My experience with ipod connector (E92)

[bher]

Just received my car back from oil change after running in. Will post later regarding driving experience because I remain progressive in the throttle input. MDM mode is quite impressive and the rear is already nicely sliding in second gear.

Just want to let you know DO NOT BUY THE IPOD "Y" cable.
It is certainly working but you need to disconnect it everytime (otherwise the ipod is not recognise systematicaly)
The usb contactor is very usefull with a stick and the idrive recognise the folder as in the ipod.

The Y cable is very expensive (was offered by the dealer). But it seems it is arround 290€, 200£?

[GameOverMan!]

Hi Bher,

Do you have the full iPod integrationkit installed or is there an option to just connect via a "special" (rather expensive) cable?

GoM

[bher]

GameOverMan! said:

Hi Bher,

Do you have the full iPod integrationkit installed or is there an option to just connect via a "special" (rather expensive) cable?

GoM

I have the full iPod kit (little bag in the arm rest, usb input and 3.5mm jack input)


I will buy a usb stick 8gb so I do not need the Y cable neither the ipod in the car.

[GameOverMan!]

bher said:

GameOverMan! said:

Hi Bher,

Do you have the full iPod integrationkit installed or is there an option to just connect via a "special" (rather expensive) cable?

GoM

I have the full iPod kit (little bag in the arm rest, usb input and 3.5mm jack input)


I will buy a usb stick 8gb so I do not need the Y cable neither the ipod in the car.

By the sounds of I'll be doing the samevery shortly. A tad dissapointing that it doesn't work as it should.

How are you finding the rest of the driving experience and did you consider the C63 AMG?

[bher]

GameOverMan! said:

bher said:

GameOverMan! said:

Hi Bher,

Do you have the full iPod integrationkit installed or is there an option to just connect via a "special" (rather expensive) cable?

GoM

I have the full iPod kit (little bag in the arm rest, usb input and 3.5mm jack input)


I will buy a usb stick 8gb so I do not need the Y cable neither the ipod in the car.

By the sounds of I'll be doing the samevery shortly. A tad dissapointing that it doesn't work as it should.

How are you finding the rest of the driving experience and did you consider the C63 AMG?

Regarding the iPod, I want to warn people about the price and low efficiency of the cable. The iPod was sometimes working then next time no and third time yes with the same song as the first time. The BMW technician told me it was because I was leaving the iPod all the time connected.
The other argument is that with the Y cable, the sound is coming analogically thru the 3.5mm jack, while with the usb stick it remains numeric.

As I mentionned I can't be very precise regarding dynamic. Because I am still below 6500 rpm (They suggest to go slowly to full power between 2000 and 5000 km) My car is now 2100 km. I tried last night to push a bit in Mdynamic mode and you feel the power and the rear reacting very nicelly. I remain very carefull because I am coming from a Elise 111r and the BMW is in comparison more difficult to feel at the limit (I mean in cornering) To go fast in straight line is certainly easy but the game is to feel the weight transfer and negociate the bends. So far the M3 feel very well planted on the ground and I have very good feeling for the future.
I did not consider the C63 due to the tax system in Belgium directly connected to the volume of the engine. I hesitated with the carrera S (too small at the back), the V8 vantage (too expensive for realiability) and the M3 (too discreet but ticks all other boxes)

Edited by bher on Friday 7th March 13:58

[macca]

IMO, go for the USB connector with a stick and forget about attaching an ipod. IDrive reads straight from the USB and displays all information that an ipod would display (artist, title, album, etc).

I read somewhere that connecting an ipod has some distortion as the ipod decodes the music and quality is lost between the connection. With USB, Idrive does the decoding, so there is less loss. That might be complete b8llocks, so happy to be corrected.