[spectre6000]

I've been reading that "single hump" (sans iDrive) is preferred by a lot of people. Why is that exactly?

[madderhorn]

I've personally driven my e92 with no idrive for nearly a year and last month I did a complete dash swap to get cic idrive. In my opinion with my car being a daily- I prefer the idrive system for more functionality and other options like Carplay which can be added while retaining oem look.

From an external view I can see people not wanting idrive for the simplicity of it all. And it pretty much just comes down to personal preference. Even if there are benefits to one- someone may not have that same view.

I can certainly see people having opinions with the fact that I did add idrive despite the cost compared to what you get out of it- but it is what I like and desire. Same thing could be said for those who want single hump.

I think that having the two options is pretty neat and you can tailor the car to your specifics to really nail what you want for your car.

[CTinline-six]

It dates the car IMO, especially if you have an outdated system. Like those tiny little screens E39 M5s had. Infotainment does not age well.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I'm a double hump kind of guy

EDIT: Seriously though, I feel like the LCI iDrive is modern enough and fits the E9X well. Can always be upgraded to a modern Android unit if it's that bad but I mainly wanted seamless Bluetooth integration and told myself don't want to buy a modern car without screen. The screen has "nice" features although I agree navigation I tend to use my phone. But yeah it's personal preference really.

[whyzee125]

Better visibility, cleaner look inside, and no outdated nav system. I've never understood the desire for all the unneeded tech in cars, especially when it goes out of date so fast. Unless you're upgrading it to a modern android/apple carplay system, there is zero functionality you gain by having iDrive.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by whyzee125

Better visibility, cleaner look inside, and no outdated nav system. I've never understood the desire for all the unneeded tech in cars, especially when it goes out of date so fast. Unless you're upgrading it to a modern android/apple carplay system, there is zero functionality you gain by having iDrive.

Basically this. To be honest, there's too much going on in the dash without idrive; certainly no need for me to have it!

I use my phone for audio (aux cable) and nav, just propped up in the tray in front of the gearstick; works a treat, though the screen is a bit hidden in 1/3/5th gears.

[oVeRdOsE.]

look integrated and modern. With xtrons unit it has everything.

using it for streaming, Waze, jb4 gauges.

[BSM n54iS]

No no guys, it's the weight reduction is the main thing actually. It's more desirable for the M3's though as well as the cloth seats, no edc etc because it's the most stripped down cleanest lightest sports car from BMW factory specs. Track build.

[tturedraider]

I never cared much about the early iDrive and I preferred the cleaner look of the single hump dashboard.

[spectre6000]

Kind of a dumb question maybe, but what all does iDrive do, and what is the difference between pre-LCI and LCI iDrive? My goal is clean wireless CarPlay, so I think I probably want iDrive, but I honestly don't know what it does beyond outdated navigation that I'll never use. I have all of maybe five minutes behind the wheel in an E91, and I was mostly interested in the engine.

[jwalker87]

Originally Posted by spectre6000

Kind of a dumb question maybe, but what all does iDrive do, and what is the difference between pre-LCI and LCI iDrive? My goal is clean wireless CarPlay, so I think I probably want iDrive, but I honestly don't know what it does beyond outdated navigation that I'll never use. I have all of maybe five minutes behind the wheel in an E91, and I was mostly interested in the engine.

Having a pre-LCI "single hump" and a post-LCI "dual hump" in my garage, I do slightly prefer the idrive just because it has a much better user interface for anything you need to do with the car. ESPECIALLY ipods. It's almost impossible to scroll from one end of the artist list to the other without idrive. It also makes it much easier to store and peruse radio presets, change the clock, check TPMS status, etc.

I never use the actual navigation.

[rbryantaz]

I have the android system on both my non-idrive e90 and my e70 which is CCC.

Other than the work of cutting the dash there is some advantage of the non idrive system when upgrading to an android unit....

On the e70 with idrive having to switch the android unit back to be the display for the CCC is just an extra hassle. It is also harder to know if it is on radio, aux, cd, etc because that display is only on the CCC so I find myself just toggling with the steering wheel until I get it where I want. It also does stupid things like changing to weatherband from aux when the car is turned off... Perhaps some features like TPMS display and a little bit better radio display are nice but I find myself on the android side of the setup most of the time except to do things that I would rather do without idrive...

The non idrive android screens are actually mounted more like the next gen cars on the e90. I suppose one could add a double hump dash to the non idrive car and swap everything to be a non idrive with the android in the second hump but that is more work than just cutting the stock dash and I don't think it looks any better. Plus most of the screens for double hump cars are smaller at 8.8" instead of 10.2 or 12 (or they sit awkwardly in front of the hump). My e70 10.2" screen integrates pretty well over where the original smaller screen was but that dash is larger so it doesn't have a hump for the screen.

Example from an aliexpress listing/reviews for idrive 10.2" screen (on an E60, I am not sure if there is an e90 double hump version larger than 8.8"):

No cutting is great but it seems like the gap behind might look strange.
Does anyone have this setup to take a side view picture?



or there is an 8.8" e90 version:


Non idrive addon 10.2 after cutting the dash (from an aliexpress review, not mine but I have posted mine in some thread):


I was worried that the plastic trim around the cutout would look cheap but it really doesn't. I think it looks better in person than in the pictures. People have said wow these older cars came with a big screen. They haven't said "hmm that screen doesn't look like it belongs there" even once and I have some brutally honest engineer coworkers.

Between non idrive and CCC I would just rather not have the basic system than the early idrive. The climate controls, etc are just awful on the early idrive cars. The climate control is the thing I dislike the most about my 2007 e70 (and my wife might have even stronger words about it). Digging through menus to change between hot and cold is just utterly stupid (the dial on the e90 non-idrive is also stupid but at least it is easy to flip).

One other thing is that I never really use the idrive controller on my e70 to control the android. Granted it is the early one without the latest buttons but I just always use the touchscreen... I didn't even install the replica idrive knob when I put the android screen in my non idrive e90...

I will never understand why the car can't just know when to use hot or cold air and needs a human to set it... This doesn't seem novel: "Oh you want it warmer lets use heat, or colder, lets use AC/vent." Putting that control in the early idrive was even worse!

-Rich

[E93Dude]

I got my '07 in 2012. I specifically did not want a double hump because Car and Driver in reviewing it called the arm-rest toggle controller a "wretched" system that didn't offer much. Later, after driving a double hump, I hated the interface, and at the time - for the pre-LCI models I was looking at - the iDrive system was slow and had no CarPlay option. I was also concerned about the cost if the screen broke.

In 2012 there were not really any good aftermarket solutions to replace iDrive with something more functional. In retrospect, I now wish I had that option now. Were I looking for another e9X, I would probably add that to my desired list, and upgrade with an aftermarket.

The above notwithstanding, my car is a driving machine. Not a distraction machine. Its "analog" in the sense that there are no screens to distract me from driving with three pedals. If I want, I can use a Bluetooth adapter to stream audio from my phone, which is usually magnetically attached to the dash anyway.

Whether single or double humps...I still believe the e9X dash is one of the cleanest ever made. It still looks modern, even today.

[AllBlackBimmer]

The Idrive system in e9x is getting old and outdated
The interior still isn’t half bad overall and can look more like a modern car except for the old Idrive IMO

Many people also retrofit these new screens like posted above and hard to do with the double hump
Many enthusiasts also don’t care about a big screen and prefer driving and the less complicated car.

When I bought my e90 way way back in 2010, I specifically wanted a non Idrive car… very glad I did and never looked back. Single hump looks really clean and I knew I’d keep my car for a long time.
Non Idrive models are t even an option anymore… all these big screens might be the trend and “cool” now but who knows what the future holds.

Ever look at the interiors of exotic cars? Notice anything? …. No screens, no iPad glued to the dash… just pure driving experience. I like that.
Cars are meant to be driven, not watch Netflix in. I’m the minority in this thinking as evident by massive screens everywhere.

I like my idrive6 in my x3… but I really dislike the new idrive8 curved screen and lack of buttons.

[BReif61]

Personally, I like the iDrive. I have an LCI so the controller is better than the earlier cars. I don’t find the hump intrusive in any sense, nor does it block any visibility. I’ve also added CarPlay integration that retains the stock controller and base UI.

How I’d rank the options:
1. Plug and play CarPlay integration on existing iDrive
2. LCI iDrive
2a. Single hump.
3. Early LCI
4. Walking
5. Cutting the dash for an android tablet.

[StradaRedlands]

Good question, spectre6000! I can't add anything that hasn't been said above. Basically it's the cleanness of not having it, lack of extra complexity (Luddite vibes), horror stories of iDrive bricking the car, first gen sucking without any extra buttons and poor menus giving the rest a bad name. My wife's F10 has the same system the LCI E90s have, and it's fine. Gives me something to fiddle with on long drives. But it doesn't really add anything I need. I still use a phone for music and nav.

[E93Dude]

Originally Posted by BReif61

Personally, I like the iDrive. I have an LCI so the controller is better than the earlier cars. I don’t find the hump intrusive in any sense, nor does it block any visibility. I’ve also added CarPlay integration that retains the stock controller and base UI.

How I’d rank the options:
1. Plug and play CarPlay integration on existing iDrive
2. LCI iDrive
2a. Single hump.
3. Early LCI
4. Walking
5. Cutting the dash for an android tablet.

The aftermarket options that involve cutting into a single hump dash and installing a new screen look good. But. I. Just. Can't. Bring. Myself. To. Cutting. My Dash......

[gavinm002]

I've experienced both and currently drive a double hump. As everyone else has said, the single is definitely the better look. I do find it interesting that people opt for the retro-fit iPad-like screens in these though. Most journalists and consumers complain about the look of all the screens that aren't integrated into the dash like the e9x, and I concur that integration makes them look better/much easier to read.

I personally think CIC idrive is a nice balance between the more complicated modern derivatives and the crappy original. I always have to haggle with my dad's F15 X5 every time I borrow it just to get the music to play from my phone...

If you are not super concerned with interior looks then I would not go out of your way to find a smooth dash. The e9x is just not old enough yet for functionality to be compromised in any significant way.

[Serf27]

From what I’ve read, the main reason people want single hump is because of the cleanliness of the dash.
Second reason is that it’s an outdated system, in terms of navigation.
The screens still do some great functions, check control messages, settings and etc.

The pre lci/early idrive looks pretty bad. Lci had some updated colors and 2011+ has Bluetooth audio.

If you plan to do apple play, it would look best if you got a non idrive car and added the modern looking screen.

My e93 has the dual jump dash with the android screen and it’s fine. For the non idrive e90 I plan to get the screen that requires a hole cut out.

For anyone who has cut the hole in the dash, I haven’t found the answer to this question.
On factory idrive cars with android screens, you can switch between the android and bmw screen for car settings.

Can you switch back and forth between android and bmw screens if you car didn’t come with idrive but you add the android screen?

[rbryantaz]

Originally Posted by Serf27

Can you switch back and forth between android and bmw screens if you car didn’t come with idrive but you add the android screen?

The advantage is that there aren't any bmw screens on the non-idrive system. If you try to go to the "car" side on the non-idrive it just displays a clock or something benign that isn't useful instead of switching to ccc/cic display.

The non-idrive car displays the things that it can on the radio screen. It is much more limited but there is very little that I care to really see in my CCC idrive on the e70. Perhaps resetting TPMS is easier and the radio screen shows a bit more than the LCD on the non-idrive radio but I tend to just turn on spotify or pandora on the e90 anyway. I would rather use the traditional climate controls and also see that the system is already on aux vs radio, etc without having to go into a menu.

I am sure CIC is much better than CCC but it is then really just a preference of if you want to have all of those settings.

One example of an annoyance on the e70 CCC is that the factory bluetooth phone support is better than the android head unit due to the active noise cancelling microphone so I always use the factory side. On the CCC to see who is calling you then have to change out of android and into the CCC where on the non-idrive it just shows on the radio screen which is visiable even when you are on the android side... So this is a good example of how not sharing the screen for these functions is a good thing. To be fair this is only a thing if you replace the factory screen with an android unit. I would argue that the CCC/CIC is still quite outdated unless upgraded to an android unit.

-Rich

[F806speed]

Another advantage of the single hump is the lack of an I-drive knob resulting in unobstructed shifting (elbow doesn’t hit the knob), and a small storage area.

[lookalikehuuh]

As other have said, some thing that the idrive "dates" the car, but its not like your driving a brand new looking car from the exterior either way.

I own 1 iDrive and 1 non-iDrive car. Take it from an owner of both cars, take the car with the iDrive. Talking about "dating" the car, nothing screams old more than a shit text interface that in early models especially are prone to failure.

iDrive also makes going thru menus and setting your preferences waaaaay better. Also when there is an issue with the car, you will get a much more meaningful message in iDrive to give you a clue of where the issue is. Like "front turn signal failure" vs just some stupid icon on your dash that tells you nothing and you have to bust out a BMW specific scan tool to figure out which bulb is having problems in detection. If you use satelite radio its soooo much better with iDrive that is crazy anyone would ever want to use the single hump radio for Sirius/XM.

NOBODY has ever said, damn that interface looks old when sitting in my car.