Hey all,

New to posting, but not new to using the 'search' feature! But as hard as I searched, I couldn't seem to find the answer. If I missed it, my apologies for the re-post.

 

So I'm trying to get from Ontario to Alberta (in Canada), and when the Nav unit plots the route out, it's sending me on a route that goes through America. Like.....all 5 different 'multiple route' options.

 

Nothing against the states...but I just don't feel like crossing the border. That, and the car's speedo doesn't have 'Miles/hour', and I just KNOW that I'll get booked NUMEROUS times for speeding if I'm not watchin' how fast I'm going.

 

Annnnyway....does anyone know if there's a way to 'avoid border crossings', or some other way to select a route through the same country?!

I mean...I could plot a bunch of waypoints along the way in the general direction of the route I wanna go...but having to sit down with multiple maps and plotting a route manually, then entering it into the Nav unit kinda defeats the purpose, no?! and if I did that...then I'd have to stop every time I get close to one of the said waypoints, cancel the route, then re-enter, yadda yadda yadda.....and I was really looking forward to just sitting down, turning my brain off, and just letting the little voice tell me where to go and what to do...!

 

Thanks y'all!

Yeah that does sound like a conundrum...

 

I can't remember if there is an option to avoid borders or not, let me go check my unit real quick and I'll edit this when I'm done.

 

Edit: Ok I checked and there are indeed no options to avoid borders. I hate to say this because I try to laud Pioneer's stuff as a one-stop-shop for GPS, but you may have to plot a route using Google Maps or something and then pick major waypoints along the way, and then plug those waypoints in by hand.

Thanks Captain!

Yeah, I did the same...and came to the same conclusion

I'm a HUGE Pioneer fan myself, and I gotta say, I've developed quite a love affair with the AVIC. It's VERY true that the learning curve is large for these decks, but (...just like being in a relationship...) they can be pretty powerful once you know how to manipulate them.

These days, though, I'm noticing that it's showing me a city block or two AWAY from my actual location at times - which can be cumbersome when I'm downtown. But that could be attributed to either: a) being amongst tall buildings and a gang o'microwaves in the air, or me screwing up the install when I moved it from my truck to my car.

Being a car-guy, I'm leaning more towards option 'a', but I did get a little lazy and put the GPS antenna/little black GPS square INSIDE the vehicle (center of the dash, close to the windshield) whereas when it was initially installed in the Denali (by Future Shop) the antenna was outside the vehicle, close the where the OnStar antenna was.

Would you (or anyone else!) know if moving the antenna back outside the car would help? I'm thinking it MIGHT, since it's in a 7-series now and BMW has films etc. they put in/on the windshield for the car's antenna, rain-sensing wipers, extra laminate for sound deadening, and so on.

 

It's either that or I try Garett's Z3 Hard Drive update, but that won't be as quick (and is something I planned to do in the future anyway).

.....

Would you (or anyone else!) know if moving the antenna back outside the car would help? I'm thinking it MIGHT, since it's in a 7-series now and BMW has films etc. they put in/on the windshield for the car's antenna, rain-sensing wipers, extra laminate for sound deadening, and so on.

 

It's either that or I try Garett's Z3 Hard Drive update, but that won't be as quick (and is something I planned to do in the future anyway).

 

You can check if you're receiving enough satelites with sufficient strength from the installation menu of course....

Some cars have heat reflecting windscreens, that have a very thin metalic coating. I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case with BMW. That would certainly block reception....

I assume you also reset the calibration on the Pioneer after moving it from one car to another....

.....

Would you (or anyone else!) know if moving the antenna back outside the car would help? I'm thinking it MIGHT, since it's in a 7-series now and BMW has films etc. they put in/on the windshield for the car's antenna, rain-sensing wipers, extra laminate for sound deadening, and so on.

 

It's either that or I try Garett's Z3 Hard Drive update, but that won't be as quick (and is something I planned to do in the future anyway).

 

You can check if you're receiving enough satelites with sufficient strength from the installation menu of course....

Some cars have heat reflecting windscreens, that have a very thin metalic coating. I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case with BMW. That would certainly block reception....

I assume you also reset the calibration on the Pioneer after moving it from one car to another....

 

 

Reset calibration?! That I didn't do.

Hmm...That's available via the help menu also, no? I remember seeing it (and remember NOT resetting it...). So maybe I'll try that...!

 

I checked the signal strength indicator, though. It was low when I looked at it, but then that was inside a garage so I figured the signal would be weak regardless.

 

Thanks, I'm gonna go try that (now!)!