[lkstaack]

Maybe it's just me. I've driven an E46 for the last 10 years, and an E36 five years before that. BMW logically placed the stereo volume control on the left side of the steering wheel. After all, the right hand was inches away from the volume control knob, it didn't need volume control on the steering wheel.

With the iDrive control on the right, my right hand is often there. iDrive controls many functions and BMW has made it pretty intuitive. However, now my hand has to go back and forth from the controller to the volume knob because I can't adjust volume from the left side of the steering wheel. Why BMW? Just, why? Of course, our loss is the UK's gain.

[torkles]

I just had this same argument with myself this morning. I'm 6 days in to owning an f30 335 and the volume controls being on the right side of the steering wheel are messing with me, especially coming from an e90 and driving a manual transmission. My left hand is always on the steering wheel and my right hand is hardly ever on the steering wheel. I agree, having the volume on the left and the cruise controls on the right would make way more sense, ergonomically.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Major first world problem brewing

More inportant first world issue is why did the eliminate the all setting on the left Temperature control knob? Now everytime my wife gets out of the car have to reach all the way over to reset her temperature control to match mine.

[STR8-6IX]

Originally Posted by lkstaack

Maybe it's just me. I've driven an E46 for the last 10 years, and an E36 five years before that. BMW logically placed the stereo volume control on the left side of the steering wheel. After all, the right hand was inches away from the volume control knob, it didn't need volume control on the steering wheel.

With the iDrive control on the right, my right hand is often there. iDrive controls many functions and BMW has made it pretty intuitive. However, now my hand has to go back and forth from the controller to the volume knob because I can't adjust volume from the left side of the steering wheel. Why BMW? Just, why? Of course, our loss is the UK's gain.

totally agree with this. you keep your left hand on the steering wheel, that is where the volume control should be! I just use the knob on the right side these days..

when I go back into my car after using the Mazda, I always look for it. Mazda has this figured out!

[jgoens]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

Major first world problem brewing

Was just going to say that.
But dipstick overlooked.

[ouengineer]

I can't get used to it either. My honda element has cruise on the right and volume on the left. With the BMW flip flopped, I'm constantly speeding up when I want to increase the volume and decreasing the volume when I want to slow down.

[BlueCrabMafia]

Thought I was the only one who was being driven crazy by this. Especially coming from an E38 where the controls are on the correct side.

I would pay good money if someone could figure out how to swap the radio controls to the left side of the wheel where they belong.

[jeffc83]

Coming from Cadillac's, nothing changed...volume and all other controls match what I've been used to for years. Maybe just the American manufacturers did this and it "caught on" to others? What you all are saying does make sense though...

[otay]

Took me awhile to adjust after coming from Acuras, and I used to wonder WTF also. Now I press the wrong thing when I get in the wife's Odyssey.

Will be going from 8AT to 6MT soon...hmmm.

[Pauleebe]

Also coming from an E46 before my first F30 a few years ago , you get used to it eventually.

Probably has to do with the fact most F30's are automatics, and most drivers keep both hands on the steering wheel due to this. This is different compared to manual drivers that usually use right hand for shifting and left for steering wheel.

[Pauleebe]

Also coming from an E46 before my first F30 a few years ago , you get used to it eventually.

Probably has to do with the fact most F30's are automatics, and most drivers keep both hands on the steering wheel due to this. This is different compared to manual drivers that usually use right hand for shifting and left for steering wheel.

[metallicpea]

Yes, volume controls should be on the left like they used to be.

I drive both my E46 and F30 back to back often, so I have to keep in mind which car I am in.

Luckily the E46 is stick and has the volume on the left side. F30 is auto, but idrive is the primary location for the hand, but I don't spend tons of time with idrive normally, but I would still prefer the left.

How much benefit is it on the right side when the volume control knob is just inches away from from your right hand already?

[CalCarNut]

My left arm is usually on the door/window frame with the window down. The right side button is fine for me

[alohasurftoad]

until this thread i've been going between my acura and bmw and dealing with this without much thought. now i realize and have to agree that volume should be left, cruise right.

[torkles]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

Major first world problem brewing

More inportant first world issue is why did the eliminate the all setting on the left Temperature control knob? Now everytime my wife gets out of the car have to reach all the way over to reset her temperature control to match mine.

agreed on both counts. major first world problem, and adjusting both sides of the temp to keep them in sync (my ocd-ness is coming out in this thread) is annoying.

now what's all this about a dip stick?

[Billfitz]

The placement bothered me at first, being the reverse of what I was used to. Within a few months tops I was used to it. First World Problem, for sure.

[Bongoxxx]

This took a while for me to get used to coming from my previous Acura.
Also another thing to get used to for me was the wipers quick/one wipe - its down on the F30 and was up on all of my previous cars.

[paul e]

Originally Posted by dwalls90

Probably has to do with the fact most F30's are automatics, and most drivers keep both hands on the steering wheel due to this.

Really? I'd be thrilled if I saw 50% of drivers with both hands on the wheel. Hard to do that when dialing, texting and talking.

[donkey]

Originally Posted by dwalls90

Also coming from an E46 before my first F30 a few years ago , you get used to it eventually.

Probably has to do with the fact most F30's are automatics, and most drivers keep both hands on the steering wheel due to this. This is different compared to manual drivers that usually use right hand for shifting and left for steering wheel.

Even manual drivers should have both hands on the wheel unless actively shifting.

I think the way it's setup is fine. If I need to change the volume during/after a shift I use the dial in the center console. Otherwise I use the steering control.

Never had to think twice about it.

[AudiA4]

Originally Posted by torkles

I just had this same argument with myself this morning. I'm 6 days in to owning an f30 335 and the volume controls being on the right side of the steering wheel are messing with me, especially coming from an e90 and driving a manual transmission. My left hand is always on the steering wheel and my right hand is hardly ever on the steering wheel. I agree, having the volume on the left and the cruise controls on the right would make way more sense, ergonomically.

^^^ This.

It makes even LESS sense when you consider a manual transmission like mine. Very frustrating.

[kern417]

i love it. i'm used to cruise control being on the left so that's a big plus. i use it a lot and it provides fluid motion to resume speed or make adjustments while driving. i'm also used to using my right hand to access the radio controls since its always on the center stack, so it doesn't make sense to me to have controls for the same function on both sides of the driver. personally i never saw a big use of the volume control buttons on the wheel, i always use the knob anyway.

personally my favorite was my volkswagen jetta. cruise was on the turn signal stalk, and it was just a flick of your ring finger to make adjustments. buttons on the wheel were used to control the center screen. i think it had volume buttons as well, but to be honest i can't remember which side they were on since they were never used.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by drive335

Even manual drivers should have both hands on the wheel unless actively shifting.

+1. You shift, you put your hand back on the wheel. You may fancy yourself a Formula 1 driver, with one hand on the gearshift at all times, but no real Formula 1 driver does that. Or should I say did that, as modern Formula 1 has the gearshift on the steering wheel.

personally i never saw a big use of the volume control buttons on the wheel, i always use the knob anyway.

I don't think I've ever touched the knob on the radio, for me it's always the wheel control.