Am I missing out on anything if I purchase an 08 E92 with no nav?

[Bimmed Out]

With a big smile on my face, I paid extra for my car because it did NOT have i-Drive or navigation. It did come with an uncommonly clean dash, though.

[tdott]

I couldn't care less about the nav, when I wa searching I cared more about the color, dct and cf roof. I just happened to find one with Nav, I rarely use it, it's a dated piece of crap only good for displaying a playlist. I would have been fine without it.

[jiggz]

Interesting that most people here don't like (hate?) the navigation, yet a big majority of E9x M3's have navigation. I realize not every E9x M3 was custom ordered/built, but still, quite a few were. Seems like there is a disparity between those who don't like/want the nav, and the high number of M3's that have it.

Also interesting how so many people want a stripper and say the navigation dates the car. Doesn't a car with no keyless entry, heated seats, leather, dimming mirrors, etc. date the car too, being most new cars have all these features?

[gfisher99]

Originally Posted by jiggz

Interesting that most people here don't like (hate?) the navigation, yet a big majority of E9x M3's have navigation. I realize not every E9x M3 was custom ordered/built, but still, quite a few were. Seems like there is a disparity between those who don't like/want the nav, and the high number of M3's that have it.

Also interesting how so many people want a stripper and say the navigation dates the car. Doesn't a car with no keyless entry, heated seats, leather, dimming mirrors, etc. date the car too, being most new cars have all these features?

People will now say that they were ordered with the nav because it wasn't dated at the time and those people did not intend to own them long term. This is a debate that has no winner. Buy the car you like, it's not up to others to tell you what you should/shouldn't buy. Why people ask subjective questions on this forum, I will never understand. Everyone has their own opinion, which is what makes the world go around.

[HomoPirate]

Get one with iDrive or the looking interior of your m3 will be so dated. Our car is something with technology and sophisticated mechanical engineering. Why you are leaving the part of technology? And most new cars today even a honda civic base have lcd display for you to access infotainment system. Are you going to pay the premium for this car but don't want to have a complete setup in your interior... Building a track car is other topic.

The iDrive has the point for mostly style and slightly functional. It's a system to please yourself and your passengers. Another point is if you care about auxiliary input quality, the CIC has digital processing which superior than CCC and professional radio.

[Bruuuce]

I don't have it, didn't care one way or another when purchasing. So don't miss it and use the phone or iPad for nav anyway. Have not liked nav in any car for quite some time.

I do miss Bluetooth audio, I do t have the USB either. That is a bit of a shortcoming for me, hate the Bluetooth to analog adapters,,,

Buy it, drive it, enjoy it.

[doogee]

Wow so much hate on navigation!

I guess I'm one of the few that actually got a car without Navigation and retrofitted it in!

I personally could never go back. If you enjoy listening to music it is a MUST have. Navigating folders, streaming wirelessly through bluetooth, album art etc.

Sound processing is better out of these units as well.

If you don't listen to music or your car is strictly only driven maybe a couple hours on the weekend, then ya it isn't so necessary.

BMW Apps are amazing, I can control Spotify, a GoPro etc all from the screen.

I go to the track so having the built in laptimer is also incredibly important to me.



I've gone from no Nav to CIC to NBT. NBT does not feel dated whatsoever and is whats being put into the 2017 models still.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by jiggz

Interesting that most people here don't like (hate?) the navigation, yet a big majority of E9x M3's have navigation. I realize not every E9x M3 was custom ordered/built, but still, quite a few were. Seems like there is a disparity between those who don't like/want the nav, and the high number of M3's that have it.

Also interesting how so many people want a stripper and say the navigation dates the car. Doesn't a car with no keyless entry, heated seats, leather, dimming mirrors, etc. date the car too, being most new cars have all these features?

The things you are mentioning are not tech based.

Heated seats? Been around 20 years. Are largely the same as they were back then

Comfort access? Been around for a while too. Some people dislike comfort access as it's more electrical crap that will break. One of my cars has it, the other two do not. When I get into the ones that don't have it I do not become unhappy or depressed. I click a friggin button and the doors open! Voila!

As far as leather seats... this is a longer topic. They've been around for what, 50 years? How can a car feel dated if it doesn't have leather?
Cloth being available in M3s is a specific choice from BMW for their enthusiast crowd. It is not some kind of mistake.
I specced a 5k paint color but got cloth seats. Later when I bought my second M3 (added to the family) I again sought out the cloth seat one. Swamp back? No thanks. Slippery surfaces? No thanks
Undoubtedly, BMW will remove cloth seat one day from their M lineup the way they removed the ability to not have a stupid nav in the car in the F8X M3. "Lets add a CF driveshaft to reduce weight... but wait, lets make sure to add navs to ALL M cars!!"

A nav is completely unlike any of these things. The speed at which it is dated is incredible. Navs are where computers were 20 years ago. Each new generation is a significant, obvious upgrade because the tech is still complete garbage.

I have nav in the X5 but not in either M3. My 2012 X5 seems like its from the stone age compared to the 2015 X5. Boot time, screen resolution, etc etc etc

Navs are able to date cars at a rate which is just nuts. Besides, even the newest ones are pretty retarded.


In the forum you have more people who don't want navs because you have a higher percentage of enthusiasts. Most people who buy M cars don't have the faintest idea of what they got


I drive a crapton of miles on the M cars for track days. Basically anything in a 10h radius from NY is game. I don't miss my X5's nav at any point, I just use my phone which happily fits in the ash tray area

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by kepler

With a big smile on my face, I paid extra for my car because it did NOT have i-Drive or navigation. It did come with an uncommonly clean dash, though.

Same here. Literally looked until I found a E90 that had no sunroof, no leather, no idrive.

The E92 I got new and of course didn't have any of that garbage to begin with.

[GRM Scott]

As others have said, if nav is something you CRAVE, don't settle without it. That said, the dashboard is more timeless without the nav screen hump, and if you're planning on owning the car for a while, built-in screen systems inevitably feel more and more dated with each passing year. Hop in an early 2000s car with built-in nav for a reminder of how quickly built-in tech ages out. Strong odds you've already got a small touchscreen supercomputer in your pocket everywhere you go; just get a tidy magnetic mount for your phone and use it for any navigation duties.

[spiderspider]

the leather seats seem pretty well-bolstered to me. not much sliding around. but i don't track my car either.

[SLOWER]

If an E9x model does not have Nav, what does it need for options to have either bluetooth or USB in the console?

[Richbot]

Bluetooth (phone) is standard iirc. Bluetooth streaming is another story

I use a cheap Bluetooth streaming device plugged in the headphone jack to stream on my non idrive 08

[SLOWER]

Is the USB in the console standard?

*Edit - USB is standard from what I can tell.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Insane hate on nav. Let's be real:

Changing anything in the car is a real PITA without iDrive.

I don't think it looks ugly with 2 humps. I'm not sure why people think it does. That's an opinion.

The "it's dated" thing really annoys me. So we get to choose what is nostalgic on a car vs what isn't? What about the red giant pixel climate control numbers, the same that can be found on a bmw from 1998? Mine is fine and it's almost 10 years old - doesn't look dated yet. Nintendo rereleased original NES and SNES - it sold out, yet those graphics are dated?

Bottom line - the nav will fall in line with the rest of the car and age appropriately. People say double humps will be worth less? I think the opposite. If your buying an E92 M3 25 years from now, it'll be to drive it as a weekend car or collect, not to beat on mercilessly at the track. Those buyers are going to want the full experience.

At any rate, OP, don't settle and get what makes you happy, one hump or two.

[Yvette]

I have 08 no nav, fully loaded f15 x5. I honestly dont use navi on x5. I dont even listen to music when I am in my m3. However, I have B&O in my x5. No navi mwans less things to break down. M3 = driving pleasure

[EricSMG]

Was EPS available without NAV?

[Tewie]

In my experience, 2008 idrive is pretty ugly. If you opt for a 2009+ then the idrive is pretty decent given the above statements. No idrive seems somewhat rare and sought after by those who are tracking their cars often ie vehicles optioned as "stripper" models.

[scrammer]

Nav in the 08 is so out of date that it's detrimental to the sale of your car

after the LCI it's not bad but let's face it ... how often do i use nav ... never ... I don't need it as my phone is always up to date and easier to use.

[NeckBreakerE90]

No

[EricSMG]

Originally Posted by scrammer

Nav in the 08 is so out of date that it's detrimental to the sale of your car

after the LCI it's not bad but let's face it ... how often do i use nav ... never ... I don't need it as my phone is always up to date and easier to use.

Contradiction much?

[fatalelement]

Originally Posted by EricSMG

Contradiction much?

Seriously.

I've driven (and owned) BMWs with navs post-LCI and now own an '08 M3 (obviously with old nav). Anyone who would consider the nav version as a purchasing decision in buying a performance track car is a mystery to me.

I look at it roughly twice a week, when making changes to the M button based on driving conditions (i.e. if I'm going to be on a bumpy-ass road, I change the M button to not put me on sport suspension or if it's pouring, have it not turn on MDM). Otherwise, it is a completely immaterial thing as there is no value in navigation in your car in 2019. Most of the time in my car, it sits on the home screen, and this is from someone who puts roughly 30 miles on the M3 per weekday and more on the weekends.

It lets you change the radio, and lets you make adjustments to your car's settings. Truly, the difference in 2008 and LCI usability is minor. There's zero need to touch this while driving if you aren't listening to the radio. No nav makes changing these settings annoying, but having nav makes changing them easy. That's really the difference, as far as I see it. Also, you can see a bit of useful information about your service intervals and car condition (at least, useful to me).

An E46 can barely tell you what radio station you're listening to and has no nav but people still love them.