Map update

[SteveR.]

My Rav4.3 (2007 XT5) is still using the original SatNav map disc and not surprisingly it's getting quite out of date now. Looking around online I see that updates are available from Toyota for somewhere around £100, with third party offerings anywhere from about £25 upwards. My guess is that the cheap ones are bootleg copies but it also occurs to me that since Toyota probably buy in the technology and data it's not impossible that legitimate offerings could be available from the provider (Navteq? HereMaps?) or a third party without a Toyota markup. I'm sure others must have looked into this over the years, does anyone in here have any inshights they're willing to share?

Secondly, I get the impression that updated DVDs can/do include newer versions of the SatNav software as well as the map data. I imagine the scope for new features in the software will be limited by the age of the hardware (ten years is a long time in computer tech!) but can anyone who has upgraded shine any light on what improvements I could expect, if any, from updating?

Finally, should I be considering alternative upgrade paths? I don't know whether head units are as interchangeable as radio/CD units used to be but it wouldn't surprise me. Have prices dropped to the point that a new third-party unit with modern processors and connectivity might be worth looking at instead of just splashing out on a data update for a 10-year-old computer?

[Heidfirst]

I imagine that your head unit is a TNS700/B9010 or similar.

Unless the 3rd party offering is a genuine 2nd hand (so probably not the latest) one it is almost certainly a bootleg copy. As for firmware updates better (longer) postcode lookup was one feature that improved whilst I had a TNS700 in my last Avensis.

You can upgrade the head unit which will also add more modern features (but you may lose the CD if you use that).

Probably the best value upgrade would be to get a new, large screen Garmin/Tomtom with lifetime updates. As you say 10 years is a long time in tech plus their mapping updates are more often & more up to date (by the time that Toyota & other vehicle manufacturers release an update it can be 1 year old data - they have to do additional testing as the unit is integrated into the car's systems). The downside is additional dashboard clutter, the possibility of theft/hassle of removing replacing all the time.

An alternative is a smartphone with Google Maps or similar.

 

[SteveR.]

Thanks for the response. I'm not sure which unit I have but My head unit is a B9004 and pictures of greeting screens on the Toyota site seem to identify the software as "generation 5". It doesn't have full postcode search (e.g. AB12 3CD), just as far as the digit in the second part (e.g. AB12 3). Full postcode is an improvement that would be useful on occasions.

Losing the CD player wouldn't bother me too much if a replacement head unit could play music from some other type of medium e.g. SD card, USB flash drive or whatever. I'm assuming they all have at least FM radio (and hopefully RDS to get traffic updates as my existing Toyota SatNav does). Going back to using a separate unit on the dash or using my smartphone doesn't appeal, but neither does paying several hundred pounds for a replacement. There are units advertised for less than £200 (which isn't that much more than an updated disc for the original) but described as "GPS navigation with map ready" and I have no idea what that actually means...

 

[152bobby]

I'm having my B9017 head unit updated tomorrow (today) at the Toyota dealer, as mine is a HDD based system and can only be done by them.

The cost is £150.

What I do is get my head unit updated every 3 years or so and use it alongside Google maps on my phone.

The Toyota units are acceptable if they are kept reasonably up to date.

[SteveR.]

Interesting. Given that the charge for the data seems to be about £100 or so, I guess £150 to have the dealer perform an update seems about right. I'd find it irritating to find that provision hadn't been made for such updates to be easily performed by the owner, but that's by the by.

I don't have any particular complaint about the Toyota unit I have, I was delighted with it when the car was new. Technology has moved on enormously in the following ten years though, so I just wondered whether there were now third-party drop-in alternatives that might be worth considering instead of just updating the map data.

[152bobby]

I've done a fair bit of research on the "drop in" units, as you put it.

It can be done and for my model in particular, I have been informed that absolutely everything would be the same, function wise by swapping my existing unit for a drop in replacement....except for the HDD function I have and to be honest, that would not bother me at all, as I stream most, if not all of my music from my phone via bluetooth.

For now, the map update will do for me.  Maybe next time round and if I still have and keep this car, I may consider the drop in options again.

[SteveR.]

Pardon my ignorance but although I assume HDD means hard disk drive I don't know you mean by the "HDD function".

I guess if I were speccing-out a system today I'd expect both HDDs and optical media to be things of the past and for USB and SD card connectivity for music and map data updates. The ability to send routes or destination coordinates from a smartphone via bluetooth (or perhaps Wi-Fi) would be things that I'd look for too. I wouldn't want to spend several hundred pounds on an upgrade for a 10yo car but since much of this sort of technology is very commonplace in cheap smartphones and tablets these days I figured it just might have found its way into relatively inexpensive in-car units too.

Did your research lead you to any particular units that might be worth my looking at? I'm woefully out of touch with in-car kit here so if you can point me at anything that will help me get up to speed more quickly I'd appreciate it.

[daveh_rav4]

Wow, typical unrealistic Toyota prices...  I had a Garmin Nuvi satnav that I purchased new for £65, it was OK for several years until the software became out of date, Garmin wanted £75 to update the sodtware.  I thought it was a joke at first until I realised they were being serious!  In the end I purchased a 7" tablet style satnav on eBay for £35... bigger screen than the Gramin, it has UK and European 3D maps with free updates for life (or until the company goes bust), speed check warnings and all the usual POI search facilitys, post code and or address search, route saves, history etc.  it also has mp3 audio output via the car radio FM system (useful for all your mp3 song lists), video (film) playback and a host of other programs that you would expect on a 7" tablet.  I have used this 'chinese' satnav for the last two years without a problem and am delighted with it.  I even went to their web site the other day and the updates are still showing as being available.

Lets face it... all a satnav is these days is a flat screen tablet with a satnav prog (app)... Garmin, Toyota, Tom Tom etc need to wake up to the moving goal posts and stop ripping people off!

[Heidfirst]

3 hours ago, daveh_rav4 said:

Wow, typical unrealistic Toyota prices... 

They are actually amongst the cheapest for updates to built in systems. Integrated systems require additional testing compared to standalone systems so I think that we need to differentiate between built-in systems & standalone.

Possibly differences in volumes of scale too  & there is certainly an additional supplier margin in the mix as Toyota, Mercedes etc. don't build their own satnavs.

[152bobby]

I'm having my B9017 head unit updated tomorrow (today) at the Toyota dealer, as mine is a HDD based system and can only be done by them.

The cost is £150.

What I do is get my head unit updated every 3 years or so and use it alongside Google maps on my phone.

The Toyota units are acceptable if they are kept reasonably up to date.

 

Audi map updates are about £350, so Toyota are indeed cheaper than most.

[daveh_rav4]

LOL, so Audi are ripping people off to the tune of £350 and Toyota only £150...  ╭∩╮（︶︿︶）

I will stick with my £35 unit, it gets me to where I am going just the same... and, I won't lose any sleep if it gets stolen or stops working!

[Heidfirst]

3 hours ago, daveh_rav4 said:

LOL, so Audi are ripping people off to the tune of £350 and Toyota only £150...  ╭∩╮（︶︿︶）

 

If you have Touch2 with Go it's now £99 for 3 years of updates - by car manufacturer standards for an integrated unit that is terrific.

[daveh_rav4]

Just an update to this old thread... Garmin have now 'seen the light' and are offering free map updates for life.  Good deal, I just purchased one ^ :)

[FROSTYBALLS]

Both Garmin and TomTom have been offering lifetime updates on some models for a while now.

[daveh_rav4]

Yup, good thing too ^  Come on Mr.Toyota/Audi... your turn now  :)

[Heidfirst]

58 minutes ago, daveh_rav4 said:

Just an update to this old thread... Garmin have now 'seen the light' and are offering free map updates for life.  

Fyi their idea of "life " & yours probably differs. 

http://www.garmin.com/en-GB/legal/lmdisclaimer

As I previously said Google Maps (or equivalent app) & a smartphone or tablet is also a good solution. When I go on holiday & rent a car that is what I do & it works well.