GM recently told me that "your 2008 vehicle is not eligible for a free disc update". Note to GM: "after 13 Chevy's (including 8 vettes) your company is no longer eligible for my business!". Charging $200 for a $5 update to an overpriced $1500 option adds insult to injury. Has anyone figured a way to get a better deal on the upgrade (other than buying a Garmin or tom-tom or other system)?

 

I talked to my dealer and he agreed that the upgrade should be free, and it was to the version 5. That's why the next one I buy will be from him!

 

Easy fix... just go back and show them in your sales contract or in Chevrolet's literature where it says you are eligible for free navigation updates. Problem solved!

 

GM stopped free dics about 2007 I tried for a free update and was told no go mine is an 09 model with ver 4 new ver is 6.
z51vet

 

Depends on what version he had when he bought the car and when. You were entitled to two free updates...so if he had ver 3 when he bought the car he's not entitled to version 6 for free. I believe this was also constrained by calendar months as well.

 

Two free updates ended with 2007 cars....end of story.

 

There ya go then! I wasn't aware of that...I'm going home now, I've learned my one thing for today.

 

Sorry - before everyone takes it out on GM, you should realize that GM probably doesn't make the mapping software - it's almost undoubtedly licensed from Garmin or one of the other 2-3 companies that create and supply that info.

If you switch over to a Garmin system, be prepared to pay $99 for each upgrade... and that's if you download it - I think it's extra to have a SD card shipped to you. Tom Tom charges 54.98... British Pounds (about $95).

$200 is overpriced for GM's update, but it's definitely not a $5 update anywhere else.

 

 

The most important part of this is that the updates just don't have all that much new info on them. The biggest reason that the set went from one disc to two is because there are so many more POIs...these are just advertising. New streets are what I consider important, not more pizza places.

 

Then who do you take it out on? The NAV system is purchased from GM and that's the only place you can purchase an updated CD. I doubt that GM buys the mapping software from Garmin. If you've ever used a Garmin you wouldn't make statements like this. For the $199 cost of a GM update each year you can purchase a Garmin for less then that each year and have the latest mapping software.

 

The problem for any company is once you offer something free people expect it forever. We often forget that business is just that business. Also, things are rarely free. Just like OnStar in no way shape or form is free. It as the so called free discs are somehow added into the cost of the vehicle. Rarely do we get something for nothing.

For someone not to buy a Corvette because they did not get a free Nav disc is funny at best.

 

Glad I did not get the GM Nav and purchased the updates for my Garmin and will get updates forever

 

My Garmin doesn't use a single CD yet has a much better data base then my GM NAV, both in streets and in POI's. The latest streets in my subdivision were put in around 5-6 years ago. MY GM version 6 (2009)shows the streets but the version 5 (2008) didn't, yet my Garmin showed the streets in 2007, when I purchased the Garmin.

 

2008 cars were never eligible for the navigation disc upgrade. Only 2006 and 2007 cars fell under the program and GM stopped the two free upgrades starting with the 2008 Corvette. 2005 cars were also never eligible.

 

Look at your window sticker. The one from my 2006 coupe and now 2007 Z06 clearly stated I was entitled to "TWO FREE UPDATES".

That policy was recinded in 2008. The DVD you got with the car is all that GM is required to provide. Now if you made other arrangements with the dealer that's between you and him.

BTW I called the GMNAV disc 1-800 and the lady said the last free upgrade (on my 2007 Z) was issed in early 2009. So I have the most current 2 DVD Nav discs available at the time. I got lucky as I just bought the car two weeks ago.

 

OK guys, I know the rules - and I have no contract for free upgrades on the 08. In my opinion, it would be a great "customer loyalty appreciation" move for GM to provide all of us with a free (or even reasonably priced) set (that will cost them less than $5 each to reproduce - they can take it out of my bailout contribution). I truly hate to see it, but I think that the new GM will soon go the way of the dinosaur.

 

You do understand the actual production cost of the DVD's is by far the most inexpensive part of the price, right? You're paying for all the work that went into the data on the DVD...not the actual DVD itself.

 

The cost of the duplication of the disc on that scale is actually probably less than .10. If that were the only cost associated with the navigation DVD I would be inclined to agree with you. GM does not produce nor do they even own the data that they provide. They pay an exorbitant license fee to the data company. There are only two as I recall that provide all of the navigation data for all of the GPS systems and companies out there. The navigation data company will collect a per user fee (each disc sold) as well as a license fee from the automaker to provide this "service". The "free" update isn't really free as someone still needs to license it and pay the per user fee for each of those sets of discs. In the end, you and I pay for it. This is also why the cost of the update is much higher than with other navigation systems. Garmin for example uses the same license and data across their entire line of units. Considering the volume that Garmin sells (easily outsells the Corvette 100 to 1 and as such can easily leverage the license fee across many more installed units and has a great deal of leverage to negotiate a lower per user fee. You will see the cost of the Corvette navigation discs come down dramatically once the platform is able to move on to a more current architecture than what is currently installed.

 

Navigation systems aren't even needed anymore. Just buy an iPhone or similar device and have "nav" anywhere you go.