[ny330xi]

Hi,

I just bought my first BMW (last 4 cars were Infiniti) and I'm trying to figure out how (if possible) to enter a destination by name, e.g., Six Flags or MOMA, etc.

Is this possible? It doesn't seem to be. It seems as though I'd have to either have a street address or I could search it under Information if I knew in which municipality it was located and in which category it was filed.

Assuming the above is true, how would I find a destination with no actual street address or a place by name if I didn't know the actual municipality it was located in? Seems like a big oversight.

BTW, it's a 2006 330xi, and it's been incredible. Thanks in advance for any help....I didn't come up with anything on search.

[wilbur_the_goose]

Try doing a search by location, enter the zip code, and you should be able to select what you're after.

The new CIC Navi is better in this regard.

For what it's worth, if you have a smartphone, try Waze. On my iPhone 4S, I can search by voice. For example, I can say "Wells Fargo Center" and it finds it and plots a route that avoids traffic. That little smartphone's Navigation is a lot more powerful than a 2005-6 era car navi. (Heck - it's much better than my '10 navi)

[ny330xi]

Originally Posted by wilbur_the_goose

Try doing a search by location, enter the zip code, and you should be able to select what you're after.

The new CIC Navi is better in this regard.

For what it's worth, if you have a smartphone, try Waze. On my iPhone 4S, I can search by voice. For example, I can say "Wells Fargo Center" and it finds it and plots a route that avoids traffic. That little smartphone's Navigation is a lot more powerful than a 2005-6 era car navi. (Heck - it's much better than my '10 navi)

Thanks for the reply.

Are you saying that if I'm looking for Six Flags, and I know its in Jackson, NJ, that I can enter the zip (if I know it) and get a list of all destinations within Jackson, NJ?

What if I know the city and not the zip? Then I'm back to the Information list and trying to discern which category they placed it in? What if I don't know what city it is? SOL?

[ny330xi]

I played around some more...and I can't find any way to even enter a zip.

Seems the only ways to enter a destination are:

(1) address book/history
(2) current location
(3) new location

When using (3), you seem to have to proceed as follows:

(a) state/province
(b) municipality
(c) category
(d) sub category
(e) destination within subcategory

So, if I want say US Military Academy in West Point, NY, I'd go:

(3) new location
(a) new york
(b) west point
(c) ????

I have no idea what category it falls under, so essentially now I'm forced to look through each category until I find it, or find an address and use (1) instead of (3).

This seems asinine. Clearly there's a directory with all points of interest. At the very least, you ought to be able to select your municipality and then search a POI alphabetically.

Am I missing something here?

[wilbur_the_goose]

Enter zip code in the city name. Or use your smartphone for navigation (or, at least, to find the address)

[ny330xi]

Hey, thanks again, but even if I were to enter the zip, I'm going to end up searching through the same categories. that's my gripe.

I can't get to POIs without knowing (1) the municipality or zip, AND (2) the category that BMW/Nav-teq has filed it under.

I realize that my google navigation is far newer and vastly better, but it would have been nice if this very elementary search function had been incorporated in the '06 nav. I have a Pioneer Avic unit from the same time period and it's far superior. Moreover, if I have no cell signal, I have no address and no guidance.

Thanks for verifying what I thought I knew. I'm done crying over spilled milk. There are too many other things to love about this car.

[wilbur_the_goose]

Remember - your car's electronics were probably designed/built in '05. That's 8 years, which is a LOONG time ago for computers.

[ny330xi]

Originally Posted by wilbur_the_goose

Remember - your car's electronics were probably designed/built in '05. That's 8 years, which is a LOONG time ago for computers.

I know, I know. My expectations are however dictated to a large degree by my Pioneer Avic unit, which is the same era and vastly better. It is what it is, though.

[wilbur_the_goose]

Yep- My other car is an '08 Honda Civic with Alpine navi. The graphics are nowhere near as nice than my '10 E92, but the thing just "works" better.

Plus, it has all the state highway route marker shapes on the maps which is a nice touch (keystone in PA, gold miner's shovel in CA, etc)