znod

Hi Friends:

I am not an iDrive guru, although I handle it well since it is simply another teckie gadget. Still, I have not spent much time with the iDrive. I, probably like most, have set everything I need to set and go through pretty much the same iDrive manuvers daily. So, I am interested in knowing what your iDrive routines are. And, I am interested in hearing about any iDrive shortcuts or usage tricks that you know about. Also, in general, I am interested in hearing about how you use the steering-wheel buttons and the voice commands. Maybe we can make each others lives easier by sharing such info.

Here's my usual iDrive routine. I set my screen to split screen--typically my entertainment screen is on the left, and either the "Onboard Info" (usually) or the "Trip Computer" is on the right. If I am using navagation, then it is on the right.

When I start up, I "click" to dispense with the "Accept" screen as soon as it appears. Immediately after clicking I pull back on the joy stick and hold it briefly. The overall result is to trash the "Accept" screen and to display my last entertainment settings. I was glad to learn that I could move among the 4 major iDrive functions (e.g., telephone and entertainment) simply by moving the joy stick in the correct direction and holding it briefly regardless of what menu I am in.

I tend to forget many of the voice commands, but I know those that are most important to me: those for moving among the 4 major iDrive functions and a few lower-level voice commands to do things like select presets and to dial my phone. And, I make use of the "Options" voice command--which tells me what voice options I have whichever major-function menu I am in.

I listen to SIRIUS mostly, but also to CDs. Once I am where I want to be--for example in the SIRIUS presets menu--I tend to use the joystick to move among the presets. Alternatively, I use the right side up/down steering-wheel buttons to move among the presets. I have set my "other" right side steering-wheel button to toggle among the entertainment options. I alternate between using the plus minus buttons on the left side of the steering wheel and the volume/mute button to control entertainment/telephone volume.

I'd really like to hear about any neat techniques for doing the things you do and your general procedures for using our electronics. I suspect that most of us could have explained the iDrive to the magazine ninnies in 5 minutes in such a way they would not continuously trash this nice, in process, feature.

The 545i wins the current comparsion article in the latest MT, but, as usual they trash the iDrive and say dumb things--e.g. claim that the cupholders throw Starbuck's cups into the backseat (maybe it was a joke).

Please feel no need to be as complete as I have been. Just share about your use of our electronics. Thanks.

JC3168

Hi donv,

Thanks for the tip on how to get rid of the "Accept" screen. Will try it when I get back into my car.

You know where it the "temp guage" for the 5 series? It's built into the tech meter.

Cheers!

marty530d

One tip that I would love to hear is :

How to cancel a TP Traffic Announcement once it has started - the only way I have found it to turn audio on/off and then it returns to your current radio/CD/MP3.

535D Sport

What I do is use the button on the steering wheel that changes the station, just press it once and it cancels the announcement.

marty530d

What I do is use the button on the steering wheel that changes the station, just press it once and it cancels the announcement.
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Cool Thanks - I'll try that. I am sure that I did in the past but it also changed station but that was several software versions ago.

eugeneloke

pls tell me more about this "temp guage"

Edlee

pls tell me more about this "temp guage"
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That, I believe is not the temp guage. There is no temp gauge on the E60 except for the M5. What you see on the tach meter is only an indication on your maximum revs which you should not exceed.

BetterMakeWay

pls tell me more about this "temp guage"
[/quote]

That, I believe is not the temp guage. There is no temp gauge on the E60 except for the M5. What you see on the tach meter is only an indication on your maximum revs which you should not exceed.
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Yep! Btw does the car allow you to pass those restricted revs? Never tried it and for sure never will.

znod

Thanks. I'll check it out. Not sure exactly what you mean though.

znod

Oops.