Is there anything worse than i-Drive?

D

Defcon

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Jun 11, 2005
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Yesterday, I had my first experience with the abomination known as i-Drive, when I had a chance to ride in my friends 545. Suffice it to say that all the horror stories I'd heard failed to live up to the true evil that it is :blink:

I would swear that the system is designed to confuse, irritate and defeat every single thing you would want to do. He's had it for a year, and he *still* isn't comfortable with the damn menus.

While we're on the subject, I didn't find the interior, dashboard and displays to be that special. I guess I expected more from a 70k luxury sedan. I haven't driven it yet so I've no idea of how it handles, though being a BMW I suspect its going to be excellent in that area.
 
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To answer the question, being on the wrong end of ethnic cleansing - apart from that - no there is nothing worse.
 
You do know that the underlying operating system of iDrive is Windows, right? It was supposedly designed in collaboration with Microsoft... which rather explains a lot.
 
Cobol's sensible answer: I think its a tad overblown to be honest, and is a right pain in a RHD car if Right handed and a LHD car if you are Left handed.

IMHO should have gone with buttons around the steering column somewhere and a much less intricate set of controls (i.e. too many options and levels are offered) on the screen.
 
What I find fascinating is that iDrive was probably designed by a lab full of mad Teutonic scientists who made sure it had the soul, character and efficiency of a robot.

BMW has spent the last, what 5-6 years denying that its crap and refusing to fix it, add extra buttons, or indeed admit its anything short of ultimate driving perfection :) You gotta admire German stubbornness.
 
Typical BMW wankerness. Everyone told them when it came out it sucked, everyone told them when SMG came out it sucked, everyone told them when Run-Flat tyres came out they sucked, everyone told them when active steering was released it sucked......but nooooooo.

"Ve are Bee-Em-Vee, Ve are Cherman, Ve know best"
 
Spectre said:
You do know that the underlying operating system of iDrive is Windows, right? It was supposedly designed in collaboration with Microsoft... which rather explains a lot.
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One of my brothers worked for a BMW dealership for a while and tells me the M5's have 13 different computers linked together, if one should fail, or have any sort of trouble, the entire car goes into "get me the hell to a dealer so I can rape you in the ass as quickly as possible" mode.
 
Is there anything worse than i-Drive?

Yes, Driving and i-Drive BMW and having a rabid pissed off wolverine in your pants.

See, any situation can be made worse by adding a rabid, pissed off wolverine in your pants.
"But Blind," you ask, "what if you already have a rabid, pissed off wolverine in your pants?" Well, that's easy, just add another one - the situation is now worse.

This is one of life's truisms.
 
Blind_Io said:
"But Blind," you ask, "what if you already have a rabid, pissed off wolverine in your pants?" Well, that's easy, just add another one - the situation is now worse.
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....Or honey. Adding honey to an equation of Predacious animal + confined pants-ish place, makes it worse.
 
I know what could easily take care of rabid, pissed off wolverines.


11 buckeyes 8)

If I could pick one thing that would be worse than what I've heard about i-Drive, it would be a half hour drive in my old Chevy Beretta. It's the most uncomfortable car I'll ever drive. You could make a car with concrete seats, wooden wheels, and steel rods for shock absorbers and it would still be more comfortable than that POS.
 
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I wonder how many of such systems have a number of buttons on the sides for selecting major functions (like the buttons on an ATM), and a central knob for selecting stuff.

A mate and I were discussing what'd make a good iDrive style system a few nights ago, were thinking it'd be modular (so you could add offroad related stuff in a 4x4 or laptimer stuff in a sportscar, etc), and thought up of some features.
 
thedguy said:
One of my brothers worked for a BMW dealership for a while and tells me the M5's have 13 different computers linked together, if one should fail, or have any sort of trouble, the entire car goes into "get me the hell to a dealer so I can rape you in the ass as quickly as possible" mode.
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The Mark III Range Rover has 34 computers on board.

It can operate if several of them are down but you will start losing various functions like the auto-leveling suspension for example.

Agreed I-Drive is dumb it could have been implemented so much better.
 
There is something worse. Imagine Margaret Thatcher. And Ronald Reagan. In a broom cabinet. Or, don't imagine it. Then imagine the love child that would result. That would be worse.
 
I actually don't mind the iDrive, because there is basically just one button it's quite good to operate while driving. You don't need to look away from the road and search the buttons. Sure I would be quicker with the old system while being stationary, but while driving the iDrive is better. After you got used to it though.
 
nomix said:
There is something worse. Imagine Margaret Thatcher. And Ronald Reagan. In a broom cabinet. Or, don't imagine it. Then imagine the love child that would result. That would be worse.
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I believe there is no need to imagine, here he is:

2005_jens-stoltenberg.jpg


Didn't he just get appointed Norwegian Prime Minister or some other such insignificant position??

hajj said:
I actually don't mind the iDrive, because there is basically just one button it's quite good to operate while driving. You don't need to look away from the road and search the buttons. Sure I would be quicker with the old system while being stationary, but while driving the iDrive is better. After you got used to it though.
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How, exactly, is iDrive superior to a voice recognition system that actually works, plus conventional controls? (See Nissan/Infiniti and Honda/Acura's systems.)

thedguy said:
One of my brothers worked for a BMW dealership for a while and tells me the M5's have 13 different computers linked together, if one should fail, or have any sort of trouble, the entire car goes into "get me the hell to a dealer so I can rape you in the ass as quickly as possible" mode.
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Let's not forget the "I download software updates from anywhere" problem the iDrive cars have, too.

Mercedes, by the way, is going to let Apple design their COMAND replacement system, or so rumor has it.
 
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Spectre said:
How, exactly, is iDrive superior to a voice recognition system that actually works, plus conventional controls? (See Nissan/Infiniti and Honda/Acura's systems.)
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Havent come across those. I am not sure that these get sold in europe. :rolleyes: How do they work, can you just call the intersection or street and it will take you there? That would be great. Putting in destinations is the worst thing while driving.
 
Spectre said:
I believe there is no need to imagine, here he is:

2005_jens-stoltenberg.jpg


Didn't he just get appointed Norwegian Prime Minister or some other such insignificant position??
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Sorry, one conservative and one neocon doesn't add together to form one social democrat.

And please remember, we are the 6th largest producer of oil in the world. We stopped producing, it would make a difference. Whoop-di-hoop!
 
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