Why is it so expensive to update the command/sat nav system?

[kam05]

As titled really, why is it so expensive to update my W204/57 plate command/sat nav system?

My car is a 57 plate (one of the first W204's) C220CDI Sport and I have just got a quote from MB Bradford for a update sat nav disc- £204! I'm guessing the current maps date back to 2007?

I asked them rather than selling me the disc, can they not update my sat nav system and charge me an hours labour? I can't see the point of buying a disc only for it to sit on the shelf at home gathering dust once I have updated my system.

I know I might be able to sell the disc I buy off on ebay (at a huge loss?), but I'd rather not have the hassle of doing that?

If anyone knows a cheaper way of updating the sat nav system on a W204 then please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[MOCAŠ]

As with most software/electronic data, it's not the disc you're paying for but the licence to use what's on it. That revenue is used to offset the costs associated with gathering/updating the source data and, of course, to provide a profit for MB and its partners. The actual disc and its case probably account for less than £1 of the price, so you wouldn't be saving much by forgoing them.

On a similar note, you're not allowed to sell the disc while continuing to use the software. I know some people do this on eBay and elsewhere, but they are criminals.

 

[mirras]

Consider ebay ( for unused genuine disks only ) and look for 2009/2010 disks, there won't be that many differences that will impact you by going a year older but you may save several hundred pounds.

 

[kam05]

On a similar note, you're not allowed to sell the disc while continuing to use the software.

Ok, on a simliar note, if I am expected keep the disc whilst continuing to use the software, then I shouldn't have been supplied with a 2007 disc when I purchased my car? (approved used from an MB dealer).

When I buy a laptop, the laptop is supplied with a genuine copy of Windows- shouldn't the same apply to sat nav discs and cars?

 

[mirras]

Most laptops don't come with disks and have the software preinstalled. The same will apply to your car however I have had disks supplied with the car before but not for hard disk based Comand.

 

[st13phil]

When I buy a laptop, the laptop is supplied with a genuine copy of Windows- shouldn't the same apply to sat nav discs and cars?

No.

MOCAŠ is right about the lion's share of the cost being the licence fee - which is paid to the provider of the digital cartography, who in turn have to pay (for the UK, anyway) Ordnance Survey a fee for rights to include their cartography, and Royal Mail for rights to include their Postcode database.

The issue with the Mercedes map update disks was that there was no mechanism to ensure single use or to tie the licence to a particular head unit. The cartography providers know this and therefore charge (Mercedes) a higher fee than they would for a defined single use licence. This is a major reason for the high price of the Mercedes map update disks.

For the latest vehicles, I understand that this has changed and that the update process now requires the dealer to generate a one-off licence key for the target head unit which then "unlocks" the cartography for use. This means that the licence fee that MB have to pay the cartography provider reduces considerably as the update disk is useless without a licence key. However, it appears that MB UK have chosen to keep the price to the customer essentially the same and to increase their profit margin instead

 

[BTB 500]

As with most software/electronic data, it's not the disc you're paying for but the licence to use what's on it. That revenue is used to offset the costs associated with gathering/updating the source data and, of course, to provide a profit for MB and its partners. The actual disc and its case probably account for less than £1 of the price, so you wouldn't be saving much by forgoing them.

Yet new European mapping for my TomTom (Teleatlas data) is about £40 ...

IIRC Mercedes switched from Teleatlas to Navteq.

 

[npuk]

The discs are expensive but at least on the newer system with hard disk based navigation you can update the maps then sell the disc on as you dont need the disc afterwards.

And you dont have to buy the disc new from a dealer. The latest discs for hard disk based systems are more easily found for sale on ebay as people update and then sell them on. I have seen the latest discs go for stupidly low prices when on auction and you can easily resell them for close to the price you paid if not more.

I asked them rather than selling me the disc, can they not update my sat nav system and charge me an hours labour? I can't see the point of buying a disc only for it to sit on the shelf at home gathering dust once I have updated my system.

They now do this. New cars (for cars registered from June 2010) get 3 years free updates, you have to take it in to a dealer for updating, you dont get the discs.

 

[oscarisapc]

Even single user DVDs are expensive

I am rather fed up with out of date maps (surprising how new roads, bypassess, roundabouts etc have developed in the last few years) and want a new DVD for my 2005 W203 as the original is probably based on 8 year old information. Even though this is a single user disk it still costs over £200 so whilst I accept that multiuser disks are expensive for that reason, what is the justification for single user disks being the same price? As far as I can see nothing, except that once a company knows it has you by the s&cs it can charge what it likes knowing that users don't have any choice. I agree with earlier posters that buying multi user DVDs to update a hard disk satnav and then selling them on whilst still using the licenced software is dishonest, but at the same time MB aren't setting an example of probity by being fair to existing customers.

 

[Andy-D]

So rather than spending over £200,, what is wrong with doing a google search and choosing the satnavi website...

They have updated discs for £39.99

MERCEDES COMAND APS SAT NAV DVD EUROPE GB Version 12.0***JUST RELEASED***2010/2011
This DVD is version 12.0 and contains map data for Europe.
PART NO - A 169 827 74 59

Yes? No?

 

[A210AMG]

I don't have command...but my dad has it in his ML and SL and in both for the actual Sat Nav part of the system its not very good at all.

Given a portable sat nav can be had easily for £100 and £200 and they work a treat. It does seem cheeky to 'make' you pay this much. Certainly if you bought the car new the command is generally a pricey option upfront.


There 'has' to be a big maket in 'backup' versions' and while I cough...don't agree with these, if the new original disk was say £50 a time maybe more people would actually buy them which could bring the cost down...

 

[Benzmanc]

I have a kenwood slide out nav system in mine. It uses Garmin software, I bought the 2010/2011 maps on SD card for £90 direct from Garmin, I think MB need to rethink their prices.

 

[richard]

So rather than spending over £200,, what is wrong with doing a google search and choosing the satnavi website...

They have updated discs for £39.99

MERCEDES COMAND APS SAT NAV DVD EUROPE GB Version 12.0***JUST RELEASED***2010/2011
This DVD is version 12.0 and contains map data for Europe.
PART NO - A 169 827 74 59

Yes? No?

Because they are copies that are illegal to use.

 

[Rory]

I am rather fed up with out of date maps (surprising how new roads, bypassess, roundabouts etc have developed in the last few years) and want a new DVD for my 2005 W203 as the original is probably based on 8 year old information.

I got V6.3 for my car as that's the first one that has working TMC. MB did say they'd update the one that came with my car as it didn't work properly - it was V2.0 and they replaced it with V2.2!

I drive all over the UK and V6.3 has been fine for me. The main snag is the indexing isn't very good so it can be a stuggle to find addresses - sometimes I have to get them off Multi-Map etc and then use COMAND's map function to find the place, store it, then navigate to it.

I'd cheerfully pay £50ish for an annual update, but £200+ is just insane.

 

[richard]

Avoid V8.0 (missing lots of Birmingham from the index) and V9.0 which has a firmware issue which means is you lose power it doesnt restart without a V9.0 disk.

Mercedes say update every year. I say update when you notice things are missing or new features that you want (such as TMC) are needed.

Richard