Thread: D4 In-Car Navigation System

Hi Ballan,

I confirm that my Map version is AUS:20091101. My D4 is an April build delivered in Jun.

I do agree with the comments that it is almost instantaneous in finding satellites and it works very well in tunnels. However it is still crap and worse now that it is on an HDD the user cannot upgrade it with POIs.

So now the issue for me is to decide between the HEMA Navigator and the VMS 500 tourer. I am told the VMS is releasing an 'S' model in a few weeks with better mapping. I need a reversing camera screen for the caravan camera. Si my reasoning is that as I need a reversing camera screen and a better nav system why not combine both.

Is anyone familiar with either of the nav units I've quoted above and care to comment? I would be grateful for your thoughts.

Cheers

George

Originally Posted by ballan

(First time poster)
I read in another post about probably the most useful feature of the Sat Nav. With the satnav screen on press the voice command on the steering wheel and say "navigation; I'm Hungry". The locations of all restaurants will appear. I tried it and it works - funny as. Now I've just got to figure out how to get rid of them!!!

"Navigation POI off" will turn them off.

if you have kids or grand kids in the car you can have some fun with

"store name" for eg boys be quiet.

And then at the appropriate time "Navigation Directory" or "Navigation play directory"

Originally Posted by MartyJB

The dealer mentioned that the sat nav does more, like the 4x4 information - so what exactly is on that?

In the D3 the 4x4 info shows a picture of the car and lets you know what direction your wheels are pointed which diffs are locked unlocked and how far your suspension is compressed or extended on each wheel.

It also tells you what command control you are in and suspension height but this info is also displayed elsewhere on the dash.

It's a great novelty item but I'm not sure how useful it is yet and in all probability if you are watching what your wheels are doing on the screen you will probably get stuck cause your not watching where you are going.

On my last trip I took my Garmin 1390T mainly because I was able to load all my waypoints for the trip.

Having the 2 Satnav systems was handy at times as I could leave the Garmin set for main navigation, and use the LR unit for local POI stuff which it really is pretty good at. Just shame it cost so much for one useful feature.

Originally Posted by trobbo

certainly with the D3 you cant get the 4x4 info without the sat nav. It's a nice gimmick to show my mates.... but really

Oh come on....I've used that functionality so many times that the details of these events completely escape me right now.....LOL!!!

On a serious note, I have used the fact that I can 'see' my wheels without getting out of my car, in a couple of fairly hairy spots....before I start moving forward.

With the touch screen you get much more functionality with less physical buttons....plus it's all intergrated.....no theft issues. Is it worth 5K?....dunno, mine was already in the car being a demo model.....would I prefer it not to be there....definately not.

For me....it's compact and convenient and much, much neater.

Originally Posted by GeorgeK

Hi Ballan,

I confirm that my Map version is AUS:20091101. My D4 is an April build delivered in Jun.

I do agree with the comments that it is almost instantaneous in finding satellites and it works very well in tunnels. However it is still crap and worse now that it is on an HDD the user cannot upgrade it with POIs.

So now the issue for me is to decide between the HEMA Navigator and the VMS 500 tourer. I am told the VMS is releasing an 'S' model in a few weeks with better mapping. I need a reversing camera screen for the caravan camera. Si my reasoning is that as I need a reversing camera screen and a better nav system why not combine both.

Is anyone familiar with either of the nav units I've quoted above and care to comment? I would be grateful for your thoughts.

Cheers

George

Hi George. I have a D3 se and have been trying to get a built in system. VMS were discussing building a unit to intigrate to landrover but have pulled out saddly. Kenwood have a solution via Freeway car audio. I will post pics on another post if you want ot see how mine turns out. Freeway have several examples on thier web site Freeway Car Audio | Custom Installation of Audio & Video | Sales & Installation | Melbourne

I wanted the VMS as they (7000 series and above) support Topo maps. I was volunteering to be a ginea pig for VMS but they seem to have gone cold on a solution for Landrovers- DOH. David from Freeway told me the Kenwood version he is gone to install for me now supports garmin toppo maps.

My D4SE had to be re-ordered because I was adamant that I did not want factory sat-nav as I wanted to run Ozi and to fit a reversing camera. The $5K price tag strengthened my resolve.

I have a 7" GPS display mounted in front of the little OEM display which can be swivelled and angled. It doesn't impede my line of vision and can be unclipped to be used in another vehicle. The screen does make it impossible to use the phone-book whilst driving but my phone system's main use is to take incoming calls whilst driving.

The priority of the camera has dropped significantly due to the parking sensors working well but I will still fit a camera, having become quite accustomed to actually seeing what was down low when I had a camera in my D2. My GPS system will auto-switch to the camera.


The D4 instrument cluster has a basic display for steering wheel angle which appears to show in any TR mode if the wheels are turned sufficiently (about half a turn of the steering wheel IIRC). My D4 has the e-diff but I have no interest in knowing whether the diffs are locking or not.

I'm not at all sorry that I didn't spend the $5K to get the OEM system.

Highly recommend the Kenwood option.

I ended up with:

Kenwood 7 inch touch screen that fits perfectly in original D3 slot giving that "factory" look
Reverse camera
Sat Nav (Kenwood/Garmin- SD card slot for Topo)
iPod connectivity
Bluetooth phone (phone book display etc)
LR factory Radio / CD integrated
USB slot
DVD (via iPod)

All managed in a "windows" format from the touch screen (with remote control)

Excellent alround!

Around $3500 fitted two years ago

See my Gallery!!!