Is HUD really an asset or mostly gimmicky?
Hello All,
I have a few questions in regards to HUD, as we are looking to purchase a newer 5 series. So I am considering whether it is an option worthy of consideration such as heated seats, which is a must for my wife and daughters.
1. Is HUD really any use with a daily driver because this is what the BMW will be used for? I can see where HUD could be useful with navigation while traveling but we reserve our Escalade for trips. So do you find HUD necessary or unnecessary with your daily driver?
2. Do you consider HUD more of a nuisance? My daughter and I found it kinda neat in the vehicles we test drove but my wife found it distracting.
3. Are the BMW HUD units highly reliable or do they suffer from issues on occasion? I just read quite a number of people complaining about having issues with their HUD units. So is it just something else that's prone to fail and will need servicing/replacement at some point?
Thanks,
Ralph
I have a few questions in regards to HUD, as we are looking to purchase a newer 5 series. So I am considering whether it is an option worthy of consideration such as heated seats, which is a must for my wife and daughters.
1. Is HUD really any use with a daily driver because this is what the BMW will be used for? I can see where HUD could be useful with navigation while traveling but we reserve our Escalade for trips. So do you find HUD necessary or unnecessary with your daily driver?
2. Do you consider HUD more of a nuisance? My daughter and I found it kinda neat in the vehicles we test drove but my wife found it distracting.
3. Are the BMW HUD units highly reliable or do they suffer from issues on occasion? I just read quite a number of people complaining about having issues with their HUD units. So is it just something else that's prone to fail and will need servicing/replacement at some point?
Thanks,
Ralph
41 - 60 of 118 Posts
I have HUD on one vehicle and not on our other. Given the choice I would opt to have it.
I love mine on my '09 but it doesn't work in cold weather. Probably some dried out grease on the height adjustment motor. I can get a used unit for under $300, but its an all-day job to remove the dash to access it to replace it. I'll live with it like it is for now, but I do miss it in cold weather. I've actually thought about putting a small electric heater in the driver's footwell in order to keep the HUD operational when cold weather hits. Fortunately in Texas, that's not too often!
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!
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!
Love the HUD on my 2009 M6! Wish I had it in my other vehicles.
FYI It works with Apple maps which is getting better .+1 for HUD
Our first HUD came with our 2014 650i Gran Coupe. We rely on it to know what the speed limit is wherever we drive and very useful when using navigation to show where the ramp on/off lanes are located, etc. The polarized sunglass issue seems so minor to me. I just slide my glasses down my nose for a moment or two to see what I need to know at the time and then back up over my baby blues. Not having to take our eyes off the road to look at the dash display which takes more than a few moments to figure out where you are is a big plus in our book.
I have had HUD on several of my recent cars, including my 2020 X3 M40i.
I used to like HUD but now I will not get on any of my new cars that I will buy or order.
I am ordering the brand new 2023 Mercedes GLC 300 4MATIC SUV and I am bypassing HUD all together.
It is not the cost, but I now do not like the viewing interference and blockage on my windshield.
This is a personal decision and there really is no right or wrong answer.
To each his own.
I used to like HUD but now I will not get on any of my new cars that I will buy or order.
I am ordering the brand new 2023 Mercedes GLC 300 4MATIC SUV and I am bypassing HUD all together.
It is not the cost, but I now do not like the viewing interference and blockage on my windshield.
This is a personal decision and there really is no right or wrong answer.
To each his own.
Lots of "love it, love it" posts. I've never had one, but I have a neighbor who does. He has never said whether he likes it or not, but did complain mightily about the cost of replacing it when he was hit by a stone and cracked the windshield - and that wasn't even a BMW.
I love the heads up display!
Just wish you could see it with polarized sunglasses.
Just wish you could see it with polarized sunglasses.
-- I love HUD. It has helped me a lot while doing long distance. It also shows you navigation (if you activate).
-- I am fan of heated and vented seats and cannot buy another car with out it
-- Also look at buying 360 view option. It has helped in parking and avoiding small fended benders.
-- I am fan of heated and vented seats and cannot buy another car with out it
-- Also look at buying 360 view option. It has helped in parking and avoiding small fended benders.
You can move it off windshield onto instrument panel if you want to do that.
You can move it to center of instrument panel and off windshield if you don’t want it on glass.
I’ve done that in wife’s x5 as she uses polarized lens. As noted above, hud doesn’t work with those. So, it’s in center of dash in her car. I love it in my M40i, and put it back in x5 windshield when I drive that one, then, of course, forget to put it back down into instrument panel.
I would not go without them. It helps with directions and speed. My wife hates it and turned it off in her profile.
I’ve had it on three five series cars and wouldn’t want to go without it. I’ve programmed each of them to include turn signals. I can position the steering wheel without regard to what might be obscured on the instrument panel.
Only option don't have that I wish I had on both bimmers....
We've got 2 BMW products here: a very recent MINI Cooper S with a HUD and a '22 230i, without the HUD…
…but with Live Cockpit (iDrive 7).
Mu opinion: if the HUD is a part of a package already with other options you think you'd want, I'd say go for it. I'm not sure if BMW even offers the HUD separate from Live Cockpit now with iDrive 8/8.5 and iDrive 9 coming…but for any cars that have iDrive 7 still and Live Cockpit but NOT the HUD, I'd say you can skip the HUD as an add-on if available. For me, a HUD is not necessarily a game-changer.
Live Cockpit is so good and I've moved over from Apple Maps in CarPlay to use the built-in sat/nav…and it's been terrific. Since iDrive 7 isn't getting Apple Maps turn-by-turn in the Live Cockpit/instrument panel with the live map view/current location, am sticking with the built-in navigation for that. At least for me, it's peripheral vision that makes Live Cockpit & the instrument panel work like a HUD. Not the same, no, but I drive the MINI plenty & I do love its HUD…but don't find myself missing it when behind the wheel of the 230i.
So worth it if already included now in a package; not so much without package inclusion (IMO).
…but with Live Cockpit (iDrive 7).
Mu opinion: if the HUD is a part of a package already with other options you think you'd want, I'd say go for it. I'm not sure if BMW even offers the HUD separate from Live Cockpit now with iDrive 8/8.5 and iDrive 9 coming…but for any cars that have iDrive 7 still and Live Cockpit but NOT the HUD, I'd say you can skip the HUD as an add-on if available. For me, a HUD is not necessarily a game-changer.
Live Cockpit is so good and I've moved over from Apple Maps in CarPlay to use the built-in sat/nav…and it's been terrific. Since iDrive 7 isn't getting Apple Maps turn-by-turn in the Live Cockpit/instrument panel with the live map view/current location, am sticking with the built-in navigation for that. At least for me, it's peripheral vision that makes Live Cockpit & the instrument panel work like a HUD. Not the same, no, but I drive the MINI plenty & I do love its HUD…but don't find myself missing it when behind the wheel of the 230i.
So worth it if already included now in a package; not so much without package inclusion (IMO).
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.
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.
I probably wouldn’t buy another car without it. The ability to keep your eyes on the road while also having a series of options displayed on the windshield, such as speed limit, navigation, traffic, entertainment options makes it invaluable.
If you wear sunglasses.....you can't see it. At night.....a gimmick at best. If it was a "freebie", then cool. If you have to pay for it.......look for the next useless option like hand gestures, or the ridiculous turning headlights.
How did you do the programming to get turn signals into the HUD?
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