[nachob]

Ok, so it's looking more and more like M2. To me, the biggest thing I dislike is the iDrive and screen in the line of sight. I dislike it, especially at night and all the fluffy stuff I don't want in a performance car. So I am seriously wondering how difficult it would be to do iDrive delete. BMW realizes that it's not really good for tracking and removed it in M235i racing. Also some of you in Europe and abroad have versions with no iDrive.

Can you post your pictures of your interiors here with no-idrive?

Also, what components look different?
It looks like you need a cover for the top of the dash, a new radio with regular display and a bezel for the middle of the dash.

Finally, I don't want to hear how much you love iDrive, it will bring no value to the thread to those of us that are trying to figure out how to get a new BMW without it.

Thank you.

[Cyberdemon]

I have not seen such a thing as non-I Drive cars from the factory, even out of the US, and I have yet to hear or see anyone removing the system on purpose. I just checked on several international BMW sites (UK, Australia, Germany, Dominican Republic, and even the entry level 116 and 216i cars have the base iDrive system (even those that don't include steering wheel controls).

Even in pictures of M235i racing cars, I see some with the system still installed:

Source:
http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...g-first-drive/

Based on pictures where it is removed:

http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=963571

You would need to create custom panels as shown. You could either rip things out and re-wrap the panels in carbon or vinyl, or get fancy and build your own out of fiberglass.

Keep in mind the iDrive provides access to all of the cars settings, beyond infotainment. So in addition to no radio, you'd lose access to things like the TPMS info, engine and drivetrain warnings, preferences & settings.

Lastly creature comforts aside, I am not sure if the car is wired to properly operate without the system installed. All of those coding variables and electronics are very intertwined. It may require substantial coding to remove the system without harm.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

I have not seen such a thing as non-I Drive cars from the factory, even out of the US, and I have yet to hear or see anyone removing the system on purpose. I just checked on several international BMW sites (UK, Australia, Germany, Dominican Republic, and even the entry level 116 and 216i cars have the base iDrive system (even those that don't include steering wheel controls).

Even in pictures of M235i racing cars, I see some with the system still installed:

Source:
http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...g-first-drive/" rel="" target="_blank">http://<a href="http://www.superstre...rst-drive/</a>

Based on pictures where it is removed:



http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=963571" rel="" target="_blank">http://<a href="http://www.2addicts....p?t=963571</a>

You would need to create custom panels as shown. You could either rip things out and re-wrap the panels in carbon or vinyl, or get fancy and build your own out of fiberglass.

Keep in mind the iDrive provides access to all of the cars settings, beyond infotainment. So in addition to no radio, you'd lose access to things like the TPMS info, engine and drivetrain warnings, preferences &amp; settings.

Lastly creature comforts aside, I am not sure if the car is wired to properly operate without the system installed. All of those coding variables and electronics are very intertwined. It may require substantial coding to remove the system without harm.

Thanks, the initial prototypes of M235i racing had it but BMW said they would remove it for later versions and I have seen pictures of later ones without it. [IMG]http://www.2addicts.com/forums/attac...p;d=1395859420[/IMG]

I found this one here.

http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=963571" rel="" target="_blank">http://<a href="http://www.2addicts....p?t=963571</a>

yeah, I forgot about TPMS warnings, those are valuable. So maybe different cluster involved too if it doesn't have a light.

[SDKevin]

Originally Posted by nachob

Finally, I don't want to hear how much you love iDrive, it will bring no value to the thread to those of us that are trying to figure out how to get a new BMW without it. Thank you.

I am no fan of IDrive but unless you're under 4ft tall there is no way it's in your line-of-sight.

[Cyberdemon]

Perhaps an E92 M3 with no nav is a better no-nonsense car in this case?

Or more simply, if the glare from the screen bothers you why not just either reduce the screen brightness to near zero (it probably goes off but I've never tried) or make a cover that covers the display.

As mentioned, unless you are sitting below the steering wheel, it would not be in the line of sight any more than your hood and dashboard is.

I will gladly 3D print you an iDrive cover and wrap it in vinyl carbon fiber for the low cost of $1000. I'll even throw an M2 logo on it. (Patent pending).

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

Perhaps an E92 M3 with no nav is a better no-nonsense car in this case?

Or more simply, if the glare from the screen bothers you why not just either reduce the screen brightness to near zero (it probably goes off but I've never tried) or make a cover that covers the display.

As mentioned, unless you are sitting below the steering wheel, it would not be in the line of sight any more than your hood and dashboard is.

I will gladly 3D print you an iDrive cover and wrap it in vinyl carbon fiber for the low cost of $1000. I'll even throw an M2 logo on it. (Patent pending).

I don't want to get into why, just how to do it or if reasonably possible.

But for those that don't understand, I take driving seriously, especially at night. I don't enjoy lights at night in front of me and when cornering, I don't like the narrow spot between rear view mirror and hump. You can turn it off but as soon as you try to change a radio station, it comes back up again and the turn off function is nested. It takes away from the focus on driving an don't want it. If it was at least lower in the dash like Cayman or GTI it wouldn't be as bad, but BMW version is too high. That's all I say. If someone has any thoughts or has considered something like this then please share. If you believe that everyone in the world should just conform to something you like, or love gadgets in your car, please start an I love gadgets in my car thread.

Thank you.

[bizzyqu]

The answer is no you can't, if this is a deal breaker find a different car.

[Cyberdemon]

No one said anything about conforming or loving gadgets in the entire thread.

3M makes a product that will help

Seriously, chill out.

And I will literally make you a 3D printed screen cover with an M logo if you want something to permanently block the screen. That part wasn't sarcasm.

[bizzyqu]

it going to be one of those threads isn't it

[atomsapple]

Is turning off the screen not an option for night driving?

[Steven1077]

Maybe you could move the screen? Or make it folding?

[iamwingman]

I bet you are popular at parties.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by atomsapple

Is turning off the screen not an option for night driving?

No. Yes but comes back on for
Any change then have to idrive it off again. Folding would've been nice compromise.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Steven1077

Maybe you could move the screen? Or make it folding?

Not bad idea. If can't be removed. Possible option.

[rjroch]

Originally Posted by nachob

No. Yes but comes back on for
Any change then have to idrive it off again. Folding would've been nice compromise.

Have you tried mapping screen off to one of the 1-8 preset buttons?

[nachob]

Originally Posted by rjroch

Have you tried mapping screen off to one of the 1-8 preset buttons?

No. Thanks. That would be helpful too. At least to make it easy to turn off and on. If anyone has let is
Know.

[Cyberdemon]

So in the car ride home I played with this:

-The screen can always be turned off by hitting the Option button and selecting control screen off (second option).

-Once the screen is off, it will STAY off even if you change radio channels, as long as you change radio channels with the 1-8 buttons.

-When you hover over the 1-8 buttons, the main display will STAY off, but the top ~50 pixels will show the menu states then disappear after you hit it. That means if you just want to use 1-8 for radio controls, you can do so and the screen will go dark as soon as you select. Likewise, changing radio stations using the steering wheel control does NOT turn the iDrive screen back on.

-If you nudge the I drive controller, or pick a screen that isn't a radio preset the radio will turn back on.

-As far as line of sight goes - I still don't see it. I have my seat set to the floor (since I am tall) but I slouched down as far as I could before the iDrive screen was actually in my line of sight (line of sight defined as taller than the hood and dashboard line). I was well below the headrest before it started to go above that line, and even then - it was the same height as the speedo, meaning the speedo blocked more of my line of sight than the iDrive screen.

If you have serious concerns about the iDrive screen from an ergonomic perspective and haven't spent a lot of seat time in the car I would consider test driving one again and making sure the seat is correctly positioned and you are not in a seriously leaned back pose. BMW takes the ergonomics very seriously and I can not see a normal position where the iDrive would block your line of sight at all, unless you are extremely short and the seat was not properly raised or pushed forward.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

So in the car ride home I played with this:

-The screen can always be turned off by hitting the Option button and selecting control screen off (second option).

-Once the screen is off, it will STAY off even if you change radio channels, as long as you change radio channels with the 1-8 buttons.

-When you hover over the 1-8 buttons, the main display will STAY off, but the top ~50 pixels will show the menu states then disappear after you hit it. That means if you just want to use 1-8 for radio controls, you can do so and the screen will go dark as soon as you select. Likewise, changing radio stations using the steering wheel control does NOT turn the iDrive screen back on.

-If you nudge the I drive controller, or pick a screen that isn't a radio preset the radio will turn back on.

-As far as line of sight goes - I still don't see it. I have my seat set to the floor (since I am tall) but I slouched down as far as I could before the iDrive screen was actually in my line of sight (line of sight defined as taller than the hood and dashboard line). I was well below the headrest before it started to go above that line, and even then - it was the same height as the speedo, meaning the speedo blocked more of my line of sight than the iDrive screen.

If you have serious concerns about the iDrive screen from an ergonomic perspective and haven't spent a lot of seat time in the car I would consider test driving one again and making sure the seat is correctly positioned and you are not in a seriously leaned back pose. BMW takes the ergonomics very seriously and I can not see a normal position where the iDrive would block your line of sight at all, unless you are extremely short and the seat was not properly raised or pushed forward.

That's great, thanks for checking that. The salesman didn't know any of that when we were trying to figure it out. I still don't like it in a sports car but if I can keep it off at night and change a station without it coming on that is my biggest objection. I had
More time to play with my buddy's Mercedes c Klasse and it came on every time you touched the radio or put it I'm reverse for the backup camera. Then I would have to navigate to turn it off again. Thanks again for the research.

[Cyberdemon]

I expect the backup camera + PDC keys, and probably sport buttons will turn it on as well, not sure if it will auto dim after. I only tried hitting buttons in the iDrive controller, head unit and steering wheel since I was driving at the time.

[jwr0721]

Originally Posted by nachob

No. Yes but comes back on for
Any change then have to idrive it off again. Folding would've been nice compromise.

I present button 2 to automatically shut the screen off. It's simple.

[sstarrx3]

I really dont like the screen on top of the dash either, but I love my tech. I like what Audi is doing with the new TTs in theory anyway. In practice I dont know if having all that info in the instrument cluster might be to distracting😖

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by sstarrx3

I really dont like the screen on top of the dash either, but I love my tech. I like what Audi is doing with the new TTs in theory anyway. In practice I dont know if having all that info in the instrument cluster might be to distracting😖

The general thought behind moving screens higher and more in the direct line of sight has more to do with how far your eye needs to travel when looking at the screen then the road. Keeping the screen as close to, but not in the line of sight is ideal. That is why most screens have been moving higher up.

A coworker and friend of mine is a human factors engineer/researcher, and her masters thesis was specifically around this and work she had done for one of the big 3 car manufacturers on the subject. The less your eyes have to move, the quicker they recover focus.

At night time, brightness is an important issue as well - the dark background of the iDrive with the correct setting should not disturb your vision much more than the rest of the gauges, and if it does - you should turn the brightness down as much as possible.