tubi

The built-in NAV doesn't even hold a candle to the most basic Garmin in terms of performance, FWIW. Why pay more to get less?

Mobilehavoc

I have a Garmin 780 (wife's car) and the factory Nav in my 09 B8 A4. What is it that you feel a Garmin does so much better than the Audi Nav? I have both and I don't find it that much better honestly.

mart242

Touch screen instead of using a scroll wheel?
(I've never used the audi nav though, so can't compare)

Spacecadet_CC

Well, if I needed a daily GPS I would have definitely gotten the Nav, but for me, one roadtrip a year was not worth it My city is 800,000 people and I have been driving it for 23 years, so it is rare that I need to find directions. I might need to look up an address, but that's it. So iPhone/TomTom will be good for me (will also satisfy the gadget freak in me).
As far as phone while GPSing, I was wondering about that, although there has been talk of Apple opening up some Apps to run concurrently. I have had OS3 beta for a few months now and this is not enabled, but a number of other features shown at the Keynote were not active until the final build, so I am not sure. I am obviously hoping that the GPS can run while using the phone Bluetooth handsfree.

But if I lived in a city where getting around was challenging or confusing, I would definitely pony-up for the Nav.

kiki143

I agree with Spacecadet. If I was to use the GPS daily I would have gone with Nav especially since there is no visual difference in the interior (yes a few extra buttons here and there but not material) between Nav and no Nav models. But I had to draw the line somewhere...if I intended on purchasing instead of leasing I would have got the Nav, but since I'm leasing whatever. My current car is a lease and I have Nav and don't get me wrong its nice to have it the few times I've needed it but I realized I could do with out.

Not to mention the portable GPS I've found are so much more up to date in terms of new roads, etc. I live 10 mins outside of NYC and one would think how many new roads are there being developed?? But the development I live on is relatively new and in my car nav the address doesn't come up, but in my wife's portable gps it does.

astaikos10

A good alternative for those of you who dont have the factory nav, but have an iphone, is this new bracket and software from Tomtom http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/a...ion-to-iphone/ it was just released on monday at the WWDC and is a non-watered down version of the real tomtom system, in a nice package. If i didnt have factory nav this is probably what i would go with.

tubi

Touch screen, better routing and frequent updates.

Bob58

I've owned 3 Garmin automotive GPSs.

A Streetpilot 340 which was stolen by a crackhead who smashed my driver's window to get it. A Nuvi 660, which died and I currently own a Nuvi 760, which I've had for 1 year.

I've run all of them in my B7 A4, the last two with a Proclips mount.

I loved my Garmins.

I now have the 2G Nav in my B8 3.2 and I really like it.

There are some features that the latest Garmins offer that the 2G nav do not. Some things are easier for a novice to do with the Garmin. The POIs are better in the Garmins.

BUT.... The 2G nav works very, very well. It does do some things mcuh better and easier than my Garmins did and I haven't had a single issue with it. I can't say the same for my Garmins with their firmware updates. The integration of the OEM nav is truly exceptional and I'll never go back to a portable as my primary GPS.

The upcoming 3G nav will nearly equal anything you can get with Garmin or TomTom.

If you want a cheap and effective GPS system, the portables are a great solution.

If you want a designed for the vehicle, totally integrated and well functioning unit, OEM is the way to.

Bob58

The "scroll wheel" is easy once you get used to it. It's as easy as touchscreen.

dht34

Thats something I didn't know. I was under the impression the nav was touchscreen. My previous Lexus had touchscreen nav, which was wonderful to use. Is the new 3G MMI also scroll wheel use only? Guess you learn something new everyday.