Instrument cluster change on x5

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by djsaad1

On other cars I have/had you can customize the display to show different things, and have more information on it. With this one all you have is sport, comfort, and eco mode. The displays and colors change a bit but the info stays the same.

I see what you mean. definitely would find the lack of a customizable display disapointing after playing around with one that allows more freedom.

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by Kzang

Go find a X6 at a dealer and check out the digital display in person. You will see that the images are pixelated and not "crisp" as it should be.

Great tip. I will go examine the digital cluster in more detail in person before making my final decision

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by Samurai of 2day

How has the experience between the out going model and your current x6 been?

Aesthetically and for general usability, I like it a lot better. The new iDrive screen and touch input are cool. I also like that I can redirect voice commands out to my phone. I use that all the time.

For driving...most of these comments have been expressed by many owners of F15s on this board:

I liked my E70/71 comfort seats better. The F16 ones don't suck, I just found it easier to get good upper back support from the ones in my E71.

I hate the way that they implemented the drive settings. In the E70/71, you could have the Sport button on the center console depressed and be in that stiffened mode all the time. Now I only get the stiffening if I'm in sport mode. What a pain. Not surprisingly, I now drive in Sport mode all the time. I have it set to chassis only though.

The steering in the E70/71 was way better. What you get in Sport mode in the F16 comes the closest. I've gotten used to it. I still find the steering in the other modes unbecoming of a BMW. I'm still having over steer issues.

They messed with the buttons on the steering wheel. After spending 12y with basically the same layout, it took some time to get used to the volume being on the RHS instead of the LHS. I'm also not reaching for the cruise stalk anymore. I have ACC (which is awesome!!), so the placement does make sense.

Here is what I have different on this car than my old one:

ACC
Driver assistant junk
Leather dash
LED lights
Ceramic controls
20" wheels
DHP (my old car had adaptive drive plus standard torque vectoring, so really it is the same).

ACC is all I hoped it would be. The only issue that I have is that its 'catch-up' behavior varies on the current mode. It is really aggressive in Sport mode. I would rather it not do that.

I thought I would find the driver assistant stuff annoying, especially the blind spot thing. I already use the side mirrors for blind spots pretty well (PCD learning in practice). Turns out those little triangles have been helpful and I leave them on.

Leather dash: I can wipe dust off my dash now! Also, I find those stitching lines mesmerizing.

LED lights: a really expensive, completely unnecessary option but they look really cool. I had to not eat sugar for 2 months to allow myself to get it. They did come in handy this weekend when driving from San Antonio to Austin on the toll road at night (the speed limit is 85! on that road). I felt safer driving a zillion MPH with the expanded visibility those things gave me.

DHP: for an X6 driver, this is important. Its...the same. Yes!

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by Barbja

Aesthetically and for general usability, I like it a lot better. The new iDrive screen and touch input are cool. I also like that I can redirect voice commands out to my phone. I use that all the time.

For driving...most of these comments have been expressed by many owners of F15s on this board:

I liked my E70/71 comfort seats better. The F16 ones don't suck, I just found it easier to get good upper back support from the ones in my E71.

I hate the way that they implemented the drive settings. In the E70/71, you could have the Sport button on the center console depressed and be in that stiffened mode all the time. Now I only get the stiffening if I'm in sport mode. What a pain. Not surprisingly, I now drive in Sport mode all the time. I have it set to chassis only though.

The steering in the E70/71 was way better. What you get in Sport mode in the F16 comes the closest. I've gotten used to it. I still find the steering in the other modes unbecoming of a BMW. I'm still having over steer issues.

They messed with the buttons on the steering wheel. After spending 12y with basically the same layout, it took some time to get used to the volume being on the RHS instead of the LHS. I'm also not reaching for the cruise stalk anymore. I have ACC (which is awesome!!), so the placement does make sense.

Here is what I have different on this car than my old one:

ACC
Driver assistant junk
Leather dash
LED lights
Ceramic controls
20" wheels
DHP (my old car had adaptive drive plus standard torque vectoring, so really it is the same).

ACC is all I hoped it would be. The only issue that I have is that its 'catch-up' behavior varies on the current mode. It is really aggressive in Sport mode. I would rather it not do that.

I thought I would find the driver assistant stuff annoying, especially the blind spot thing. I already use the side mirrors for blind spots pretty well (PCD learning in practice). Turns out those little triangles have been helpful and I leave them on.

Leather dash: I can wipe dust off my dash now! Also, I find those stitching lines mesmerizing.

LED lights: a really expensive, completely unnecessary option but they look really cool. I had to not eat sugar for 2 months to allow myself to get it. They did come in handy this weekend when driving from San Antonio to Austin on the toll road at night (the speed limit is 85! on that road). I felt safer driving a zillion MPH with the expanded visibility those things gave me.

DHP: for an X6 driver, this is important. Its...the same. Yes!

thanks again. It's good to get some insight from those who have had the E71 prior to driving the F16.

Although I do enjoy driving my GC, if I had the chance to do it over again, I would have kept my E71 X6 and waited for the F16 before switching cars.

The digital cluster is still on my list of "must haves" , but I will go visit a dealer for some hands on experience before placing my order. I'm really disappointed the digital cluster is not available on the X6M. If it were, there would be no question about my next car.

[charlietangobravo]

Got quoted $3000 (with the actual unit costing $2400) to retrofit the 6WB at my BMW dealer last week.... So kind of pissed off that they overlooked that the option came along during summer and didn't inform me until my car was locked for production. Would have been $690 as an add on then.

[Phantom38]

I have the digital display and think it's really great, also navigation shows up on the digital display as well. I had a RR Evoque before this and it's streets ahead of their digital display. One of the best options I added in my opinion.

[akhter]

I had 6WB+NBT on my F10 which I just traded in for F15 with just NBT and base cluster (not extended black).

What I miss the most:
1) the song change list as well as the recent call list is much smaller (but usable). Annoying if you have long song names.

What i don't miss:
1) the graphics with mode change. I mostly drive the car in comfort so not a big deal.

What is the same:
1) the nav integration shockingly is the same even without 6wb. the small section is the same size as on 6wb.

I thought i would hate the cluster on the f15 but to be honest, i don't even notice the change. I know if i never had 6wb I would lust after it but having it for a year on the f10 made me realize its not a big deal...

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by Phantom38

I have the digital display and think it's really great, also navigation shows up on the digital display as well. One of the best options I added in my opinion.

I have an F16 and it comes standard with the LCD instrument cluster. I don't have anything from the nav showing up in the cluster. I have nice nav stuff in the HUD, but not the cluster. Am I missing something?

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Barbja

I have an F16 and it comes standard with the LCD instrument cluster. I don't have anything from the nav showing up in the cluster. I have nice nav stuff in the HUD, but not the cluster. Am I missing something?

To get it to show up in the cluster you need to turn off the hud. At least that is how it was in my 6 series.

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by akhter

I had 6WB+NBT on my F10 which I just traded in for F15 with just NBT and base cluster (not extended black).

What I miss the most:
1) the song change list as well as the recent call list is much smaller (but usable). Annoying if you have long song names.

What i don't miss:
1) the graphics with mode change. I mostly drive the car in comfort so not a big deal.

What is the same:
1) the nav integration shockingly is the same even without 6wb. the small section is the same size as on 6wb.

I thought i would hate the cluster on the f15 but to be honest, i don't even notice the change. I know if i never had 6wb I would lust after it but having it for a year on the f10 made me realize its not a big deal...

The HUD gets rid of the problem with the song/phone list, that is why I don't think it's worth the money to retrofit 6wb if you already have HUD.

It doesn't look like the new 7 series cluster is much better either, it would be nice if BMW really put some effort into these digital clusters.

[Joey13]

I think the digital cluster is appealing in many ways but I love the actual physical dials on the higher end X5s with the ceramic accents, back lit lighting and a well sized LCD screen below the analog system. Best of both worlds. The HUD is must have though.I don't want to create a debate about which is better but I had it in a current model 5 series that I drove for a month and I found that it didn't display things quite as I liked (I wanted a more subdued display in sport but had to have the red lighting?). As I said it is purely personal preference but many cars are going to be released with digital clusters including cheaper branded vehicles and I think there may be others like me that like having some physical and visually distinct dials......

[UKMS]

A quick question for those with 6wb .....

Is it possible to keep the 'normal' dials view even when in sport mode or are you forced to have the red sport dials ?

Thanks

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by UKMS

A quick question for those with 6wb .....

Is it possible to keep the 'normal' dials view even when in sport mode or are you forced to have the red sport dials ?

Thanks

You are forced to have red...

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by djsaad1

You are forced to have red...

Thanks .... That's a shame !

[SlammedR8]

I test drove a 2016 X5 3.5d M sport this past weekend and it had the new digital cluster. Is this part of a package in Canada or is it standard or even a stand alone option?

[icreate]

Originally Posted by SlammedR8

I test drove a 2016 X5 3.5d M sport this past weekend and it had the new digital cluster. Is this part of a package in Canada or is it standard or even a stand alone option?

It is standard in Canada. You have no choice

[SlammedR8]

Originally Posted by icreate

It is standard in Canada. You have no choice

Good! I like that!

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by djsaad1

You are forced to have red...

That's not true. There is a setting that you can make it use the standard white 'comfort' mode dial no matter what mode you are in.

Menu > Settings > Instrument Cluster
Uncheck 'Driving Mode View'

When I first got my car, I had it set this way. I changed it back after about a week or so because I like the super-glaring visual indicator telling me what driving mode that I'm in. The sport view has grown on me, although I greatly prefer the pretty blue eco-pro view. Not enough to actually drive in it though.

OR -- do you not have the ability to make any settings when you do a retrofit? Since my car had it standard, I wouldn't know.

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Barbja

That's not true. There is a setting that you can make it use the standard white 'comfort' mode dial no matter what mode you are in.

Menu > Settings > Instrument Cluster
Uncheck 'Driving Mode View'

When I first got my car, I had it set this way. I changed it back after about a week or so because I like the super-glaring visual indicator telling me what driving mode that I'm in. The sport view has grown on me, although I greatly prefer the pretty blue eco-pro view. Not enough to actually drive in it though.

OR -- do you not have the ability to make any settings when you do a retrofit? Since my car had it standard, I wouldn't know.

That must be a newer option. I know we for sure didn't have it on the 6 series with retrofit, but I don't believe the 6 series that came with it could do that either.

P. S.. Nice to see another Austin resident here

[badhatharry]

Just an update, I work at an NY dealer and we began receiving MY16s- no 6WB for X5s again. Not even an option in the build menu.

I have mixed feelings on this. It's disappointing to know the option is available in some regions and not others (even though that happens a lot anyway)- but, then again, I'm a bit relieved because I had to jump into a MY15 X5d before the pull ahead vanished.