Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWCCA1
I chose my wife's '08 with Nav only because it also had PDK. The 1-button iDrive controller sucks but I'm used to it and she just closes the pop-up screen mostly.
My '13 with later fixed screen and multi-button iDrive control is great. I can't stand operating the radio or telephone in the small radio/MIDI screen. It's just awful. Other than having to update the maps, the system works great for Bluetooth, offers Music Collection hard-drive, and a much better interface for anything I'm doing in the car.
I was at the initial launch of iDrive at the Frankfurt Auto Show and I'm not as much a hater now on the Nth generation as I was then. Obviously all other manufacturers have followed suit but no one does an interface as well as BMW now. Don't limit your search!
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I'm surprised you feel that way. I take driving very seriously as an autocrosser the first thing I ever did was move my mirror out of the way as I headed out. I fell in love with the submarine orange displays in the E46 which were geared for serious night driving and center window controls that allowed you to roll down windows while keeping your left hand on the wheel and vision centerline. BMW put the hump and screen on top reducing visibility and focus on actually driving not to mention decreasing night vision. For a company that focused on driving dynamics, this was a 180 degree turn on driving focus and night vision towards city texting and driving. I think the BMW system is awful in that respect if you take driving seriously especially long road trips at night etc. Finally, we also own a Mk VII GTI which has the screen just below the dashline and I find it to be more suited for for the type of driving I described. It is not too bright, not intrusive when looking over the dash and it groups real buttons for digital categories. I saw that the Cayman system is placed similarly. Perhaps VW owns Porsche, not sure but for me the VW system is simpler and less distracting. It gives you all the gadgets with a significantly less intrusion into the line of sight for serious drivers.