[RicheyBMW]

For those of you without the idrive/navi screen in your interior, how do you feel about it? Do you think it makes your interior look less modern or too plain? I know some have said with idrive your car becomes out of date as technology progresses. Others have said idrive makes the car look more rich inside. Thoughts?

[AndyR83]

I really wish I had gotten it. I had a hard time finding the color combo I wanted in an E92, so I finally settled on one that had the colors but was an automatic with no nav. I still had to drive 7 hours each way to get it, but after a lot of searching I decided to settle.

[inline6ix]

I feel as if I don't need it. Besides that, having the BMW Professional radio gives you quite alot of functionality. It doesn't really change the look of the interior much having a screen.

With that said, sometime in the future I would love to upgrade my interior with a Dynavin system.

[NotNormal]

A friend has an E90 without idrive, the dash looks ok without the idrive binical - for me it's the centre console that looks alittle crap with just a black oddly shaped tray

[NoTempoLimitN54]

Originally Posted by RicheyBMW

Others have said idrive makes the car look more rich inside. Thoughts?

??? Seriously? Then why not two LCD screens? Why not LCD screens in the doors? How about one on the steering wheel?

I want to drive a performance car not a freakin' rolling computer. Leave that to the Prius crowd (note that Prius doesn't even have instrument an panel behind the steering wheel - because the driver doesn't matter).

I have no iDrive no Nav. Personally I think the double-hump design of the E92 with iDrive looks "mutant" like an animal with two heads.

I LOVE the way my E92 interior looks at night with only glowing red/amber illumination (like an aircraft cockpit) and no damn LCD screen glowing blue/green from it's fluorescent backlight.

My iPhone with google maps probably has better navigation that '09 iDrive. As long as you have a sunroof, your iPhone GPS will get decent signal. There are also external GPS receiver that you can couple with an iPhone.

If I have a "navigator" with me, that person could use an iPad and tether to the connection on my iPhone (or theirs).

Built-in Nav is just a big profit center for the car manufacturers. I'd rather spend $2k on something that will make my car handle better or have more power.

[thenewrick]

iDrive was confusing to me at first but now I like it. I usually just turn the screen off while I'm driving and use the steering wheel hotkeys for everything.

[Thrakos]

I am not a fan of built-in Nav; updating the maps is usually pricey. I use a Garmin and I've transferred it from my last two vehs into my BMW... it has never failed me

[cmyk]

I opted for no nav in my car -- at the time I was shopping for my car it was actually fairly difficult to find one without iDrive.

I think the interior looks more classic, sleek and un-fussy without the idrive screen, but that's just my personal preference. I have a Garmin and Google maps if I ever need navigation (which is rarely), and my other car has nav.

I have had a few service loaners that all had iDrive and I didn't hate it, but I found the interface to be a little unintuitive. Probably something that's easy to get used to once you have it for a while, but as a general rule I will almost always pick a car without a huge screen in the middle of the dash if given the choice.

[AddictedToBavarian]

I can't see myself without iDrive. As useless as the navigation is...

[DUI Elite]

honestly, i don't like the iDrive system. I might opt for Dynavin some day as well.

I've played with Audi's "version" and it seems much simpler / straightforward to use, even compared to the new version of iDrive on 2013+ models.

[delaware335xi]

Originally Posted by BeMWeh

I am not a fan of built-in Nav; updating the maps is usually pricey. I use a Garmin and I've transferred it from my last two vehs into my BMW... it has never failed me

This...only mine is a TomTom. Never liked that double-hump look to the dash as it seems like it was an afterthought to build it that way. Much cleaner without.

That said, I miss it a bit when navigating the ipod. We have the idrive interface in our X5 and it's definitely easier to scroll.

[e92oholic]

I love the iDrive nav system. Its so much more than Nav. Plus you can see what channel your on if your wearing polarized sunglasses.

[omerfar23]

i have a non idrive/navi car. I do not ever need or desire the idrive/inav but overall the car interior is plain. Overall in my opinion the car's interior is designed to be elagant and age well. Most people who get in to my 2008 car are still impressed and think its newer.

[ny325]

I don't need it. Less is more for me. I prefer a clean, looking dashboard.

[cbad335]

I've had 335's with and without nav. I prefer the simpler look of the dash without nav, but do like having the features iDrive provides. For instance, having the navigation on a big screen that I can easily see is easier for me to use than fumbling with my iPhone. I have assigned the #1 radio preset button as a shortcut to turn off the screen. I don't like having the screen on unless I need it.

[JustinGTP]

Meh, you guys are all viewing it as just nav. It is more than nav, it is a better way to play music, dvd movies, etc. Map updates are easy when you get the FSC code cheaper and do it yourself.

The e90 looks plain inside without iDrive and cheap. With iDrive it looks more expensive and gives you more. I can send directions from my computer to my car with google maps. So simple.

I also find that people who don't have it will despise it because they don't have it. Weird.

[fshubert]

I got my '07 and '09 E90's without the iDrive/Nav unit. Didn't want it. You had to see my expression when I picked up my F30 and the iDrive was sitting there on the top of the dashboard. We're forced into getting iDrive in the F30's. And for the Tech package on the F30 it's a $3k option. So either you get an iDrive with limited capabilities or you pay the $3k for a useful iDrive. Not the definition of "option" to me.......

[Red_Bean_Bun]

Without the Idrive - plain Jane.....

[tofu-]

Originally Posted by NoTempoLimitN54

??? Seriously? Then why not two LCD screens? Why not LCD screens in the doors? How about one on the steering wheel?

I want to drive a performance car not a freakin' rolling computer. Leave that to the Prius crowd (note that Prius doesn't even have instrument an panel behind the steering wheel - because the driver doesn't matter).

I have no iDrive no Nav. Personally I think the double-hump design of the E92 with iDrive looks "mutant" like an animal with two heads.

I LOVE the way my E92 interior looks at night with only glowing red/amber illumination (like an aircraft cockpit) and no damn LCD screen glowing blue/green from it's fluorescent backlight.

My iPhone with google maps probably has better navigation that '09 iDrive. As long as you have a sunroof, your iPhone GPS will get decent signal. There are also external GPS receiver that you can couple with an iPhone.

If I have a "navigator" with me, that person could use an iPad and tether to the connection on my iPhone (or theirs).

Built-in Nav is just a big profit center for the car manufacturers. I'd rather spend $2k on something that will make my car handle better or have more power.

you sound a bit angry that you didn't buy your car with i-drive

don't worry, there are always retrofit kits

[tofu-]

anyway, on a more serious note, if you don't have idrive, i'd look into replacing the head unit with a nice touch screen system that has all the latest gizmos

[AndyR83]

I'm currently looking at the Dynavin and the Eonon swap units. I started a thread about it in the A/V forum, hoping to hear from people that have them to see if they are pleased with their decisions.

[tofu-]

some of those dynavin ones are quite nice and integrate well with the interior

it's too bad about that "ipod" button. not everyone owns or plans on getting an iphone...