Does anyone have a screen recommendation? I don't have iDrive

B

balloony

Member
Z4 2.0 M Sport E9 2013

I don't have a screen, and I assume iDrive.

I have a friend who can help me to install it, but I wondered if there was a recommendation on the unit to buy.

I have seen a few recomended I wondered if there was somewhere that the most up-to-date information is stored, or if there was a good person to ask.

The main thing I want is Android Auto.
 
I'd kill to not have that mostly useless iDrive. Actually, where can I go to kill the bastard that came up with that rubbish. Just kidding. I'll just give him an atomic wedgie.
 
Lol I just want a sat nav. I was very fussy that I wanted a manual car so I defo glad I got that. I dunno what the idrve adds
 
Two options realistically for you..

Cheap car play screen circa £100 or less..you bodge / make up some mountings in the oddments tray on the dash..plenty of discussion here go search..

Or a full blown android unit with a custom moulding and faux idrive know running android apps and maybe car play…£250-£600 depending on support/service / performance/quality

Again many posts on here ..go search
 
Marcoose said:
I'd kill to not have that mostly useless iDrive. Actually, where can I go to kill the bastard that came up with that rubbish. Just kidding. I'll just give him an atomic wedgie.
Click to expand...
I've never understood the dislike of BMW's iDrive system.
Yes it may not have the latest in technology, but then it was first used some 17 years ago (First came out in September 2008). The Z4 being the last production model to keep it through to end of production in 2016 even though the replacement NBT system came out in 2012.
So you're running an old car with an old system. But let's run through what it does...
Radio - Still works, not outdated.
CD - Still.plays discs (if you have any)
DVD - Again still plays discs.
HDD - Yeah a bit limited, but can still hold a fair amount (can be upgraded to a bigger capacity)
USB Input - Can be connected to an iPod , iPhone, memory stick etc for playing music directly.
AUX Input - Can play music from an older type device that has this.
Bluetooth- Phone and music options
Sat-Nav - Can still be updated, although yeah it's certainly showing its age compared to newer systems. But can still, currently , be updated to the latest maps.
Service Info - Does show basic info, some faults, flat tyres, oil level etc.
And you can add an mmi box to it as well.

So what else do you really want from a 16 year old car?
 
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AnubisZed said:
I've never understood the dislike of BMW's iDrive system.
Yes it may not have the latest in technology, but then it was first used some 17 years ago (First came out in September 2008). The Z4 being the last production model to keep it through to end of production in 2016 even though the replacement NBT system came out in 2012.
So you're running an old car with an old system. But let's run through what it does...
Radio - Still works, not outdated.
CD - Still.plays discs (if you have any)
DVD - Again still plays discs.
HDD - Yeah a bit limited, but can still hold a fair amount (can be upgraded to a bigger capacity)
USB Input - Can be connected to an iPod , iPhone, memory stick etc for playing music directly.
AUX Input - Can play music from an older type device that has this.
Bluetooth- Phone and music options
Sat-Nav - Can still be updated, although yeah it's certainly showing its age compared to newer systems. But can still, currently , be updated to the latest maps.
Service Info - Does show basic info, some faults, flat tyres, oil level etc.
And you can add an mmi box to it as well.

So what else do you really want from a 16 year old car?
Click to expand...
FWIW I think its a great system..sure the interface is a bit chunky and clunky but its simple and pretty reliable and does make it a LOT easier to decipher warning messages etc..

With a MMI car play box its all you need and IMHO better than these over complex new later idrives that will look even more dated more quickly.

Having a good old fashioned disk based map is great when there's no cell coverage or in the ever increasing outages that seem to affect online apps.

The idrive controller is pretty simple and intutive and consistent and easy to use when hooning a long..

I looked at Android head units (I bought two in fact..12.3" and 10.5) and returned one and sold one..underwhelming compared to idrive with a MMI box!

If I was in the market I'd masively prefer a idrive with at least a 676 audio as its a great springboard to take forward!

Rambling off..
 
AnubisZed said:
I've never understood the dislike of BMW's iDrive system.
…
So what else do you really want from a 16 year old car?
Click to expand...
Even new, it was then and still is clumsy and impractical. It adds nothing to the driving. Actually, it takes so much attention from the driver, it’s borderline dangerous. All the interesting functions you’ve listed were already available on the E85 without a screen. (Who watches DVD in a roadster?) It’s an expensive feature BMW added that aged horribly. Hence why so many people upgraded it. But that’s just me. I need to go take my pills.
 
Marcoose said:
Even new, it was then and still is clumsy and impractical. It adds nothing to the driving. Actually, it takes so much attention from the driver, it’s borderline dangerous. All the interesting functions you’ve listed were already available on the E85 without a screen. (Who watches DVD in a roadster?) It’s an expensive feature BMW added that aged horribly. Hence why so many people upgraded it. But that’s just me. I need to go take my pills.
Click to expand...
All to our own, it'll always be a personal thing as we are all different and want different things. Unfortuneatly, nowdays, all manufacturers are going down the road of the multifunction display screen/s, the majority of which are touchscreens. Now if you want "borderline dangerous" try a modern Mercedes, not only all touchscreens, but also touch sensitive steering wheel controls, personally I prefer pressable buttons and scroll wheels over that anyday!

Personally I've never been distracted by my iDrive, I find it easy to navigate through, I can do everything via the controller all without looking down to it, with just the occasional glance over to the screen.
 
Yup 100% on most touch screens and soft menus in cars

They just seem to be a massive road safety and ergonomic disaster

CarPlay shows how a user interface should be done

Ironically the idrive on e89 is closer to that than later iterations

Hence my distaste of native Android apps

But as you say each to their own
 
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You are absolutely correct in your assessment of the dangers and inconvenience of modern car touch screens. If you use your phone whilst driving you can be prosecuted. Yet these screens are just like large mobile phones. We bought a new JCW Countryman when the current model appeared. It was absolutely full of unnecessary gimmicks and everything operated from the the big round central screen. I found it dangerous, distracting and inconvenient. I was so irritated by it I sold the car after six months.
I had a little ride out in the E89 Z4 this morning. Everything you need is there and at hand. To my mind the interior design of cars has gone backwards in recent times. But then again I am from the generation of Victor Meldrew.😡
 
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