[bloozemanAZ]

So I've been spending quite a bit of time on the G05/G06 forum after picking up the wife's LCI 40i. Wow what a shit show. Sure there are a few sane knowledgeable voices in the crowd but overall it's just a head scratching experience. I'm doing my best to try and help as per my mantra to pay it back to Bimmerpost for the education I've had in realms I was clueless on, e.g. BMW FS leasing.

But there is a thread on PPF/ceramic 86 posts strong with all mostly clueless. Will I PPF? Will I ceramic? Absolutely. They are waxing the poetic on the cost, etc. vs value. Well, if you have to ask then you are indeed clueless and by the way a X5 isn't cheap to start with so what is the argument vs knowledgeable protection at $2K to $3K extra?

My latest chuckle was iD9 not loading and a blank screen. LOL as that doesn't exist for a X5 and when it lands (built on Android Auto) it will take years for BMW to crawl it across all the classes. I could go on and on but I'll leave it at I love the fellow brethren here on the 8-seriea forum as you all rule hands down no questions asked. 👍

[m3_08]

well...it's natural. 3, 5, X3, X5 forums are full of younger BMW enthusiasts spending time discussing light color and sticky tape modifications.
Remind me redit 'reviews' : 'my mom bought X5 and she doesn't like it '

[Beemer5to3]

bloozemanAZ for someone that’s into their own detailing, I fully support the argument for ceramic and PPF - especially on the front end, as I do a lot of motorway miles and it’s a god send for stopping road rash (albeit it won’t stop bigger stone chips). The truth is though, the vast majority of car owners treat them like consumable goods, take them to £8 hand car washes who may as well use sandpaper to wash your car! Even some people who get ceramics done will still do that, which completely defeats the purpose of it in the first place.

Agree though - this forum is generally excellent, with a really good bunch of knowledgeable people who want to help others out.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by m3_08

well...it's natural. 3, 5, X3, X5 forums are full of younger BMW enthusiasts spending time discussing light color and sticky tape modifications.
Remind me redit 'reviews' : 'my mom bought X5 and she doesn't like it '

I can see the logic in that, i.e., younger BMW enthusiasts. It's just comical at times as one would think they'd learn about the vehicle they purchased vs posting inane questions. Like I mentioned there are sane voices on the forum that help along with myself when I can. In fact I'm pretty much now one of the iD8 experts as I've learned it all including its warts.

Big discussion now on iD8.5 as July builds are landing with it. Just a re-skin of the UI in all reality and I'm sticking with iD8 and will not install the iD8.5 OTA when it lands. A lot of bugs in the 07/2023.33 coming with the pre-loaded July builds including CarPlay disconnects, Bluetooth issues, etc. Similar to some of our iD7 releases. But the 07/2023.45 on the wife's LCI is rock solid and I prefer the widgets home screen vs the 8.5 re-skin for the home screen.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Beemer5to3

bloozemanAZ for someone that’s into their own detailing, I fully support the argument for ceramic and PPF - especially on the front end, as I do a lot of motorway miles and it’s a god send for stopping road rash (albeit it won’t stop bigger stone chips). The truth is though, the vast majority of car owners treat them like consumable goods, take them to £8 hand car washes who may as well use sandpaper to wash your car! Even some people who get ceramics done will still do that, which completely defeats the purpose of it in the first place.

I drove my wife nuts as wouldn't let her take the LCI 40i to work until it got PPF'd. Rationale as her commute includes 18 miles each way on one of the worst local rock chip haven freeways as the quarries use it to deliver payloads all day long. Had to chauffeur her to/from work in the M850i as it's fully protected.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

I can see the logic in that, i.e., younger BzmW enthusiasts. It's just comical at times as one would think they'd learn about the vehicle they purchased vs posting inane questions. Like I mentioned there are same voices on the forum that help along with myself when I can. In fact I'm pretty much now one of the iD8 experts as I've learned it all including its warts.

Big discussion now on iD8.5 as July builds are landing with it. Just a re-skin of the UI in all reality and I'm sticking with iD8 and will not install the iD8.5 OTA when it lands. A lot of bugs in the 07/2023.33 coming with the pre-loaded July builds including CarPlay disconnects, Bluetooth issues, etc. Similar to some of our iD7 releases. But the 07/2023.45 on the wife's LCI is rock solid and I prefer the widgets home screen vs the 8.5 re-skin for the home screen.

What are your ID8 vs 7 thoughts after using them both?

[downeykp]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

I drove my wife nuts as wouldn't let her take the LCI 40i to work until it got PPF'd. Rationale as her commute includes 18 miles each way on one of the worst local rock chip haven freeways as the quarries use it to deliver payloads all day long. Had to chauffeur her to/from work in the M850i as it's fully protected.

PPF is the shit. Best $6000 I ever spent. A microfiber towel and McKees37 waterless wash and 20 minutes and I am done.
If you are going to rent it (lease) for 2 or 3 years it probably does not makes sense, but if you are going to keep it until the warranty expires in 7 years it is the only way to go. IMO

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by downeykp

PPF is the shit. Best $6000 I ever spent. A microfiber towel and McKees37 waterless wash and 20 minutes and I am done.
If you are going to rent it (lease) for 2 or 3 years it probably does not makes sense, but if you are going to keep it until the warranty expires in 7 years it is the only way to go. IMO

Exactly. The wife's LCI 40i is a keeper to replace the previous 2017 35i long paid off and we'll maintained. The 2017 had about 75K miles on it and was good for at least another 5 years easy until the unfortunate accident and the insurance company calling it a total loss due to the bent frame around the engine (front-end collision).

I PPF'd the entire front end (along with mirrors door edges, and door handles) due to the rock chips ridden commute my wife drives and the dealer had already put on a ceramic coating with a $1K sticker add. During the negotiations I had my CA drop the ceramic charge as he knows I have a detailer that would have been my choice and better quality.

I did more extensive PPF on the M850i but didn't go full and still very happy with the outcome along with the Gtechniq Chrystal Serum Ultra ceramic everywhere. It was leased but a good chance I'd buy it out and that's exactly what I did so worry free driving until at least 2025 when I replace it. 👍

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by snareman

What are your ID8 vs 7 thoughts after using them both?

It has its pros and cons just like any other technology comparison. Although I wasn't a fan of it for the 8-series and thankful the 2023 LCI escaped it but there are pros to the iD screen size. It works well in the G05 but would have looked like an eyesore in the more streamlined dash/cockpit of the 8.

But the pro is the widgets are obviously larger and that makes it easier for me to take a glance at the map widget when not in full NAV and check out the upcoming streets when driving in an unfamiliar territory. Plus iD8 nav/maps has a dynamic scale mode that works well as it zooms in/out depending on the situation even the widget not just the full map.

The other pro is the upgraded head unit to support the gimmicky augmented reality view. I'll never use that mode in the cluster as a total gimmick but the upgraded head unit makes iD8 way more responsive then the older head unit and iD7 in the M850i. There is a thread on the G05/G06 forum a few hundred posts strong regarding the debacle that for the first 3 months of the LCI BMW used the then current head unit. My wife's built in June absolutely has the latest upgraded head unit so I ignored it but the gist was if the older head unit iD8.5 may not apply. I laughed as 8.5 is just a re-skin and it obviously will. Sure enough someone dug in and posted a matrix calling out all LCI's regardless of head units get the 8.5 "upgrade".

Then there are all the cons with the most talked about the lack of physical buttons. What surprised me as although I knew the memory buttons were gone along with climate control but the shocker was ACC distance control on the left side of the steering wheel. So you either need to leave it in "dynamic" mode or go several touches into the iD8 menu to change the distance. What a potential FUBAR when driving a 2ton plus vehicle on the highway and distracting from driving to make the adjustment. I haven't taken the LCI on a road trip yet so will test out dynamic when I get the chance to do so.

For memory buttons iD8 has 4 on a screen aka shortcuts but for the 8.5 UI re-skin there are now 8 to match the legacy. Still not the same as iD7 as they have limited discrete capabilities. An example is on iD7 I have #3 saved to go straight to the bass trim but on iD8 the best I can get is the sound settings screen and then use the iD controller to scroll down to the bass trim. It's also a 2 step process: toggle up on the iD controller and then scroll or touch the memory button. Technically without that it's 3 steps but learned the 2 steps and now have a similar use case for iD7 as toggle up is an easy way to get to notifications, cancel NAV and a few others. I was clueless on the toggle up so iD8 taught me something even for iD7. 😜

Climate control is a shit show on iD8 but at least for the wife and I it's not an issue. When we fire up the X5 the main screen allows for changing the climate control temperature so that's a set and done in the summer as well as the winter. But want to turn on the ventilated seats or heated seats, steering wheel etc. it's several touches to do so. BMW has addressed that with 8.5 as now the temperature and seats functions are omnipresent on the new "home" screen.

I tried to help a forum member complaining on having to go into iD8 every time to set his heated seats prior to driving. My gut was just auto program with the climate control app. To my surprise no such animal on iD8. WTF? So then figured buried in the climate control settings in iD8. Nope no such thing exists. How can BMW drop a function in iD7 in iD8? We call it in the software world feature depreciation but that in general means a useless feature. Pretty sure nobody with iD7 considers the climate control app a useless feature.

More nonsense is with the cluster in iD8 although you can pick something other than the omnipresent map on iD7 most are useless (especially the augmented reality view that displays the front cameras feed). I spent days trying to figure out how when in DAP the assisted driving view would display in the cluster like on iD7. Nope no way to do it outside of setting that view which will be on at all times regardless of DAP active.

That reminds me of one potential plus but not a player in my world, i.e., highway assist. That's a fancy marketing term for DAP+ up to 85MPH on select freeways. I find DAP+ great in stop/go traffic up to 40MPH as it serves that purpose. But even then although I don't have my hands on the wheel my foot is still right there for braking action needed. On long highway cruising DAP is golden and I have no issues with my left hand on the wheel (foot still ready for braking) as no matter how good the system is I've intervened multiple times due to other drivers. Could DAP have handled it? I'll never know but I'm not putting my life and the wife's life on the line to prove it out.

[Davesrb]

I got both my '23 840i and '24 X6 40 LCI earlier this year, and have been on both this 8 series form and the G05/G06 forums quite a bit. I do agree there is a very different vibe between the two. But there is a huge difference between the cars and probably the owners demographics as well.
I agree with your assessment above as to the difference between iD7 and iD8. Overall, I much prefer iD7. iD8 is a huge step in the wrong direction in my opinion. It is over complicated, not very intuitive, and takes way too much attention away from actually driving if you need to make adjustments. It is also a lot less stable so far. It doesn't look like the reskin iD8.5 is going to correct any of the issues that bother me.
My wife loves driving the X6 around town, but because of iD8 she has decided to hang on the her X7. She says until they can make iD8 work as well and as intuitively as iD7 she isn't getting another BMW.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Davesrb

I got both my '23 840i and '24 X6 40 LCI earlier this year, and have been on both this 8 series form and the G05/G06 forums quite a bit. I do agree there is a very different vibe between the two. But there is a huge difference between the cars and probably the owners demographics as well.
I agree with your assessment above as to the difference between iD7 and iD8. Overall, I much prefer iD7. iD8 is a huge step in the wrong direction in my opinion.

And the irony on the G05/G06 forum is the sentiment we "old school" folks can't get onboard with the future. LOL as I live in the bleeding edge of technology so that's not an issue but rather just a head scratching step backwards.

Originally Posted by Davesrb

My wife loves driving the X6 around town, but because of iD8 she has decided to hang on the her X7. She says until they can make iD8 work as well and as intuitively as iD7 she isn't getting another BMW.

iD8.5 is just a re-skin of the UI with the same deficiencies just either still buried or now the shortcut widgets on the left (not customizable whatsoever) and the home screen either the full NAV map, full Media, etc. I'm sticking with iD8 as at least I can customize the widgets just like iD7. 👍

[r33_RGSport]

Now you know why I hang out in these sub forums more than down there.

Not only the enthusiasts, but the vendors too. Sending out some info to win a penny. Not a true enthusiasts vendor that’s willing to help the community.

My philosophy on cars, unless you are keeping it, I wouldn’t spend a dime on PPF or ceramic coating or tint.

But now, after what I have been seeing with car’s build quality and material quality. It is almost impossible to want to keep a car.
I do have G05 X5 40i that is my wife’s daily.
So far I have been happy with its quality, the options (I’ve spec it and ordered), and she is happy with the car.
Lease is up in a month and planning to purchase it.
I didn’t PPF the car and didn’t ceramic coat it from day 1. Took it to a few road trip as far to New Mexico and back.
Yes, I kind of regret it for not PPF-ing it, but for me being me, no one will ever know when I’ll get rid the car.

On thing that I PPF, was the laser headlight that I retrofitted.

So, answer for you, since you know that you are going to keep it, I would spend the money and get it done.

Here is mine btw.

[Tenac]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

Now you know why I hang out in these sub forums more than down there.

Not only the enthusiasts, but the vendors too. Sending out some info to win a penny. Not a true enthusiasts vendor that’s willing to help the community.

My philosophy on cars, unless you are keeping it, I wouldn’t spend a dime on PPF or ceramic coating or tint.

.

Couldn't agree more with you on what you stated. And like bloozemanAZ stated for some reason AZ is nothing but rock throwing competition on the freeways.... It's hard to not at least to a full front PPF. Then I look at our Porsche's and know the rockers get beat up hardcore so full it is from now on.

[TupperBMW]

I will only PPF a pricey sports/supercar.

For a daily driver that I might trade in after a few years (like my current 8 series) I don’t think that the expense is worth it

[bloozemanAZ]

Forgot one huge pro to iD8. For the backup assistant you can program several scenarios vs on iD7 it's just the last one from the current parking. Oh well, have a few now programmed for the wife including the almighty "home". She clicks it, keeps her foot near the brake, pays attention and it takes her out of our garage and pointing in the direction she needs to head to work. Yep no more scraping the trash cans on her side of the garage and of course not hitting the M850i in the process. 👍

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

......Oh well, have a few now programmed for the wife including the almighty "home". She clicks it, keeps her foot near the brake, pays attention and it takes her out of our garage and pointing in the direction she needs to head to work. Yep no more scraping the trash cans on her side of the garage and of course not hitting the M850i in the process. 👍

I'm assuming your wife never clicks in and reads your posts.
Amirite?

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

I'm assuming your wife never clicks in and reads your posts.
Amirite?

Absolutely right. But here's the kicker, i.e., sometimes "home" doesn't kick in as a prompt. Frustrates the hell out of her but all I can come up with as the current position of the X5 is not in the position it expects. Case-in-point it was programmed with the X5 starting with a sensible distance from the garage landing with shelves on that in front of it. Did that so plenty of space to walk around to the passenger side and get in if needed.

If she's in a rush and parks with literally the X5 is inches from the garage landing shelves then no go. Not an issue as the car won't let her hit them but the "home" blackout assistance calls for getting into position. She looks at me and states "it's not working". My answer is just back out straight, i.e., do turn the wheel but I still stand there like an airport gate technician waving "backwards" without the red flashlights to help guide. 😜

[Rob_G77]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

More nonsense is with the cluster in iD8 although you can pick something other than the omnipresent map on iD7 most are useless (especially the augmented reality view that displays the front cameras feed). I spent days trying to figure out how when in DAP the assisted driving view would display in the cluster like on iD7. Nope no way to do it outside of setting that view which will be on at all times regardless of DAP active.

^^^^^ This!!

BMW took a lot of the good (common sense) functionality of ID7 and just threw it away. Not only are the cluster settings unintelligent, but if you press the right stalk (turn signal) top button to show your individual trip information you are then stuck with that information on cluster screen. Now you have to go back and reconfigure your cluster display AGAIN!

I honestly didn't think ID8 was this bad, but it is.

Oh, another thing... Tire temperature is no longer shown in the tire information screen. WTH?

Rob