Is i-drive a must have on M3?

[X5-User]

Originally Posted by Lalit@AUTOcouture

Not having idrive is such an eyesore. The dash looks dated and just plain ugly without it IMO. It really looks as if something is missing. Not for nothing, scrolling through a large playlist/phonebook without idrive is a total pain in the ass. Do you really want to be using a phone or windshield mount navigation system in your M3? So ghetto if you ask me lol. Regardless of CCC or CIC (I've had both), make sure you get it!

I agree with you man. It doesn't look right to have my phone mounted on windshield specially on nice car like M3.

I am just trying to convince myself that it is not a necessity to proceed with a purchase that doesn't have i-drive. I know if I waited more it can take months and it may or may not be a good deal

[Lalit@autocouture]

Originally Posted by Palestine

I agree with you man. It doesn't look right to have my phone mounted on windshield specially on nice car like M3.

I am just trying to convince myself that it is not a necessity to proceed with a purchase that doesn't have i-drive. I know if I waited more it can take months and it may or may not be a good deal

Don't settle bro. It's an M3 you're purchasing, not a civic. Wait for the right one, you'll find it eventually. Along with the idrive, I'd scope out a car with premium sound. The stock stereo is a joke, but then again, this is just my opinion!

[s85e90]

Originally Posted by Lalit@AUTOcouture

Not having idrive is such an eyesore. The dash looks dated and just plain ugly without it IMO. It really looks as if something is missing. Not for nothing, scrolling through a large playlist/phonebook without idrive is a total pain in the ass. Do you really want to be using a phone or windshield mount navigation system in your M3? So ghetto if you ask me lol. Regardless of CCC or CIC (I've had both), make sure you get it!

tell me how good it looks in a few years. Single hump dash always looks cooler but YMMV; tech will be outdated (is outdated) also

All cars come w/ blue tooth and with Google maps you don't need the phone on the dash as it plays through the speakers.

I'm laughing at all the "enthusiasts" here who are talking about getting the best radio and scrolling through playlists and having their Iphone appear on the dash. LOL C'mon; I listen to my loud exhaust w/ the windows down. there's no better sound than a good sounding car.

[Lalit@autocouture]

Originally Posted by s85e90

tell me how good it looks in a few years. Single hump dash always looks cooler but YMMV; tech will be outdated (is outdated) also

All cars come w/ blue tooth and with Google maps you don't need the phone on the dash as it plays through the speakers.

I'm laughing at all the "enthusiasts" here who are talking about getting the best radio and scrolling through playlists and having their Iphone appear on the dash. LOL C'mon; I listen to my loud exhaust w/ the windows down. there's no better sound than a good sounding car.

No matter how old, it will always look better than this:



I tracked my recently sold E92 M3 more than 99% of the people on this forum. It didn't change the fact that it was daily driven and I cared for options like idrive and premium sound. I'd consider myself an enthusiast, but to not opt for idrive and premium sound "because you want to hear the exhaust" is so ignorant. What do you do when it's raining or snowing out? Sit in the cabin of your base ass M3 and listen to the stock stereo which you can have a conversation over at full volume? Struggle to find the one song you're really feeling out of the 700 on your iPhone? Pray you don't miss the direction your google maps phone gives you over an auxiliary wire? It can't be fun trying to find your way by having to constantly look at your maps device, not to mention dangerous as well. How about subjecting your passenger to enjoying your exhaust with the windows down all the time? Sorry to break it to ya, but must people just don't give a shit what your car sounds like.

I'll kick back with an integrated OEM system (idrive) which can play music and sound damn good at high volume (premium sound) while giving me turn by turn directions and a map to look at safely, any day of the week.

Save the non idrive cars for proper track toys like this, not your weekend warrior who sleeps well at night knowing he saved 12lbs on his 3700 pound DD:

[X5-User]

Originally Posted by s85e90

tell me how good it looks in a few years. Single hump dash always looks cooler but YMMV; tech will be outdated (is outdated) also

All cars come w/ blue tooth and with Google maps you don't need the phone on the dash as it plays through the speakers.

I'm laughing at all the "enthusiasts" here who are talking about getting the best radio and scrolling through playlists and having their Iphone appear on the dash. LOL C'mon; I listen to my loud exhaust w/ the windows down. there's no better sound than a good sounding car.

Nice! I have been working in telecom industry for 10 years and I didn't know such feature exist lol. Can you guide me to where I can set that up? Any links on this forum? I want to give it a try to my 08 BMW

[s85e90]

Originally Posted by Palestine

Nice! I have been working in telecom industry for 10 years and I didn't know such feature exist lol. Can you guide me to where I can set that up? Any links on this forum? I want to give it a try to my 08 BMW

not sure if serious? BT setup is in the manual. Pair it to the car on your phone, it will ask for car code, enter that and it should recognize the phone whenever you get it. Worked in my old 08 also.

[gatorfast]

Vast majority of people will prefer i-drive to the single hump. Sounds like you do too and should not settle.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by s85e90

tell me how good it looks in a few years. Single hump dash always looks cooler but YMMV; tech will be outdated (is outdated) also

All cars come w/ blue tooth and with Google maps you don't need the phone on the dash as it plays through the speakers.

I'm laughing at all the "enthusiasts" here who are talking about getting the best radio and scrolling through playlists and having their Iphone appear on the dash. LOL C'mon; I listen to my loud exhaust w/ the windows down. there's no better sound than a good sounding car.

E46M3 guys are experiencing this now with MKIII/IV systems that are slow and outdated. A number of guys convert back to Business CD or avoid Navi-equipped cars when shopping.

E9X will eventually go this route within time as technology advances forward - it's already 2 generations behind with HU-CIC and NBT.

[quiksi]

I played with iDrive at the dealer and didn't really care for it, especially given the price tag on a new car. My Galaxy S4 with an offline maps app (Copilot) as a backup works great and arguably better than the factory nav. The suction cup never really bothered me

The less cluttered single hump dash looks cleaner to me as well, but that's just personal preference from a former S2000 owner.

Also, my buddy has a E39 M5 and while that Nav probably was top notch back in the day, holy crap it looks terrible now

[quiksi]

Originally Posted by Lalit@AUTOcouture

No matter how old, it will always look better than this:

I guess it's your preference but to me that looks fantastic

[Curt2000]

Had the '10+ iDrive in my E90 335i LCI and 99% of the time it stayed on the music screen.

No iDrive in my E92 M3 and while I don't miss the nav function for a second, the ease of music selection is lost. For my M3 I have to pretty much rely on playlists or else deal with scrolling through what seem like endless analog menus in that little radio screen that resembles a timex watch. I don't mind though since it is a show/track car and not my daily driver.

[rAdzM]

i vote yes for i-drive, when we bought a 335 a few years back without i-drive, i did regret not getting one with i-drive, so I made a promise that when getting a car i-drive or something similar is a must, unless you're buying a grocery getter then i-drive is not necessary.

[IND-Distribution]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Last 2 M3s for the shop were sans i-Drive.

I'm a bit of a gadget hound, but would do it all over again as my phone has everything I need and more. However, this is strictly a personal preference.

My previous E90 M3 had Idrive and my current E90 M3 does not.

I do not miss it at all and actually now prefer the single hump as it looks cleaner to me. Google maps off my Iphone via Bluetooth is all I need.

[X5-User]

Originally Posted by Jesal@IND

My previous E90 M3 had Idrive and my current E90 M3 does not.

I do not miss it at all and actually now prefer the single hump as it looks cleaner to me. Google maps off my Iphone via Bluetooth is all I need.

Man how would you set up Google maps via bluetooth. I can answer phones via Bluetooth but I cannot connect google maps. Is there anything special I need to do? I have Samsung Galaxy s3.

[IB M]

I'd love to know the production stats on this option. I have to believe the vast majority of e9x cars have the I drive Nav Screen. Seems like 9 out of 10 cars I see for resale have I drive so no doubt you can find one without too much trouble.

It is a personal preference but for the record no I drive on my car as it is a weekend toy not a DD. I like things simple, only option on my car is ZCP.

GLW Search and post some pics when you seal the deal on one.

[s85e90]

Originally Posted by IB M

I'd love to know the production stats on this option. I have to believe the vast majority of e9x cars have the I drive Nav Screen. Seems like 9 out of 10 cars I see for resale have I drive so no doubt you can find one without too much trouble.

It is a personal preference but for the record no I drive on my car as it is a weekend toy not a DD. I like things simple, only option on my car is ZCP.

GLW Search and post some pics when you seal the deal on one.

both of my e90 were non-Idrive cars that were 1 of 220 (jet black cars) in that configuration IIRC worldwide.

[dpgfunk]

yes.

[Raypan]

First world problems

[W///]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

E46M3 guys are experiencing this now with MKIII/IV systems that are slow and outdated. A number of guys convert back to Business CD or avoid Navi-equipped cars when shopping.

E9X will eventually go this route within time as technology advances forward - it's already 2 generations behind with HU-CIC and NBT.

I happen to like those old school systems. I love the fact that in an E39 M5, you have this fancy screen to flips open, only to reveal a cassette player. Classic.

And for me, it's not so much that I absolutely need Idrive, but I hate the dash without it. So cars without it were crossed off the list when I was shopping for one. Even my "ancient" CCC is better than nothing. Able to do things so much quicker than without it IMO, but I don't use it all that often.

[X5-User]

Originally Posted by IB M

I'd love to know the production stats on this option. I have to believe the vast majority of e9x cars have the I drive Nav Screen. Seems like 9 out of 10 cars I see for resale have I drive so no doubt you can find one without too much trouble.

It is a personal preference but for the record no I drive on my car as it is a weekend toy not a DD. I like things simple, only option on my car is ZCP.

GLW Search and post some pics when you seal the deal on one.

I think most of the e9x M3 have I-drive because couple of thousands more for I-drive wont be an issue on a car worth more than 60k

[M3ANMACHINE]

I don't even use the actual navigation system, I just prefer to have the visual display for radio and everything else.

It was a must-have for me.

[Craigy]

It was a must-have for me when I was shopping and I love it.

Also i-drive cars tend to be loaded with other options as well. High on my list were heated seats, individual audio and EDC. Cars that had these all had i-drive.

As for nav making the car dated, I think that's total bullshit, the 2009+ i-drive is a beautiful system and I would imagine it'll be top-tier easily for the next 5-6 years. I'll admit, the nav in a ZR1, or even the nav in my dad's Continental GT speed is really sad looking. However for the units in our cars, it'll probably take at least a decade before it really looks dated, and by then we'll have traded up to other cars a few times so who cares.