jlinaschke

I'm planning to purchase an A3 3.2 quattro in the spring, and the biggest creeping question I have is about the nav system. I tried going to a dealer to talk about it, to get the questions answered that I couldn't get off the dealer website, but the guy I spoke with wasn't terribly helpful. Guess it's to be expected. So, here I turn to the greatest knowledge database of all time, the internet ;-)

I'm on love with the A3, however the (seemingly) advanced nav systems found in todays Acura's have me wondering if Audi isn't selling us short. I want voice activation. I want real-time traffic. I want a nav/entertainment system that doesn't require taking my eyes off the road for 30 seconds at a time -- or a copilot -- to operate (thank you, iDrive). I want to plug in my iPod (although I'd be happy with an aux-in port really; no one seems to do iPod navigation right so what's the point, I may as well just play direct from the iPod)

So maybe the right thing to do is to buy an A3 without nav and have a third-party system installed. But here's where the questions start. The A3, like any decent car, has both stereo and bluetooth (handsfree phone) controls on the steering wheel. This is nice. Are these controls, and the stereo and bluetooth systems themselves, tied into the Audi nav or are they separate? Meaning, can I install a 3rd party nav or nav+stereo or nav+stereo+bluetooth and still have control on the steering column? Can the stock buttons be re-wired to a 3rd party system? Do the buttons only come installed when you buy the nav (I would think so), and so can you get them as service parts to add? Or would a 3rd party system come with its own, Audi-looking buttons? Do I buy the A3 with stereo, and bluetooth, but no nav? Or, do I buy it without any of those things and get it all as one complete 3rd party system? In this case, can the A3 come pre-wired at least to make installation easier? (I'm planning on ordering mine to get exactly what I want instead of picking one off the lot).

I haven't shopped any installation stores yet, as these days it feels like it's impossible to get impartial service for anything like this. I'm in San Jose, CA so would also appreciate any advice on quality, reputable places to take a brand new A3 into to get this work done. That said I'll take advice on a good dealer, too. The Audio on Stevens Creek is a nice place, but the guy helping me didn't seem that interested. Hate that. I mean, I realize a $40k A3 may be chump change on a lot like that, but it's a big deal to me! ;-) Maybe I just got the wrong guy, so again any suggestion on dealer and salesman would be great.

I'll also take any advice on the 3rd party system itself. Alpine has something that looks awfully nice, but not cheap (although probably not any more expensive than a stock system). But I haven't looked too deeply yet as I'm first trying to figure out if I need nav only, or nav+stereo, etc.

Another thought... what about portable vs. built-in systems? The thought of taking my nav with me when I travel and jump in a rental car is certainly appealing. Although I think I'd sacrifice that for a larger touch-screen that you seem to get on built-in's, but maybe you can get best of both worlds?

Thanks everyone. I know this is a rambler, but I'm just starting down this road so my questions aren't even fully formed yet.

cheers (and merry christmas!) from a soon-to-be A3 owner!

MuRaN0Daddy

grasshopper.....you have many questions, needs, desires. I think it's all about the deal you strike. if the bottom line w Nav...is hot, then get the factory Nav. there is something to be said about OEM. you can mod...just find the right shop or independent installer. but if you are really set on getting all those things that you want (need?)....I'd just go aftermarket. But again......if you can negotiate a price that allows for the adition of the OEM Nav, go for it....the space will be there, and the wiring, even if you pull it, you could sell the OEM piece no problemo. I would think.
good luck!

vplaza

I agree, the Audi Nav lags behind some of the others out there (you're assessment that the Acura Nav is top notch). I like the Nav in our B7 A4, but I'm not blind to the shortcomings of this system compared to the Acura.

However, that said, we got it on the B7 because we found that the Audi Nav meets the basic needs of helping us get from point A to point B without getting lost. I would have gotten it for the A3 had I not been terribly impatient and just had to have the first one off the lot when they came out last April.

Now, to address your questions:

1) There are definitely some 3rd party nav+stereo units out there that are really nice. However, you will pay through the nose for the unit and for the installation. When I was having the Motorola Bluetooth installed in my A3 at a local shop, some of these units looked just awesome. But at several thousand for unit and installation, I'm glad we got the built-in unit in the A4. Plus, getting these double DIN units to fit required some additional Audi parts.

2) The only aftermarket Bluetooth that I'm aware of that has a module to integrate with the steering wheel controls on the Audi is from Parrot. Me, I simply went with the Motorola IHF1000 and mounted the controls on the dash, behind the right stalk of the A3. I can make and answer calls easily with it. It's not a big deal to use my right hand to press the bottons on it, since I sometimes only have my left hand on the wheel anyway.

3) The portable vs built-in is a personal preference. We rented a Garmin when we rented a car in Florida on vacation and it was nice. However, I don't think I like the look of a suction cup-mounted unit in my cars. Of course, this is the cheapest solution, since you can find a good unit with Bluetooth for well under a thousand dollars.

Good luck. Not sure if any of this helped. Some other things to consider with the Audi Nav:

1) You have the SD card slots for your music.
2) The Audi Nav is integrated with the center display, so you don't need to take your eyes off the road too long to see where the next turn is.
3) The nice, built-in look so that the aesthetics of the interios is not ruined.

Yes, you don't have touchscreen, voice activation, or real-time traffic. But, only you can decide what trade-offs are worth making.

Good luck!

jlinaschke

hehe, yes I am the grasshopper. Are you the walrus? Or was it the gatekeeper... oops wrong movie <g>

On the cost of the car, I actually can get, through my employer, 4% off MSRP, so I figured that's about as good as I'd get negotiating, and this way I can just order exactly what I want and not hassle with the "ooh, but if I buy this one which isn't really what I want, I can save $500!". I'd rather, for once in my life, get the exact freakin' car that I want, you know?

jlinaschke

I'll look into the Parrot, thanks. My wife's car has nav and it does NOT have voice recognition, and I've found it to be a real hassle mainly because at least half the time I want to use it, it's because I'm deciding while already in motion that I want to go somewhere else, detour, etc. With her car I have to pull over to input something, since it won't let you do anything more than bookmarks or emergency locations while driving (thank god or I'd probably have driven into oncoming traffic by now LOL).

One thing I haven't figured out yet; is the Audi nav and bluetooth and stereo all one unit? Do I need to go all or nothing here if I go third party?

thanks
-Joseph

MuRaN0Daddy

One of these days....soon....I will order my next car. but it's certainly easier to negotiate price on a car thats been sitting on the lot, tying up inventory ;-)You will not be dissapointed with the A3. I traded my A4 and never looked back!

vplaza

And you can even remove the disclaimer that first pops up when you turn on the car with a software update. Of course, you have to be REALLY careful or have a passenger do the inputting into the Nav since it's not touchscreen.

Not sure if the RNS-E is all inclusinve of nav, stereo, and bluetooth. I don't think it has the bluetooth unit, but maybe the stereo and nav.

customfab

these things work realy realy well. they dont take up lots of space, they dont look ugly in your dash, and finaly you dont have to worry about them not working properly<ul><li><a href="http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/store/strProductDetail.jsp?OID=1073849555&amp;POID=-13311&amp;BV_SessionID=@@@@1900053660.1167020807@@ @@&amp;BV_EngineID=ccccaddjjljdlhicefecggfdffhdghk .0&amp;cmty=0">FTW</a></li></ul>

MuRaN0Daddy

lmao!!!!! So true!

jlinaschke

Great to hear, thanks. This will be my first Audi, and definitely the highest-end car I've ever owned (well, besides my wife's car but that's another story!). The A3 is one of very few cars that meet the criteria I want in a new car -- four door, hatchback, all wheel drive, and NOT an SUV -- and it just happened to be an Audi. Not bad, I think!