I have it. And now and then I give it another try. It's hit and miss. Yes, English is not my mother tongue and I have a 'charming' accent. But it's the same with my all-American English-only wife, our indy, etc. For me, the voice function is rubbish. iDrive is one of those comforts that, knowing what I know now, I could've done without. It adds nothing to my joy of driving.AnubisZed said:Seriously though, you press the Voice button (left side block, top right button) and ask for what you want, radio, USB, nav, CD etc (full list of usable words are in the manual)that is assuming you have full Voice (VO code 620)
What Missing Comforts Would Be Deal Breakers ?
- Thread starter Marcoose
- Start date
now that is always a dilemma :roll:Silverstar
Senior member
Pondrew said:
I specced my 2016 F20 with high beam assist and have to say for the most part it worked quite well, where it struggled was on steep inclines but otherwise no issues. For me it wouldn't be a deal breaker if the car I was looking at didn't have it, I would classify it as nice to have.
When I was looking for a Z4, my must have were the following (in no particular order) and mine had them all with the exception of the wind deflector which was very easy to retrofit hence not a deal breaker when searching for the car.
1. M Sport seats, they are just so much more comfortable and hold you in place in the bends.
2. iDrive - Yes it is 14 year old blah blah BUT it is still super functional and the maps (updated) still work great and when you add an MMI box well then it just doesn't compare to sticking your phone on the dash. :rofl:
3. Cruise control - Isn't the E89 more of a GT than a true sports car? Super useful on long drives and even short ones sometimes. Sure it isn't the type of cruise that brakes for you if there is an obstacle infront but my Golf 7.5 has that and I find it irritating.
4. Wind deflector
5. Parking sensors - say what you will about being the best driver in the world and I don't need sensors blah blah, fact is couple with the pictogram on the iDrive they are super useful when getting the car into very tight spaces.
6. Folding door mirrors - just useful in tight spaces and when parked on the road to avoid risking someone snapping the mirror off.
7. Automatic gearbox - of course would prefer a sportier DCT type box but the N52 didn't come with one. The vast majority of manuals in BMWs just aren't that great and the auto is better suited to the car.
8. Auto lights and wipers, self dimming mirror and drivers mirror that drops down when reversing - Once again super useful
Nice to have but not essential:
Extended light package
Really doesn't matter:
Comfort access
Sound system - better to upgrade it with an aftermarket system which will always sound better and the basic system is easiest to upgrade for a low cost.
Adaptive lights
Adaptive suspension - if you want better handling again you would be better off with one the afterrmarket options
Alot of what I have mentioned above is specific to the Z4 and on some other car it might be the other way around e.g. manual instead of auto box etc.
Yeah to be fair I have it as well, but never use it, so I'd be using the controller to change things. Saying that though once I'm in Android Auto and playing a playlist it's very rare I bother to change anything, apart from the odd track skip, and that's the steering wheel buttons.Marcoose said:
Gwest44
Senior member
For me less is more it's why I love my Z3 - manual roof and no heated seats or SatNav. Always makes me laugh that unlike the E85, E86 & E89 it does have a spare tyre and electric seats were standard on all models.
On the E85's & E89's I've had I do like the folding exterior mirrors and think bluetooth music capability is a must - SatNav is always a big no-no for me and let's be honest the cup holder's are always pointless.
Not had one yet with the heated steering wheel - I'd be scared they'd render my driving gloves pointless :rofl:
On the E85's & E89's I've had I do like the folding exterior mirrors and think bluetooth music capability is a must - SatNav is always a big no-no for me and let's be honest the cup holder's are always pointless.
Not had one yet with the heated steering wheel - I'd be scared they'd render my driving gloves pointless :rofl:
My deal breaker would have been "with" Idrive.
Took we 4 month's to find the right car colour, milage, service etc.
Just so happended to come with...
Start/stop :x (Figured out how to disable)
Heated steering wheel
Heated seats
M/F Steering wheel
TPMS
M sport package
Wind deflector
Extended Storage package (Inc Ski hatch)
Extended Lights package
M aerodynamics package
Headlight WashersI
Interior and exterior Mirror package with auto dim.
Smokers package
Rain sensor
Auto air con
Cruise control with braking function
PDC front and rear
Cup holders ( In the arm rest, have dumb is that)
All a bonus with out the idrive
IMHO 8)
Took we 4 month's to find the right car colour, milage, service etc.
Just so happended to come with...
Start/stop :x (Figured out how to disable)
Heated steering wheel
Heated seats
M/F Steering wheel
TPMS
M sport package
Wind deflector
Extended Storage package (Inc Ski hatch)
Extended Lights package
M aerodynamics package
Headlight WashersI
Interior and exterior Mirror package with auto dim.
Smokers package
Rain sensor
Auto air con
Cruise control with braking function
PDC front and rear
Cup holders ( In the arm rest, have dumb is that)
All a bonus with out the idrive
IMHO 8)
I do not use sat nav and do not like the intrusive/ distractions :wink:
A Tesla for example is my ultimate nightmare having travelled a couple hundred miles
in a friends one and nearly threw up as it made me so dizzy with images of cars, vans and traffic cones passing by. :?
A Tesla for example is my ultimate nightmare having travelled a couple hundred miles
in a friends one and nearly threw up as it made me so dizzy with images of cars, vans and traffic cones passing by. :?
Silverstar
Senior member
N4LLY said:
You know if you prefer you can just drive with the idrive screen folded. Always a benefit to have it then not to have it.
I wonder how many 35is original owners ordered them without iDrive (and other silly gizmos). I reckon that at that level they came as loaded as possible. Though during my search, there were many 35is's without winter package. I also wonder how many options were mutually exclusive. For example, and I don't know if this is true, if you wanted premium speakers or TPMS, you had to get iDrive.
Since we're talking iDrive, isn't iDrive more than just SatNav ?
Since we're talking iDrive, isn't iDrive more than just SatNav ?
B21
Lifer
In the UK quite a few 35is came without iDrive, especially early ones..iDrive makes access to many functions, error messages, system functions easier than without it..not sure how 677 Top-Fi equaliser function could be done without iDrive but I guess if you are patient enough then it can be accessed via the radio clunky interface..