[fdriller9]

I mean I think the iDrive is easy to use and I love it...it is a bit slow at times but all the features are worth it. My dad however can barely use the cd player. He still doesn't know how to work his navigation in his 745i. It's an '04. He's completely technology illiterate...he calls me all the time asking me what to do.

[Oulixes]

In the Toyota Trouble time it is on par for the news business to google all previously published problems anyone perceived on any car, and make sure that everybody knows. Happily, the iDrive, convenient or not, even when stuck, will not accelerate the car, nor will it obstruct the brake pedal (one would hope).

[AlanL]

I love the iDrive and think it is a great interface. No problems adapting to it at all and had most of it figured out before I left the dealership. My sales rep stumbled in trying to figure out how to get my phone interfaced but had to leave me with the car for about 10 minutes - by the time he got back I had that done and was figuring out my preferences for the NAV system.

For the record I am almost 60 but have been doing systems and network administration for over 32 years now.

[Mk23]

Are they talking about the 09 version?

I have seen Car and Driver report something along the lines of "While we haven't tested the new iDrive version we suspect it will be just as difficult and confusing as the previous version...". They hadn't even tested it yet and we're already bashing it! I was so disgusted!

[axztx]

People over 60 shouldn't drive a BMW. Stick with towncars.

[mbhforum]

This thread is an interesting one. My 64 year old uncle owns a pre 09 5 series and he's had nothing but complaints about the Idrive. He is not technical at all, and only in the last 5 years has he learned to use e-mail and a cell phone. This was a decision BMW decided to go in to adapt to today's generation. Anyone who knows how to use cell phones and pc's easily will easily be able to use any version of Idrive (intuitive or not). BMW probably knew the older generation would have some difficulties and they might lose some customers in that area, but they probably didn't think it was worth it to support multiple configurations. Society has moved forward to a technical generation and you either adapt or you don't. BMW has, some people have not. These people who don't adapt have no excuse (unless they are blind and then they shouldn't be driving anyway). I have friend's grandmother's using computers. I have a financial advisor who refuses to use e-mail saying "call me if you need anything". Well, I will be leaving his firm because they haven't adapted to my lifestyle which is technical. He hasn't adapted, This is a bigger debate than auto-mechanics! Car and Driver and NBC should at least put more of a disclaimer when bashing the Idrive stating so.

[dcorn]

I saw that same news report. I couldn't believe it, was the news really comparing electronic malfunctions in the accelerator and brake of the Toyotas causing multiple wrecks and out of control cars, to the navigation system of a BMW, which mades it a tad more difficult to find a damn radio station? God I hate the media.

[E90SLAM]

Its not the most user friendly system in the market, the newer ones in 2009-2010 should be better.

But don't forget, iDrive has been in the market for about a decade since the 7-seires, which most owners are generally middle aged or older. Who you cannot expect to put him with the iDrive and he can operate immediately.

Thus, "iDrive is difficult to use" statement is been around for years. Its better now since the E90 and more young owners has been using without too much screaming and yelling.

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by JulieDriving

Never tried the previous gen, but the current generation is sooo easy to use, I can't believe it.

Even the previous gen takes only about 30 minutes to get completely comfortable with and find your way around....if you're not a total moron.

[leocdmg]

Quite honestly I am not too fond of the iDrive system. I rented a 2009 bmw 318d before with it and it just seemed like too much just to change a radio station I had to press switch rotate ahhh just too much. That is why i got just good ol regular radio on my e90. No I am not an old timer who watches a microwave like a tv show. Im 23 and very familiar with technology. Its just not my cup of tea.

[gary88]

I like iDrive for what it is. Of course anyone who has used it for under a day will be annoyed with how it works. Even the old iDrive I have isn't terribly complicated once you get familiar with it. Though I did get to use the new system a few days ago was really impressed by how much nicer and easier it is to use.

[Couch]

I've used idrive very sparingly, but I find it so difficult to understand how it's been called difficult to use?

[Pedal2Floor]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

Wow NBC nightly News just did a report on Toyota/Lexus and just drug BMW's name in by saying "BMW's iDrive is too difficult to use" and "some users cannot even turn on the radio". Have these "users" ever even used a computer? It's one of the easiest systems to use and navigate, they must be getting their info from the 70+ year old test drivers from Car and Driver magazine.

Yeah, well don't believe everything you see on the news

Case in point (Per last night's farse on ABC News):

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/24/a...-john-mcelroy/

[paulcheung]

i think its easier to use than those tomtom or nuvi gps systems.

[ragingclue]

Like was said previously, if you drop tens of thousands on a car, and then bitch because you can't work iDrive because you're too lazy to read and spend 10-20 minutes fiddling around with it, then you should probably work on not being so stupid/lazy. Odds are you're going to have the car for a couple of years, so why not spend that 10-20 minutes familiarizing yourself with what is a pretty important system in your car?

With all these recent iDrive complaints, BMW should release a "Dumb People Package" (and actually call it that) where there is no iDrive or anything else that could confuse us lazy Americans as we put on our makeup and text our besties while we should be driving.

These editors from these magazines jump from one car to the other in short term reviews and probably don't even bother trying to adequately familiarize themselves with the equipment. I understand that. But don't bitch about how you can't figure it out then.... Flippin idiots....

[Kensta335]

A lot of people prefer touch screen than the idrive knob. Simple as that.

[SmoothStyle1]

People that have problems or can't figure it out the iDrive need to have a word with themselves. If you can use a computer mouse, then you can use the iDrive.

Select then click.... it's actually just that simple.

When I bought my car in December I had never used the iDrive before. By the time I drove home from the dealer (400 mile, 8 hour drive), I was 100% proficient and comfortable with the iDrive.

I think it's a mental road block that some people have put up.

[Castel]

I like the iDrive and I'm really happy I got it. What sucks is that I didn't get the latest 09+ generation but well... I don't like that the navigation is a little slow to startup and to look for things (probably much better in the newer one with the hard drive instead of DVD) and I really really hate to look for information, places in the navigation.

Seriously, the search feature in the Navigation is a POS. You gotta spell perfectly, takes forever to input where you want to start your search and then it says "no results" start over... Also you have to look into the exact field, park/restaurant/retail shops or it won't find it. I wish it was like the iphone, you just type the name and it finds it or gives you possible matches.

Another thing that would be nice is if it would just scroll through lists faster. This is corrected in the new iDrive versions but to play Song #40 from my ipod I have to roll and roll and roll waiting for it to catch up until I can click on it. THIS should be able to be fixed with a software upgrade!

[faz]

I totally dislike iDrive. (and I work in technology field and know more about computers and hitech stuff than most 'average' people.) The worst $2500 that one can spend on a option, from my point of view.

Yes, you can navigate through it and learn to use it and get your address book, etc. set up. But it is definitely not intuitive. The knob moves left/right and rotates... you think to go to the next item to the right, you would push the knob to the right... no... you have to rotate it. This is not intuitive... this is a learning and then remembering experience. If you do this once and not use it again for a week or two, the next time you end up doing the same thing and will get frustrated. That is what a lot of people are complaining about.

Sure, you can learn the voice commands and frankly, I think, that is the only acceptable way of using this system, through the voice commands only and by programming the buttons on the steering wheel to do your most used functions for you.

In any case, I agree with another poster above, the whole thing is hard to use and takes too many steps do to simple functions (regardless of how intuitive the steps may be, which, in many cases are not.)

I will not have it in any of my future BMW's. I will gladly use an iPhone and/or $150 off the shelf navigation module instead.

[Verbiage]

Oh man will you crybabies PLEASE stop complaining about the iDrive? Wow. Just get the damn car without it if you are gonna bitch about it. Or do RESEARCH on it BEFORE you decide to get it. It actually helps, believe it or not. And if you do decide to get it, then do what most of us do and LEARN how to use it, and grow to love it. As most of us do I actually have the 07 version which was the main source of complaints before, and I picked it up quite quickly. You basically buy one of these cars, and you figure out the way the damn thing works. Period. Narrowing down all the controls/functions to one knob is actually quite genius in my opinion, and one of my favorite features, making it that much easier to use while driving.

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

they must be getting their info from the 70+ year old test drivers from Car and Driver magazine.

This. They are the main group of critics against iDrive. And they are most certainly not the best source of info, since they spend so little time in the cars to begin with. Now, a long term road test may yield some different results. None of which I have seen so far.

Originally Posted by ragingclue

Like was said previously, if you drop tens of thousands on a car, and then bitch because you can't work iDrive because you're too lazy to read and spend 10-20 minutes fiddling around with it, then you should probably work on not being so stupid/lazy. Odds are you're going to have the car for a couple of years, so why not spend that 10-20 minutes familiarizing yourself with what is a pretty important system in your car?

With all these recent iDrive complaints, BMW should release a "Dumb People Package" (and actually call it that) where there is no iDrive or anything else that could confuse us lazy Americans as we put on our makeup and text our besties while we should be driving.

These editors from these magazines jump from one car to the other in short term reviews and probably don't even bother trying to adequately familiarize themselves with the equipment. I understand that. But don't bitch about how you can't figure it out then.... Flippin idiots....

+100000000. People need to start getting serious.

[captainaudio]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

I can understand if you are a "baby boomer" or older. But really, if you have ever used a computer more than twice, this should be very intuitive. I never understand why C&D now the nightly news hates it. An I also beleive BMW should never, ever, be in the same sentence with Toyota (no thanks to Dan Rathers)

How hard is turning a wheel and pushing down on 2 buttons? I think you can train a monkey to do it

I am an IT Professional and an MCSE (MicroSoft Certified Systems Engineer a CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and am also certified in serveral flavors of Unix. I think I probably qualify as someone who has used a computer "more than twice".

I have a pre 2009 iDrive. I know how to use it, am not sorry I purchased the car with it and I would do it again, but I know enough about computers and programming to know a lousy user interface when I see one. IDrive (at least the pre 2009 version) is one of the least intuitive and most poorly designed user interfaces that I have ever seen. Trying to find a Costco, for example is ridiculously compex and you have to guess what category BMW stuck it in. Many of the functions require way to many "clicks" as you drill down through the menus. This can be very distracting to do while you are trying to drive.

That being said I use it every time I use the car and feel very deprived when I drive a car without it. But there is a LOT of room for improvement, at least in the older version, and I can see why many people find it very frustrating.

Being able to figure an interface out does not necessarily indictate that it is a good or intuitive design. I figured out Unix Shell Programing but it is not something that I would recommend doing while you are driving.


CA

[cotmfk]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

The general news is too dumb for words.

This. I hate most media out there today.

Originally Posted by DJKhan85

the system is hard and takes getting used to. This is coming from some who's entire life(work and hobbies) revolve around computers and electronics. People who say it's easy and complete intuitive are lying to themselves.

Not lying to myself... it's easy to use. My hand can rest on it while driving and I can cahnge address, radio station, whatever without taking eyes away from the road for too long. Hand-eye coordination.