Updating the built in satnav after 13 years..... impossible? Or just expensive?

[Fiona/Trevor]

Thanks folks, I've spoken to Comand online, they say it only needs one disc and if I quote the VIN they can supply it. I do wonder if I'm better off just putting a decent satnav onto my phone though - it's not cheap from them and I'm wary of dodgy discs on eBay.....

 

[V6Matty]

Waze is a good app but depends if you want to use your phone all the time. Personally I'm happy with updating Comand, it's usually good at redirecting for traffic and road changes are also pretty good.

 

[Botus]

I think you answered your own question

if the internal one is out of date and you are prepared if you have to, to use the phone, there's little to be lost trying a 2018 disc you obtain inexpensively (which will work just fine) and will give you convenience of a built in system.

you don't have the phone fall off the dash, or scratch trim,
you don't forget the phone in the car and end up with no phone and a broken window,
you always have nav in the car even if you forget your phone,
you don't need to plug the phone in (sat nav via your phone can drain its battery inside an hour)
your phone will last longer (many run at melting point draining the battery quickly,
your journeys can be private between you and your destination (not mined and your personal life sold to the devil)
you can drive round Europe without needing a mortgage for data or get stranded because there's no phone coverage

the advantage of your phone is the maps are often more up to date, traffic rerouting is live (if you have spare data to burn) some (not google maps) will have speed camera warnings

 

[gramey]

Are the discs model specific, I see listings saying CL, ML etc. but presumed a disc would work in any Comand unit?

 

[mercedes13156]

I got a 2016/17 disk for my to replace the original for the NTG2 in my 2005 C Class. The original disk was less incorrect than the new one. Like hundreds of errors over a year on the road with it. Roundabouts that were junctions with traffic lights. Missing roads that were on the 2004 disk. Poor information. Bad routing taking you down dirt tracks. You name it!

 

[Alfie]

Are the discs model specific, I see listings saying CL, ML etc. but presumed a disc would work in any Comand unit?

No they are vehicle specific as MNercedes have a number of different systems in the cars.

email me your VIN number to sales@comand.co.uk and I can advise you which disk is the correct one for your car.

 

[gizze]

Alfie, you guys fitted the new Alpiine ilx-f903d to anything yet?

https://www.alpine.co.uk/p/Products/digital-media-receiver-4660/ilx-f903d

Loving the look of that in the installs I have seen.

 

[Botus]

I got a 2016/17 disk for my to replace the original for the NTG2 in my 2005 C Class. The original disk was less incorrect than the new one. Like hundreds of errors over a year on the road with it. Roundabouts that were junctions with traffic lights. Missing roads that were on the 2004 disk. Poor information. Bad routing taking you down dirt tracks. You name it!

genuine later data will not have more errors, have been sold a duff fake that was older mapping pertaining to be newer?
if u ever go abroad half the motorway network has been upgraded and if ur on anything earlier than 2015 you'd be an idiot to hope it will get u about efficiently

 

[dreadlockdw]

In my 2005 car we updated around 2 years ago from the original disc to a genuine MB 2013/14 one, heavily discounted as it had been superceded. Incidentally it also updated the software so that ETA suddenly appeared...

We rarely have any problems either here or in France, and if we find ourselves (very) occasionally on a brand new road for a short time with the satnav saying "off road" and recalculating etc we don't find it a problem.

That said I firmly believe that on longer trips one should have a separate "big picture" view of the planned journey, ie 2 or 3 minutes spent looking at a map or Google Maps etc, and not relying blindly on the satnav. For instance at any point in the journey I would always have a reasonable idea of what (compass) direction I needed to take, and faced with a road sign I would know which of the major (en route) towns to head for. Then the satnav becomes a "valuable servant rather than a bad master".

On top of that I never use "track up" view, prefering "North up" so I can see at a glance which (compass) direction I'm heading in

Sorry if all that sounds a bit smug, but at the age of 61 that's how I roll (ha ha)...

 

[Botus]

I like 3d maps because you can see much more of the journey in front,

on 2d u get the next 200 yards on 3d you get the next 15 miles....... clearly when you zoom out past x it should revert to 2d and north up.... 2 seconds of coding and NOT done on my merc, but is on 3 quid nav devices by anyone normal

 

[mercedes13156]

genuine later data will not have more errors, have been sold a duff fake that was older mapping pertaining to be newer?
if u ever go abroad half the motorway network has been upgraded and if ur on anything earlier than 2015 you'd be an idiot to hope it will get u about efficiently

I bought the disk from Mercedes at the premium price. It wasn't a fake. I know that there has been a great deal of development where I live, but some of the road changes were ten or more years old and had been correct on the the 2004 disk. I suppose it depends on the information that the mapping companies get and how updates are done. I'm assuming that 99.99% of the map was correct and up to date, but Central Scotland had a lot of errors.

 

[LostKiwi]

Are the discs model specific, I see listings saying CL, ML etc. but presumed a disc would work in any Comand unit?

From memory yours is a 2003 so will use TeleAtlas discs I think (CD as opposed to DVD)?
Pop the disc out and see whats on the label. If its the one I think it is it'll be labelled DX, Travelpilot or similar.

 

[Botus]

Merc discs aren't the best,

I submitted the well hidden secret sat nav feedback pdf form to try and get them to actually make some necessary changes (BOTH main Dealers had NEVER heard of the form before, but they will not listen to feedback without it) stating the files for UK Postcodes on the 2018 disc is the VERY same file it was on the 2009 disc !!!!

which is plain fantastic when TomTom update it every quarter !!!!

 

[gramey]

From memory yours is a 2003 so will use TeleAtlas discs I think (CD as opposed to DVD)?
Pop the disc out and see whats on the label. If its the one I think it is it'll be labelled DX, Travelpilot or similar.

Thanks Alastair, you are as usual correct, it's a Tele Atlas Navigation CD which says compatible with Blaupunkt Travel Pilot DX so presumably any comparable disc would work? These seem fairly cheap so would be ok as an interim measure.
I can't actually understand the navigation in the car as the orientation of the display doesn't appear the same as modern units, ie pointing in the direction you want to go which I find annoying and completely at odds with what I'm used to.
I need to find out whether it's easier to find an adaptor for the D2B or by pass it to fit a modern head unit, I know that's sacrilege but I shall keep the original. Conversely on my 129 I took a modern unit out and replaced it with an original, being single DIN it had limited scope for upgrading without looking tacky.

 

[Botus]

your post doesn't make it clear which way you prefer.

There is probably setting to have either,
North Up is like a road atlas held by a bloke
The other setting Heading Up is moving the map about.


For Map reading there is only one way to go, but actually for a display of where you are going, heading up is very sensible and makes it better to see where traffic on your journey might be an issue.

As I said in a post above 3d (birds eye) is easily the best option (but not on most pre 2007 units) as you can see much more of the journey you are going to drive for a given zoom level. And where built in Nav is a million times better than a phone the idrive or comand knob allows almost instant zoom in and out to review the M25 / other traffic disaster area 40 miles in front allowing you to take other routes way in advance of traffic info

 

[LostKiwi]

Thanks Alastair, you are as usual correct, it's a Tele Atlas Navigation CD which says compatible with Blaupunkt Travel Pilot DX so presumably any comparable disc would work? These seem fairly cheap so would be ok as an interim measure.
I can't actually understand the navigation in the car as the orientation of the display doesn't appear the same as modern units, ie pointing in the direction you want to go which I find annoying and completely at odds with what I'm used to.
I need to find out whether it's easier to find an adaptor for the D2B or by pass it to fit a modern head unit, I know that's sacrilege but I shall keep the original. Conversely on my 129 I took a modern unit out and replaced it with an original, being single DIN it had limited scope for upgrading without looking tacky.

Yes as far as I'm aware any Travelpilot DX map CD will work. Just be careful of bodgy copies. They may or may not work but will almost certainly run hotter than a genuine one as the laser needs to operate at a higher power to read them. TravelPilot DX CDs are used in Fords, Fiats, Audis and other VAG group vehicles, MB and in the Blaupunkt units.

 

[mercedes13156]

From memory yours is a 2003 so will use TeleAtlas discs I think (CD as opposed to DVD)?
Pop the disc out and see whats on the label. If its the one I think it is it'll be labelled DX, Travelpilot or similar.

No point now. I was rammed from behind in August and had to be cut out of the C Class. Hence the KUGA in my avatar. I was really upset because I loved that car and we already had a convertible. The car, COMAND and the dodgy disk are probably now razor blades. Me, I'm on the mend!