[mostroad]

Given the quality and advancements in the portable navigation units, and their low price, is there any reason to get the built-in navigation? I am thinking about which options to order, and love navigation, but am thinking about ordering without navigation (which gives me the added bonus of no iDrive.) Thoughts?

[De90man]

I don't have it, but about twice a month I wish I did tick that box. The second hump on the dash plus idrive might have driven me nuts tho. Damned if you do, not so damned if don't.

[Johnny3]

it's a nice thing to have. I didn't get it because i use a garmin in my 335i, but my father's 5er has it and its a fun toy. Not essential, but pretty fuckin cool.

[Safety2213]

I didn't get navigation b/c the iDrive system was too complex - even changing radio stations was not intuitive. With the advancement of mobile phones, I anticipate having a phone where you will load up destinations through your PC via Website such as Mapquest or Google appearing very soon. I believe that we will have better and easier to use interfaces through personally owned mobile electronics than a built in car navigation unit which is always a few years behind. Having bluetooth capability ensures a method to easily connect and interact with your car (voice command, speaker, etc). I seldom use navigation however always print out the directions when I need them, even when driving cars with navigation since its so much easier.

[RANJHA]

i got nav and love it

then again i go on a lot of roadtrips

honestly, if ure not gonna do a lot of traveling, save ur $$ for something performance-related

[HyperM3]

Garmin FTW. 1/4 price, free firmware updates, portable, no idrive hump.

[wj4]

I got it for the hump. The car looks so plain and empty w/o the iDrive hump. I've used the Garmin and Tom Tom before on friends' cars, while they are great..I hate not having live traffic alert and when there is a turn that is coming up, many a time I have to turn down the stereo just to be able to hear it, gets annoying for me after a while.

[eleven11]

I also have Nav and love it. I'm Navigationally challenged, so it was a must. The portable units are actually probably better at navigating (and are cheaper). However, I'd much rather have a clean OEM installed unit - less clutter (the hump doesn't bother me at all). As far as iDrive goes - very simple, imo. As someone mentioned, radio isn't as direct as a traditional dial, but you can simply say "FM 101.5" or "101.5 FM" and you're there. And no, it's not at all "complex" (someone's been reading too many car magazines ). And finally, there's the cool factor.

[Kev]

I like the I-Drive. It's not that hard to use, but it can be quite slow at times. The real-time traffic / route revision is cool. Bluetooth doesn't work so well with my N95 (known problem with Nokia N-series). The nav is more accurate than my old E55. I'd get it again on my next Bimmer

[BK]

I am a longtime portable nav unit user, and when we bought new cars recently, we got nav built into both of them. I still have a couple of portable navs for rental cars, if we ever need them.

Having a built-in nav means it is integrated with the car much better, you don't need to see the sats for the car to know where you are or which way you are pointing (dead reckoning and electronic compass), the screen is nice and large, well shaded and in a perfect location (plus you have dual screens on the E9x), you don't have unsightly wires, your lighter plug is freed up, voice prompts will mute the stereo automatically, and you don't have to pack up the nav for a trip or hide it when you park. If only the software interface was as good or as customizable as Garmin's.

And FWIW, Bluetooth with my Blackberry works like a dream with iDrive.

[Pedal2Floor]

Originally Posted by wj4

I got it for the hump. The car looks so plain and empty w/o the iDrive hump. I've used the Garmin and Tom Tom before on friends' cars, while they are great..I hate not having live traffic alert and when there is a turn that is coming up, many a time I have to turn down the stereo just to be able to hear it, gets annoying for me after a while.

Uhm....the newer TomTom and Garmin units have speed sensitive sound so they get louder the faster you go or send a signal to your radio and play over the current music you have on and they all now support RTTI so you get alerts for traffic. Also, if you did not get premium with Bluetooth the newer devices like the TomTom GO 720 can also act as your Bluetooth hub for your bluetooth cell phone.

The portable devices have come a long way and for the money are waaaay ahead of the iDrive. The only annoyance is having to take it off your windshield at every stop you make because if you leave it in the car it will either cook in the sun or surely get stolen by someone via a smash and grab.

Also, the new units finally have 6 to 8hr battery life so you don't have to keep them plugged in all the time with the annoying power wire.

All in all -- I will take the portable over the iDrive -- but not because I believe the iDrive is too complicated -- its just too expensive for the features it provides.

[Lost Horizon]

I have iDrive and also a Garmin portable in a second car. The BMW's built in's dead reckoning is a must if you are in among the tall buildings, tunnels or trees.. It's never behind, and never misses an instruction. The Garmin bugs me when I have to use it now, by comparison... there is a charlie chaplin lag in downtown Vancouver, and it's hopeless in the tunnels and turnoffs at the tunnel exits... no such problem with iDrive.

Also, as BK points out above, the integration of bluetooth and my 8830 blackberry make it all worth the price... never mind the iPod

For those still stuck in the last i-war time warp, the latest versions of iDrive software put the necessary finesse and single steps (voice or otherwise) in how you can get around to where you need to be, simply.. it's ain't that hard to use no mo'.

[Tag]

• No clutter
• Don't need to remove it from dash every time after parking
• Real-Time Traffic Reporting
• Let's me scroll and play my iPod on a larger screen
• Fully integrated with cars audio
• Looks awesome
• Chicks dig it

[CnoteMD]

I wouldn't have ordered my car without iDrive/Navigation.

I really don't like the look of an extra box hanging off my windshield (with the associated wires). I also like the way everything is integrated into one single interface. There have been a few iDrive software updates which have added functional improvements (though my early build car doesn't get traffic info). Even though iDrive may initially seem counter-intuitive, it's nothing that a quick browse of the owners manual can't solve.

I spent about 20 minutes getting everything set up exactly the way I want it, and now I can control most things with voice commands or the steering wheel buttons. In the worst case scenario, I may actually have to turn the knob! Overall, it's actually quite easy to use and doesn't require me to take my eyes from the road.

[japac1]

I love the i-drive with navi. Great system, built in, nothing to get your car broken into to steal (the new thing in Baltimore is aftermarket Nav's getting stolen)...

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by japac1

I love the i-drive with navi. Great system, built in, nothing to get your car broken into to steal (the new thing in Baltimore is aftermarket Nav's getting stolen)...

Not for nothing, but anyone that leaves their "portable" navi stuck to their windshield when they leaver their car, deserves to have it stolen. It only takes 2 seconds to put it in the glove compartment or take it with you.

[Lost Horizon]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

Not for nothing, but anyone that leaves their "portable" navi stuck to their windshield when they leaver their car, deserves to have it stolen. It only takes 2 seconds to put it in the glove compartment or take it with you.

The average assumption of the unwashed is that if the stand is on the windshield, the nav is in the glove compartment.. better than even odds, so you get broken into regardless..

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizon

The average assumption of the unwashed is that if the stand is on the windshield, the nav is in the glove compartment.. better than even odds, so you get broken into regardless..

Still my point. I keep my nuvi attached to my mount and throw the whole thing in the glovebox. Now theres no trace that it was in the car to begin with. Mounts arent typically that much larger than the units they hold, its not like you need a lot of room to store them. People are just lazy thats all, they get what they get and they only need to learn once.

[Lost Horizon]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

Still my point. I keep my nuvi attached to my mount and throw the whole thing in the glovebox. Now theres no trace that it was in the car to begin with. Mounts arent typically that much larger than the units they hold, its not like you need a lot of room to store them. People are just lazy thats all, they get what they get and they only need to learn once.

There's not a lot of room to store anything extra in the coupe's bins.. I'm guessing you also passed on comfort access, then..

Still, the main selling point for me was the dead reckoning capability, and no delay.. ever.. whether a 20 or 100 enroute + big screen bluetooth.. The rest of the integration is just a bonus.

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizon

There's not a lot of room to store anything extra in the coupe's bins.. I'm guessing you also passed on comfort access, then..

Still, the main selling point for me was the dead reckoning capability, and no delay.. ever.. whether a 20 or 100 enroute + big screen bluetooth.. The rest of the integration is just a bonus.

This could be argued back and forth. Why would you think I passed on comfort access? That was one of the first things I checked as a must have in my car. No, theres not that much room to store things, but the glovebox is big enough for a lot of crap if you dont put any manuals in there.

I still got bluetooth with the premium package too so I didnt lose that from not getting the nav. Hey, if youre happy with the nav then so be it, there are many of us who figured there was no reason to spend 2500 for something you can get for 500 and put those 2g's towards mods.

[Lost Horizon]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

This could be argued back and forth. Why would you think I passed on comfort access? That was one of the first things I checked as a must have in my car. No, theres not that much room to store things, but the glovebox is big enough for a lot of crap if you dont put any manuals in there.

I still got bluetooth with the premium package too so I didnt lose that from not getting the nav. Hey, if youre happy with the nav then so be it, there are many of us who figured there was no reason to spend 2500 for something you can get for 500 and put those 2g's towards mods.

You are right.. I'm just yanking your convenience chain..

[LEDZEP]

It's not just the NAV, but iDrive with many more programmable options and tons of voice commands, etc. It's a simple choice of whether you feel it's worth it or not. RTTI is nice too.