2009 iDrive Navigation Review

[KevinO]

Drool. Can't wait until mine arrives.

[Big Windy]

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=119

i totally should have put those in this thread and not the other one...

[BK]

You can search by ZIP in Gen 1, can't you? Just put the ZIP in where it asks for city name?

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by PencilGeek

Can you:
Search by zip code
Reverse lookup by phone number

Even though the screeen is higher resolution, is it the same form factor as Gen-1 unit?

i'll get back to you...haven't tried either of those. i'm sure that the phone number thing won't work for me here in germany though, even if the new idrive has that feature.

[Cyber]

Thank you for taking the time to write up all the somewhat new features. I totally agree that they should have included this with the older models.

Anyone approach their dealer about a free IDrive upgrade/trade in? (For those of us who have the one before this one)

[Balthazar_B]

When you import contacts into the new iDrive (from a smartphone, say), are those contacts sorted by last name, first name, or do you have a choice? I'm thinking primarily of when one scrolls through the list.

[BK]

Originally Posted by Balthazar_B

When you import contacts into the new iDrive (from a smartphone, say), are those contacts sorted by last name, first name, or do you have a choice? I'm thinking primarily of when one scrolls through the list.

FWIW, on current iDrive, the address book is imported and sorted the same way as in my phone -- i.e., if I have the handset list my contacts as "First Last" then iDrive lists and sorts by first name, and if I have it list "Last, First" then iDrive lists and sorts by last name. It would be nice to have the choice within iDrive itself.

[BMW1986]

How are the loading times on Gen 2? Also, does it take a long time before you can start using the iDrive when you first start the car up?

[osteome]

Originally Posted by Big Windy

i'll get back to you...haven't tried either of those. i'm sure that the phone number thing won't work for me here in germany though, even if the new idrive has that feature.

Long-time lurker.....

We ordered a 2009 M3 Convertible for spring delivery from our local military sales center. My sales advisor, does not have an answer, but since you have one in hand, you would know......do the European map sets come loaded at the time of delivery for US customers? In the past, the disc was never included, but no can give me an answer on the maps in light of the hard drive based system.

With a recent COT approval, we will be over here until late 2011, so either way the maps will be obtained, just curious if they were "included". FWIW I will be in your neck of the woods later this week for a day.....just without an M3 yet.

Thanks in advance for any information that you can provide!

[southlight]

Originally Posted by osteome

Long-time lurker.....

We ordered a 2009 M3 Convertible for spring delivery from our local military sales center. My sales advisor, does not have an answer, but since you have one in hand, you would know......do the European map sets come loaded at the time of delivery for US customers? In the past, the disc was never included, but no can give me an answer on the maps in light of the hard drive based system.

With a recent COT approval, we will be over here until late 2011, so either way the maps will be obtained, just curious if they were "included". FWIW I will be in your neck of the woods later this week for a day.....just without an M3 yet.

Thanks in advance for any information that you can provide!

Yes, the european maps come pre-installed when you do ED. I imagine it's the same with military sales.


Best regards, south

[Jack28]

The Navi/Stereo Volums is anoying i know what you mean! I dont know how BMW Missed this!
Is the System faster then the Gen 1? im glad mine is coming with Gen 2.

Great write up, Thanks.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by osteome

Long-time lurker.....

We ordered a 2009 M3 Convertible for spring delivery from our local military sales center. My sales advisor, does not have an answer, but since you have one in hand, you would know......do the European map sets come loaded at the time of delivery for US customers? In the past, the disc was never included, but no can give me an answer on the maps in light of the hard drive based system.

With a recent COT approval, we will be over here until late 2011, so either way the maps will be obtained, just curious if they were "included". FWIW I will be in your neck of the woods later this week for a day.....just without an M3 yet.

Thanks in advance for any information that you can provide!

The short answer is no, the maps are not already preloaded. I had to advise my CA of the fact that they needed to upload the european maps to my harddrive, and they were able to do so free of charge prior to delivery. The best advice I could give is to give your CA a call and tell him/her about this so they can plan on it prior to delivery, because the car will not come with the european maps straight from Regensburg.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by Jack28

The Navi/Stereo Volums is anoying i know what you mean! I dont know how BMW Missed this!
Is the System faster then the Gen 1? im glad mine is coming with Gen 2.

Great write up, Thanks.

hands down faster than Gen 1. You'll know the second that you move screens how much faster it is. The best performance is with the Nav, i'd say 4 times faster at least.

[BK]

Originally Posted by Big Windy

Can anyone confirm the direction that the steering wheel up/down buttons on Gen 1 change tracks? I discovered today that Gen 2 has the up button changing to the track backwards and the down button changing the track forwards. I thought that the Gen 1 was different from when I had it on my 335i...

I guess nobody answered this yet. On Gen 1, steering wheel button UP = next track, DOWN = previous track.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by BK

I guess nobody answered this yet. On Gen 1, steering wheel button UP = next track, DOWN = previous track.

yeah, somebody answered. Gen 2 is officially the other way around.

[KevinO]

Originally Posted by Big Windy

yeah, somebody answered. Gen 2 is officially the other way around.

What do most other cars do? I guess I've had a few years to get used to Up/Next, Down/Previous, so that feels more correct, but I'm having a hard time thinking of other UI controls that use up/down buttons for next/last track.

[ersin]

Thanks for information.

Are you able to update the map yourself in Gen 2 or do you always have to go to dealer for this?

[ferrari6891]

Originally Posted by osteome

Long-time lurker.....

We ordered a 2009 M3 Convertible for spring delivery from our local military sales center. My sales advisor, does not have an answer, but since you have one in hand, you would know......do the European map sets come loaded at the time of delivery for US customers? In the past, the disc was never included, but no can give me an answer on the maps in light of the hard drive based system.

With a recent COT approval, we will be over here until late 2011, so either way the maps will be obtained, just curious if they were "included". FWIW I will be in your neck of the woods later this week for a day.....just without an M3 yet.

Thanks in advance for any information that you can provide!

welcome....officially

[nusevad]

great review!

I'm pretty satisfied with the current idrive but the new interface is sooo nice. I wonder how this will affect resale value.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by ersin

Thanks for information.

Are you able to update the map yourself in Gen 2 or do you always have to go to dealer for this?

my guess would be go to the dealer.

[apw2607]

I dont think so. Apparently maps can be updated via the DVD-Rom as well. Therefore I would expect Tele Atlas (BMWs new Map provider) to start releasing updates via DVD next year.

[apw2607]

The maps data can be updated in two different ways:

• Updating the BMWprogramming system

In this case, the map data in the CIC is updated through the Ethernet connection in
the diagnostic connector. The data is enabled by means of an enable code that
needs to be downloaded and entered into the BMW programming system.

• Using a complete DVD set
The DVD is loaded directly into the head unit. The enable code can then be entered
directly into the iDrive system by the customer or service technician using the
"speller”. The customer can still continue navigating with the old map material after
loading the CD and starting the update procedure. A reset is triggered in the CIC
immediately on completion of the update procedure and the customer continues to
navigate with the new map material. The navigation destination, last destination and
contact data are retained. The update can be interrupted at any time and continued
when ever the trip is resumed.