iDrive, One of the worst automotive concepts in recent history.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

So the dealer I work at got an '04 745i from the auto auctions this morning. It came in to service this afternoon for the used car inspection, and I wrote it up. Anyways, I went to move it into our back lot and that's when I got my first real experience with BMW's infamous iDrive.

It's absolutely horrible.

When BMW designed this, they intention was to use it so you'd spend less time changing the driving and comfort functions to your liking, and more time driving, because BMW is the "Ultimate Driving Machine"...in theory, it sounds nice, but in realization, it's overly complicated and quite intimidating.

For example, I did not even take it out of the parking lot today, so I didn't really even need to use the iDrive at all, but I still wanted to fiddle with it a bit to see how you used it. There are eight main menus (going clock wise on the display): Communications, car data, navigation, help, entertainment, settings, climate and BMW Assist. To access anything except for the HVAC controls, you have to use the iDrive system. So if you want to change radio stations en transit, you've gotta use that damn iDrive. If you want to turn the traction control on or off, you've got to use the iDrive. If you want to adjust the brightness or contrast of the main display, you've gotta go through the iDrive....yeah, you can see how it'll get real confusing real fast.

This particular BMW was a Florida car, and it had the Sport Package, so it had lousy tires for winter on it, and man, that was horrible in the snow, even with it being plowed! It might have been OK if I could figure out how to turn the traction control back on, but thanks to that iDrive system, which the traction control and stability control are routed through, I couldn't figure out how to activate them, even after reading through the manual. So basically, if I even breathed on the throttle, I'd be going into a slow, controlled sideways drift. And forget about going up even the slightest of inclines....if the motor gets above 800 rpm, it'll spin the rear tires without any hesitation at all. So it took me five minutes to get this $83,000, technology laden, king-sized BMW from our back lot into our service department...a move that takes no more than 30 seconds in any other car.

It's a shame really, that an iDrive can wreck a perfectly beautiful, comfortable, fast and fun to drive car. For as much as I like looking at the car, and sitting in it, I wouldn't ever buy one....just because of that iDrive system. And from what I hear, the car is just brilliant to drive too...it's balanced almost perfectly, and it's got razor sharp handling, rides very smooth and is very, very quick, but all due to the iDrive, many will be too intimidated to take it out and give it all it's worth. I can't imagine what the learning curve on that thing is......like a month?? So for like the first month or so, you've gotta learn how to work it, and that's gonna be quite intimidating, so in a way, it's kind of disheartening, because you want to experience the car, but don't wanna have to deal with that complicated system so you can get the car set to how you like it so you can really enjoy it.

Nah, not for me. The cars from the last five or so years are getting needlessly complicated.

[Stoneage_Caddy]

weve gotten 3 of them , i dont see all the fuss about i drive ...really alot fo the stuff can be controlled without even useing I drive ...

the thing that annoyed em the most wasnt the I drive , but how to controll the tranny , the paddles and how they operate madeno sense at all , and the stupid gear shift ......chryslers teletouch was beatter then that

[77CDV]

Proving yet again that technology for it's own sake is not a good thing.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Oh god, those too! NOTHING is conventional on these cars...everything isn't how it seems. The gearshift isn't normal, it's no more than three inches long and barely moves up and down to move into Drive, Reverse or Neutral...you've gotta push a button to get it to go into park....just like on the Prius, but even that isn't as mind numbing as this ordeal. And there are like three other stalks that come off of the steering column.... controls for headlights, wipers, and power mirrors. They've all got those stupid little pictograms on them, so you can't figure out how to use them or what they really do...everything is by guess...until you actually sit down and read through the owner's manual or "quick reference guide" these German cars always have.

I mean I'm all about electronic gizmos and gadgets and toys, but man, you've gotta draw the line somewhere. I remember back when the '92 Bonnevilles came out, I was 5 back then, I thought they were so cool because of all those little grey buttons that were all over the dashboard, and since then, I've always thought it was cool when cars had lots of buttons for me to control and play around with, but this I-Drive is just completely back-ass-words for me.

And it's really sad, because this car has influenced the automotive world so much. When Mercedes redesigned the S Class in '07, they made a system like the I-Drive too, but it's not as quite as complicated, and when the A8 was redesigned in '04, they made a system like that too, but theirs is praised in the automotive community for it's intuitive design and ease of use. Then there's Bangle's design...which has been followed world-wide..first it was the Benzes, then the Toyotas, now the Lexuses, and even the Hondas are following suit. Can you remember how debated that design was when it came out???? I sure can! I like the 7, especially in it's earliest years, but the later ones that Bangle did, especially the 5 series, just got more abstract and ugly, except for the '07 3 Series Coupe...that is one gorgeous car!

[MN-STS-LOVER]

All I can say is.....Yea Cadillac!

[Night Wolf]

Whatever happened to the "gee imagine that, another technological automotive breakthrough by the Germans, who would have thought of that?

I like the buttons on my steering wheel to control the radio and climate control system... don't need anything more fancy then that.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

I suppose Rick's got a boner over me knocking on German technology.

[Night Wolf]

a boner? lol... I dunno about that....

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Ah, don't worry about it buddy, just messing with ya.

[Night Wolf]

[Crown Vic Owner]

IDK, i love complicated technology personally.

[Playdrv4me]

idrive has improved dramatically since it was originally implemented.

For some of us, technology for the sake of technology is what attacts us to these cars. I for one like to learn the system and become proficient at it, just like Rick enjoys the crap out of those digital dashes.

Yes, its cumbersome for most people, but I like the way it works. One of my favorite parts about idrive is the tactile feedback the controller gives you. If you push past the last option in a menu for example, the idrive controller will vibrate in your hand to let you know you've gone too far.

The menus are designed with a high quality 32-bit interface and with colors that are easy on the eyes. A DRASTIC change from the stick-man 8 bit colors the previous BMW navigation systems had (that were still just as difficult to operate).

Yes, it is true that there's too much integrated into Idrive's interface, but once you get used to its operation it isn't really that bad, and it's great to always have something new to "play with" during your ownership of the car. All the while still maintaining the driving characteristics that make a BMW a BMW.

For the longest time, BMW did not innovate at *ALL*. Their navigation systems were ARCHAIC, their interiors looked like they were stuck in 1997, and there was no technological improvements made because so many people pushed the "driving machine" ideal. All the while, Mercedes, CADILLAC, Lexus etc. were introducing radar cruise control systems, A/C seats, 3D DVD based Navigation systems with larger screens and hell, even just TOUCH SCREENS alone.

The 2002 re-design of the 7 Series, including i-drive, was an attempt to not only catch up to, but exceed the expectations of customers who were leaving BMW in droves for the technology being offered by its competitors. You can't fault them for having some growing pains in such an incredibly different car from what they had created in the past.

As far as the sport package, well whose dumb idea was it to buy a 2004 745i Sport in MINNESOTA in the WINTER? Of course it's going to be a bitch in the ice and snow. A RWD STS Northstar is similarly difficult to manage when the TC is turned off, hell even with it ON. (Not to mention if the TC was off something was wrong with it, it's never automatically OFF at startup unless there's a fault.)

And why is a Chevrolet dealership buying a 745i to begin with? I see that at some Suzuki, Chevrolet, Kia, Daewoo dealerships here. Entry level car dealers with a slew of highline cars that I GUESS are designed to reel people into the showroom.

[Night Wolf]

Yeah, I do have a thing for digital dashes

I must say, all this talk about BMW's has sparked my interest in them again.... I dunno, I always kinda like the simplicity of the E30's, I've heard they are an awesome drivers car.... I wonder how true that is... I want to experience one for myself... I've been in the mood for a fun to drive car too.... ah man.... I guess time to start researching...

[Crown Vic Owner]

i heard a mark viii feels the same way as well, but i dont know about that. I am waiting to get one of them next

[Playdrv4me]

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

Yeah, I do have a thing for digital dashes

I must say, all this talk about BMW's has sparked my interest in them again.... I dunno, I always kinda like the simplicity of the E30's, I've heard they are an awesome drivers car.... I wonder how true that is... I want to experience one for myself... I've been in the mood for a fun to drive car too.... ah man.... I guess time to start researching...

E30's are one of the cheapest ways to get into the full visceral BMW driving experience in its purest form. They are a blast to drive and for someone like you who is mechanically inclined, a joy to maintain.

BTW, Rick, I almost did a double take today when I looked over at the Kia Sedona (Gen 1) minivan driving next to me. I was amazed to see it had a digital dash! I immediately thought of you when I saw that.

EDIT: Hmm... now Im confused. Im not seeing any digital dash pics of any Sedonas. It must have been a Mercury Villager.