PDC (Park Distance Control) Worth it on a Z?

[NFexec]

With the long hood, it might not be such a bad choice to avoid scraping the bejeebers out of the front dam or bumper, and since it comes with front AND rear - I suppose the rear warning isn't so bad either. I have it on my e91 (rear only - sportswagon) and appreciate what it does in that car.

So - do any of you have it on your Z4 - and are you glad you have it?

Doug

[jparnes1]

I don't think it's a bad idea, I just hate the look of those bumper nipples. I've never had a problem scraping, but you do have to be careful - it's a really long hood.

[ManiacGT]

As I got mine slightly used it had lots of extras but no pdc. IMHO it's a nanny device as I've never had an issue parking the car.

[CeEl]

On another car, mine alerted me to a child running behind my car while backing out of a parking spot.

Strongly recommend it, even if you don't need it for parking the car.

[ZheHbKa]

if u r in the city then it is.

i find it helpful, save some scratches and fit into tighter spaces easier

[Z4Andy]

I don't have it as I thought i'd never need it, however I have had a couple of close calls.

I'd go for it, just for the extra peace of mind.

[mstevens]

I ordered it on mine after not having it on my old one when my wife had PDC on her X3 and I came to like it.

It's really easy to hit the front air dam on curbs and parking blocks. It's also surprising how lousy visibility is out the rear, although the rear is so short this is often not a problem.

Now that my wife has a superb parking camera on her X3 I wish I could get that on the Z4.

[35iDriver]

We have it, need it and like it on our Crossover (EX35)
We don't have it and don't miss it on the Roadster (Z4)

[teezee]

I have rear only PDC on my E46, and appreciate it every day as I normally reverse into my garage. I like not having to guess each time where to stop.

Ordered PDC on the Z4 and was pleasantly surprised that it was front and rear. To me it's a convenience that will most probably pay off at least once during the life of the car and prevent a scrape, ding or worse.

[ChuckB]

I have it front and rear and would miss it a lot if it was not present. Takes all the guess work out of getting into tight places, and being stationed in Europe, has saved a lot of paint getting around the popular underground, and unbelievably tight, garages.

[Baremeg55]

Originally Posted by NFexec

With the long hood, it might not be such a bad choice to avoid scraping the bejeebers out of the front dam or bumper, and since it comes with front AND rear - I suppose the rear warning isn't so bad either. I have it on my e91 (rear only - sportswagon) and appreciate what it does in that car.

So - do any of you have it on your Z4 - and are you glad you have it?

Doug

I thought that was what the wife was for - PDC!!!

[brianh968]

Seems like a good idea in principal... my Z4 has it, however I find myself ignoring it most of the time. When I back out of the garage in the morning F & R sensors are beeping away and since I know the situation I find myself "tuning it out". So even in places where it's useful I'm still mentally blocking it. Does that make sense?

[NFexec]

Originally Posted by Baremeg55

I thought that was what the wife was for - PDC!!!

What???

[Baremeg55]

Originally Posted by NFexec

What???

When the wife and I go places in the Z4, she is always offering to get out to let me know how far I can pull up to the "car stop" so I won't damage the bumper/dam. So, in effect, she is my PDC (parking distance control), although I don't require her assistance in parking, I'm a good judge of distances. She also offers to PDA with me, which I do allow!!!

[Blu Yea]

My car came with it. You'll be surprised how much you rely on it.
Mine are on the front and back and they even go off when i'm to close to the parking lot concrete blocks. I'm for it.

[tranquility]

It really depends on what type of person you are: do you care if it looks 'different' w/ those rounds thingys affecting an otherwise smooth bumper? Or do you always park very close to things and need peace of mind?

I had rear sensors for my old car and it was good, but what I found was that I became almost totally dependent on it, to the point that if there was some technical glitch (it failed to sound-off one time), I may have hit a wall if I didn't look again out the mirrors.

I don't have it for the Z4 and am fine w/ it because I learned the spacings and also, I back up whenever I park; I'm also used to the long front. I find using the front/rear lights' reflecting on the object helps w/ distance estimation.

[Mayhem]

I have it, but I am a little disappointed that it doesn't seem to work where I really need it which is on the underside and those nasty high parking curb markers. I have to be extra careful not to scrape the bottom of my car when I am parking in a parking spot that has a raised curb marker because the PDC doesn't help. Oh how I wish it did.

[HerrK]

I don't have PDC on mine and have never experienced one of BMW's systems. The European parking garages are indeed an enlightening experience, talk about squeezing the butt cheeks. I did however have a Ford Edge rental a few weeks ago that was equipped with a backup camera - now that I found extremely useful. A camera system F&R that could be switched on the I drive - now that would be preferred to an audible system in my view.

[ChuckB]

Originally Posted by Mayhem

I have it, but I am a little disappointed that it doesn't seem to work where I really need it which is on the underside and those nasty high parking curb markers. I have to be extra careful not to scrape the bottom of my car when I am parking in a parking spot that has a raised curb marker because the PDC doesn't help. Oh how I wish it did.

Most of the parking spaces at work catch the front spoiler by about 1 inch, I find turning on the PDC when I pull in does show it getting closer, and when I get 6 inches away it disappears from the PDC. I do have the NAV setup and the "sonar" display.

[wallhugger]

Is the PDC a factory or dealer installed item. I know that when I was looking at some Z's, a few of the descriptions said "pre-wired" for this package or that. I was told the original upcharge was around $400.00. I've got it on both my other vehicles, and it has been handy more than once.

Wall

[Frank Costanza]

Originally Posted by ChuckB

I have it front and rear and would miss it a lot if it was not present. Takes all the guess work out of getting into tight places, and being stationed in Europe, has saved a lot of paint getting around the popular underground, and unbelievably tight, garages.

+1 Personally I couldn't live without it now that I've gotten used to it. It definitely takes all the guess work out of parking and the sensors themselves have been tastefully integrated as to not stand out like warts.

Originally Posted by Mayhem

I have it, but I am a little disappointed that it doesn't seem to work where I really need it which is on the underside and those nasty high parking curb markers. I have to be extra careful not to scrape the bottom of my car when I am parking in a parking spot that has a raised curb marker because the PDC doesn't help. Oh how I wish it did.

Originally Posted by ChuckB

Most of the parking spaces at work catch the front spoiler by about 1 inch, I find turning on the PDC when I pull in does show it getting closer, and when I get 6 inches away it disappears from the PDC. I do have the NAV setup and the "sonar" display.

Ya. For me PDC actually picks up on those 'high curbs' that are high enough to hit the lower clip of the bumper. Its not perfect but for me it works well enough that I can get close without curbing it.

[STOOF]

I got my Z with it, but then i added a backup cam, so its kind of annoying that it comes on and beeps when i can actually see where im backing up.

Then i hate that when you take it out of reverse it stays on and keeps beeping.