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171 Posts
I just bought the navigation chip off e bay
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234 Posts
These chips are VIN specific and are programmed to work for one car and only that car from the supplier (Garmin or Tomtom or w/e we use now). It may or may not work depending on if that is a legitimate card and was never used before (the ebay uncertainty). When it comes to buying these things on ebay its very iffy especially if there is a significant price difference. So bare in mind that if its not a legitimate copy that it may not even work and/or you may not be allowed to update it via the manufacture of the NAV card website. The price is also set by the manufacturer of the cards and are good for 3-4 years. Let us know how this works out and hope for the best. I sure hope you have a way to get a refund if it fails. Also chip, card, same thing. There is a chip in that card so its interchangeable.
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I thought the cards were actually not vehicle specific from the factory and that the computer in the car imprints the VIN on the card in some fashion after a certain number of miles driven and it's only after that point that the card cannot be moved to another vehicle. This is the first I've heard of them being coded for a specific vehicle from the factory or by the dealer prior to installation.
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171 Posts
From what I read you are right.I would think it would be too much of a hassle to keep track of chips which only can be used with a certain vin number.
I believe you drive it 50 to 100 miles or something like that to have it assigned to your vin number.
I believe that is what Snoogie is saying - the manufacture codes them to work with only one vehicle after installation, not preassigned by VIN - so if its been used already, it shouldn't work in another vehicle because its been written to a VIN at that point.
Have you installed it yet? results?
Have you installed it yet? results?
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171 Posts
No,I haven't received it yet since it was only ordered yesterday.I have done a little research on the web and people have stated there is not a problem with the card..They just installed it and it worked..
Some have made backups that will only work with there cars which might be the smart thing to do.
Yea I think Snoogie was saying the same thing.
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238 Posts
Hope it works for you OK. My question is even if it does work, will you be able to update it via Mazda? Ours is free updates for 3 years from date of purchase which I thought was a nice touch. Most manufactures give only one year.
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171 Posts
The seller said it comes with three years of free updates from Mazda and it is supposed to be a OEM card the latest one.
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238 Posts
EXCELLENT! Keep us posted.
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238 Posts
For those interested, I really like the NAV in our CX-3. The big screen is easily visible and the system is VERY easy to use. I know a lot of my (younger) friends say "why bother? I will just use my smartphone with Google Maps"? I am an old fossil and don't have or need a smartphone! I have a tablet, laptop and 2 desktops so I have a titanium flip phone that works fine. My sons use Google Maps and while I think it is free it is hard for me to see the little screen and GM has taken us some VERY strange places... For me a REAL GPS is the ticket. So yes I love the Mazda unit so far!!!
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893 Posts
The lack of live traffic kills the GPS for me. Google Maps in that regard is way better. That's why I'm really hoping Mazda incorporates Android Auto soon.
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Wouldn't that take a complete overhaul of the hardware and software or just a software update?
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I believe Apple Carplay requires some specific Apple hardware (go figure, it's Apple), but Android Auto I don't think requires any special hardware. I've seen youtube videos of people putting actual Android on Mazda's infotainment system. But it looks like Mazda doesn't just want to add Android Auto and instead wait to upgrade their hardware and do both Carplay and Android Auto at the same time. I think they could give us Android Auto at least with a software upgrade, but I doubt they'll do that. I'm very surprised they didn't add them to the new CX-9 though.
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122 Posts
You can subscribe to live traffic in the UK but it's bloody expensive.
I didn't bother as I've got live traffic on my Sygic app on the phone.
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893 Posts
We don't even have the option in North America anymore! Mazda discontinued their connected services here for some reason.
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327 Posts
Seriously? Our car isn't even a year old and they're already discontinuing support on features? Lame.
If that's the case, then they should just take the feature off our infotainment software. I've looked at it a few times, but I assumed it just wasn't working because I didn't have the GPS software add-on. If it still doesn't work even with the software, then it's pointless to even have in there.
More reason for Mazda to get Apple and Android Auto support done...
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893 Posts
Yep they actually discontinued that service in 2015 I believe, before the CX-3 even came out. They just disabled it in the infotainment system rather than remove it altogether, I'm guessing maybe they think they'll re-enable it again at some point in the future. And as far as Carplay and Android Auto, I'm not sure what the holdup is on Mazda's part. Most of their competitors have started offering them.
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171 Posts
I just received it and it does work I am in the process of updating it and will learn how to use it with a few test runs.I did do a short run around the block and it was showing all the streets correctly.
Whew,I was worried about blowing two hundred bucks.I did try to update it before I installed it in the car and it would not recognize the sd card in the Mazda program.
Once I had it in the car and took it out the program recognized it.
Whew,I was worried about blowing two hundred bucks.I did try to update it before I installed it in the car and it would not recognize the sd card in the Mazda program.
Once I had it in the car and took it out the program recognized it.
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38 Posts
CarPlay actually should not require any new hardware for this car as it already interfaces with the iDevices (things like tagging that only work on an iDevice). There is an Apple verification chip that is required for those features, and since we can already do it we should be ready for CarPlay with only a software update. AA on the other hand only needs a software update and the app on a phone. Hopefully Mazda can provide this by the end of the year or they will have fallen very far behind their competition.
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