Navigation - Should it be a Deal breaker?

We are looking at used 2011 Z4's. In our price range very few come with navigation. We have never owned a BMW before. We have owned a Mercedes CLS500 with navigation and it was probably going to look dated and be expensive to keep updated in the future. It was also in a bad location, unlike the Z4 navigation screen. Our other cars have used the garmin portable gps. Now, I'd like to have navigation, but is it something that should be a deal breaker? Is it such a great option in a BMW Z4 that we should exclude cars that do not have it and wait for one that does or pay a lot more for one that does have it? Thanks for giving us your opinion. Another question - did all 2011 Z4's come equipped with Bluetooth?

I had iDrive (navigation) on my 335i and I don't have iDrive on my Z4. It's definitely cool and easy to use, but I don't miss it that much. Google Navigation on my smart phone is superior than the iDrive nav, but the built-in navigation has the ease of use factor. Now when I need navigation, I just take my compact windshield mount out of the center storage (where the screen would have been), and put my phone up. I would say if the car has it, wonderful. If not, it's not a deal breaker.

If I'm not mistaken, Bluetooth is not standard until 2012. In 2011, if you want Bluetooth, you'll need to have either the standalone BMW Assist package, or the Premium Package, which includes BMW Assist.

I ordered my Z4 35i in January and I didnt get the nav. Maybe in a 7 series I might insist on the nav but my Z car is for "Driving". Dont regret not getting it one bit. Garmins work just fine. I just use my I phone 4S nav if i need one. This is just my opinion, Im sure some will disagree.

Thanks. We were thinking along those same lines regarding navigation, but, having never had BMW navigation, we didn't know if there was something better about it that made it more desirable. Guess we will stick to our iphone 4S and look for one of those compact mounts to keep in the storage where nav would have been.

Not many people/dealers selling their car seem to remark about bluetooth. We'd like that feature and I appreciate your comment on that very much. We think we have found the car for us, but we have yet to get a firm list of features on it. If we get word on that tomorrow it looks like we will be owners of a new to us 2011 Z4 in the very near future. Looking forward to it!

Originally Posted by kelleyinperdido

Thanks. We were thinking along those same lines regarding navigation, but, having never had BMW navigation, we didn't know if there was something better about it that made it more desirable. Guess we will stick to our iphone 4S and look for one of those compact mounts to keep in the storage where nav would have been.

Not many people/dealers selling their car seem to remark about bluetooth. We'd like that feature and I appreciate your comment on that very much. We think we have found the car for us, but we have yet to get a firm list of features on it. If we get word on that tomorrow it looks like we will be owners of a new to us 2011 Z4 in the very near future. Looking forward to it!

Make sure to say hi on here (bimmerpost is also another good community) and post some pictures of your new car

By the way, this video has a comparison between BMW, Mercedes, and Cadillac's nav systems:

Here is a different perspective on this. I also have a '11 Z4 and it does NOT have the navigation. I didn't care one way or the other when I bought the car, but after two years, I actually am glad I do NOT have it because it would take up one of the most valuable storage compartments in the car. I put driving gloves and sunglasses in that storage compartment (where the screen would be) and use it all the time because it is so accessible. If I didn't have it, I would have to either put my glasses in the center console which is awkward based on that layout, exposed in the area just in front of the gear shift which is not good, or in the center "through-loading" shelves, which is awkward.

I do not have nav on my 09 Z4 but I do have a Garmin GPS when I need it. Garmin in my opinion is far superior. To me it is just another feature that is not needed to enjoy the purpose of a roadster - driving the u;ltimate driving machine

Thanks to all of you who have replied. We settled on a car and sent the deposit today. We hope to pick it up 12/26. I'll try to get pics up soon after. Ours is Orion Silver. In another thread I saw just how much some hated and others liked that color choice. Obviously we both liked it very much. It only has 9000 and some odd miles on it. No navigation. I'm excited! My husband, who also thanks you for your replies, is turning 59 12/27 so he is getting his first real special car for his 59th birthday, sort of. He's buying it, but he is very excited to be getting it!

Thanks again everyone!

Congrats and enjoy!

A BMW is made to drive period. If you need an iphone or any other piece of communication, stay off the road and leave the joy of driving to BMW Driving Machines or better yet - get a Toyota or Honda and using all the peripherals. I enjoy the pleasure of driving a BMW period!