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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > ConnectedDrive / I-Drive / Navigation Related Discussion > iDrive versus Garmin



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      03-17-2010, 06:49 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vwong View Post
- It asked me to turn (for example, right turn) as I was initiating the turn. If I only rely on the verbal direction, I would've missed the turn.
- When I came close to a turn, the screen didn't tell me what street to turn to. Both my Audi and old Acura would do that either by saying the street name, displaying on the screen, or both.
- When I got to the destination, where the hack was the address on the screen? Often time I would just enter the address into the nav and forget about it. Unless the destination is a business, I have to look for the house number when I get to my destination. The iDrive only tells you that you've reached your destination, and it's on the right (or left) side depending on your destination. Both the Audi and my old Acura would show the address on the screen.
As others have said - it should do #1, and #2 is an option you can enable on the split screen. Originally, it would show the arrow view full time while routing. I'm not sure what I changed, but now it shows entertainment details except for when a turn is coming up, and it switches to arrow view. I like this, except that I'd still like an small indicator saying how long until the next instruction and which side of the road I should be on. The notifications come a little late if I need to get two lanes over to make the turn. Maybe I'll figure out how to go back to full time arrow view.

Point #3 is a good one, and I don't know why it doesn't do that.

I'm really impressed with the traffic capabilities - it recently automatically routed me around a major traffic jam, and the destination time includes traffic in the calculations. So far, I've found it to be very accurate, except that it doesn't factor in carpool lanes. If I can take the carpool lane, I usually beat the estimate by quite a bit. When I can't, it has been within 2-3 minutes on a 40 minute (with traffic) drive.
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      03-18-2010, 04:46 PM   #24
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Got iDrive with my BMW and am glad I did. The navigation system is good, and with the iDrive I have the voice command function, and the iDrive also integrates many other car functions; it's much more than just a navigation system. Also the stock stereo with the iDrive navigation system has a bit more power than the stock system without iDrive in the 2010 model, but not as powerful as the Logic7 system. I have also found the iDrive pretty easy to use.
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      03-18-2010, 06:39 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pagefault View Post
As others have said - it should do #1, and #2 is an option you can enable on the split screen. Originally, it would show the arrow view full time while routing. I'm not sure what I changed, but now it shows entertainment details except for when a turn is coming up, and it switches to arrow view. I like this, except that I'd still like an small indicator saying how long until the next instruction and which side of the road I should be on. The notifications come a little late if I need to get two lanes over to make the turn. Maybe I'll figure out how to go back to full time arrow view.

Point #3 is a good one, and I don't know why it doesn't do that.

I'm really impressed with the traffic capabilities - it recently automatically routed me around a major traffic jam, and the destination time includes traffic in the calculations. So far, I've found it to be very accurate, except that it doesn't factor in carpool lanes. If I can take the carpool lane, I usually beat the estimate by quite a bit. When I can't, it has been within 2-3 minutes on a 40 minute (with traffic) drive.

It does offer that information. Just click on "Last destinations" and the address you just navigated too is right at the top.
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      03-18-2010, 06:57 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout View Post
It does offer that information. Just click on "Last destinations" and the address you just navigated too is right at the top.
True, but it should show you as you arrive without going into the menu, just like it should tell you which side your destination is on before you get there, instead of after you're already on top of it.

Something like: "Approaching destination on the right in 800 feet, 123 Main St." spoken and visible on the screen.

Plus, I'm not at my car to confirm this right now, but I'm pretty sure that last destinations is inconsistent about how it shows the destination. Sometimes it shows an address, sometimes it's a place name with only the city, state part of the address shown,e tc. Maybe that's a problem with Last Destinations, but the point is the destination address is information you often need as you approach your destination, the system should surface it automatically.
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      03-18-2010, 07:19 PM   #27
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It is clunky, no doubt. In my Acura, it use to just show up at the bottom of the screen without you having to think about it.

And, yeah, it is inconsistent in last destinations.
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      03-20-2010, 02:50 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dpratt34 View Post
The only thing I miss about the Garmin? The woman's voice with the British accent. Me likey....
Actually, I think the woman's voice in the 2010 iDrive is quite luscious...
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      04-03-2010, 06:41 AM   #29
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I also love iDrive on my 2009 335i Coupe. Yes I had heard horror stories about earlier versions and when I went to buy this car last Fall I went in with the thought that I would not buy iDrive. Once I saw everything it could do which is so far beyond Nav--it was an easy sell. And for anyone who has not set their Nav in iDrive to Perspective Mode--I highly suggest it. A much nicer visual experience.

As I posted yesterday on another thread--I just drove a 328i sedan loaner with no iDrive and it was a much less fulfilling driving experience. There is absolutely no comparison.
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      04-03-2010, 10:08 AM   #30
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I also had an excellent Garmin nuvi and portable satellite radio and wasn't going to get iDrive.

Well, I couldn't order the car I wanted but there was this beautiful car with everything I wanted..... + Nav/iDrive. Based on what I read about the improvements to the iDrive and particularly because of its superior satellite and dead reckoning capabilities (relevant to me because I drive often enough in areas where the signal getting knocked out is a significant frustration), I decided 'what the heck'...

Then, as I was waiting for my car, I started to doubt myself...

Then, AFTER I got the iDrive, I thought, Wow, this thing *is* really worth $2K. It has a slightly better Nav system as far as I'm concerned (better, earlier warnings), and the other stuff with iDrive (music, bluetooth - EDIT: Not bluetooth, which is a separate option, I meant cell phone contact list integration - etc.) is a bonus. I am really liking the ability to store a bunch of CD material on the hard-drive and its ability to reproduce iPod/MP3 player interfaces. I think the high-resolution screen looks really nice.

That said, is it a must-have? No way. But it doesn't make sense it compare it to a Garmin that costs a few hundred bucks, because it's not the same thing.
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      04-30-2010, 09:01 PM   #31
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My girlfirend has the 09+ iDrive on a 128 cab. I always have been lusting why I didn't get it before when I ordered my car. Tho, after having driven my gf's car around town plenty of times, I've decided that my next car (which I'm shopping/ordering these few weeks), will not have an iDrive.

The navigation, simply. SUCKS!! It so crappy to a point that you simply won't use it, because even the crappiest route in your faintest memory is going to beat it by speed AND distance. I dont' know if it's just that the iDrive only crappily routes around the Vancouver area, but my old Garmin 265WT is light years ahead in terms of giving me the fastest route, possibly even faster routes than routes that I have travelled on for 10 years+.

Also, a lot of the functionalities on the iDrive can be found in the Board Computer of vehicles without the iDrive. It won't have as fancy a GUI as the iDrive, but a lot of the features are still there.

Yes, some will argue that there are a few features that's really specific to the iDrive only. Maybe list out the difference and see if the OP think those difference are worth the 2k. For me, I can't stand having a fancy screen in front of me that cannot route, looking rather ridiculous when it gives me the longest way around town possible and remind me that it cost me 2k.
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      05-02-2010, 12:41 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BiscottiGelato View Post
My girlfirend has the 09+ iDrive on a 128 cab. I always have been lusting why I didn't get it before when I ordered my car. Tho, after having driven my gf's car around town plenty of times, I've decided that my next car (which I'm shopping/ordering these few weeks), will not have an iDrive.

The navigation, simply. SUCKS!! It so crappy to a point that you simply won't use it, because even the crappiest route in your faintest memory is going to beat it by speed AND distance. I dont' know if it's just that the iDrive only crappily routes around the Vancouver area, but my old Garmin 265WT is light years ahead in terms of giving me the fastest route, possibly even faster routes than routes that I have travelled on for 10 years+.
This is simply not true. In fact, its grossly incorrect. Within in my immediate family (parents, sister, myself, and sig other) we have had over the last few years, a Garmin nav, Tom Tom, Infiniti OEM on a G35, M-B system on a S-class, Idrive LCI, and OEMs in an Acura TSX and Acura TL. The Idrive system is not as easy to use as the touch screen systems, but the routes it plans are every bit as good. No diff whatsoever from the systems plotted by the Garmin, although it does acquire a signal a lot faster (the Garmin sometimes hesitates, it is a non-issue in on-board OEM systems).

My guess is that you had the options set incorrectly so that it plotted a poor route.


Quote:
Originally Posted by BiscottiGelato View Post
Also, a lot of the functionalities on the iDrive can be found in the Board Computer of vehicles without the iDrive. It won't have as fancy a GUI as the iDrive, but a lot of the features are still there.

Yes, some will argue that there are a few features that's really specific to the iDrive only. Maybe list out the difference and see if the OP think those difference are worth the 2k. For me, I can't stand having a fancy screen in front of me that cannot route, looking rather ridiculous when it gives me the longest way around town possible and remind me that it cost me 2k.
Again, your system most likely gave you "the longest route around town" because you programmed it incorrectly. There are options for different kinds of routes (easiest, shortest, most efficient) and you appear to have selected the incorrect one.

Idrive also has far more features than you are giving it credit for. Its really, really nice for integration with 6FL, PCD, BMWAssist, etc.

Its not a perfect system, by any means, but your post was skewed and inaccurate.


In a lot of ways, your post reminds me of all those journalists who use Idrive once, never bother to even read the manual, and then write it off as being too hard to program.
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      05-02-2010, 10:39 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nirvanayoda View Post
My biggest complaint is that it doesn't give you exit numbers when giving directions. How tough would it be to show "Exit 5A Westheimer Road"? I liked my friend's Mercedes navigation system much better than my iDrive.

With that said, I still wouldn't buy a car without iDrive, it's convenient being built in and it does *so* much more than just navigation. The ipod interface would likely be near unuseable without it.
Mine gives exist numbers. Not sure why your unit does not.

As for M-B, my parents have an S-class with Nav. I think they got it as a 2007. Its the worst Nav i've ever seen - far worse than even the most basic Tom-tom. I have heard that M-B's system has changed since then, so it may be much nicer now.
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      05-04-2010, 12:37 PM   #34
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[QUOTE=Kilgore Trout;6923528]This shouldn't have happened. Ordinarly, it keeps giving you warnings "Turn left in 200M". It is kind of dumb because it should say "Make next left" but you certailnly get warnings.



Split screen turn arrow. Look at the top of the arrow, and you'll see the street that you are turning on.

[QUOTE]

My idrive no longer performs this feature and I need advice on how to return it to this setting. On split screen it does show an arrow for upcoming turn when I am approaching that turn, yet I know there is a way to have it on split screen and actually shows distance to next turn with an arrow indicating direction of turn. . . i.e. An arrow pointing forward and slightly right with the words over it "200 miles exit 15b: Lancaster Blvd". . . Any ideas?

JT
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      05-04-2010, 02:34 PM   #35
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I have an older iDrive and as much as I love it, there could be a few things that could be improved.

A) Speed. I'm sure the HD based iDrive systems are faster.
B) Functionality. POI kinda sucks and again is slow. Data entry is a PITA.


Basically because of it's slowness I dislike it. Sometimes it's snappy but other times it is slow. I wish they made regional maps like they do on my mother's RR Sport. But the OEM look is hands down unbeatable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraven View Post
For those of who who have iDrive on a newer model BMW (after the update of the system, I believe 2009 was the first MY with the newer version of iDrive)...are you happy with it or do you regret getting it? Wish you opted for a window mounted Garmin for a few hundred bucks instead?

I use a Garmin and love it. I also have Sirius Satellite Radio and love that. I like the idea of losing a suction cup on the windshield and the unclean look that a window mounted GPS offers. I would prefer to like the iDrive and the GPS/Nav system that BMW offers but don't feel like spending over 2K on a system that doesn't work as well as a Garmin.

I recognize iDrive offers more than just Nav, so I'm open to it and would like to hear perspectives from those of you who have the newer iDrive...thanks much all!
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      05-05-2010, 11:32 AM   #36
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Originally Posted by ********* View Post
I have an older iDrive and as much as I love it, there could be a few things that could be improved.

A) Speed. I'm sure the HD based iDrive systems are faster.
B) Functionality. POI kinda sucks and again is slow. Data entry is a PITA.


Basically because of it's slowness I dislike it. Sometimes it's snappy but other times it is slow. I wish they made regional maps like they do on my mother's RR Sport. But the OEM look is hands down unbeatable.
The speed on the new iDrive (2009+) is far better than what you have. I just picked up a 2011 E92 from a 2007 E92 and the difference is huge.
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      05-08-2010, 03:30 AM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout View Post
This is simply not true. In fact, its grossly incorrect. Within in my immediate family (parents, sister, myself, and sig other) we have had over the last few years, a Garmin nav, Tom Tom, Infiniti OEM on a G35, M-B system on a S-class, Idrive LCI, and OEMs in an Acura TSX and Acura TL. The Idrive system is not as easy to use as the touch screen systems, but the routes it plans are every bit as good. No diff whatsoever from the systems plotted by the Garmin, although it does acquire a signal a lot faster (the Garmin sometimes hesitates, it is a non-issue in on-board OEM systems).

My guess is that you had the options set incorrectly so that it plotted a poor route.




Again, your system most likely gave you "the longest route around town" because you programmed it incorrectly. There are options for different kinds of routes (easiest, shortest, most efficient) and you appear to have selected the incorrect one.

Idrive also has far more features than you are giving it credit for. Its really, really nice for integration with 6FL, PCD, BMWAssist, etc.

Its not a perfect system, by any means, but your post was skewed and inaccurate.


In a lot of ways, your post reminds me of all those journalists who use Idrive once, never bother to even read the manual, and then write it off as being too hard to program.
I really hope I have set it wrong, cuz the iDrive does look mighty cool but so far it just sucks in routing. We tried 'Fastest' route, 'Shortest' route, or 'Efficient' route and all the route it gave us sucks. Also, it's ability to show nearby street is also inadequate. More often than not you either have to zoom out a lot or zoom in a lot to see a nearby street's name. As you drive if the name of a route moves out of the screen, it's gone forever and the names won't rearrage themselves on the map for best placement and fitment.

It is possible that the iDrive works perfect in the US and it's only inadequate in Vancouver or Canada in general. However unless someone quickly enlightens me, it continues to be a fancy dead weight on my gf's car...
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      05-08-2010, 11:14 PM   #38
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When your idrive Nav works with headup display, the next street name you are about to turn will be displayed right in front of your eye. really cool and easy to catch.

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      07-31-2010, 05:28 PM   #39
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I did not get iDrive/Nav...

It is an expensive option but the real reason is that it doesn't look like it is possible to get audible warnings of speed cameras. And I'm in the UK and there are speed cameras coming out of my a** here, like about every minute of driving and with varying speed limits, it is very hard to keep a track of your speed and the speed limit.

If BMW could sort out audible camera warnings and user updates, I'd pay the cost of iDrive.

I have a Tom Tom nav which does the nav and the camera warnings perfectly, but the suction cup, the untidy location and having to put it up and take it down again is a major PITA, esp when you are driving an expensive car.... it looks cheap.
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