# iDrive Nav vs. Aftermarket



## DrRT (Sep 27, 2006)

I am considering this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=UTF8&coliid=IGRYEKNOD55GW&colid=7V0KRNGLONNC

Garmin top end nav system. It has a touchscreen, is portable so you can take it to the wife's car, and is pretty smart giving directions. It also has a form of real time trafic info.

It also costs -1500 dollars compared to iDrive.

But, please bare with me here, for that 1500 dollars you get:

1. Voice command interface: more convenient than touchscreen when driving? Also I assume this works well and is a real interface asset and not just for shows. I am also assuming that the iDrive knob works as efficiently as the touchscreen.

2. Climate control: But other than being able to program your car to flush hot/cold air out when idle I don't see any advantages of this over the much faster dash controls.

3. Entertainment: I don't plan on getting Sirius, but I do want iPod. So granted, with the iPod integration done it will be very nice to be able to list title/artist/album/genre in the screen. But compared to choosing songs in the ipod itself at the armrest this advantage seems marginal. On the other hand it seems the sound coming from the AUX channel in the armrest is somewhat lower quality according to some.

4. Communication: I am not sure of what advantages this would have. Besides, I don't use cell phones but maybe I will in the future.

Am I missing something? Thoughts? I love the fact that iDrive gives you a central interface to eliminate clutter that is also expandable. But it seems to me that save for the navigation, all other controls are available in the dash and are easier and faster. Combine that with the fact that iDrive costs over $2k vs. aftermarket nav $600 (top of the line) it makes you wonder.

Thanks in advance for any inputs. :thumbup:


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## chuck92103 (Oct 9, 2005)

This was my post on a similar thread.

"Portable devices do not work for everyone. If you leave them in your car in view, they will get stolen. If you hide them everytime you park, it is a hassle. When you take them into your home, you will forget to put it in the car the next day. Integration and convenience has its price with any technology. Some choose to pay the premium and some don't. However, neither decision is wrong."


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## amberlove (Sep 14, 2006)

Thats true about it getting stolen. My brother's portable nav got stolen a month ago. All they have to do is break a window! But for me I would go on the way it looks. If your already getting a BMW and you want NAV than buy it while your gettting the car. I think it the portable nav cheapens the car. I walk around in parking lots and see these hanging portable nav systems from the windshield and think EWWWW. But maybe I'm just a little picky, if it doesn't bother you than go for it!!!


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

stick with the i drive, you won't regret it in the future... like the day after the warranty is up and your wife drops the portable.... withthe i drive your vehicle is warrantied.

good luck with your decision, but really it is a no brainer. and that aftermarket piece isn't even as good as other aftermarket units.


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## bscarlett (May 6, 2005)

Another option is to have bluetooth GPS receiver hard wired into the car. You can wire it in so it is as stealth as the stock GPS receiver. Then use a smartphone for the GPS. I always have my Treo with me and the software is so good that I can rely on the voice promtps when driving. Cost effective, works well and does not clutter up the dash.


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## Mike Richmond (Feb 22, 2006)

*I went portable*

I bought the Garmin Nuvi. The new 360 model even has Europe preloaded too. I like the plain dash look for my E91, and I like being able to take Nuvi with me on air trips. It lives in the glove box, not on the windshield except when I need it, which is rare in my home town.


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

they alsohave a link for it...

http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/products/product.php?model=PMD-B100


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## chuck92103 (Oct 9, 2005)

esoteric said:


> they alsohave a link for it...
> 
> http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/products/product.php?model=PMD-B100


I would thik it would be difficult to read that screen and drive at the same time.:dunno: Can you zoom in and out?


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

have no clue, it isn't my cup of tee either, i go for the full screen alpines or the factory over this... but some people have to have a portable...


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

did i mention it comes with an MP3 player...LMAO


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## TimeOut (Jun 21, 2006)

I'm getting this one for christmas.

Not only this iPaq got GPS, you can use it to check your email, surf the web, listen to your favorite music, view photos and videos and play games.


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## chuck92103 (Oct 9, 2005)

TimeOut said:


> I'm getting this one for christmas.
> 
> Not only this iPaq got GPS, you can use it to check your email, surf the web, listen to your favorite music, view photos and videos and play games.


You might as well get a Windows Mobile enabled phone which does all that and Nav too.


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

chuck92103 said:


> You might as well get a Windows Mobile enabled phone which does all that and Nav too.


plus with the phone you get a camera!


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## TimeOut (Jun 21, 2006)

Well, if I want a cell phone with GPS AND camera, I would get this one.

But, I already got a nice cell phone with camera so, I will buy this portable GPS because, it comes with a decent screen size for the GPS functions, plus some other nice features, like WiFi 802.11b/g, bluetooth 2.0, 2GB flash RAM for maps, Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC with Mobile version of Microsoft Office.

Also, since it comes with car holder, windshield mount and slip case, it seems to be better for car trips than a cell phone with GPS.


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