav in my car at all times but not willing to pay Columbus prices. I don't want my OCD going mad because of wires or rattling in the glovebox when not in use. Also I don't want to worry about it going flat then having to be plugged in for 30+ mins before it'll work.

To be fair I don't think the £550 cost is just for the unit or maps. It'll also be for the extra fitting required at the factory and at the end of the day when I'm buying a brand new 2013/2014 model for £27k - £28k it would be a travesty for it not to have a built in sat nav but I will never use it enough to pay £1350 on the Columbus so Amundsen is my middle ground. Would also be a shame to not get the full functionality from the maxi dot due to be nav.

To put it into perspective it's the cost of an iPhone and I plan on keeping my car much longer than my phone so it's a cost I can justify, to myself anyway.

That's fair enough Mike, it is your choice and I understand the faff of flying wires as SWMBO has a garmin in her car.

Personally as the vRS is the premium model in the Octy range I think it should have both satnav and cruise as standard for that sort of money. Just my opinion of course but a fair point I think.

So its not just me @mike83 that doesnt like wires etc everywhere, you have similar views to me on it really, I would like to have it but I am not sure if I can justify the cost to myself, I am going to the dealer later in the week to collect a vRS for a 4 day test drive so will have a think between now and then I think?!?!?

Ultimately it comes down to the question of can you afford it? When I ordered my octavia I maxed out my options and put as many on as I could afford within my budget set. I even put heated front seat on my elegance knowing full well I would never use them. I put them on because looking at the blank buttons if I hadn't ordered them would of annoyed me for 3+ years of ownership. You could end up the same with your sat nav conundrum. Regardless of what is being said on this forum it is whether YOU can live without it. I don't personally know you so I don't know your likes or dislikes but In my opinion from what you have posted I would say you would regret not having the sat nav. The topic appears divided but I would (like you) get fed up with the trail of wires all over the place and in your position would go for the sat nav unit. It's up to you though, it's gonna be your beauty!!!! Good luck.

Like a few responses on here I ordered my vRS with the Amundsen sat nav, i was unsure about ordering it as previously just used the sat nav on my iPhone.

I collected my car yesterday and went on a long drive to see some friends, using the sat nav i was nothing but impressed, the screen is clear though I prefer just to have the directions come up on the colour maxi dot display, when it is on the main display directions are clear and it auto zooms as you approach junctions.

It also provides you with traffic updates on route.

Having finally used it ( albeit briefly) I am impressed and am happy that I have made the decision by having it fitted, yes £550 is a lot and would of been good to see the colour maxi dot included.

 

Ok, if I stayed with the Bolero and sat nav on my phone, when using the nav on my phone would the directions be pushed over BT to the Bolero?  If they did then I am guessing you would have to have the Bolero on 'BT Streaming' for that to happen, so if I had a music playlist for example playing via BT, then had the navigation running as well, when an instruction was being given by the sat nav, would the music be paused slightly while the instruction was given over the BT streaming function??

Definitely the turn instructions can be pushed over with BT but do not know about the music bit.

There are several pros and cons to this scenario, but from my point of view I am not a fan of inbuilt SatNavs. In my opinion, I feel they sit too low and a cursory glance at the screen means taking your eyes off the road as you are now looking down and to the left (in the UK) whereas with a screen mounted device it is just a quick flick with the eyes. However, I agree with the wires hanging loose and cluttering the dash which does spoil the internal view of the car.

I do though quite often use hire cars for work that do not have SatNav installed as standard so having my own portable device does offer me greater flexibility as I can transfer from car to car easily; as such I am going to have a standalone unit anyway. I have also taken my previous unit to the US which saved paying hire car company charges for one.

Personally, I quite like the PID device in the CitiGo. Places the SatNav in what I consider to be a much more user friendly position keeping the maps within your standard field of view which I believe to be safer.

Thanks for the views, for me its either the Amundsen as an option, or using the Navigation app on my phone, which works perfectly well and I have used when driving vehicles without Navigation, but for me, its the wires and holders etc they drive me nuts, however, do they drive me nuts enough to warrant spending £550 on integrated sat nav, if it had a host of other neat features that came with it as well then I guess it would be a more worthwhile investment, but at the moment, probvably not.

 

Ok, if I stayed with the Bolero and sat nav on my phone, when using the nav on my phone would the directions be pushed over BT to the Bolero?  If they did then I am guessing you would have to have the Bolero on 'BT Streaming' for that to happen, so if I had a music playlist for example playing via BT, then had the navigation running as well, when an instruction was being given by the sat nav, would the music be paused slightly while the instruction was given over the BT streaming function??

Yes you'd need to be switched to bluetooth streaming to hear the instructions. And the instructions would be played over the music just as your phone would do if it wasn't connected to bluetooth. Try your phone playing music and running sat nav as a test to see how it behave as connecting to bluetooth shouldn't change it as it basically just a remote speaker.

That's fair enough Mike, it is your choice and I understand the faff of flying wires as SWMBO has a garmin in her car.

Personally as the vRS is the premium model in the Octy range I think it should have both satnav and cruise as standard for that sort of money. Just my opinion of course but a fair point I think.

I must admit that I was also a little surprised that these options were not standard and they were two options I really wanted, with the cruise being an absolute must have. However I feel a little better about having to add them knowing I'm getting 0%, free servicing and 8% discount on the car and all my extras.

So its not just me @mike83 that doesnt like wires etc everywhere, you have similar views to me on it really, I would like to have it but I am not sure if I can justify the cost to myself, I am going to the dealer later in the week to collect a vRS for a 4 day test drive so will have a think between now and then I think?!?!?

Definitely not pal, drives me mad. I've had portable sat nav's before and if I can't hide the wires well enough I end up hard wiring a power lead in which defies the point. I also can't stand having them on the windscreen and the marks they leave on the window lol.

 

Like a few responses on here I ordered my vRS with the Amundsen sat nav, i was unsure about ordering it as previously just used the sat nav on my iPhone.

I collected my car yesterday and went on a long drive to see some friends, using the sat nav i was nothing but impressed, the screen is clear though I prefer just to have the directions come up on the colour maxi dot display, when it is on the main display directions are clear and it auto zooms as you approach junctions.

It also provides you with traffic updates on route.

Having finally used it ( albeit briefly) I am impressed and am happy that I have made the decision by having it fitted, yes £550 is a lot and would of been good to see the colour maxi dot included.

This makes me feel even better about my decision :-)

There are several pros and cons to this scenario, but from my point of view I am not a fan of inbuilt SatNavs. In my opinion, I feel they sit too low and a cursory glance at the screen means taking your eyes off the road as you are now looking down and to the left (in the UK) whereas with a screen mounted device it is just a quick flick with the eyes.

It does also display info on the maxi dot. Or so I believe anyway, I'm sure somebody can confirm or deny this.

It does also display info on the maxi dot. Or so I believe anyway, I'm sure somebody can confirm or deny this.

It does.