MBfan21

So the new C class does not display the songs on the 7 inch screen which sucks. Do the BMW drivers get to see their songs listed on the navigation screen or do they have to view it via their instrument cluster as well?

ScottyGams

You are able to view songs on the i-drive screen (if equipped) and use the i-drive controller to switch tracks. BMW also supports the I-phone right off the bat, as well as having the ability to download your phone book into I-drive. The Bimmer Apple marriage is the longest in the industry, so it is to be expected that the features would be a little more progressive then others.

I would hope BMW paid Apple for exclusivity, and not that MB made a bone-head mistake of employing a click wheel in design, but not using it for ipod funcionality...

time will tell

benzmodz

Its nothing like that. Mercedes has the more complicated setup.

ScottyGams

please explain...

how is it more complicated but have less functionality?

I am no way bashing the MB MM package. The flip up 007 door is cool, the DVD playback is nice, and the speakers are better. Other than that, Bimmer's I-Drive has way more stuff

Advanced Bluetooth Functionality, full iPone compatibility, advanced fan control, On-Demand GPS Reporting, etc...

MBfan21

My sister just got a new BMW and you can indeed see the playlists on the screen. It's so nice. It has a nice split screen of the playlists and the navigation 3D screen. She can change tracks via the controller or steering wheel.. but it's all listed nicely on the screen. I wish MB would do something like that.

I guess what makes up for it is that the MB navigation must be nicer than BMW.

SUNILP

unless you understand how each system works then you will not understand why the MB system does not display on the nav screen. To get data to the nav screen, it has to run in the fiber optic line. The MB system DOES NOT do this. It taps into the aux connection of the comand and pipes data to the instrument cluster via CAN BUS network. There are aftermarket solutions out there that emulate a CD changer and will display song info on the comand unit but not on the instrument cluster.

MBfan21

So can you still change tracks via the steering wheel if the songs are listed on the command screen (with the aftermarket solution). Where can I find more information on this?

ScottyGams

yes, I do understand this. I am merely pointing out that it blows. There are only 2 reasons I can thing of for not using an optical line.

1) to allow people to use aftermarket stereo components, but the dash is to complicated to retrofit.

2) cheap *******s that added iPod as an afterthought using the existing MB interface.

There are no advanced bluetooth profiles either so the car does not download my phone book from my phone. I have to punch them all in like its 1998! this is 2008!

The navigation does not have traffic information, another cut corner.

Too bad that BMW added those features, but Benz thought it wasn't cost efficient. They throw in a hard drive and a PC card slot... great... I have an iPod, what do I need those for?