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      01-04-2014, 05:38 AM   #15
Zipforia
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Drives: 2016 BMW i8
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: So. Cal.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Multi contour seats: This is probably my favorite option on the car. I have back issues but even after 12 straight hours of driving I had no pain. Well worth the money.
Agree


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
ACC: My second favorite option. I spent most of my time with the cruise on 78 and 1 click of distance control. This made highway driving pretty boring. The system performed so well that sometimes my wife couldn't tell it was on. If I have one complaint I would say it can be a little too aggressive with the accel/decel, even in eco pro mode. When I was just a few mph off of my target speed it would hit the brakes or downshift.
Was originally going to get it, but cancelled it. Now regret it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Profiles: This may be my biggest complaint and has occurred since we bought the car. The wrong profile is loading sometimes. Eventually I figured out it's because we park in a garage and do not lock the car when it's in there. As the manual states, the profile is loaded when the car is UNLOCKED. But if the car isn't locked between drives, it will not load a different profile. BMW: come on! This logic is all wrong! If there is only 1 fob detected on start, then that profile should be loaded. If there are 2, then it should load the one that last opened the driver door (if comfort access is on the car). However, even after realizing this limitation and manually selecting the right profile, sometimes the seats do not reposition correctly. Many times I've had to re adjust my seat for my profile. I'm not sure what's going on there but I'm considering taking it to BMW and demonstrating the problem.
I have couple of suggestions here. I personally don't do this since I drive the car most of the time.

1) Can have Profile Selection page load up on vehicle start on iDrive, so that you can choose the correct profile from the start. Not the best option, but beats going into Setting and choosing the proper Profile every time.

2) You mention parking inside your garage as I do, and I don't lock my car inside either. However, this might workout for you. Again, I haven't tried this.

In the Settings, under Door/Keys (Automatic Locking), there is a "Lock if no door opened" option. I'm not 100% sure because I haven't used this feature yet, but if my understanding is correct, after parking the car in the garage and after you exit, if the doors remain closed, it will automatically lock the door (assuming the car isn't stupid enough to lock the doors if it detects a key fob inside the car). Now, since you have Comfort Access, when anyone with designated key fob opens the door by tugging on the handle, the doors will open and the associated Profile will load. Give this a try and see if it works, if you haven't already.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
I'm slightly paranoid with a new car so sometimes on the trip I would try to lock the car multiple times with the fob. But the car will not beep or flash the headlights on subsequent fob locks. All is does is turn on the interior lights for a few seconds which can't be seen during the day. BMW: the car should beep/flash EVERY time I press that lock button on the fob!
I agree. So, I lock my door like barcelona to get a visual confirmation.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
BMW: these enclosures need a rubber boot around them to keep stuff from falling in there.
Agree. I hate not being able to retrieve things that have fallen between seats!


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
HUD: Another great option. I loved it on the trip, especially when it would draw navigation info. My only complaint is that it has a very small viewing angle. If you're off center of the headrest even by a couple of inches then it will clip the slides of the HUD images.
I haven't had this issue. I guess I keep my head straight when I drive. However, I did have to get a new pair of sunglasses because polarized sunglasses didn't let the HUD through.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
This car is very quiet on the highway. The lack of wind noise is amazing. I will probably ditch the run flats in the future and get regular tires to make it even quieter.
I agree with you here as well. However, I did notice some excessive wind noise from the A-Pillars and side view mirrors when I had the stereo turned off. Maybe it was just me being too sensitive.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
If there is one option that I wish I had purchased it is the panoramic cams. The reverse camera is great, but having the others would give me a lot more confidence that I wasn't about to squish a kid in a parking lot.
I agree. I have this feature and I am very glad I got it. One of my favorite features.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
I've read a few posts complaining about the behavior of the steering at high speeds. I think that must be a result of the M sport wheels and tires, because my car is very well behaved at high speed. It was easy to keep it in the lane. I do not have any steering or suspension upgrades (except for rear air suspension because I have the 3rd row).
I have M-Sport with DHP. My steering if fine. Very stable, even in Comfort Setting. I've taken the car close to 100mph (in a well controlled closed course road with all the safety measures in place, for all the law enforcement forum members that are reading this..)


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Blind spot detection: The car doesn't have any blind spots so I'm glad I didn't spend money on that one.
I have this, and don't mind it. It keeps my lazy ass from getting into an accident when I don't turn my head all the way to check my blind spots. The only thing I don't like is the vibrating steering wheel when I accidently cut someone off too close. The orange triangle on the side view mirrors flash, which I don't mind, but the steering wheel vibration is a little too much.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
The navigation system is pretty good overall. I did have a couple of cases where addresses could not be found or the locations of points of interest were way off. I do have a nit pick... BMW: if guidance is active then the next instruction should always be displayed on the main nav screen. I know it's on the HUD, and I also know you can put the "arrow" display up on the split screen to get this info (it took me a good 1000 miles before I figured that one out). But I really think that info should be on the main nav screen.
I agree. I actually prefer a "List View" on the side of the map, which tells me what my next 3-4 instructions are. I had this on my Audi and have it on my wife's minivan. I guess "Arrow View" is the closest thing to this.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Rear entertainment: There was no way I was paying that much for that option.
I don't have this feature either, and my kid, who's 2 y.o. prefers the wife's minivan with rear entertainment over my car because of this. I did get her an iPad mini, which she loves. She likes to get on YouTube and watch her Baby Genius videos. This means her iPad has to be tethered to my phone to access the internet. And I'm not going to sign her iPad up on an internet plan just for YouTube. So, for me, this might have been a good option.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
I'm very happy that none of the idrive controls are locked out when the car is in motion. Very good move, BMW. Maybe this is normal for you. I have been known to beat the dash of my Lexus for locking the controls while the car is in motion.
I agree. My Audi made me click "Ok" or "Accept" like 4 times before I can dial a number and make a call while I was driving.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Several times I would get out of the car and go back to let my daughter out, only to find that her door was still locked and it wouldn't auto unlock for me even though I had the fob in my pocket. BMW: I want all the doors to unlock when the car is put into park. There is probably a way to code that up. I'm not sure.
I agree. This is a bit annoying.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
I also want to be able to close the liftgate with the fob. Several times during the trip this would have been very useful. I know that's available in some countries - why not in the US?? Don't give me any legal BS because my brother's 2014 Ford Explorer has this capability. I've used it myself.
I agree. My wife's Odyssey also does this.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Instrument cluster: Overall very good. However, BMW: the compass rose in the middle should be persistent, regardless of whether or not it is selected in the speedo info box.
I don't mind the compass disappearing so much. But what I am starting to feel is that, with HUD, having a LCD dash seems a bit pointless.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
The heated seats will roast your butt if you're not careful.
I believe there's a range in the Settings that you can dial down the temperature of the Heated Seats.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Door seals: I've never had an issue with my door seals turning inside out.
This happened to me once. Since then, nothing. Or at least nothing I've noticed.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
Lane departure: I only turned it on once to test it. The only time I would use this system is if I was driving late at night and wanted to make sure I didn't fall asleep. Otherwise it's just an annoyance.
Again, I turned mine off due to the steering wheel vibration. I wish it would just have a visual notice only option, like the Collision Warning.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jbwitt View Post
The sun roof is awesome. I've had a sun roof on my past 4 cars, but this is the only one I've ever wanted to open.
I agree. The Panoramic roof is nice. However, I still haven't gotten use to the long closing and opening of sun shade. It just seems to go on and on. I have one question. If know the answer to this, please let me know. When the roof is tilted up, and just want to close the tilt, is there a way to do this without almost completely closing the sun shade? When I try to close the tilt by clicking the sun roof button forward, the tilt closes, but the sun shade also closes completely. I just want the tilt to close without the sun shade closing.


Overall, I like the car very much, except for the fact that everyone and their mother wants to cut me off since I'm in a SUV. Other than that, it's great. I'm trying to figure out how to send directions or address via Google Maps. This will be a cool feature I'd use all the time.

Great review!

Z.

Last edited by Zipforia; 01-04-2014 at 05:48 AM..
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