- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 9 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
3.0 stars
"Nice Car. iDrive the Spoiler!"
Pros: Handling Ability
Cons: Needless Complexity
Summary: BMW let me down with their iDrive platform. The BMW system is too complex. An absurd CNET smackdown between the BMW750 and the Audi S4 didn't help and was misleading to CNET readers. There are 3 German vehicles competing in this size and price class the 2007 Mercedes S-Class, Audi A8, and BMW750 (Lexus LS430 arguably is the Japanese sleeper at 20K less). The BMW750 is the best handler unfortunately iDrive frustrates the ownership experience. Also the BMW lacks some of interior integration refinements of other 2. The Audi A8 is more elegant and beautiful than the BMW with a simplier command system; however, ownership costs over time may run higher than others in this class. My money is on the new 2007 Mercedes S-Class with one caveat - its driver profile is still that of a "rich jerk". To those fortunate few - enjoy the hunt.
- 1 reply to this review
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What car reviewers have consistently failed to mention is that many of the iDrive functions can be verbally operated by pushing a button on the steering wheel.
I picked up my '03 7 Series from the dealer when they were closing for the day, and not having gotten the 2-hour tutorial on iDrive, I was able to figure it out for myself.
My new '06 7 Series has enormously improved on what was already great car, and the current iDrive operation is foolproof.
I am not a geek, merely an average user, technically speaking, but the iDrive has been given a bum rap ? especially the '06 version.
