[boulderado]

I am placing my order tomorrow and I was absolutely sure that I wasn't going to go for the Navigation system w/touchpad but today I have realized that the nav also adds

- BMW online (don't know what it is)

- Remote Services (don't know what it is)

- BMW Apps (to integrate my phone with the iDrive?)

- Enhanced USB and Bluetooth plus Smartphone Integration (fancy way of saying streaming bluetooth audio from my phone?)

- Instrument cluster with extended contents (don't know what this adds to the standard cluster)

If you had the chance to test these features, what is your take on them? I have an iPhone so I don't necessarily need the navigation but if these features are worth the money then I can live with an added cost of $2100

[34.50]

It's a decent in car navigation system. It wasn't a must have feature for me, since I already have a Android phone and a Garmin GPS. But, I will say, in car navigation systems do integrate better with the car. Since you have an iPhone, you will be able to use the most out of the iDrive system (compared to Android/WP8/Blackberry/etc.).

The package also adds HUD, which is awesome. Honestly the HUD is by far my most favorite feature in the technology package. I love the functionality of it - and this feature alone bypasses everything else in the technology package for me. It also adds real time traffic information, which is useful.

- BMW Online - provides news/fuel prices/weather forecast/warnings/stocks from your iOS device.
- Remote services - I think this is uses to unlock the car remotely, flash headlights/horn, from your iOS device.
- BMW Apps - lets you use Pandora, facebook/twitter on your iDrive system from your iOS device.
- Enhanced USB/bluetooth - lets you stream music from your smartphone/bluetooth source.
- Instrument cluster w/ extended controls - if HUD is off, shows song selection, along with other gas consumption information. I'm not sure how it's differs from the standard cluster.

Guys, correct me if I'm wrong on any of these.

I didn't order my car, I luckily found one that was closely spec'ed on the lot. If I had to order a car, I'd choose the technology package - adds value to the car, and the tech. is useful.

Edit: Just to be super clear about pricing, the technology package costs $3150 (MSRP), and includes
• Enhanced USB and Bluetooth plus Smartphone Integration
• BMW Apps - iOS and Android BMW Apps !
• Advanced Real-Time Traffic Information
• BMW Online
• Navigation system w/ touchpad
• Instrument cluster with extended contents
• Remote Services
• Head-up Display

If you want just the navigation system by itself (option), it costs $2150 (MSRP). It doesn't include any of the other features above.

Link - BMW 428xi Options/Packages

[R N M]

Def get the NAV and rearview camera.

[mntbiker]

Originally Posted by 34.50

If you want just the navigation system by itself (option), it costs $2150 (MSRP). It doesn't include any of the other features above.

This is wrong. The Nav adds all of the other features of the tech pkg EXCEPT the Heads up display.

[34.50]

Originally Posted by mntbiker

This is wrong. The Nav adds all of the other features of the tech pkg EXCEPT the Heads up display.

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Weird, but good to know. Thanks for the correction - the configurator is a bit misleading then. So, in essence unless you don't want HUD, the navigation option is a great deal (comparatively)

[joeyb26]

can i really unlock my car with my iphone with remote services? i have the tech package and if someone can fill me in on how to do that, that would be awesome

[rjc32000]

Sadly, the recently updated BMW remote app (US) deleted the feature that allows remote lock/unlock. Don't know if this is a US only downgrade or if it applies to everyone. But lame either way.

[mntbiker]

Originally Posted by 34.50

Weird, but good to know. Thanks for the correction - the configurator is a bit misleading then. So, in essence unless you don't want HUD, the navigation option is a great deal (comparatively)

No problem! The Nav option is a great way to save some money if you don't absolutely need the HUD. Really, the only thing I wanted was the enhanced BT but now you have to get the Nav or Tech pkg to get that....

[arnsbrae]

Probably the most useful feature is the facility to easily send a destination to the car from any PC, iPhone or iPad. Awesome.

[neilk0630]

I agree with user 34.50. HUD is awesome! I got the Tech package just for that reason.

Compared to Garmin I don't like the nav system. It's too hard to find anything that you don't already know the address for. Once you know the address.... it works, but I love to search for things. I also miss the "speak street name" function on Garmin. The BMW Nav system says... "turn right in 1 mile" I like knowing the name of the street I'm turning on so I can keep an eye out for it. (just me, I'm weird).

I think BMW knows what features people want/need so they packaged nav & blue tooth into an expensive package that is all profit (software). What ever! I paid the price and I love it.

MY BIGGEST REGRET.. I didn't get the back up camera. OH man! At first.. i had the opinion... I don't need a camera.... I have eyes... I can just look. Well.... after driving a car with it.... OH man! I totally missed out. I wish I would have gotten the cameras.

Best of luck! I'm sure you'll love your new car.

[xDRAN0x]

I took the M-Package instead, and I'm glad. I don't need GPS at all.

If ever, I use GoogleMaps on the iPhone and it streams directions directly to the speakers via BLuetooth

[claykin]

Originally Posted by neilk0630

MY BIGGEST REGRET.. I didn't get the back up camera. OH man! At first.. i had the opinion... I don't need a camera.... I have eyes... I can just look. Well.... after driving a car with it.... OH man! I totally missed out. I wish I would have gotten the cameras.

Do you have Nav and PDC? If so, the OEM rear cam can be retrofit.

[neilk0630]

Originally Posted by claykin

Do you have Nav and PDC? If so, the OEM rear cam can be retrofit.

No, I got the Tech package which includes NAV, but I didn't get the PDC. I would need to get PDC & the retro fit rear cam... Actually, it would be worth it. I need to check that out. Any idea how much the OEM Cam retrofit runs?

[claykin]

Originally Posted by neilk0630

No, I got the Tech package which includes NAV, but I didn't get the PDC. I would need to get PDC & the retro fit rear cam... Actually, it would be worth it. I need to check that out. Any idea how much the OEM Cam retrofit runs?

Without PDC you can retrofit an aftermarket rear cam. Still integrates with Nav but I think you don't get all of the parking aid bit (you get some but not all of the parking aid).

See here for more info. Contact Patryk from Bimmertech for details. The Aftermarket retrofit is much less expensive than the OEM kit.

http://www.bimmer-tech.net/shop/bmw-...sist-retrofits

Don't retrofit PDC, the end result usually looks "aftermarket" and goofy.

[joewalton]

Originally Posted by boulderado

If you had the chance to test these features, what is your take on them? I have an iPhone so I don't necessarily need the navigation but if these features are worth the money then I can live with an added cost of $2100

You must get the nav for two reasons:

1. The centerpiece of the dash is the LCD screen and it's stupid to have to add an iPhone on a mount and have two LCD screens in the car. Looks awful, screams "I can't afford a measly $2,000" to the world.

2. BMW does the best job of integrating the nav with the rest of the car out of any auto maker and you don't want to pass up on one of BMW's best attributes.

[JesseS]

Originally Posted by joewalton

2. BMW does the best job of integrating the nav with the rest of the car out of any auto maker and you don't want to pass up on one of BMW's best attributes.

If you're talking about the HUD, then absolutely agree, the HUD navi integration is phenomenal.

Otherwise, I would say the navi integration is "okay". It's not terrible, but there are other systems I've used which I like a bit better, but it's likely a matter of personal taste (I really like the navi integration in 2010 Acuras, for example, but I hate what Acura did w/ navi in the 2012 (I think?) refresh).

Complaints about bmw's navi generally can be grouped into two elements.

1. Routing behavior in N. America.
2. Map inaccuracy in N. America.

I believe the cause of many of these complaints comes down to Tele Atlas vs NavTeq. TA (which BMW and post-google iPhones use) seems to encode US street information very oddly. First off they appear to have issues with one-way vs two-way street encoding which leads to a great deal of poor route-generation. Secondly, they often don't recognize that many US streets have multiple names, or are at least are referenced in multiple ways -- for example, the US "highway system" is sometimes referred to as "Highway X", "Hwy X", "US X" or "US Highway X". TA won't recognize all of these, only some of the "US" versions so if you're trying to find an address on "Hwy 84" TA based systems will fail, but they'll work if you use "US 84" or "US Highway 84". (YMMV in your specific area, of course)

IMHO, the bmw navi starts to feel more reliable once you figure out a few of these nuances.