Is iDrive worth it?

[nicknaz]

not being lost on the map when satellite signal is lost

Agreed, that is a really important feature.

I haven't gotten iDrive in any of my last 3 cars including the Z4 but will probably get it next time around because of this.

Aftermarket GPS (iphone with apps) has lost signal in London and on back roads in the mountains back home in SoCal.

Sucks when the GPS cuts out right when you need it the most.

[CeEl]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Good thing you didn't get it then

Doesn't mean others don't see the value in it.

I mean.. we all own the 10th worst selling vehicle in the US so we are good at seeing value in a place many others don't

[CeEl]

Originally Posted by tranquility

So idrive has the harddrive and visual PDC, all of the other features can be done w/o it. I guess if one relies upon PDC, then the visual is a good feature (but there's no backup cam, just graphics?); harddrive is if you must have your whole music library w/ you, but any decent ipod should already store a lot already.

Again, I realize that idrive is not just a nav, my sole pt is that the nav is very lacking and sub-std for the price yet way more costly to any half-decent aftermkt GPS, so that would negate my decision to get it because that is the main feature in the integrated sys of idrive.

Sure, if you don't use the radio much, don't use the PDC, don't want to plug in your iPhone & use your car's user interface, don't want to use the car's interface to see the phonebook & messages, etc. etc. iDrive is probably something you can easily live without. Just trying to answer your original question, not trying to sell you one!

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by CeEl

Sure, if you don't use the radio much, don't use the PDC, don't want to plug in your iPhone & use your car's user interface, don't want to use the car's interface to see the phonebook & messages, etc. etc. iDrive is probably something you can easily live without. Just trying to answer your original question, not trying to sell you one!

I use the radio a lot, don't have PDC and don't have an iPhone.

[rori zahr]

iDrive has become a standard equipment on all new BMW vehicles, which is a nice move since with today's and tomorrow's gadgets we will really need it in our cars.
I don't have it in my 1 series but have it in the family's 5 series. Now I missed it when driving my 1 :-)

[vasmir]

Best thing about the Z4 iDrive system is it closes and goes away for the 90% I don't need it.

I read a lot of bad reviews on the iDrive before I pulled the trigger... but it's a well designed system - At least the newest iteration.

[SchweiZ4]

It is funny how some people don't want to let it go ..

There is no right or wrong answer .. the most adapted one is:
Does the iDrive fit your needs and your use of the car?

Before answering you have to try both on a driving test.
Only the final user can decide.

But to continue trolling ... Once you have test it, you cannot live without

[Rafale]

Originally Posted by SchweiZ4

It is funny how some people don't want to let it go ..

There is no right or wrong answer .. the most adapted one is:
Does the iDrive fit your needs and your use of the car?

Before answering you have to try both on a driving test.
Only the final user can decide.

But to continue trolling ... Once you have test it, you cannot live without

Amen,
Let me troll a little more...


Don't hate the thing because you didn't get it.
I actually tried to sit myself in such a way that the nav screen obstruct my view yesterday out of curiosity... I have to set my eye level below the steering wheel at which point I don't see much of the road anymore anyway... So I get a larger screen which does not obstruct my view. On the Z4 I cannot see how I can possibly put an aftermarket unit of any size on the windshield and achieve that feat. This is actually another advantage of the unit and of the well designed interior of our e89.
Really the only con of the idrive is its price and the price of the map updates. For everything else that people complain about it being lesser than an aftermarket unit, I say go try it before you diss it. My assessment is that it is actually a superior unit in numerous ways that any aftermarket unit can never match.

For those who cannot find small roads or any road for that matter, update your maps. (there are cheaper ways than going to the dealer) The map database is from Tomtom. (used to be navtech) There should be no difference with a Tomtom unit.

[fl_cyclist]

I've gone back and forth I had navigation in my 335, had a garmin in my X3 and now back with navigation in my Z. Frankly I don't think there is any issue with the maps or navigation directly but the interface in the BMW is generally not as easy to use, especially when it comes to POIs as the Garmin. With that being said since 2008 the system has improved and now that it supports direct download from google maps the POI issue does not bother me at all. I just google what I need to find and send it to the car, works great

[CeEl]

Originally Posted by tranquility

I use the radio a lot, don't have PDC and don't have an iPhone.

Well, funny you say that, because it works well with my Blackberry Bold. It displays my email; only a couple of lines while the car is moving, but it can read them out to me. Works pretty well, actually!

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by CeEl

Well, funny you say that, because it works well with my Blackberry Bold. It displays my email; only a couple of lines while the car is moving, but it can read them out to me. Works pretty well, actually!

Non iDrive ?

that's a great feature. what phones / apps can it do this with

[3 series england]

From my own experience I would never get another BMW with an i drive, and after the poor customer service (my car is still under manufacturers warranty) never get another BMW. I have had various BMW's for the past 16 years!! and have always been pleased with the drive, however for me it is the measure of the company when they are presented with a problem how they deal with it and then go onto fix it and the customer service one receives as "the paying customer"
I have a 3 series 2 years old and since i have owned it (8 months ago) I have had nothing but problems with it. It has been into two different dealers for i drive issues and repair, nearly 10 times in total. On the first occasion I was told there is nothing wrong with it, I persisted, after several more attempts a software/firmware update was done on the vehicle, this changed nothing. Eventually a new hard drive unit was put in, again this has changed nothing.
Most recently I was accused of lying about the faults or making up the errors as the dealer could not replicate them. It was only when one of the intermittent faults happened I was only 15 mins from the dealer and took it in so they could see it for themselves.
Errors or faults that keep happening are listed below;
- points of interest that are not asked to be shown randomly turn up on the map, when you check to see if they are requested to be shown they are not and are displayed on both maps on the split screen.
- when you start the car for some reason the car decides to mute itself
-restarting the car and you request to resume guidance to a pre set location it will ignore the command
-when you request the car to show a picture of the destination (that it has previously shown) it will not.
- The facility to call BMW to get nav directions sent to the car sometimes does not work.
on the split screen for the map the left hand map is replaced by something else, either a arrow symbol or computer information.
- the left hand split screen map did not show the yardage symbol so you could not zoom in or out on the map.

Has anybody else experienced these intermittent faults errors on the i drive and I would be very interested to know what the outcome was, thank you for taking the time to read this..

[ManiacGT]

No issues like this. I know it sounds daft but it could be user error and your unfamiliarity with the idrive settings and use?

[3 series england]

thank you for your reply, that is what i thought at the start!! I can assure you I know that i drive inside bloody out. when going the trough it at the dealer I had to show one of the techs how to get to a certain menu as he was not familiar with it!!

[Yeggman]

Originally Posted by stickshifter69

I say no. iDrive is just a distraction! Roadsters are meant to be driven, not for playing with a rotational mouse.

To each his own, but the sounds of the Z running through the gears is music to my ears.

[3 series england]

I agree, enjoy the ride

[Crazykoh]

Originally Posted by 3 series england

thank you for your reply, that is what i thought at the start!! I can assure you I know that i drive inside bloody out. when going the trough it at the dealer I had to show one of the techs how to get to a certain menu as he was not familiar with it!!

"Going the trough?" Is that a typo or a Brit colloquialism?

[3 series england]

i spell checked it and it was ok (English US) oh no English US does not exist :-)

[Rafale]

Originally Posted by 3 series england

From my own experience I would never get another BMW with an i drive, and after the poor customer service (my car is still under manufacturers warranty) never get another BMW. I have had various BMW's for the past 16 years!! and have always been pleased with the drive, however for me it is the measure of the company when they are presented with a problem how they deal with it and then go onto fix it and the customer service one receives as "the paying customer"
I have a 3 series 2 years old and since i have owned it (8 months ago) I have had nothing but problems with it. It has been into two different dealers for i drive issues and repair, nearly 10 times in total. On the first occasion I was told there is nothing wrong with it, I persisted, after several more attempts a software/firmware update was done on the vehicle, this changed nothing. Eventually a new hard drive unit was put in, again this has changed nothing.
Most recently I was accused of lying about the faults or making up the errors as the dealer could not replicate them. It was only when one of the intermittent faults happened I was only 15 mins from the dealer and took it in so they could see it for themselves.
Errors or faults that keep happening are listed below;
- points of interest that are not asked to be shown randomly turn up on the map, when you check to see if they are requested to be shown they are not and are displayed on both maps on the split screen.
- when you start the car for some reason the car decides to mute itself
-restarting the car and you request to resume guidance to a pre set location it will ignore the command
-when you request the car to show a picture of the destination (that it has previously shown) it will not.
- The facility to call BMW to get nav directions sent to the car sometimes does not work.
on the split screen for the map the left hand map is replaced by something else, either a arrow symbol or computer information.
- the left hand split screen map did not show the yardage symbol so you could not zoom in or out on the map.

Has anybody else experienced these intermittent faults errors on the i drive and I would be very interested to know what the outcome was, thank you for taking the time to read this..

Wow, never heard of so many problems with it. You must have gotten a lemon unit...

[tranquility]

Even though I don't think that the Z4's nav is worth it, not sure how a 3-series idrive prbs apply here: are they the same/similar units?

[Teddieman]

I would never go without Idrive now as its so handy for my Phone PDC Music Car diags
I can Shutit off whenever I want to
Upgradeing Maps has changed now I have a USB slot in the glovebox for easy upgrades
The only thinkg I Hate is the woman telling me where to go all the time
I thought I excaped that when I bought the car

[HpDellNestle]

I find there is a good correlation between how strongly someone try to prove their point and how valid the counterpoint usually turns out. Look at E85 forum whey anyone mention E89. Cheer!