Has anyone ordered car without iDrive? Any regrets?

[aoysgelt]

I have done research re iDrive and it appears that most car functions are available without it (there are several posts on the subject). Lack of navigation aside - the people who ordered car without it - what are your thoughts? Wished you got it? Don't miss it?

Thank you

[ridin135]

Didn't order it and have never looked back. To me it's a waste I bought the car to drive not to stare at a screen. The majority of phones today come with navigation so if you get lost you can always use that. You will miss text messages and album art but non of those things are important to me.

[WingZeroX5]

I came from a non-idrive vehicle and after having a few loaners with them, I can't see myself without it.

For me, I like clean and tasteful looks. Having a phone there for navigation, especially the portable ones, messes up that clean oem style. Everything is integrated into the car in one system.

As far as staring at the screen, there should be nothing to stare at unless you're using the navigation, at least for me. Before I take off, I connect my iphone, put it in the arm rest compartment, put on some tunes, and "display off" command. I have a combox so messages appear and it's read to me.

I see a lot of people with portable navigation suction cup'd to their windshields, BMW or not and it's on majority of the time too. I just hate all the unneccessary wires and cluttered feeling.

[RogeM3]

I never use my navigation on mine, always use the phone, is faster to set up address, etc... I use the AC in manual mode, the only thing I use the idrive it's for satellite radio, If I would have the chance again of buying an M3 it would be without it.

[JYohay]

i hate not having it
you will get killed on resale value also, which is a good enough reason to get it.
the non-idrive makes the car look 10 years old

[mdosu]

IMO, after 2009, non-idrive M3s doesn't differ much from idrive equipped M3s. You get all the key features you need for an M3.

The in car navigation is useful IMO, I would opt to buy an M3 with idrive. Idrive also allows you to further customize your preferences (parked car ventilation, etc.) the only features I use on a regular basis are:

1. realtime traffic
2. navigation (the large split screen without the need for a suction cup mount makes life easier, also when you're lost, it's a easy shortcut keystroke to navigate your way home)

Once you buy the car, you punch in all your settings and preferences, and you will never touch the 3-deep menus again.

I also think all the new add-on features recently like BMW apps, etc are usless, you shouldn't be reading text messages, facebook or twitter while driving anyways...

[F1Venom]

I think M3's with iDrive look better than those without. I like the flow and curves of the system and I like having built-in navigation in a car.

[jphughan]

I got iDrive even though I hardly use navigation primarily because I wanted the drastically better infotainment interface (radio/iPod/Bluetooth) compared to non-iDrive, as well as the more flexible M Drive options. Also, Bluetooth Audio streaming is pretty sweet, which doesn't seem to be possible without iDrive either. The ability to check service status and manage certain car settings through it as well is just an added bonus. For the people saying smartphones are as good or better than iDrive for nav, unless you're attaching it to your windshield or dash via cradle, I strongly disagree. A smartphone display will be much smaller, and having to look down into your lap for directions and/or try to hold the phone closer to your eyes with one hand just seems like a recipe for disaster, so if you'd use navigation and don't want to deal with phone/standalone GPS mounts, I'd strongly recommend iDrive.

In terms of M Drive, if you don't also get iDrive, you can't customize it to the same extent that people with iDrive can. Specifically MDM and Sport Steering will always be on in M Mode, and Sport Plus isn't available at all (though I find that mode so punchy that it's practically undriveable). If you're like me, you may want to have normal settings for street driving (Sport throttle, Normal steering, Comfort EDC, DSC On) and then use M Mode for "spirited driving" (Normal throttle since it's more linear and precise, Sport steering, Normal EDC, DSC still on since I'm still on public roads). On track I just switch my M Drive profile to MDM and keep everything else the same, though I've coded Euro MDM. But on a non-iDrive car, that setup wouldn't be possible.

[F1Venom]

Resale value is also much higher in iDrive cars than without, just something to keep in mind.

[FVM3]

just to make it look better

[andrew918]

We had it in my wife's X5 M-sport but I don't in my M3. I'm perfectly happy without it and in years to come those with iDrive will be showing their age even more than those without. Technology becomes dated quickly and that's not why I bought a M3.

[highmodulus]

Its absolutely murders the resale value. Unless you are building primarily a track car, it does not make much sense.

[i001947]

I did and have no regrets so far. I did so for three reasons. One, the NAV housing looks ugly compared to ther M5 and X5. BMW simply slap it on as an after thought. Second, the last think I needed was another NAV that I don't use which would make it the fourth one owned between my Tahoe, Cell phone and IPOD. And third, when I purchased my 2013 I wanted to keep the price under $75K. Above $75k, the Porsche Boxster S, a used 911 S and the Corvettes are better choices.

Frankly, I really like the purist / less-is-best styling without NAV and I don't missed the I Drive features either.

Hey, I'm strange like that.

[ridin135]

You don't need a suction cup for a phone nav. I never look at my phones nav screen I just follow the voice instructions that come through the car speakers and the phone sits in the armrest. In the end it is up to the user if you think you will regret not getting it just get it. There is no wrong answer to this question.

[duk]

just get it!

i dont use navi that much however but nice to have

[dmw16]

Originally Posted by JYohay

i hate not having it
you will get killed on resale value also, which is a good enough reason to get it.
the non-idrive makes the car look 10 years old

I think it's quite the opposite. Having a built in nav makes the car age more quickly. As tech changes and you are stuck with what came with your car. Sure it looks hi-tech now, but 5 years from now it won't.

I wish my E46 M3 had the Business radio rather than the old-ass looking nav.

[heartcolorgrey]

I opted out for the idrive.
Didnt need the nav, or dct control crap (6MT FTW).

Very simple to dial in and never touch again.
Though M dynamics are a bit weird to mess with without idrive.

[CrazyIvan]

No regrets. Dont have it and dont want it. I prefer not to have a second hump on the dash. Garmin nav works just fine when needed, is more responsive and cheaper to update. As some have already mentioned, I prefer to drive the car, not push the buttons inside.

[THE TECH]

I say def get it. Having to use a $150 nav unit with an $80k car seems odd.

[davem3fan]

Just get what works best for YOU.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

My first e92 M3 had no iDrive I purchased that one slightly used at a good price. I then later changed that one to a new one with all the trimmings including iDrive.

I think you should get it it adds to re-sale value. If you ask members here "Would you purchase an M3 without iDrive?" you properly will get a 80% NO response.

So you should get it as others pointed out it will get you home if lost and a $75K to $80K car without it ... why.

Does it make a difference having it or not ... no the M3 will be just fine anything after 2009 has the onboard computer for all the settings so if you should not get it you be fine too. So it's your call ...

Good luck!

[euro*]

didnt even bother looking at non-idrive versions, even though the price difference was sagnificant.

Looks way too plain to me, and kills the resale value not having it