I-drive Nav

[berkeley223]

The one option I was on the fence about was the navigation, based on some negative things I'd heard about it. However, I decided to get it so I could get the I-drive and the full screen display for my radio/sat/ipod/bluetooth, etc.

After a few days of driving, I gotta say I am not a fan of the navigation. I have no problem with the i-drive control (if you can work an ipod it should be intuitive), but the navigation seems way worse than my old garmin.

For example, say I want directions to the "Apple Store." With the garmin, you could just type that in and it would pull up the closest stores with that name. But with the bmw nav, it seems like you first need to "guess" what type of store it would be--under "information about..." you'd need to select gift store, electronic store, etc, then type in the name of the store, and hopefully it would find it. If you guess wrong, you need to repeat the process. Well I have yet to correctly guess thy type of store it is, and therefore have been unable to pull up a number of stores by name with the nav.

What am I missing? Is it really this un-user friendly?

Apart from this though--loving the new car!!
Thanks for any advice...

[captainaudio]

The one option I was on the fence about was the navigation, based on some negative things I'd heard about it. However, I decided to get it so I could get the I-drive and the full screen display for my radio/sat/ipod/bluetooth, etc.

After a few days of driving, I gotta say I am not a fan of the navigation. I have no problem with the i-drive control (if you can work an ipod it should be intuitive), but the navigation seems way worse than my old garmin.

For example, say I want directions to the "Apple Store." With the garmin, you could just type that in and it would pull up the closest stores with that name. But with the bmw nav, it seems like you first need to "guess" what type of store it would be--under "information about..." you'd need to select gift store, electronic store, etc, then type in the name of the store, and hopefully it would find it. If you guess wrong, you need to repeat the process. Well I have yet to correctly guess thy type of store it is, and therefore have been unable to pull up a number of stores by name with the nav.

What am I missing? Is it really this un-user friendly?

Apart from this though--loving the new car!!
Thanks for any advice...

The BMW Nav is what is known as "User Antagonistic" software.

I have two portable Garmins and I agree, they are better Nav systems than iDrive. I have iDrive in my 335i. I also have the BMW concierge service. When I want to find something (for example "Apple Store" I call the concierge and they will find the nearest one and then upload it to iDrive. The Concierge Service costs $199 per year and IMHO is worth every penny.

[KAP8]

The BMW Nav is what is known as "User Antagonistic" software.

I have two portable Garmins and I agree, they are better Nav systems than iDrive. I have iDrive in my 335i. I also have the BMW concierge service. When I want to find something (for example "Apple Store" I call the concierge and they will find the nearest one and then upload it to iDrive. The Concierge Service costs $199 per year and IMHO is worth every penny.

That is interesting. I may extend my Concierge after my 1st year is up. That seems very convenient. :thumbup:

[B-Pecan]

But with the bmw nav, it seems like you first need to "guess" what type of store it would be--under "information about..." you'd need to select gift store, electronic store, etc, then type in the name of the store, and hopefully it would find it. If you guess wrong, you need to repeat the process.


At least you have this option. On the older versions, if you don't have the exact address, you won't be getting anywhere!

[berkeley223]

so it's not just me but the system? that's a bummer. i may actually have to buy a nuvi now. in retrospect maybe I should've passed on the idrive