iDrive?

Who has iDrive in their BMW? I have been looking at the very recent articles
on the new 3 Series in various British motoring magazines, and they almost
all look negatively on it. Why is this, is it just because it is 'fiddly' to
use, or what?

All thoughts appreciated.
tim

"tim" > wrote in message
...
> Who has iDrive in their BMW? I have been looking at the very recent
> articles on the new 3 Series in various British motoring magazines, and
> they almost all look negatively on it. Why is this, is it just because it
> is 'fiddly' to use, or what?
>
I suggest you go down to your nearest BMW dealership and test drive a 5 or 7
series. Both of those cars come with idrive and you should be able to decide
whether its complex or not. The idrive in the 5 series is supposedly alot
more "user-friendly" than the 7 series' version. Try it out and see. Some
find it easy to use, most don't.

Btw, for the 3 series, idrive is suppose to be an "option", especially if
you want NAV. Personally, I find BMW's NAV to be inferior to the Japanese
mfrs and wouldn't get it. But that's a personal choice....

bfd wrote:

> "tim" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Who has iDrive in their BMW? I have been looking at the very recent
>> articles on the new 3 Series in various British motoring magazines,
>> and they almost all look negatively on it. Why is this, is it just
>> because it is 'fiddly' to use, or what?
>>
> I suggest you go down to your nearest BMW dealership and test drive a
> 5 or 7 series. Both of those cars come with idrive and you should be
> able to decide whether its complex or not. The idrive in the 5 series
> is supposedly alot more "user-friendly" than the 7 series' version.
> Try it out and see. Some find it easy to use, most don't.
>
> Btw, for the 3 series, idrive is suppose to be an "option",
> especially if you want NAV. Personally, I find BMW's NAV to be
> inferior to the Japanese mfrs and wouldn't get it. But that's a
> personal choice....

IMO the best is the one in the Mini! It has fewer features, but the problem
with these things is often too many features. Strip it down just enough, and
the user interface can be so much more elegant. This one's a winner. The
regular iDrive is as mediocre as a typical aftermarket stereo -- not horrible,
but not particularly good, either.

Matt O.

"tim" > wrote in message
...
> Who has iDrive in their BMW? I have been looking at the very recent
> articles on the new 3 Series in various British motoring magazines, and
> they almost all look negatively on it. Why is this, is it just because it
> is 'fiddly' to use, or what?

I have i-drive in my 545. You are right, most of the magazines don't like
it.

That said, I can see why some would not like it. It is not the most
efficient setup because at times it makes you run thru a number of menus to
get to where you want to be. Myself, I find that a lot less distracting
than having to look down, and find, and then push any number of times the
multitude of buttons and rocker switches my previous E39's had. In fact i
find the screen for I-drive...which is high on the dash...better located for
the driver than having to look down to find buttons. With i-drive you still
have the same steering wheel controls you had before and with I-drive you
hand naturally falls on the console control knob and you don't have to lean
over to reach buttons, knobs or dials on the dash.

One of two compaints I ever had about my e39's was "what idiot decided 40
some buttons was the way to control the radio, HVAC and vehicle functions".
The only complaint I have about my E60 is "what idiot decided you have to
visit 3 menus before changing the radio station". I actually don't see the
difference between the two complaints.

Bottom line: I just don't think BMW does ergonomics particularly well if it
has nothing to do with driving. They never really have. Both the current
I-drive and the button orgy of previous cars (The non-I-drive 3 series will
have the button orgy) are substandard. That's just a fact....why nobody
ever complained before is simply a matter that they got used to pushing a
button 8 times to get the fan speed increased etc.

Here's what I recommend: if you have any intention of getting Sat
radio...then get I-drive. It is the best Sat radio interface I have ever
seen. If you have no intention of getting Sat radio then the basic dash is
equally functional...though no easier to use (by the way is I-drive a "pay
for option" on the new 3?).

Really, in terms of functionality one is not better than the other.

Of course if you want NAV then you have to get i-drive.

The other thing I recommend is taking a good hard look at Active Steering
(if that is going to be an option on the new 3). I don't like it and so
bought a 545 without it. Don't let a salesperson talk you into it. Get out
on the road, toss the car around, and see what you think. To me, it is the
thing **everyone** should be bitching about, rather than I-drive and
exterior design. It's not a good option and it is way too bad that you get
it on a E60 Sport model by default. It is the most "un-BMW" thing they
offer. It's no surprise to me they didn't include it in the new M5.

The new 5 series is a better car than the E39 and I have little doubt the
new 3 will surpass the e46 as well. BMW has to make them drive right if they
are going to make substantial changes in the design and ergonomics.

Thanks for the post.

>(by the way is I-drive a "pay for option" on the new 3?).

Not sure as yet as few details are available, but for sure it'll be an
'extra' on some models if not all.

> Of course if you want NAV then you have to get i-drive.

Sure don't 'need' it, but I like gadgets so if it isn't stupidly priced as
an option then I'll certainly consider it )

> The other thing I recommend is taking a good hard look at Active Steering
> (if that is going to be an option on the new 3).

It will be yes. Again I think the magazines are not keen on it, but it
wouldn't be something I would waste money on anyway (not if I'm gonna waste
money on i-drive!!)

Well I have to wait until the E90 coupe is released which doesn't look like
it will be before early/mid 2006 in the UK. Time to save up, although I'm
not convinced of the 'look' of the car, so that may stop me from buying one
(but probably not!!)
cheers
tim

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 11:20:15 -0800, "bfd" > wrote:

>
>"tim" > wrote in message
...
>> Who has iDrive in their BMW? I have been looking at the very recent
>> articles on the new 3 Series in various British motoring magazines, and
>> they almost all look negatively on it. Why is this, is it just because it
>> is 'fiddly' to use, or what?
>>
>I suggest you go down to your nearest BMW dealership and test drive a 5 or 7
>series. Both of those cars come with idrive and you should be able to decide
>whether its complex or not. The idrive in the 5 series is supposedly alot
>more "user-friendly" than the 7 series' version. Try it out and see. Some
>find it easy to use, most don't.
>
>Btw, for the 3 series, idrive is suppose to be an "option", especially if
>you want NAV. Personally, I find BMW's NAV to be inferior to the Japanese
>mfrs and wouldn't get it. But that's a personal choice....
>

I tried the 7 series I-Drive demo. It was a wonderful example of
technology being used to sex up the car... unfortunately it was
difficult to use without training. After 15 minutes I realized it
made what I wanted to do more difficult without sufficient
compensation.

If it had supplied a simulation of analog systems as one of it's
skins, I would have put up with it. But it didn't have such options.

I thought it a vintage 1990 user interface... ie as crude as Windows
3.1

Heard on the net: My I-Drive crashed and so did I.

BTW... notice that Lexus with it's Bluetooth interface is now subject
to worms? Drive within 15 feet of an infected Lexus and your Lexus
becomes infected! Adds a new dimension to 'where do you want to go
today' ... where ever the hacker wants you to go! '-)

Fortunately the I-Drive only simulates console systems and hopefully
isn't linked to engine or braking control systems... But non-computer
people are so naive they might start doing that.

Germans and Japanese may be wonderful mechanical engineers but they
generally have crap for native computing systems. (I'll have 3
Nexdorfs and a Seimens to go. '-)

And if they use US systems, they tend to use Windoze, oh fools that
they are.

"tim" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the post.
>
>>(by the way is I-drive a "pay for option" on the new 3?).
>
> Not sure as yet as few details are available, but for sure it'll be an
> 'extra' on some models if not all.
>
>> Of course if you want NAV then you have to get i-drive.
>
> Sure don't 'need' it, but I like gadgets so if it isn't stupidly priced as
> an option then I'll certainly consider it )
>
>> The other thing I recommend is taking a good hard look at Active Steering
>> (if that is going to be an option on the new 3).
>
> It will be yes. Again I think the magazines are not keen on it, but it
> wouldn't be something I would waste money on anyway (not if I'm gonna
> waste money on i-drive!!)

Be careful how much stock you put into magazine comments about current and
future BMW's. I have not seen a run a stupidly put opinions and
ridiculously inaccurate comments about content and functionality, as I have
with recent BMWs. I dislike AS as well, but for reasons that differ from
most magazines. On the other hand I know people who really like it and
wouldn't do without it. I only meant to tell you to "really *test drive* it"
before deciding.

> Well I have to wait until the E90 coupe is released which doesn't look
> like it will be before early/mid 2006 in the UK. Time to save up, although
> I'm not convinced of the 'look' of the car, so that may stop me from
> buying one (but probably not!!)
> cheers
> tim

I've only seen the pictures but I have never thought the 3 series was a
particularly good looking car anyway. I've always been partial to BMW's
bigger car designs and less thrilled with their smaller cars. My e21 was
still the best looking small BMW I ever owned.

But their new cars drive much better than their predecessors and I don't
think that trend will change with the E90.

haute in die Tasten:

> Germans and Japanese may be wonderful mechanical engineers but they
> generally have crap for native computing systems. (I'll have 3
> Nexdorfs and a Seimens to go. '-)
>

You run Siemens-Nixdorf computers? Keep an eye on them, because soon
museums will ask you to donate them...)

As for iDrive: In the new E90 iDrive will be an option, linked together
wirt the navi system and a different dashboard which contains a big LCD
screen. So the decision is simple: No Navi system - no iDrive.

I personally would buy my car with Navi and with iDrive. I do not mind the
critics of the journalists. They always criticise when they come across a
solution you have to get used to before you can use it flawlessly. If I
were a test driver, testing three cars a week, then I would also prefer
cars which do not require learning. As an E90 owner, I would have plenty of
time to get in touch with the car.

Frank

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Citroen - Made in Trance

"tim" > haute in die Tasten:

> Not sure as yet as few details are available, but for sure it'll
> be an 'extra' on some models if not all.
>

iDrive is an option, which comes together with the Navi system and the
additional LCD screen in the dashboard.

Frank

--
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Citroen - Made in Trance

Bradburn Fentress wrote:

> Bottom line: I just don't think BMW does ergonomics particularly well
> if it has nothing to do with driving. They never really have. Both
> the current I-drive and the button orgy of previous cars (The
> non-I-drive 3 series will have the button orgy) are substandard.
> That's just a fact....why nobody ever complained before is simply a
> matter that they got used to pushing a button 8 times to get the fan
> speed increased etc.

I agree, but I don't agree that they were never good at this. BMW controls were
exemplary through the mid-80s. I especially liked the old three levers and a
knob HVAC controls. Nothing has ever been simpler or easier to use. It could
have been straight out of Donald Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things."

But BMW dropped the ball when everything became electronic. This is a common
problem, though. It's hard to make a good user interface out of little buttons,
and hard to make a cheap one out of anything else.

Matt O.