F3x HUD and LED questions
Discussion
It seems fairly likely I'll be buying a ~ MY15/16 onwards 335d xdrive as a family runabout.
I'm stuck on a few nice to have options that I can't really get to know well in short test drives in the day time.
Firstly is the HUD really that useful?
Without all the GPS/nav and speed limit warning/sign reading jazz going on, and it just being a quicker way to check speed, is it worth it?
Or is it really useful for people who do more nav type driving and stuff?
I'm liking the idea, but might find it's just wasted if I just use it as a speedo.
Then again an easy fast car might find itself at higher speeds than anticipated before a glance down to the speed gauge, so maybe it's a very sensible thing to have?
LED lights. I take it the standard Ines are good enough.
Assistant just turns high beam on/off.
Then are adaptive are any better in pure straight road illumination terms? Or are they just similar but altering range based on speed, and aiming around corners?
Thanks for any advice.
Dave
I'm stuck on a few nice to have options that I can't really get to know well in short test drives in the day time.
Firstly is the HUD really that useful?
Without all the GPS/nav and speed limit warning/sign reading jazz going on, and it just being a quicker way to check speed, is it worth it?
Or is it really useful for people who do more nav type driving and stuff?
I'm liking the idea, but might find it's just wasted if I just use it as a speedo.
Then again an easy fast car might find itself at higher speeds than anticipated before a glance down to the speed gauge, so maybe it's a very sensible thing to have?
LED lights. I take it the standard Ines are good enough.
Assistant just turns high beam on/off.
Then are adaptive are any better in pure straight road illumination terms? Or are they just similar but altering range based on speed, and aiming around corners?
Thanks for any advice.
Dave
HUD is really useful when you're used to having it, one of those things you miss when it's not there, I have the speed limit on the HUD as well.
I recently had an X1 as a loaner last week and it didn't have the HUD and I missed it without really appreciating it before hand.
I think adaptive xenons are good enough with the HBA (quite clever in the way they shutter off the car in front or on coming cars) and again the cornering function is missed when you get used to it.
LED adaptive would be nice but not a deal breaker .
I recently had an X1 as a loaner last week and it didn't have the HUD and I missed it without really appreciating it before hand.
I think adaptive xenons are good enough with the HBA (quite clever in the way they shutter off the car in front or on coming cars) and again the cornering function is missed when you get used to it.
LED adaptive would be nice but not a deal breaker .
Edited by Wills2 on Sunday 29th October 21:25
That's the concern with HUD, I think it'd be great on less well travelled roads with the speed limit displayed, but then that's a separate option again to the HUD, or HUD inclusive packages.
A fairly rare combo unless I just find an 'all boxes ticked' car.
Even just the speed would be handy though, and I could see myself getting used to it.
I'm used to more talkative manual cars, so I can usually gauge speed just by the noise of the engine and the gear, but the 335d is probably going to struggle to offer such info.
Adaptives with the blockout is what I like the idea of the most.
So LED and xenon with adaptive will block out cars? If so that's certainly something I'd try get if possible.
I assume HBA is pretty good on its own, but my only concern is it dipping and leaving you suddenly short on visibility range and over-speed for that visibility, then having to override it.
But if in raw terms the standard led or xenons are just as good on an empty road then I know these aren't essential options.
A fairly rare combo unless I just find an 'all boxes ticked' car.
Even just the speed would be handy though, and I could see myself getting used to it.
I'm used to more talkative manual cars, so I can usually gauge speed just by the noise of the engine and the gear, but the 335d is probably going to struggle to offer such info.
Adaptives with the blockout is what I like the idea of the most.
So LED and xenon with adaptive will block out cars? If so that's certainly something I'd try get if possible.
I assume HBA is pretty good on its own, but my only concern is it dipping and leaving you suddenly short on visibility range and over-speed for that visibility, then having to override it.
But if in raw terms the standard led or xenons are just as good on an empty road then I know these aren't essential options.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
That one looks pretty good to me. Has hud, speed limit display, xenon and adaptives.
The only thing I'd do is make it a saloon.
Just hoping for a high spec saloon to turn up over Leeds way now
That one looks pretty good to me. Has hud, speed limit display, xenon and adaptives.
The only thing I'd do is make it a saloon.
Just hoping for a high spec saloon to turn up over Leeds way now
HBA without adaptive is just an off and on for the main beam, the adaptive with HBA gives you the clever shuttering or LED beam shaping.
I'd be happy with either the LED or xenon adaptive with HBA.
You'll find with the ZF8 and the 335d that you won't instinctively know what gear or speed you're doing (I know that sounds stupid) but you can pull on to the bypass and towards the next junction glance at the speedo and you're doing 90 mph without even thinking.
I use the speed limit display and HUD all the time in my M3 for those reasons.
I'd be happy with either the LED or xenon adaptive with HBA.
You'll find with the ZF8 and the 335d that you won't instinctively know what gear or speed you're doing (I know that sounds stupid) but you can pull on to the bypass and towards the next junction glance at the speedo and you're doing 90 mph without even thinking.
I use the speed limit display and HUD all the time in my M3 for those reasons.
Wills2 said:
HUD is really useful when you're used to having it, one of those things you miss when it's not there, I have the speed limit on the HUD as well.
I recently had an X1 as a loaner last week and it didn't have the HUD and I missed it without really appreciating it before hand.
I think adaptive xenons are good enough with the HBA (quite clever in the way they shutter off the car in front or on coming cars) and again the cornering function is missed when you get used to it.
LED adaptive would be nice but not a deal breaker .
Not much to add to this. Never tried adaptive, but the LEDs plus auto dip are good. I recently had an X1 as a loaner last week and it didn't have the HUD and I missed it without really appreciating it before hand.
I think adaptive xenons are good enough with the HBA (quite clever in the way they shutter off the car in front or on coming cars) and again the cornering function is missed when you get used to it.
LED adaptive would be nice but not a deal breaker .
Edited by Wills2 on Sunday 29th October 21:25
Like the HUD, but it almost disappears if you wear polarised lenses.
I can imagine 335d sneaking up to high speeds before you naturally look down to check on your speed.
Then the ensuing panic to check what the limit is etc.
I guess there is no cheapo warning system you can set up so it beeps if you go over say 80mph?
On lights, adaptive sounds best. A really good solid feature for safety in rural night driving!
On polarisation, hmmm. I remember the Z4 nav screen was black with sun glasses haha, an option I skipped in the end.
I suppose in those situations you balance benefits of polarised light and improved visibility over the hud info.
Arghh, I think I can do without some options but then they genuinely do offer benefits.
I must say I'm impressed with these options from BMW as they offer safety and driver info benefits, but don't remove from the driving experience and involvement.
Then the ensuing panic to check what the limit is etc.
I guess there is no cheapo warning system you can set up so it beeps if you go over say 80mph?
On lights, adaptive sounds best. A really good solid feature for safety in rural night driving!
On polarisation, hmmm. I remember the Z4 nav screen was black with sun glasses haha, an option I skipped in the end.
I suppose in those situations you balance benefits of polarised light and improved visibility over the hud info.
Arghh, I think I can do without some options but then they genuinely do offer benefits.
I must say I'm impressed with these options from BMW as they offer safety and driver info benefits, but don't remove from the driving experience and involvement.
HUD I have mixed thoughts on. In the day I have to go into the iDrive and turn the brightness to full, but then at night I have to turn it the lowest setting otherwise you get a light white box in your eye sight. Maybe I just have sensitive eyes, but so annoying there isn't a day/night feature.
HUD not a deal breaker for me. Eyes are on the road far more and have got used to it, but think I could live without.
Ref headlights. I commute 6 months a year in the dark so far more important for me. If xenon's standard are fine. If you are getting an LCI model with LEDS, I find the standard are too low and when a low beam are really poor, despite the whiteness. On full it's fine. The high beam technology is average/poor and will blind a lot of people.
Whilst not too popular an option, if you can find someone on the Adaptive LED then get this. It has selective beam as part of the HBA and is far better technology. Makes driving at night so much more pleasurable as most cars in the UK don't know how to put their lights on full so you can't see what's ahead, however, these lights will gladly light up in front of them for you.
Getting adaptive LED would be my first option.
That's just my two pence...
HUD not a deal breaker for me. Eyes are on the road far more and have got used to it, but think I could live without.
Ref headlights. I commute 6 months a year in the dark so far more important for me. If xenon's standard are fine. If you are getting an LCI model with LEDS, I find the standard are too low and when a low beam are really poor, despite the whiteness. On full it's fine. The high beam technology is average/poor and will blind a lot of people.
Whilst not too popular an option, if you can find someone on the Adaptive LED then get this. It has selective beam as part of the HBA and is far better technology. Makes driving at night so much more pleasurable as most cars in the UK don't know how to put their lights on full so you can't see what's ahead, however, these lights will gladly light up in front of them for you.
Getting adaptive LED would be my first option.
That's just my two pence...
Shame it's red, although it could grow on me.
£2.5k more than your original one. Doesn't like it has HUD, but has adaptive headlights and radar based cruise control if that was of interest.
https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201710240591654...
£2.5k more than your original one. Doesn't like it has HUD, but has adaptive headlights and radar based cruise control if that was of interest.
https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201710240591654...
I'll try get it moved to York.
We'll go look at a red estate there, and maybe have a test of an adaptive susp car though, just to be 100% sure before getting it over.
Assuming all good I'd be happy with that car though.
I'm not sure how good BMW approved are wrt warranties but I'm sure life is easier when it's manufacturer, so a 16 plate is preferable to an expired 15 too.
We'll go look at a red estate there, and maybe have a test of an adaptive susp car though, just to be 100% sure before getting it over.
Assuming all good I'd be happy with that car though.
I'm not sure how good BMW approved are wrt warranties but I'm sure life is easier when it's manufacturer, so a 16 plate is preferable to an expired 15 too.
Mr Whippy said:
I can imagine 335d sneaking up to high speeds before you naturally look down to check on your speed.
Then the ensuing panic to check what the limit is etc.
I guess there is no cheapo warning system you can set up so it beeps if you go over say 80mph?
On lights, adaptive sounds best. A really good solid feature for safety in rural night driving!
On polarisation, hmmm. I remember the Z4 nav screen was black with sun glasses haha, an option I skipped in the end.
I suppose in those situations you balance benefits of polarised light and improved visibility over the hud info.
Arghh, I think I can do without some options but then they genuinely do offer benefits.
I must say I'm impressed with these options from BMW as they offer safety and driver info benefits, but don't remove from the driving experience and involvement.
Not sure about others, but there is a warning chime which you can set to any speed within idrive on my 65 plate 640D. I would imagine the other cars have it, but it is deep within the menus.Then the ensuing panic to check what the limit is etc.
I guess there is no cheapo warning system you can set up so it beeps if you go over say 80mph?
On lights, adaptive sounds best. A really good solid feature for safety in rural night driving!
On polarisation, hmmm. I remember the Z4 nav screen was black with sun glasses haha, an option I skipped in the end.
I suppose in those situations you balance benefits of polarised light and improved visibility over the hud info.
Arghh, I think I can do without some options but then they genuinely do offer benefits.
I must say I'm impressed with these options from BMW as they offer safety and driver info benefits, but don't remove from the driving experience and involvement.
Coming from me definitely go for HUD and Adaptive LED's. Both have been impressive in the few years I have had my 640D, just makes for such a relaxing environment to be in, more so at night on the dark A roads.
I have had a "few" over reactions to the LED's, but not that many. One I won't forget when they decided to be a
holes miles off flashing around a bend for godsake. No beam went anywhere near them, but still decided to blind me for even deciding to use any form of main beam.I might take you up on the adaptive led demo, many thanks for the offer.
Rant follows. Skip to the end if you'd like to simply help me answer a few simple questions
Well I feel like I wasted another day.
I rang Coopers York and checked the red touring above existed and the advert was live, and that they'd move it if I paid a deposit... I said I wanted to double check the colour and a touring features on any cars they had in stock. Also if possible drive an adaptive susp 335d or a 3 SE with it.
Arrived in good time and saw a touring. Nice, button close, height adjustable opening, big opening for baby gear, great.
Melbourne red looked quite flat on a 3, but ok I suppose. Maybe on a clear sunny day it'd come to life.
Started valuation for trade in, paying cash for rest, all fast.
Car had sold. Cue lots of waiting as they tried to find something else to sell me. Then a mini meeting with a sales manager about how that was a very rare car, even though I've seen about 5 go this last week.
Tried selling a 14 reg on 8k miles for £24, without leccy seats, hmmmmm. He tried saying we didn't need mem seats, even though the standard manual items are utter st imho, never mind the fact two varying sized people will use the car regularly.
I wanted a test drive as I've not yet tried one. My wife tested the last one, as I did back seat baby duty.
Car was a low spec with pro nav and m sport plus only I think.
First wife had trouble with baby seat, no seatbelt latch at that side. Under the seat base, somehow... Fit to other side.
Now wife has to sit in middle in back, hmmm.
Salesman drives us out, tpms warning, ignore.
I drive it, but due to tpms issue, sport/comfort toggle wouldn't work, so impossible to try sport mode (I assume which makes the steering nicer and the throttle less boggy)
So also worried about tyre pressures and my family in the car which I was starting to wonder about generally, I just blandly drove around.
It started fogging up, I couldn't see at a roundabout, so the whole air system had been left off (no idea, new car to me)
9 miles of fuel in the car.
Brakes felt like they were running on rust with poor initial bite, had me worrying a bit with their non linear response.
So all in I'm none the wiser if this car is really much good, nor did they have an adaptive susp car to try.
The car felt fast, smooth enough (adaptive even better?), and in Manual mode and running the engine from low rpm it's a real stocker with entirely tolerable lag, very very nice.
The steering was turd, no life, no weight (I assume it's comfort as standard?)
I'd be very amused if that car is what they use to sell a brand new £40,000+ ultimate driving machine.
Stratstone Harrogate is like a shining beacon of competence wrt test drives and car quality compared to York.
I thought buying a BMW AUC would be slick and easy, but so far it's erring on the ridiculous.
BMW really aren't making their brand imagine strong by letting dealers operate so badly imo.
Questions:
One thing that I noted on the test was some weird steering stuff at parking speeds.
Adaptive steering ratio. The salesman said servotronic was standard on m sport plus and couldn't be turned off/linearised.
Is servotronic standard on m sport plus?
If it is, please tell me you can turn it off via iDrive?
Also is the default config comfort? Am I missing a huge amount of what the car can pass on in steering feel by not having tried sport/+ mode?
Lastly, I assume with adaptive susp the comfort is better in comfort, and sporty feel better in sport?
Is there a 'normal' mode, or just comfort, sport, sport + ?
Many thanks for the help/advice and listening!
Rant follows. Skip to the end if you'd like to simply help me answer a few simple questions
Well I feel like I wasted another day.
I rang Coopers York and checked the red touring above existed and the advert was live, and that they'd move it if I paid a deposit... I said I wanted to double check the colour and a touring features on any cars they had in stock. Also if possible drive an adaptive susp 335d or a 3 SE with it.
Arrived in good time and saw a touring. Nice, button close, height adjustable opening, big opening for baby gear, great.
Melbourne red looked quite flat on a 3, but ok I suppose. Maybe on a clear sunny day it'd come to life.
Started valuation for trade in, paying cash for rest, all fast.
Car had sold. Cue lots of waiting as they tried to find something else to sell me. Then a mini meeting with a sales manager about how that was a very rare car, even though I've seen about 5 go this last week.
Tried selling a 14 reg on 8k miles for £24, without leccy seats, hmmmmm. He tried saying we didn't need mem seats, even though the standard manual items are utter s
t imho, never mind the fact two varying sized people will use the car regularly.I wanted a test drive as I've not yet tried one. My wife tested the last one, as I did back seat baby duty.
Car was a low spec with pro nav and m sport plus only I think.
First wife had trouble with baby seat, no seatbelt latch at that side. Under the seat base, somehow... Fit to other side.
Now wife has to sit in middle in back, hmmm.
Salesman drives us out, tpms warning, ignore.
I drive it, but due to tpms issue, sport/comfort toggle wouldn't work, so impossible to try sport mode (I assume which makes the steering nicer and the throttle less boggy)
So also worried about tyre pressures and my family in the car which I was starting to wonder about generally, I just blandly drove around.
It started fogging up, I couldn't see at a roundabout, so the whole air system had been left off (no idea, new car to me)
9 miles of fuel in the car.
Brakes felt like they were running on rust with poor initial bite, had me worrying a bit with their non linear response.
So all in I'm none the wiser if this car is really much good, nor did they have an adaptive susp car to try.
The car felt fast, smooth enough (adaptive even better?), and in Manual mode and running the engine from low rpm it's a real stocker with entirely tolerable lag, very very nice.
The steering was turd, no life, no weight (I assume it's comfort as standard?)
I'd be very amused if that car is what they use to sell a brand new £40,000+ ultimate driving machine.
Stratstone Harrogate is like a shining beacon of competence wrt test drives and car quality compared to York.
I thought buying a BMW AUC would be slick and easy, but so far it's erring on the ridiculous.
BMW really aren't making their brand imagine strong by letting dealers operate so badly imo.
Questions:
One thing that I noted on the test was some weird steering stuff at parking speeds.
Adaptive steering ratio. The salesman said servotronic was standard on m sport plus and couldn't be turned off/linearised.
Is servotronic standard on m sport plus?
If it is, please tell me you can turn it off via iDrive?
Also is the default config comfort? Am I missing a huge amount of what the car can pass on in steering feel by not having tried sport/+ mode?
Lastly, I assume with adaptive susp the comfort is better in comfort, and sporty feel better in sport?
Is there a 'normal' mode, or just comfort, sport, sport + ?
Many thanks for the help/advice and listening!
Mr Whippy said:
Sorry for stacking so many questions, but I take in my15 a change happened?
Are pre my15 335d xdrive different in any significant way?
Only thing I can spot is hud arrived in 15 onwards, and after late 15 ish, 19" wheels changed and xenons went to led.
Early my16 seems optimum to me.
The F30 received its facelift in mid 2015. At this point, the M Sport gained LED headlights as standard, and revised rear lights, and a few other minor changes.Are pre my15 335d xdrive different in any significant way?
Only thing I can spot is hud arrived in 15 onwards, and after late 15 ish, 19" wheels changed and xenons went to led.
Early my16 seems optimum to me.
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