The factory Nav in the C6 was the unit that everyone loved to hate, but it served us well for 11 yrs/140k miles. Despite the "etch-a-sketch" graphics and incredibly non-intuitive setup.

Now we have a 2017 C7 Nav. I like the prettier graphics and the smaller roads displayed on 1/4 mile scale. But here's a few "why the h--- did they do that?" questions:

1. The little "car" triangle icon is inside of a dark gray circle. The gray circle makes it almost impossible to see roads/intersections very close to the car. Is there any way to make the circle get lighter, or disappear completely and just leave the triangle?

2. When we are turning quickly, it takes the Nav a long time to update to our new heading. It's so slow I could probably go and do a few tight donuts in a parking lot and then sit there watching the Nav go round and round, trying to catch up. Any way to improve that?

3. I can't find a "Three Routes" button like on the C6. Is that completely gone?
Or is there some way to drag the planned route to something a little different, like on Google Maps?

4. The map scale marking disappears a few seconds after you change the scale, is there a way to keep it visible all the time like on most Nav systems?

5. Right now, the speed limit sign displayed in the speedometer is worse than useless. In our far suburban area, it's blank about 1/3 of the time and gives erroneous information another 1/3 of the time. This, on side streets or major secondary roads that have been there for a century and have had the same speed limit for at least 10 years. Today I was in a section that's been posted 40 mph for many years and the Nav was telling me 55 mph.
Our car was built in Sept 2016, so it may not have the latest Nav update. Does anyone have something newer, and did it improve the speed limit info?

Thanks for the help!

 

For item 1, change from 2d to 3D. I run 3D and cant say thats been a problem
In 3D, I think you still get the grey circle, but its easier to figure the intersections

Item 2: cant say I've ever noticed

Item 5. No different than the 2014, or my tomtom.

 

I am not familiar with what the 3 routes button did on the C6 but if it is routing preferences then select routing preferences under menu.

 

Jim, your second sentence is a killer. I am glad I wasn't drinking my nearby glass of water!

 

I have a 2016 built in OCT 2015.

I took a 1,600 mile trip with mine and spent a few days, and more, planning the route on Google maps before putting the Route into the NAV.
IMO, just like many NAV/GPS units, it may give you a Route close to what you want, but will not give you an exact route to your liking.
Planning my Route on Google maps from MA to Florida, "it" took me where "it" wanted to go through NY city and other major cities like DC etc
So I added a lot of Way stops, even if I wasn't going to stop there, to make the NAV direct me on the Exact Route/Roads I wanted to go.
And aside from a few Minor hiccups en-route, it worked perfectly.

Another example:
Still in Florida and yesterday went from ST Pete Beach to Manasota beach.
In preferences I had Toll roads deselected from when I left MA.
With that in mind, instead of a 73 mile trip Straight South, ....
the NAV added another 60 miles Routing me North, then East, then South.
It wanted to take me up and around Tampa Bay and then down to avoid a few Tolls.
Took me a few minutes to figure it why and then Selected Toll roads, and all was well.

#1. I agree it is annoying sometimes.
I just Zoom in when I need to see better detail around the icon as you mention.

#2. Only noticed that problem once in a great while, and doesn't take very long to correct itself.

#3. It does Not have the 3 route option.
You have to go into preferences for your Route, such as Fast, Short etc.
And also, choices like, Highways, Eco, Toll roads, avoid slow traffic etc and click them on or off.

#4. I don't know and just press the black bar to bring it up when needed.

#5. I find the Speed limit Icons in the DIC to be Accurate 99% of the time, and change as soon as I pass a Speed limit sign on the side of the road.
But yes, there are times when there's no Speed limit Icon, and most noticeable on my trip, sometimes when there is, it can be in error higher or lower than posted limits.
I hit a 50 mile stretch where it stayed at 55 and the posted speed signs varied from 45 - 65.
After that it worked great again.
IMO it's not the NAV itself, but certain areas do not have the service or satellite or whatever, to make the sign appear or be correct.
To add to that, at one point in a completely different area for a number of miles, the Voice Guidance did not work, and showed me a Not Available at this time Notice.

At first I also thought I liked the C6 NAV better.
After using the C7 NAV extensively for this trip, I like it better after learning how it works.
YMMV and hope this helps

 

Speed limits displayed are absolutely in the Nav data base.

 

And worthless half of the time as noted. On my 17 mile trip to work, two different roads are at the incorrect speed limit. It annoys me greatly that they stick it up on the HUD and do not give you an option to show only speed as in the C6. And I drive a '16, so the database isn't THAT far out of date

 

I have been very pleased with my C7 Nav system. Where I have driven, speed limits are accurate except on local, low speed roads where no speed limit is given. The C6 system was so non-intuitive that I never used it (I made a metal clip so I could place my Garmin in front of the Nav screen.

 

Well, that certainly clears it up!

 

Android Auto and Google Maps are a better way

 

Exactly, download the Android Auto app and connect your phone. You'll be glad you did. Google Maps running on the big screen is way better than the factory nav. Plus if you use Google things like the calendar when you fire up AA on your big screen you'll see things like "Party at Mary's house". Tap that and you will be directed to Mary's house (assuming you put an address into the event in your Google Calendar).

You can even find multiple places you want to go, say on your laptop, and send them to your phone. They will appear as alerts. Tap them and Google Maps will be running on your phone. Connect to AA and it'll be running on your big screen. You can even do multi-stop routes on your laptop and send that. Driving under AA? Hungry? Simply say "OK Google, McDonalds" and it'll show you 3 close McDonalds. Tap the one you want. You just added a stop to the route...

 

Jim – when I need navigation help I bring my wife, who runs Google Maps on her tablet and (since I usually can’t hear the thing) tells me where and when to turn. A plus is that If I make a mistake I can often blame it on her.

 

Interesting.
Can that be done with our Iphones, or do you need some kind of Android phone?

 

Exactly why I keep my map updated. My 2014 navigation has served me well across the US on numerous trips and up into Canada. I currently have the updated 2017 maps on my C7 and Volt and the changes were apparent (especially in my growing neighborhood).

 

As I'm not an iGuy, I have no idea. One thing I do hear is that even iPeople don't like Apple Maps. I've also heard that Siri's a little long in the tooth...

 

With AA and GM, updates for mapping info is free and done continually. Real time traffic info too - no charge (well you have to have a cell phone but who doesn't now a days...)

 

Those phone-based systems are nice, but we wouldn't use them as our primary Nav because we've been in far too many places where we lose reception. Even lost it while in Florida where you could see for 20 miles.

 

Just download the Google Maps app on your iPhone. I never use Apple maps, it's either Google Maps or Waze (both owned by Google)

 

I've probably said this on this form about 20 times - Google Maps allows you to download maps of areas for offline use.

 

And there are many other nav apps out there that allow you to download maps, including Garmin