Top View
 

Is this option useful?

I think so. It helps me get close to the curb parking on the street and completely parallel to lines and centered in a parking space :).
What it cannot help with (due to camera placement) is to see in front of the vehicle well.

Yes. I initially didn't use it on my X5, but now I like it in certain parking situations as noted above. It does take some getting used to though.

Favourite & Best Option...really helps parking. I never use the rear camera. You need to pre-order with the vehicle or cost you BIG$$$ to add on with the Dealer.

Top View Camera
 

Oh, yes! Like Nike, just do it! It really helps, not only with parking, but it really does let you see all around the vehicle.

Richard

I use it every day. Really helpful for getting a good parking position in a lot.

It's an inexpensive option at purchase... not so much after purchase. I wish I had rear a camera.

Definitely helps with parking and safety with unexpected short family visiting the car (eg dogs).

+1

It is one of my favorite options, I use it every day. Really useful for parking and avoiding grinding my rims on the curb.

My wife is going to pick up her X3 next week with top view. Just wondering, what is the easiest way to toggle between top view and rear view, is there a button you can push without going into the i-drive?
Thank You

Press PDC button on console, and again to toggle between top and rear views.
Update: Sorry, this was wrong! Press iDrive controller as another guy posted.

I tap the iDrive to switch between the two views.

We have PDC sensors on the rear on our big F350 truck. My wife loves 'em. Uses 'em to dock with the horse trailer. Definitely an option she wanted on the new X3. When we went in for our test drive to figure out options and colors and such (we already knew we were getting a replacement X3), she saw the camera views and said (just like she said about the pano roof in '05), "I want that!". I started to ask whether she was talking about rear view or top view and she didn't even let me finish, "Both of them!", she said.

Done. Happy wife, happy life. The rear camera is bundled with Park Distance Control for $950 MSRP in 2014. Getting side cameras adds $350. Not a huge change (0.875%) on a vehicle that costs $40K.

Now what I am worried about is that she (or me) will be looking at the camera display and not out the window and run into something the camera can't see. :eek: Our new X3 is going to require some serious training time to understand and properly use all the darn gadgets...

The camera is only one tool and eyes out the window is another :). I use both and go slow when using PDC and/or camera views. I find the top view great for parallel parking and for centering myself perfectly in a parking spot.

Thanks Noka, does that shut off the PDC if you are in reverse?

Press the iDrive button to switch between the two views.

Do you have to go to the side menu and then press the i-drive button?

No, just push down when a camera view is on-screen. Repeat pushes flip back and forth between the Top and Rear views.

I corrected my post. I was wrong. Press iDrive controller as another guy suggested.

Thanks guys, that sounds easier than pushing that little PDC button.

Yeah, pushing the PDC kills the camera view as I just confirmed. Don't know why I thought that but was relying on my memory (which obviously did not server me well :)).

Thanks for the nice shortcut, 02420X3. I love Top View for parking in my garage, getting my X3 in the middle of the white lines in a parking spot, and for the occasional parallel parking situation. Worth every penny!