[meddesigner]

I went ahead a got it. It does more than just Nav and for what I want think it will be nice. Better safe than sorry. So the new beast is ordered and on the way.

Thanks for all the thoughts. It was very helpful.

Richard in Nashville

[CometVR4]

My mother used to have a '06 330i, she ordered iDrive because she wanted a Navi after having a '05 RL. I had to go and show her how it works but she hated the interphace and ended up trading it on a RX350. I think Acura has one of the best Navigation systems on the market right now. Its unfortunate they can't make a car drive as fun a BMW. I personally liked iDrive, it really depends who you are and if you're a technology nerd. Some people thinks its really complicated.

[ScottyGams]

Originally Posted by CometVR4

My mother used to have a '06 330i, she ordered iDrive because she wanted a Navi after having a '05 RL. I had to go and show her how it works but she hated the interphace and ended up trading it on a RX350. I think Acura has one of the best Navigation systems on the market right now. Its unfortunate they can't make a car drive as fun a BMW. I personally liked iDrive, it really depends who you are and if you're a technology nerd. Some people thinks its really complicated.

i agree. I-Drive is complicated but I like it that way. I like intricate details. It is made for us techno-freaks!

[xpnstos77]

My brother put navigation on my car as a gift. Holy shit I love it. I could not imagine the car without it. Looks great, the phone, the radio controlled with my arm on the armrest. I hate leaning to change the station. Custom climate settings.

IT IS AWSOME and YOU MUST GET IT!!!!!!!!!

[BuckJon]

Yes.

[rambalu80]

Originally Posted by CometVR4

My mother used to have a '06 330i, she ordered iDrive because she wanted a Navi after having a '05 RL. I had to go and show her how it works but she hated the interphace and ended up trading it on a RX350. I think Acura has one of the best Navigation systems on the market right now. Its unfortunate they can't make a car drive as fun a BMW. I personally liked iDrive, it really depends who you are and if you're a technology nerd. Some people thinks its really complicated.

I had an 06 TSX with Navi and I agree that Acura does have one of the best Navigation systems on the market. It was extremely easy to use and the POI search was awesome.

I have an 07 328i w/ iDrive now and I have no problems using it except for having to know the right categories for the POI search. If you like technology, you'll figure it out in a couple of hours and you're gonna have to like technology to use any navigation syatem for that matter!

Whether you liek using it or not, the navi comes in very handy. So go for it!

[meddesigner]

Hi All -

I few posts back I mentioned I purchased it with my new 08' 335. Should be here near Christmas or so I am told.

I like tech. I program applications for a living as well as produce and edit video (in the same gig). My boss won't by a new 7 to replace his because he hates iDrive but has never really used it. I thought it might be a good idea just to go ahead and get the silly thing. I think I will like it. I understand it might not be the best Navi system in the world but it does compile a fair amount of functions into a central location and I do like the way the dash looks with the 2nd hump.

Sure it could be a slick IDE like something you can do in Flex or like the iPhone but if works reasonably well then I will be cool with it. Better to have it than never to have ordered it. Now I won't have to say:

"I knew I should have gotten it" or "It was to expensive...I'll just go get a portable unit"

I guess it is what it is...an expensive toy.

[myfirstbmw335i]

I am having new update issues. However, I love the idrive and NAV system. It's easy to use.
Since you just ordered your car, you will have all the updates that I want..

Rob in Nashville

[sn123]

The thing i am disappointed most about the nav is that it doesn't show the gasoline icons like how hondas and toyotas show. Most of the time I'm looking for a particular gas station, ie chevron, and honda shows a chevron symbol for where they are on the nav screen. Just disappointing that bmw doesn't have better technology for their systems. Idrive, i can live without it. But it's just nice to have. The hump thing doesn't bother me at all so it's not much of an eye sore. It gives it more character. but the functionality of it isn't the greatest. Just the little tidbits fustrates me.

[rambalu80]

Originally Posted by sn123

The thing i am disappointed most about the nav is that it doesn't show the gasoline icons like how hondas and toyotas show. Most of the time I'm looking for a particular gas station, ie chevron, and honda shows a chevron symbol for where they are on the nav screen. Just disappointing that bmw doesn't have better technology for their systems. Idrive, i can live without it. But it's just nice to have. The hump thing doesn't bother me at all so it's not much of an eye sore. It gives it more character. but the functionality of it isn't the greatest. Just the little tidbits fustrates me.

Totally agree!

[AlB]

No

[Gig103]

I agonized about this. I have used my friend's Garmin and played with iDrive. In the end, the shortcomings of the NAV system are made up for by the iMenu (car options), USB interface if you have the 6FL option also, programmable buttons, and integrated phonebook if you have Bluetooth. Oh yeah, and voice commands.

If I didn't order 6FL and Premium, I wouldn't have bothered with iDrive, though, because by itself it isn't that great and a $500 Garmin does more for getting you from A to B. But I use the radio and other things more than I use my Nav system.

[Gig103]

This was just me, but attached was my pro/con list for iDrive.

[ianbiz]

Def. do it. I almost got a E90 over my Z4 just because of it. But a roadster is cooler than a sedan.

[GregL]

I haven't read all the responses inbetween so bear with me. In my honest opinion, if I had to replace my E90 today I would not take it with iDrive. I would get everything else BUT iDrive, then buy a Kuda dash mount and a nice Garmin widescreen unit. I got to play with my gf's entry-level Nuvi 250 and it was an absolute pleasure to operate vs the slow POS that BMW designed for our cars. Just my two cents.

Edit: Take a look at this post from GooseInOz and his Garmin install http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...9&postcount=17

[youyou]

I would never buy the car without it...
To me it's an absolute must!!!

[808AWD325xi]

BMW OEM's the Garmin Nüvi 360.

Here is a link to the owners manual:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/BMW3-...rthAmerica.pdf

[MBrown1003]

Originally Posted by sn123

The thing i am disappointed most about the nav is that it doesn't show the gasoline icons like how hondas and toyotas show. Most of the time I'm looking for a particular gas station, ie chevron, and honda shows a chevron symbol for where they are on the nav screen. Just disappointing that bmw doesn't have better technology for their systems. Idrive, i can live without it. But it's just nice to have. The hump thing doesn't bother me at all so it's not much of an eye sore. It gives it more character. but the functionality of it isn't the greatest. Just the little tidbits fustrates me.

Have you used the "Information" function? Whatever you last searched for will be all over the maps. Search for a gas station, and you'll see little gas pumps all over. Search for a hotel and there's little bed icons. Search for a restaurant; you get forks and knives.

My problem is that the silly icons are distracting. Once I've picked the one restaurant I want, I don't want to see the forkin' knife. And it takes a bunch of steps to "hide map icons".

[merle]

Yes, definitely worth it. You end up using the Nav much more than you think. You may think that you can just print out some Google maps and get to where you're going, but it's those times where you want to get from X to Y without being at your computer first, is the time you really appreciate it. It's probably my #1 option in terms of 'glad I got it'. It's not perfect (the Nav on my 04 TSX is MUCH easier to use by being touch screen) but it's almost there. Switching between some screens, such as going from FM to AM or Sat is a little harder than it should be, but when used with voice command, it's just as easy.

[taseal]

lemme put it this way

gf doesn't have it, wishes she had it

friend has it, he never uses it

my jeep has navigation (its no idrive of course) and I love it.

I say go for it.

its better to have then not have

how much is the option anyways?

[yogi4]

the new iDrive is awesome ; so go for it ; I was having the same confusion before; but I went for it and I'm happy I did that