I promise, my final poll for now. Another thing which came up in one of my conversations with ACS a while ago was a DVD update program. I know MBenz offers a program which you pay a certain amount at the time you purchase your vehicle and when they update the navi dvd, they simply ship you the DVD. If I am not mistaken, it is at a discounted price.

If you were to save 20-25% on navi updates by signing up for a dvd-update program at the time of purchase of your RL, would you have done so?

(Updates yearly for other vehicles are $185, I assume the RL will be the same)

 

So far I'm underwhelmed by the inaccuracy of the nav system. I'll probably update my disk when we move to NY so I have the best shot at not getting lost but I wouldn't want to tie myself down like that.

I suppose this program would have an expiration date? Sort of like pre-pay for 4 yearly updates?

 

Yes, I forgot to mention, I think MBenz has a 2, 3, 4 and 5 year program.

 

Yes, it is $185 plus tax and shipping for the yearly updated DVD for the RL. I ordered and just received the 2006 update version 4.31 for my 05 RL.

 

I would want to know what is contained in the update. Living in central Florida I don't care if they have added info for another part of the country I don't drive to. So does anyone know what updated info is contained in the new disc?

 

Yes - go to acuranavi.com and put in the 2005 RL and it will show you what has been updated/added.

 

Yeah, it would be nice if they gave some indication of updated roads in the areas they already covered. I guess it's a bit much to ask to get a list of all updates

I'm still trying to figure out if my nav inaccuracy is because of bad map data or because of a bug in the nav program. Given that When I approach the same intersection from different directions it will always put me 50 yards away from it I think it's a software problem.

 

If it was a software program it would happen to all of us, no? I don't have this problem.. hmm.

 

My friend has an 2006 E class MB with navi and her home location still doesnt show up her navi system after her community has existed for over 2 years now. So I really dont know how accurate and updated they can be. well, it doesnt show up on my 05 RL either. So I really dont see the point of getting an updated version if its not going to cover my area.

 

Vp911: yes, this is indeed odd. Yet I can only conclude from the data I have that it's a bug, not a data problem. Then again I don't know the way the data is stored. When I have some spare time (hahaha) I will take some pictures to illustrate. So maybe that camera phone will come in handy afterall

 

Please do. I am curious. Maybe I just havn't spent enough time looking at the navi as approaching an intersection. I will check it out tomorrow.

 

I noticed it first when she would tell me 'take the 3rd left turn' and it was really the 2nd. This is on a 35 Mi/h street with regular blocks. She doesn't start talking until I'm just past the actual 2nd street before the turn. That tipped me off.

I appreciate you taking a look.

 

If I just bought my car 3 days ago, will I be available for the update free of charge?

 

Probably not. Although, you could argue your case with your service manager and Acura Client Services saying you just bought the car and it didn't come with the latest navi dvd. They may give it to you as a one time courtesy. I talked to my service manager when I had the TSX about this, and they gladly ordered the new navi dvd for me at no charge.

 

DVD update info here -> https://iweb.alpine-usa.com/Acuradvdsales/naviorder.php

Just click on the "Find out what’s new for your vehicle’s navigation DVD update. " link.

 

2005 Acura RL - White DVD
2006 Update Version 4.31

New Features
You now have access to the 2005 Zagat Survey database.

For RL Free flow traffic is now shown as green bands alongside the road, and traffic incidents can be listed either by a voice command or using the "map menu".

For RL, Navigation support added for rear camera accessory.

New Coverage
US map coverage was expanded to include the following areas:

California
Modesto

Delaware
Dover

Florida
Gainesville

Georgia
Athens
Augusta/Aiken Metro
Macon

Illinois
Springfield

Indiana
Fort Wayne
South Bend

Iowa
Iowa City

Louisiana
Shreveport

Maine
Bar Harbor
Acadia National Park

Massachusetts
Complete coverage of all cities in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Hampshire, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester Counties

Michigan
Kalamazoo

Mississippi
Jackson

New Jersey
Cumberland Metro

New York
Albany
Glen Falls
Lake Placid
Oneonta
Schenectady
Syracuse
Troy
Utica

North Carolina
Hickory
Morgantown

Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre

Texas
Midland/Odessa Metro

Virginia
Shenandoah National Park

West Virginia
Charleston
Wisconsin
Appleton
Beloit
Janesville
Neenah
Oshkosh

MANITOBA
East St Paul
Headingley
West St Paul
Winnipeg

 

Thanks ASP

 

"For RL, RidgelineNavigation support added for rear camera accessory. "

Does anyone need navigation when reversing?

 

No - all it means is that the software is capable of displaying the camera on the screen now. Probably just some integration with the software. I dunno, maybe I am wrong - but I would think that it doesn't need software to display the cam. Screen + cam = works? Probably more complicated than that, lmao.

 

What does this mean?

"traffic incidents can be listed either by a voice command or using the "map menu"

Will the update allow incident viewing via a voiced command? If so, that's a big improvement. I generally keep the map on the widest view so I can see the entire area. It is a pain to center the cursor over the incident 3x to get to the incident details. If incidents are voice accessible now, I missed that in the manual.

 

Say "Display traffic list".

It should give you a list of incidents.

The improvement is that this is NOT currently accessible via the menu and is ONLY a voice command in the '05.

 

Exactly

 

I hope that the Nav system allows a video plug-in for the rear-view cam. I hate it when product literature is vague.

 

I can never remember all those voice commands. I'll say something, thinking I remembered it right and it'll show all restaurants or something useless

display traffic list display traffic list display traffic list

maybe now I'll remember

 

Wow, either they got left side of the U.S. perfect and nothing has changed or we just don't rate updates. One city in California? Then the next nearest is in Iowa?

No, I think I'll keep my $185 for now.

 

Well that's the problem with that abbreviated list of updates. I would -hope- that they patch the existing database for verified locales even if they don't list them explicitly. It would be worth a call to find out if that's really true, of course. I couldn't care less about the 05 Zagat ratings but with all the changes to the freeways over here it would be nice if things matched reality again.