I am going to place a order for a 335i sedan for ED. While I like the Navigation, for my driving it's not essential at all.

Is it worth getting the Nav just to have the I Drive? I hear mixed reports on the I Drive system, and have not checked it out for myself. Another thing, is that I will eventually give the car to my son (4 years from now), so one less thing to go wrong!!

Any feedback is welcomed.

Viraf

I ordered the Nav system so I checked out the I Drive in the dealership for a while with the salesperson. I don't think its that difficult to use and a friend of mine who has it says, its relatively easy once you get used to it. I have Nav on my Acura and it is a very good feature. Tells you where you are, how far away you are from your destination, and when you need to get ready to turn off. Its great at night on the highway. Once you have it, you won't want to be without it.

I'm old fashion and despise the I-Drive. Why use a calculator to find the answer to 2 + 2? And if you really aren't constantly traveling around areas you are not familiar with, I found the nav to be more of a novelty when I had it. Very cool but totally unnesessary unless you have the disposable income to afford it. I'm not saying it can't become a very useful tool at times, but you're the only one who knows how often you'll use it.

And giving a BMW to your son? He is one lucky boy!

I consider navigation as useful although BMW has far not the best one. Anyway, i wouldn't buy a car without navigation. iDrive looks like intuitive and not big deal for people working in technical areas.

I passed up many new cars with Navigation because to be honest could not afford it.
Now that I have it I will never have a car without it, worth every penny for it!

The iDrive is not the most intuitive system in the world, however, from everyone I've heard who owns a Bimmer with iDrive, they say that there's a learning curve, but once you bounce over that, it's actually not too bad.

I just bought a 335i (TBD in December), and got the iDrive. Figured if I were to get a car like this, I'd go all out and include just about everything (besides active cruise control and active steering *ick*)

GO FOR IT!

I am ordering the new convertible 335 here in a few months and I too went to the dealership to check out I Drive first hand. I found the system relatively easy to use. However I have 4 cars and I bought a Garmin NUVI to use between cars. I am not sure if it is worth 2K compared to 600 bucks for the NUVI.
To be honest the operator interface was much better then I was expecting but the 2K puts me off.
I will keep this car at least 10-12 years so the I Drive would be noise level at that length of time.
I am on the fence as well and I am waiting to see what is available for the convertible in regard to options first.

If you learn how to use it, it is great. If you just fumble around with it sometimes you won't like it. it goes either way

I am ordering the new convertible 335 here in a few months and I too went to the dealership to check out I Drive first hand. I found the system relatively easy to use. However I have 4 cars and I bought a Garmin NUVI to use between cars. I am not sure if it is worth 2K compared to 600 bucks for the NUVI.
To be honest the operator interface was much better then I was expecting but the 2K puts me off.
I will keep this car at least 10-12 years so the I Drive would be noise level at that length of time.
I am on the fence as well and I am waiting to see what is available for the convertible in regard to options first.

The Garmin Nuvi is a wonderful piece! I passed on the I-drive and nav on my 328XI coupe for two reasons. 1) I dont like the way the nav "hump" looks and 2) the Garmin Nuvi!!!!!!!!!!!

If you're driving in LA, real time traffic on the Nav would be great. Not sure how much coverage there is in LA, but I gotta think it's pretty good.

I-drive/Bluetooth/Comfort Access are a must IMO. Like crgflier said, RTTI would be very helpful. As is having your phone directly hooked up into the car, wirelessly. Also I like the concept of not having to take the key out of my pocket ever.

... Also I like the concept of not having to take the key out of my pocket ever.

I believe you do need to plug the key in once-in-awhile to charge it. At least that is what we were told on our 328i with comfort access.

If you're driving in LA, real time traffic on the Nav would be great. Not sure how much coverage there is in LA, but I gotta think it's pretty good.

The Garmin offers the same real-time traffic.

With the Garmin, is RTT standard? Is there a monthly fee for the Garmin? Is there a seperate charge for RTT?

I believe you do need to plug the key in once-in-awhile to charge it. At least that is what we were told on our 328i with comfort access.

The CA fob has a replaceable (and non-rechargeable) battery. It's covered in the Owner's Manual.

With the Garmin, is RTT standard? Is there a monthly fee for the Garmin? Is there a seperate charge for RTT?

I am getting the Nuvi 660. This unit claims that RTT is part of the buy! I dont see anywhere a monthly charge. This new model, by the way, has a 4.2" screen, larger than previous ones.

I am getting the Nuvi 660. This unit claims that RTT is part of the buy! I dont see anywhere a monthly charge. This new model, by the way, has a 4.2" screen, larger than previous ones.

It has a 3 month trial subscription to RTTI. You pay after that - typically $60/yr.

It has a 3 month trial subscription to RTTI. You pay after that - typically $60/yr.

Interesting. Thanks j!!

I believe you do need to plug the key in once-in-awhile to charge it. At least that is what we were told on our 328i with comfort access.

You were told wrong.
Comfort Access have to replace battery when needed.
None CA you can put fob in to recharge it.

got my 328i sedan 2 wks ago. I got the iDrive (with nav) as a last minute option. I fell in luv with it the next day when I took a 2 hr. road trip for nothing. I enjoy playing around with the nav system. I think within 2-3 days I already had 90+ % of it figured out.

So, on my way home from the 150 mile road trip for no reason other than driving the bimmer around because my neighbors thought I was trying to commit suicide in the garage as I was sitting in the bimmer all the time - the nav system told me (in a hot frau voice I'll add!) that she changed my road plan due to traffic conjestion. I thought what is she (yes she, I named her Frau Schwartzee) talking about there's no conjestion at xyz it's sat. evening in downtown Phoenix. So I ignored my German girl and 5 minutes later I spent 20 minutes going 5 miles an hour.

Lessons learnerd:
- iDrive will cost you only a few more $/mo on your car payment - Just get it
- it will increase the resale value - just get it
- it wil give you more info. on engine maint. etc. - just get it
- bluetooth enabled, voice activated dialing, speaker phone via car sound system - just get it
- iPod your BMW and view your playlists on the screen - just get it
- hot German girl telling you where to go - priceless :)

Well I guess it's a personal thing - some people love the Nav and the iDrive, and some people don't. I am pleased that BMW actually give us the choice in the E92 (E90 as well?) - and this time around I decided to skip the Nav, mainly to get a car without the iDrive. In the E60 (5 Series) there's no choice - you get iDrive whether you like it or not, with or without Nav. I really didn't like iDrive in my E60 at first, but I have grown used to it over time. The iDrive is still a very clumsy way to tune the radio and change to the next CD though, so I will see how I get on with a non-iDrive car (complete with buttons to change radio station), coming in about 3 weeks.