No New iDrive for Australia

[cargeek]

I delayed my build date to after September so I would have the upgraded idrive BUT I was told by me dealer today that BMW Australia claims the 1 series won't get the new idrive for at least 6 months. I'm not very patient and I can't wait another 6 months only to find out that it may still be unavailable. I have ordered a 135 vert.

[d3syd]

I wouldn't wait. The existing i-drive is fine, and some people like myself prefer the minimalist look of the system. The current system does everything the new system does, albeit requiring a little more steps. One nice thing the new system has is 3D mapping showing the topography of the landscape. However this won't work unless the map data is available in oz.

There is still uncertainty as to whether the new system will have a flip up screen on the 1er, as pictures of the screen appear to be photoshopped. I for one prefer a flip screen.

[d3syd]

Hey, just realised you are in Tassie!!

[cargeek]

Originally Posted by d3syd

Hey, just realised you are in Tassie!!

Yes I am in Hobart. I drive a Z4 and I change my cars too frequently. I have ordered a AW 135 Auto with Coral red interior and most of the options. I hope I get to wear out the tires in this car!

[Zuzu]

Congrats Cargeek on your order..

If you already drive a 2.5 Z4, you will absolutely love the 135i vert..

Just got back from cruising around all day in 16deg day in Sydney, with the roof off, heated seats on low...mmmmmmmm

The purr of the twin turbos...

The best mod on the vert is to golf tee asap and with the roof off it sounds amazing..

[AussieRacer]

When I asked my sales guy about updates, he didn't know too much beyond the colour changes and was pretty confident that updated cars wouldn't arrive until Jan. That probably means Nov builds??

[cargeek]

Originally Posted by Zuzu

Just got back from cruising around all day in 16deg day in Sydney, with the roof off, heated seats on low...mmmmmmmm

The purr of the twin turbos...

The best mod on the vert is to golf tee asap and with the roof off it sounds amazing..

The heated seats get a lot of use in Tassie. I tried to order the heated steering wheel but it seems we won't be getting that in Australia either. Its a good excuse to try BMW's performance wheel is suppose.

I have read that some people use a ball bearing instead of a golf tee or you can pull out some cable under the carpet in the boot.

[cargeek]

Originally Posted by AussieRacer

When I asked my sales guy about updates, he didn't know too much beyond the colour changes and was pretty confident that updated cars wouldn't arrive until Jan. That probably means Nov builds??

Thats same info I got from my dealer.

[Zuzu]

Originally Posted by cargeek

The heated seats get a lot of use in Tassie. I tried to order the heated steering wheel but it seems we won't be getting that in Australia either. Its a good excuse to try BMW's performance wheel is suppose.

I have read that some people use a ball bearing instead of a golf tee or you can pull out some cable under the carpet in the boot.

Trouble with ball bearing is it will be hard to reverse, as the ball bearing will be a pain to get back out, unless you just snip the rubber hose and shorten I suppose..:iono:

As far as the "cable in the boot" method, there was a thread somewhere in the DIY forum which gives you step by step instruction..Bit of a pain in the ass thou as you have to rip out virtually the whole boot trim to perform the mod.

There is plenty of good reading and info on this forum while you wait patiently...

[cargeek]

Originally Posted by Zuzu

Trouble with ball bearing is it will be hard to reverse, as the ball bearing will be a pain to get back out, unless you just snip the rubber hose and shorten I suppose..:iono:

As far as the "cable in the boot" method, there was a thread somewhere in the DIY forum which gives you step by step instruction..Bit of a pain in the ass thou as you have to rip out virtually the whole boot trim to perform the mod.

There is plenty of good reading and info on this forum while you wait patiently...

Thanks Zuzu, I have a golf tee with a BMW logo on it so I will use that. I like to use original parts......don't want to mess with the BMW warranty

[Zuzu]

[123D-M]

Guys in Australia, I would be very surprised to find out that your 1ers keep the old iDrive after the rest of the world has been updated. They all come off the same production line in Leipzig. Mine is production week 36 which is the first week of September so I will be getting the new system.

All 1ers with Professional Navi including hatches, coupes and verts will have the new system from 1 September in Europe. And that includes the UK so can't even be a RHD issue. I don't know what will happen regarding the business navi...

FYI: The new navi is not a flip screen. I work for BMW Group and have seen the press release. (Also it is on bimmerfile) It is a fixed 8.8" screen which is the same size as the 3er.

Hope that helps. Let me know if I'm wrong when your cars arrive...

[sethchan]

Originally Posted by cargeek

I delayed my build date to after September so I would have the upgraded idrive BUT I was told by me dealer today that BMW Australia claims the 1 series won't get the new idrive for at least 6 months. I'm not very patient and I can't wait another 6 months only to find out that it may still be unavailable. I have ordered a 135 vert.

The benefits of the new iDrive system are huge, including web access, google maps, the ability to send maps to your nav, add waypoints (like "safety" cameras) and more. It's hard-drive based, not DVD based, which means improvements are much easier. What's more, you can be sure that BMW will halt any further development work on the old system.

I have iDrive and, frankly, it simply does not live up to the same standard that BMW's mechanical systems do. It's a dinausaur. The pre-Windows, MS-DOS of nav systems. It is insultingly bad. It's as if a bunch of very arrogant BMW engineers with nothing at all to be arrogant about decided it was good enough and then -- for years and years and YEARS -- refused to listen to their cusomers. It is, without a doubt, the worst system of its kind. EVERY other manufacturer has a better system. I still dislike it afer five months.

I got it because there was nothing else on the horizon when I ordered. But six months? That's nothing. And you never know, it might be less or you might find a creative dealer who can get it for you sooner.

PS: Voice recognition also sucks on the old iDrive, especially when phoning from the address book. And you can be sure that it won't get any better because all of the development will go into the new system!!! BMW won' spend a dime improving a system on cars that people have already bought.

PPS: The resale value of a car with the old iDrive will be much lower. Caller: "Does your car have the old version or he new version? Oh? OK, thanks anyway."

[SimonB]

As per my other thread, I really wanted the new iDrive, until I saw the pictures of it in the dash. It looks too big for the car, in my opinion. Sour grapes? Probably! Hehe. That's what I am telling myself.

That said, I tried to get my build delayed by a few weeks to get the new iDrive, but didn't hear back from my dealer and it was going into production the following week, so I am assuming it is too late.

I agree with 123D-M, I simply can't see multiple RHD production lines, one with new iDrive and one with the old or a single line with "Ummm, this is for Oz, old iDrive for you...". Time will tell though!

[professor]

http://www.youtube.com/v/IpBUDpPzNnM&fs=1

[BMW_x5_Msport]

i would wait

[Swift135]

BMW Australia are known for not letting out changes even to the extent of not telling customers until their car is delivered. if they made it public knowledge after ever alteration people would be chopping and changing order left, right and centre.

[cargeek]

Originally Posted by rems09135i

i would wait

I have asked the dealer to delay my order build date until September/week 36. I might get lucky....

[123D-M]

Originally Posted by Swift135

BMW Australia are known for not letting out changes even to the extent of not telling customers until their car is delivered. if they made it public knowledge after ever alteration people would be chopping and changing order left, right and centre.

So true. Exactly what I did when I found out about the new iDrive. My car was originally scheduled for week 35 build so I would have missed out by 1 week! I was really upset but the dealer was only able to give me a production date in October when I tried to change it. However, with some inside help at BMW Group (I work there) and one of my patented letters of complaint to customer service, I managed to get back to a week 36 production.

[Wraith]

I'm happy to wait and also go with the new technology :thumbup:

But I'm also quietly/patiently waiting for something else which I consider to be a bigger prize - fingers crossed the 7sp DCT will be in or an option for the 135i soon

[EspressoBoy]

wait.