[Leica] OT - motor scooters

[gregj.lorenzo at shaw.ca (GREG LORENZO)]

Hi Adam,

I looked at the iDrive system in the 7 series two years back and ran 
screaming from the dealership. If I want to screw around with controls I'll 
buy a DSLR. The Bangle Mangle styling which is similar to Ford's recent 
Volvo's left something to be desired as well.

However, when it became time to replace the family sedan last spring I 
searched out and found the very last of 2003 5's in North America and 
purchased one with the options and colour I wanted. No iDrive, or Bangle 
styling and the GPS is built-in to the dash. The GPS works well, although 
I've nick named it the "auto nag" as it tends to back seat drive you all the 
way to your destination and nags like crazy if you venture off it's selected 
route. The lack of real cupholders does not bother me, but the "lawyer in 
the dash" that comes with an "Accept Screen" with the GPS is annoying.

This car outhandles my old Corvette and I found that I could easily out 
corner motorcycles in a recent Mountain road trip and leave them in the 
dust. 

Regards,

Greg

----- Original Message -----
From: Adam Bridge <abridge@gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, August 22, 2004 2:58 pm
Subject: Re: [Leica] OT - motor scooters

> Not only are they UGLY they have that incrediblly bad iDrive system
> built in. We looked at one, rejected it immediately! and spent some
> bucks keeping our '97 540i in tip-top shape. It's still a virtually
> perfect car (at least in my opinion.) I mean, when my biggest
> complaints are about how the remote door locks work, and the stupid
> cup-holders (I'll blame this one on the EU I guess) there's just not
> much to improve. I WOULD appreciate a GPS system since here in
> California it's no long legal to have a laptop running in the front
> seat (even if operated by the passenger) so I can't use Rt 66 and a
> GPS for navigation.
> 
> I'm on my 2nd catalytic converter though and at $800 each (the first
> one was warrenty) I'm a bit grumpy about THAT. You'd think BMW could
> buy components that last. (Both had baffles inside that came loose so
> it sounded like was dragging a piece of chain - even when the car was
> motionless.)
> 
> I think BMW is headed in the Wrong Direction using all sorts of
> electronic gizmos and then a truly AWFUL human interface that's worthy
> of Sony or Microsoft - both of whom haven't had an original though in
> human interface design in their corporate lives. I mean, it's a CAR
> not a video game! You shouldn't need to run through the iDrive system
> to change things that normally you do with one control!
> 
> I'm hoping Leica doesn't join this school. I love the R8 because it's
> ergonomics for controls are utterly transparent and fall, excuse the
> car-cliche, readily to hand. Maybe the digital back will be as
> natural. It certainly SEEMS like it should be.
> 
> I know I'll wait a while to buy one - letting them go through at least
> one firmware revision. And I desperately hope they will let the
> firmware be updated from my Mac since I don't own a Windoze machine.
> 
> adam
> 
> On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 10:52:17 +0100, Steve Unsworth
> <mail@steveunsworth.co.uk> wrote:
> > Or how a BMW 5 series has been transformed into a Lexus! The 
> latest 5
> > series is pig ugly IMHO - no offence to pigs intended. The only 
> question> I'd ask BMW is why? I'm sure it's a great car to drive 
> (I have an
> > earlier - ok _much_ earlier - 5 series myself) but the styling 
> of the
> > current model is revolting.
> > 
> > Steve
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: lug-bounces+mail=steveunsworth.co.uk@leica-users.org
> > [lug-bounces+mail=steveunsworth.co.uk@leica-users.org] On Behalf
> > Of Mark Rabiner
> > Sent: 22 August 2004 09:26
> > To: Leica Users Group
> > Subject: Re: [Leica] OT - motor scooters
> > 
> > ....They look like someone melted them down half way. Most of the
> > character melted out of them. A character of much European 
> design this
> > decade. Anyone notice how the Mercedes turned into Subaru's?...
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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