Is HUD really an asset or mostly gimmicky?

ctcarbonari said:

The only negative observation I have with my HUD is that under various night conditions, at times there is a slight amount gray box outlining that occurs so I don't always get the same perfect transparency that occurs during daytime driving. Tolerable, and a non-issue tho, imo.

So again, +1 to HUD from me.
I'm all in after drinking the kool-aid.

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Maybe try reducing the HUD brightness, maybe set too bright and showing the background. I sometimes notice the gray-ish background at night but it is very faint.

Zrobb said:

As someone who's never had a car with HUD I don't get the amount of love it receives. I know it's best to experience it first before judging but it's never been something I felt I was missing in my cars. I guess if you end up not liking it you can always turn it off. For me it wouldn't be the option that makes or breaks a car. Might be nice to have but if the perfect car popped up for sale without the HUD I wouldn't hesitate.

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I felt the same way you did until I got my new '22 540i with HUD. I had many previous BMW's and never felt like spending $1700 for the HUD "package". At one point it may have also been a stand-alone option.

Anyway, they've integrated HUD very well in the BMW, you can choose to display other types of info there, like your radio/infotainment station list, telephone contacts list, etc. When navigation is engaged, it's great to see a repeat of the upcoming route detail right in front of you. Yes, the central display with the map option chosen is pretty close, it's just nice to see it while you're looking straight ahead driving. As someone else noted, it also makes it easy to track current speed against the current speed limit, both displayed in HUD.

All-in-all, I see why people like it and now I'm used to having it. My wife's new 330ix does not have it and I do miss it at times when driving her car. I also order all my cars, and while I do think I would always order HUD in the future, I guess it wouldn't stop me from buying a car if it were somehow unavailable, or packaged in a way that makes the cost "out of sight".

DOH! Reply instead of Edit results in duplicate entry!

ctcarbonari said:

Same! The "how far to next turn" & directional arrows on the HUD is a really nice feature; however, for the technology in my older car, the BMW navigation is more effort than it's worth for the rare times I need it.
Easier just to ask Siri.

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We were in our friend's Lexus without Nav and she was using Waze. Was not impressed. Maybe I would need to experience it more, but I find the BMW nav pretty excellent. And in my '22, I almost always use voice input for the destination, including general point of interest, rather than actual address.

FlylowTX said:

FYI: It WILL work with polarized lenses, they just have to be polarized in the right direction! Zenni Optical has polarized sunglass, with RX or not, for under $20 that work perfectly with the HUD. Doubt me? Take off your polarized sunglasess that don't work with the HUD, and rotate them 90 degrees and look through them (one of them at least) and what do you see now??? YOUR HUD! They make "BMW HUD Sun-glasses" for over $150 but no need to spend that much coin. Its all about the direction of the polarization!

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Polarized sunglasses are oriented the way they are for a purpose. Of course if you rotate them 90 degrees you see HUD. Polarized glasses set up the way you describe wouldn't really help that much in the "real world" reasons they exist in the first place!

I'm an advanced photographer, and own polarizing filters. They rotate for the reason you describe so they can be adjusted for the maximum effect for the given photographic scene. For stationary sunglasses, the lenses are permanently set with the polarization set in the direction needed for most of the everyday needs of driving. As I stated, they would be severely lacking in performance if they were rotated permanently 90 degrees. I bought a new pair of Randolph non-polarized aviators for my '22 540i, first car with HUD.

Autoputzer said:

In Floriduh, windshields are covered under comprehensive insurance with no deductible Frau Putzer got two on her old Honda..

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Not OEM.

Ralph III said:

Thanks for all of the replies!

We've decided that HUD would be a preferred feature, so we are looking for something with that as well as our other desired features. My wife's favorite color scheme is Bluestone with the black SynsaTek interior. She does not like the black Dakota leather with the silver contrast stitching. So, that really limits what is available to us. She does like the blue stitching though as with m-sport packages. Anyhow, I have only located one vehicle that met our criteria, with one exception, out of the hundreds that I have viewed over the last weeks. It was a 2018 540xi m-sport with low mileage that was within our price range. That car was perfect with the exception it was a 2018 and I desire a 2019 with some remaining warranty. That car unfortunately sold today as I was awaiting them to send additional pics and a video. So, the quest continues.

God Bless,
Ralph

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When you buy a used car you can't wait "forever" for your dream car, right? Just saying... The blue stitched leather is Dakota, it was one Dakota choice available with MSport. I doubt you would find many with that interior. For 2018 through 2020, you could order Multi-Contour seats with Dakota leather. If you seek multi-contours specifically, the blue-stitched Dakota interior (code LCNL) was not available with multi-contours (or Luxury Seating package ZLS).

LogicalApex said:

Since HUD is optional and so are the “better seats”. Why didn’t you skip the HUD and opt for the seats instead?

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+1. However, to be fair, HUD is now part of Premium Pkg, at least starting in 2022. No longer a stand-alone option, so it may be included for someone who wants Premium w/o HUD. I have Executive Pkg in my '22 540i. Also, multi-contour now requires both Nappa and ZLS, costing $3500 on a 540i. Unfortunately, that may price some people out of multi-contour, or people may not want Nappa, etc., My '18 had MC seats with Dakota.

XChallengeRdr said:

RPM is not a shown on my HUD.

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My '22 540i is my first HUD-equipped BMW. In Sport mode, a linear-line type tach is shown. It's not as good as a marked dial (it has no markings, just breaks in the line as increments), and a red-highlighted last section on the right end. You have a G30? What year? Maybe it is there an you didn't see it in Sport mode?

quackbury said:

It is always there for me when I want it, and very, very easy to toggle off when I don't.

Well look at that! You're the only guy here who "drives several very fast cars". You want a cookie, Mr. Exceptional?

Aha, you worry about insurance premiums! That's what makes you different from the rest of us who (wait for it) drive several very fast cars.

I have one of my selectable buttons set to turn HUD off. When I am driving in fog, pouring rain or swirling snow, I find that helpful. I have a second button set to turn the entire iDrive screen off when the fog, rain or snow gets bad enough I don't want that extra light in my field of vision. Incredibly simple solutions for the pretend issue of too much distraction on the windshield. But if paying insurance premiums is an outsized factor in your selection of cars and options, I can't help you there.

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But, but, but... I thought those buttons were to store radio stations!

scsfll said:

“Radio stations” “push buttons” missing the point that speed does not enjoy interference in its face.
push some of those there buttons and work out that hostility
I’m envious. So many posts. So much time.
here’s a deal. Lay off my posts and I’m happy to do the same.

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Wow, who is the hostile one - I just saw this reply. Quackbury and I are somewhat "forum pals" and I was being facetious for his "teasing" benefit. Chill.

As for the number of posts, well I've been a member for 18.25 years. That works out to an average of maybe 1.5 replies a day, not really excessive I think.

dce said:

I, too, enjoy an insightful interlude regarding the human.condition in Bubbaville. Please more, not less.

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Wait, do you mean Autoputzer in Floriduh? Not a reply to me I guess...(from above).