Why are BMW buttons so backwards?

[WWONG]

I own a 2001 BMW 525i (E39)
I traded in a 2010 BMW 335i Coupe (E92)
and I now own a 2011 BMW X5 35d (E70)

Between the E39 and E92, I got annoyed at how the shifter works in DS mode when shifting manually. On the E39, up means up shift and down means downshift. On the E92, it was reversed.

Now on the E70, the UP and DOWN buttons on the steering wheel for audio is backwards. Up is back and down is next... wtf?

Why is BMW messing with our heads, even within their own brand?

[Harajuku]

haha, funny you said that.

When I had my e92 I always thought it was so backwards that up was next track and down was previous track. The reason is because most of the time I was using the iPod, and they list the songs in numerical order from top to bottom in your playlist (or album, or whatever you're viewing)... Then when I would press down, I would think the highlight of the list would go DOWN to the next song in the list, but no it went up to the previous song, and vice-versa.

Then, when I got my e70 - I was so glad that when I'm playing music from my iPod and I press down, that it goes down to the next song in the list on the screen (like I thought it always should).

Interesting that you think it should be the complete opposite...

[WWONG]

I only think it should be the opposite since that's the way my previous 2 BMWs had it, and my family's Toyotas

[RyBMW]

First thing I noticed when I picked up my X5.

I'm so confused now.....

[smallseafishie]

I have the same problem. I switch between the e92 and e70 all the time making it even more confusing. My wife thinks I like to replay songs in her car.

[R Dot]

same problem here. coming from japanese cars where they either use + or - or left arrow/right arrow, using up and down turned to be confusing in the beginning. especially reading the Nav from the birds eye view where it was going downwards as you were moving forward... changed out of that view quickly

[richard in NC]

It is interesting why BMW changes so many things but it all makes sense if you understand the reason for the change such as pushing the V button to go down (forward) the list of songs. They changed the +/- on the transmission because in racing it is easier to push forward when braking to downshift and pull back to upshift when accelerating.

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

It is interesting why BMW changes so many things but it all makes sense if you understand the reason for the change such as pushing the V button to go down (forward) the list of songs. They changed the +/- on the transmission because in racing it is easier to push forward when braking to downshift and pull back to upshift when accelerating.

Sounds like excuses

[richard in NC]

I was merely stating the reason for the change. Not whether it makes sense or that I agree with the change.

I have the same gripe with Windows 7 and Office 2010. The previous menu system had been in place since the first Excel and Win 3.1. Why change it after so many years and force 100 million users to learn new menus that seem so cumbersome to use?

Originally Posted by WWONG

I own a 2001 BMW 525i (E39)
I traded in a 2010 BMW 335i Coupe (E92)
and I now own a 2011 BMW X5 35d (E70)

Now on the E70, the UP and DOWN buttons on the steering wheel for audio is backwards. Up is back and down is next... wtf?

Actually, on the E90's with iDrive, the UP and DOWN buttons functions the same as your E70. On the E90's without iDrive, the UP button means the next track, and the DOWN button means the previous track. It depends if your car has iDrive.

[K.R.]

the reason is because when you take a look at the screen the next track is below the first pushing down is going down to the next track.

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

I was merely stating the reason for the change. Not whether it makes sense or that I agree with the change.

I have the same gripe with Windows 7 and Office 2010. The previous menu system had been in place since the first Excel and Win 3.1. Why change it after so many years and force 100 million users to learn new menus that seem so cumbersome to use?

I agree but the Ribbon UI in general is annoying.

[RyBMW]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

I was merely stating the reason for the change. Not whether it makes sense or that I agree with the change.

I have the same gripe with Windows 7 and Office 2010. The previous menu system had been in place since the first Excel and Win 3.1. Why change it after so many years and force 100 million users to learn new menus that seem so cumbersome to use?

Hit the Alt key in windows 7 and you will get the menu.

[RyBMW]

Originally Posted by beemer3

Actually, on the E90's with iDrive, the UP and DOWN buttons functions the same as your E70. On the E90's without iDrive, the UP button means the next track, and the DOWN button means the previous track. It depends if your car has iDrive.

This wasn't the case on my E90 and E92. Up means next track and Down means previous track. Both has iDrive. Old iDrive though. My X5 has the new iDrive and Down is next and Up is previous.

Originally Posted by RyBMW

This wasn't the case on my E90 and E92. Up means next track and Down means previous track. Both has iDrive. Old iDrive though. My X5 has the new iDrive and Down is next and Up is previous.

Ah, I guess they changed that around then on the models with the newer iDrive. I think it makes logical sense to press UP as previous, and DOWN as next when you are looking at the iDrive screen.

[richard in NC]

I guess we can blame the ergonomic studies that BMW did.

If you recall, earlier iDrives had such bad press, BMW did ergonomic studies with volunteer groups. Apparently lots of folks thought that it made more sense the new way.

I can also imagine the BMW design meetings debating which way it should be. Kind of like our server design meetings at work spending 1/2 hour just on what to name the stupid thing.....