[ThomasR]

Hello,

My wife and I are looking to purchase our first BMW. We are going to order a 335i soon w/idrive.

I have spent hours and hours on this forum and Bimmerfest and have a few questions.

Does anyone really know how the iDrive data will be updated? Road data and POI's change from year to year so I think it's unrealistic for BMW to never update it unless you have an issue with the unit.

Depending on the answer to the above question I have thought about having the dealer I buy my car from agree in writing to update my car EVEN for a fee. What do you think about that?

[Rotary Rasp]

Are you kidding? Most manufacturers make you buy the updates. I'm pretty sure that the system is updated by DVD and you'll have to either buy it, or find and copy it. Also, the soonest update is probably a year or so away.

[ThorsHammer]

BMW releases a DVD update every so often. It's expensive. Most people pitch in and buy one disc and then share it/copy it. Do a search on here and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[ThomasR]

Originally Posted by ThorsHammer

BMW releases a DVD update every so often. It's expensive. Most people pitch in and buy one disc and then share it/copy it. Do a search on here and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I know that the Pre-09 models have a DVD update. What I was talking about were 2009 updates. So I ask again...How do you update those?

[ThorsHammer]

Originally Posted by ThomasR

I know that the Pre-09 models have a DVD update. What I was talking about were 2009 updates. So I ask again...How do you update those?

Uh, in the future?

I suspect they will put out an update in late '09 or early '10?

[cereal]

Originally Posted by ThomasR

I know that the Pre-09 models have a DVD update. What I was talking about were 2009 updates. So I ask again...How do you update those?

You can ask as many times as you like, you'll get the same answer every time.

The 2009 iDrive comes with a DVD drive. Updates will be copied from DVD to the HDD.

[ThorsHammer]

LOL
This thread is making me laugh.

[KevinO]

Technically, the system can be updated via DVD or via the USB port by the dealer. As for how & when the updates will be marketed, and what mechanism(s) they will use, we won't know until the first update.

[ThomasR]

Originally Posted by ThorsHammer

Uh, in the future?

I suspect they will put out an update in late '09 or early '10?

I read that the pre-09's were updated usually twice a year.

[ThomasR]

Originally Posted by cereal

You can ask as many times as you like, you'll get the same answer every time.

The 2009 iDrive comes with a DVD drive. Updates will be copied from DVD to the HDD.

Well if you haven't been told or nobody has had it done I wouldn't assume that is the case. It's one thing when the system literally RUNS from the DVD as in the Pre-09's but it's another whole ball game when it's on a hard drive. I would bet that they have to hook something up to your car physically to update it, as I don't remember seeing an UPDATE IDRIVE DATA button in the menus. LOL

So bottom line is, no one here has had an update and has no idea when or how they will be done. Just speculation. So I'm back where I started.

[Rotary Rasp]

I was told it will be updated by dvd disc. The 2009 idrive still has a dvd drive.

[ThomasR]

Originally Posted by Rotary Rasp

I was told it will be updated by dvd disc. The 2009 idrive still has a dvd drive.

Ok, cool.

[mdernst]

Originally Posted by ThomasR

So bottom line is, no one here has had an update and has no idea when or how they will be done. Just speculation. So I'm back where I started.

It's been published that map updates will be either via DVD or the Dealer's Workshop Programming System (DIS/GT1/SSS).

[cereal]

Originally Posted by ThomasR

Well if you haven't been told or nobody has had it done I wouldn't assume that is the case. It's one thing when the system literally RUNS from the DVD as in the Pre-09's but it's another whole ball game when it's on a hard drive. I would bet that they have to hook something up to your car physically to update it, as I don't remember seeing an UPDATE IDRIVE DATA button in the menus. LOL

So bottom line is, no one here has had an update and has no idea when or how they will be done. Just speculation. So I'm back where I started.

No, you're not back where you started. You've been given an answer. You just choose to call it speculation.

[3er858]

I was told by my dealer that there is an update due in March. It's supossed to fix some of the bugs in the system, but I'm not sure if there will be map updates or not...

[C.D.335xi]

I own a Canadian spec car but live/work in the Middle East. My car came loaded from the factory with the North American maps but the local dealer uploaded the Middle East maps onto my hard drive when prepping my car before delivery. I didn't ask how it was done but based on the description contained in the work order I suspect that it was through the dealer programming system rather than a DVD.

Originally Posted by mdernst

It's been published that map updates will be either via DVD or the Dealer's Workshop Programming System (DIS/GT1/SSS).

[SoYank]

My car came with the North American maps also but I'm in Europe for the time being. The dealerships did not have the software nor the knowledge at the time for updating the maps. According to the user's manual (who reads that?) the maps are updated via a DVD through the DVD drive in the car and an authorization code is entered in an undisclosed manner, i.e., how so is not mentioned in the manual. It also indicates that the maps can be updated via the USB port. As for the current maps, in addition to North America, all of Europe is also on the hard drive in a test directory. My local service center was able to figure that out.

[melm]

There is an update to the 2009 iDrive software. My dealer has me down for an update on March 10th. I was having trouble with the system refusing to navigate to some known destinations at random. Also the BMW search through Google stopped working, saying there was a 'timeout' and to try again later. It's been dead almost a week, and as BMW Search is a paid option, I'd like them to get it fixed ASAP. Other than that the new iDrive is a joy, as is the car, a 328i.

Originally Posted by 3er858

I was told by my dealer that there is an update due in March. It's supossed to fix some of the bugs in the system, but I'm not sure if there will be map updates or not...

[ThorsHammer]

Originally Posted by melm

There is an update to the 2009 iDrive software. My dealer has me down for an update on March 10th. I was having trouble with the system refusing to navigate to some known destinations at random. Also the BMW search through Google stopped working, saying there was a 'timeout' and to try again later. It's been dead almost a week, and as BMW Search is a paid option, I'd like them to get it fixed ASAP. Other than that the new iDrive is a joy, as is the car, a 328i.

Good to know!!! I've been getting the timeouts also.

[KevinO]

Originally Posted by melm

There is an update to the 2009 iDrive software. My dealer has me down for an update on March 10th. I was having trouble with the system refusing to navigate to some known destinations at random. Also the BMW search through Google stopped working, saying there was a 'timeout' and to try again later. It's been dead almost a week, and as BMW Search is a paid option, I'd like them to get it fixed ASAP. Other than that the new iDrive is a joy, as is the car, a 328i.

Can you get any more specific info on this update (version, BMW service notice, etc). Asked my dealer about it and they said no such beast.