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Cost of updating sat nav sd card

26K views 34 replies 13 participants last post by  thejohn 
#1 ·
I am currently choosing the spec for my new ateca and have found the info in this forum very useful so far. Thanks.
I have been deliberating the pros and cons of the SE tech (on which I don't like the cloth seats) vs the EXC (on which I don't like the wheels or the dark headlining) but both these options seem to be undermined by the cost I have been quoted for updating the built in sat nav - my dealer has said this is a dealer only operation and costs £349 per update.
I find it hard to believe this is serious and have queried it but not heard anything to the contrary yet.
I am aware of the navigation.com website which lists the update for download and can't see why it should be a dealer operation let alone the cost.
I know its early days for anyone to have sought to update yet but has anyone been given a properly priced quote in the UK?
 
#2 ·
I understood it to be around £72 from my dealer.
That and the initial high cost of satnav as an option steered me down the SE route and using my Android phone through the Andoid Auto connection.
Even at £72 I could buy a new TomTom every year! Ridiculous price in my opinion.
 
#3 ·
As Phosphoric has correctly said, the FULL LINK option (which is standard on SE and above) will allow you to mirror the "Sat Nav" on your phone on the screen of the car. It's even useful to those who have the factory fitted SAT-NAV as Google Maps on your phone will always be much more up to date, in any case.
 
#5 ·
Horses for courses, after using external ones for probably 20 years whenever they came in and using built in ones in Japan full integration can be good. If you are off the beaten track you won't get a signal, you might not have downloaded the map and you might get frustrated via your phone. External ones are cheaper. The cars built in satnav won't jump roads in built up areas, think you are somewhere else and send you wrong. The wheel rotations are linked to the navigation so you are tethered to the last point of reception.

I tend to think the Google ones are good if you know where you are on the commuter run so you won't get lost if you get an odd direction. If you don't know where you are the road jumping that external navigation units can give you can send you off on some extraneous bypass or whatever.

The inbuilt system are going to be expensive since they don't have the mass market as external units or smartphones. You can upload speed cameras, have traffic sign recognisition and they will also take the speed off the digital map to give you speed warnings, traffic sign recognisition etc. Basically they have been developed to be better integrated into the car but then you got Google live routing verses TMC. I use both when wearing my navigators hat, but just the cars system when driving.
 
#7 ·
Do we know how often, and if so when, SEAT release new or updated SD cards for the in-built sat nav system?
 
#8 ·
The inbuilt is the one that is updated twice a year if you want to pay for it. That's the expensive bit. I reckon it's good for three years myself atleast.

I'm going to upgrade when I think I need to which is when you get wild with missing roads but given we don't have much of a UK road building policy unlikely. I found driving in Eastern block countries the road developments were pretty high so tended to swap to Copilot on my tablet which does have free upgrades. Probably EU road building money but for the UK apart from new access roads to motorways and the odd new bypass, not alot happens.
 
#9 ·
WKZ12 said:
As Phosphoric has correctly said, the FULL LINK option (which is standard on SE and above) will allow you to mirror the "Sat Nav" on your phone on the screen of the car. It's even useful to those who have the factory fitted SAT-NAV as Google Maps on your phone will always be much more up to date, in any case.
I have attempted to use the Carplay feature and Google Maps wasn't displayed on the screen (I did swipe through the screens) as though it wasn't compatible. The Apple maps option was.

How do I get Google Maps to display? I find it superior to Apple Maps so my options are really the inbuilt sat nav or somehow displaying google maps.
 
#10 ·
For what it's worth, on the Spanish site, the SD cards have always required you to order one if you specify the Navigator. They used to be free, but recently they are chargeable at approx £40. Whether that now includes updates, I need to check with the dealer, however it should give you an idea what an updated version should cost.
 
#11 ·
Sidelight said:
WKZ12 said:
As Phosphoric has correctly said, the FULL LINK option (which is standard on SE and above) will allow you to mirror the "Sat Nav" on your phone on the screen of the car. It's even useful to those who have the factory fitted SAT-NAV as Google Maps on your phone will always be much more up to date, in any case.
I have attempted to use the Carplay feature and Google Maps wasn't displayed on the screen (I did swipe through the screens) as though it wasn't compatible. The Apple maps option was.

How do I get Google Maps to display? I find it superior to Apple Maps so my options are really the inbuilt sat nav or somehow displaying google maps.
Simply put you cant :( Apple don't allow it. You can apparently get google maps audio to work according to this site but not sure why you would want to without seeing it :roll:

http://www.carplaylife.com/how-to/how-to-enable-google-maps-navigation-on-apple-carplay/
 
#12 ·
Carplay is for connecting to iPhones, I only know about Android phones.

You can connect an android via Mirror Link, the satnav app for this is Sygic.

Connect via Android Auto and the app to use is Google maps.

Both apps can have the maps downloaded and stored offline in case you lose your phone signal. Also saves on data. Exactly the same as a standalone satnav like TomTom or Garmin.

The full version of Sygic is about £70 for lifetime use and updates. Google maps is currently free, has fewer bells and whistles but is most likely to be up to date.
 
#13 ·
Fred99 said:
For what it's worth, on the Spanish site, the SD cards have always required you to order one if you specify the Navigator. They used to be free, but recently they are chargeable at approx £40. Whether that now includes updates, I need to check with the dealer, however it should give you an idea what an updated version should cost.
That might be if you have Mapcare. Seat UK don't sell Mapcare with the car's so where they do you can do DIY download through that website or buy a card. In the UK you are hit by a charge of the dealer having to do it threw their system which isn't VCDS but a registration system of the cars unit to the supplied map. This is where the hacking comes in which you read on the other UK Seat site. I don't think they have had much success but are improving their mapping database skills.

According to the German Ateca site some cars with the Navigation Plus system had Mapcare incorrectly activated over a few weeks. Given I was effected by those incorrect builds a cloud may have a silver lining so I may checkout in a months time whether the database download works. Living dangerously.

It is a poor state of affairs since Mapcare is provided free by a number of manufactures and some give you a lifetimes guarantee. I think this revolves around Seat UK knows best, so they don't want to offer anything that doesn't prevent the ageing of the car over the average PCP contract period. The next owner gets a car with older maps etc, PCP customers upgrade their car and get new maps. VW does provide Mapcare free.

I think you are looking at upgrade costs of £200 or more which have been covered in the press.

http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/news/149860/watchdog-shock-200-bill-to-keep-seat-sat-nav-up-to-date
 
#14 ·
Phosphoric said:
Carplay is for connecting to iPhones, I only know about Android phones.

You can connect an android via Mirror Link, the satnav app for this is Sygic.

Connect via Android Auto and the app to use is Google maps.

Both apps can have the maps downloaded and stored offline in case you lose your phone signal. Also saves on data. Exactly the same as a standalone satnav like TomTom or Garmin.

The full version of Sygic is about £70 for lifetime use and updates. Google maps is currently free, has fewer bells and whistles but is most likely to be up to date.
Yes that's another alternative that I would have done if I hadn't forked out for the cars system and my Android tablet supported MirrorLink. I have got Sygic worldwide maps for my next trip to South America but the car will be staying at home whenever that is. I had been following the MirrorLink development for Sygic and Copilot but the latter they never brought to market.
 
#15 ·
I have asked the specific question twice now, and my dealer has assured me that I will get free map updates for three years, once they are showing on their system as being available,

If he is correct, then that will be useful thing to have!
 
#16 ·
Montala said:
I have asked the specific question twice now, and my dealer has assured me that I will get free map updates for three years, once they are showing on their system as being available,

If he is correct, then that will be useful thing to have!
That's very interesting, and I shall have to put my dealer down here in Bristol to the question!
(now... where did I put those thumbscrews...? :lol: )
 
#17 ·
I'll have to come and find your dealer Montala. He probably worked for VW previously... although they do say anything to please. Mine said not free when I asked.
 
#18 ·
Kindness71 said:
Sidelight said:
WKZ12 said:
As Phosphoric has correctly said, the FULL LINK option (which is standard on SE and above) will allow you to mirror the "Sat Nav" on your phone on the screen of the car. It's even useful to those who have the factory fitted SAT-NAV as Google Maps on your phone will always be much more up to date, in any case.
I have attempted to use the Carplay feature and Google Maps wasn't displayed on the screen (I did swipe through the screens) as though it wasn't compatible. The Apple maps option was.

How do I get Google Maps to display? I find it superior to Apple Maps so my options are really the inbuilt sat nav or somehow displaying google maps.
Simply put you cant :( Apple don't allow it. You can apparently get google maps audio to work according to this site but not sure why you would want to without seeing it :roll:

http://www.carplaylife.com/how-to/how-to-enable-google-maps-navigation-on-apple-carplay/
Ahh no that is a real shame. Will have to have a play around with the inbuilt sat nav, I'm sure I'll get used to it. Thanks anyway
 
#19 ·
As long as it is built in you will be fine. I do have some threads on importing speed camera databases, destinations from other satnav systems, getting degrees, minutes and seconds cordinates (DMS) from the standard digital form and using Here maps app in the house to save your legs before you get into the car. If you do hiking it's the DMS creation to get the exact point that's important. All of this stuff I was sorting out before I got the car. Waiting before it went into pre launch.
 
#20 ·
Fred99 said:
For what it's worth, on the Spanish site, the SD cards have always required you to order one if you specify the Navigator. They used to be free, but recently they are chargeable at approx £40. Whether that now includes updates, I need to check with the dealer, however it should give you an idea what an updated version should cost.
Update. I checked with the dealer today when I picked up the SD card. The updates are annual, in July and are free for 4 years.

I didn't ask about the cost after 4 years, but I assume it will be the same as the initial card, ie. €50.
 
#21 ·
Fred99 said:
Fred99 said:
For what it's worth, on the Spanish site, the SD cards have always required you to order one if you specify the Navigator. They used to be free, but recently they are chargeable at approx £40. Whether that now includes updates, I need to check with the dealer, however it should give you an idea what an updated version should cost.
Update. I checked with the dealer today when I picked up the SD card. The updates are annual, in July and are free for 4 years.

I didn't ask about the cost after 4 years, but I assume it will be the same as the initial card, ie. €50.
That's a Spanish thing. They release the maps via the Here Maps Navigation Web site twice a year for DIY for those that have paid for the Mapcare Service in Europe. In the UK it's not sold so whilst the website looks appealing UK owners don't get anywhere with it.
 
#22 ·
Had a reply from Seat SA International to that they have forwarded my query about map care becoming available in the UK on to "our importer Seat UK who will be interested in your opinion" Will let you know if I hear anything more....
 
#23 ·
Seat UK customer relations rang me today. They are actively considering introducing mapcare into the UK. It's not clear what that involves. Apparently a number of people have corrupted their sat nav cards trying to use the website despite the warning.
Updates are available in the U.K. as a replacement card with a RRP of £79.
2017 cars should come with the most recent maps installed.
 
#24 ·
They have to write a hidden file on both the SD and Plus units which Mapcare uses so I guess you would pay the money then you get the access but would necessitate a visit to the dealer to start it off. Hopefully it could be post implemented and it wouldn't be for just new builds. Then there is the questions of whether it's lifetime access as some brands in the VW group or a minge 3 years as Seat currently offers on the continent.
 
#26 ·
Finally I have some time to review what is happening on this forum.
Thank you to all...
I totally support the need for mapcare in the UK.
I would also like an option for towing, say a caravan. Over the last few days, gave finally managed to get away but glad I had copilot on my phone as otherwise I would still be stuck down the unsuitable roads that the Seat system wanted to take me.
Unfortunately, copilot is not compatible with Android auto so wife held the phone for me...
Will write to Seat today...
 
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