Retro fit BMW satnav/TV for e46

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essop1@gp

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Apr 10, 2008
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Hi guys, just wondering if anyone has ever heard of someone retro fitting the BMW satnav/TV monitor system into their e46. I've searched and only came across dudes in america and europe that have done it sucessfully.

Latest figure in terms of pricing that i've until now is about $2000 for the headunit(16:9 screen) wiring harness with GPS DVD system.

That might sound ludicrous to spend that money for a headunit in an E46, the thing is i wont sell the one i have as its not worth it, its a 2000 330i sport with 68000km on the clock, still like new, so selling it will just be heart sore.

thanks
 
adamr

adamr

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when i had my E46 M3 i had the older TV/NAV screen and queried with BMW to get it changed with the 16:9 screen ... the GPS unit sits in the boot and the problem is running the wires from the boot along the floors and to the dash... so it is possible but lotsa work i have been told (i just had TV i wanted NAV)

they basically came back to me, i.e. BMW and told me its too much work and very expensive ...
 
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Sackboy

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essop1@gp said:
Hi guys, just wondering if anyone has ever heard of someone retro fitting the BMW satnav/TV monitor system into their e46. I've searched and only came across dudes in america and europe that have done it sucessfully.

Latest figure in terms of pricing that i've until now is about $2000 for the headunit(16:9 screen) wiring harness with GPS DVD system.

That might sound ludicrous to spend that money for a headunit in an E46, the thing is i wont sell the one i have as its not worth it, its a 2000 330i sport with 68000km on the clock, still like new, so selling it will just be heart sore.

thanks
Click to expand...
The trouble is the entire electrics are completely integrated. If it hasn't been offered by BMW, then you're taking a risk. I don't know if your Motorplan is still current, but a change like that would blow it for certain. Heck, even trying to fit an iPod on an old Beemer is impossible beyond a certain year. 2001, I think is the cutoff for that. Anything older and they say f-off.
 
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essop1@gp

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adamr said:
when i had my E46 M3 i had the older TV/NAV screen and queried with BMW to get it changed with the 16:9 screen ... the GPS unit sits in the boot and the problem is running the wires from the boot along the floors and to the dash... so it is possible but lotsa work i have been told (i just had TV i wanted NAV)

they basically came back to me, i.e. BMW and told me its too much work and very expensive ...
Click to expand...

your install i would imagine would have been much easier than mine because you already have the unit and the wiring harness should already be in the vehicle, the only thing was to install the dvd/nav system in the boot with a new console there and connect to the harness and run the antenna. And if you wanted the 16:9 unit it should have been just a matter of changing the units, certainly they wouldnt have changed the entire wiring harness just because they changed the screen, but then again...

I have pleaded with bmw before, even having worked there, no one could lead in the right direction.

Now i have searched on the internet and some guys have done from start to finish in about 6 hours, DIY, which is not too bad. Granted they stripped the seats and carpets and dash to run the new harness. And i have HK which is slightly different but couldnt be that much extra work. But my problem is finding the damn unit and wiring harness and all that comes with it.
 
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essop1@gp

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Sackboy said:
The trouble is the entire electrics are completely integrated. If it hasn't been offered by BMW, then you're taking a risk. I don't know if your Motorplan is still current, but a change like that would blow it for certain. Heck, even trying to fit an iPod on an old Beemer is impossible beyond a certain year. 2001, I think is the cutoff for that. Anything older and they say f-off.
Click to expand...

No motorplan, 2000 model, motorplan ended in 2005 and had it extended to its maximum unitl 2007, car has only ever had 1 service since new. i have also done research on fitting an ipod adaptor, bmw dealerships do it from the e46 to current models but they are way too expensive, there is an aftermarket adaptor that is available but i think its alot of work just for an ipod, still deciding.
 
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Fudzy

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Wouldn't it be cheaper to find a really high-end DIN mounted head unit with TV and GPS?
 
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Sackboy

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essop1@gp said:
No motorplan, 2000 model, motorplan ended in 2005 and had it extended to its maximum unitl 2007, car has only ever had 1 service since new. i have also done research on fitting an ipod adaptor, bmw dealerships do it from the e46 to current models but they are way too expensive, there is an aftermarket adaptor that is available but i think its alot of work just for an ipod, still deciding.
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Last time I looked a 2000 E46 is too old for an iPod fit. The E46 covers 2000 --> ? doesn't it.

The thing about aftermarket is it reduces the value of your car, unless you keep all the bits and undo the work. Probably the reason you rarely find big speakers and 100w amps in them.
 
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essop1@gp

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Fudzy said:
Wouldn't it be cheaper to find a really high-end DIN mounted head unit with TV and GPS?
Click to expand...

I have thought about that, but i wanted the BMW equipment fitted to the vehicle. I even went as far as finding the original tyre that the vehicle was manufactured with when i replaced the old tyres, the only aftermarket part this vehicle has is the original Alpina Hackspoiler(bootspoiler), and i'm very keen on keeping the vehicle in that condition for now, but it sure looks like i have to go that way.
 
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essop1@gp

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Sackboy said:
Last time I looked a 2000 E46 is too old for an iPod fit. The E46 covers 2000 --> ? doesn't it.

The thing about aftermarket is it reduces the value of your car, unless you keep all the bits and undo the work. Probably the reason you rarely find big speakers and 100w amps in them.
Click to expand...

yip e46 was launched in 1999. on the BMW website they just say e46, no mention of whether it should be facelift or not. i unfortunately have the pre facelift 330i but still a beast none the less.

Like i initially said, not going to sell this car, i wont get my money even though it only has 68000km, so not so bothered about value but yes it doesnt do any good for the value especially if someone looks at the car and sees something that clearly doesnt belong in the car lol.
 
Thugscub

Thugscub

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Have a look at this site it might help. wwwplanetworld.co.za 0860 656463
 
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thedutchman

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why dont you phone bmw head office and ask around, maybe they've got an old or spare on lying around! or maybe they know, where you can buy second hand ones! I know someone, who works for bmw, he's a IT software manager at bmw in joburg.. must find out what his number is...
 
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essop1@gp

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thedutchman said:
why dont you phone bmw head office and ask around, maybe they've got an old or spare on lying around! or maybe they know, where you can buy second hand ones! I know someone, who works for bmw, he's a IT software manager at bmw in joburg.. must find out what his number is...
Click to expand...

I used to work for BMW until recently, second hand parts would be easy to find, but a unit like that would be very hard to find, not so many e46's were ordered with that option in it. One thing that i am certain about, is that new one's are available, because if i did have one and it got damaged somehow, only they would be able to get them, and i would imagine it to be ex-germany. But i don't even want know what they cost brand new.
 
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