What would you do?
I have an MK2 navi, just upgraded the screen to 16:9.
Would you upgrade to MK3 for $200 or MK4 for $500?
There is someone selling MK3 NAVI for cheap, but MK4 seem to fetch top dollar.
I don't care about navigation itself, never use it.
i should add more detail, the third option it MK2 with stretched screen.
I've been reading about Bluetooth integration, is it possible with mk3?
The new display has a tape think with a cable/jack attachment that allows to plug into iPhone to play music, which works for me, but taking calls via Bluetooth would be super!
The Mk4 GPS computer is the one most owners buy as it's the last one that works in the E39, has the quickest processing capabilities etc. It's perhaps a design/module from a decade ago and owners will get them from E46/E53's etc from up to 2006 and fit them into the E39. The Mk3 is even more out of date and the vast majority of owners don't want it. At $200 I think it's way too high priced, but hey!
As for oem bluetooth, then like above, the oem modules are well out of date and only have phone call capabilities, no audio streaming on them as they're too old. Mobile phones are using newer technologies and Android phones are becoming more unlikely to fully work with the older BT modules. By getting the later BT module versions, then there's a better chance an Android Phone will work properly. There again, some people report having the same mobile phone and OEM BT module and one person says it works fully and another says it doesn't. Iphones currently have the best chance of fully working with the older modules.
I do believe 2017 brings a new V5.0 of Bluetooth which has modern enhancements and features. I think it's still in the ratifying stages etc but there's more chance that next year or 2018's mobile phones that will support/use V5 of Bluetooth may not work at all with the old OEM BT modules - I'm not 100% sure on this, perhaps there's some backward compatibility which will or does allow them to work. If you try later BT modules, then naturally, their asking prices are higher to buy them! the 13th Gen modules often get mentioned. Also, there's still the possibility that a later version might not work fully or properly if you have the OEM M Audio setup in your car and integrate BT as some guys who've tried report low volumes on the front speakers which is due to the dual voice coils and one of them being solely for telephone audio. So for the potential $400/500+ you'll need to spend to get a module and the loom to retrofit it etc and the risk you might have the above issues I'd personally suggest it's not worth it. However, given that many owners simply *must* keep the oem looks in the dash, then maintaining and keeping all the old OEM audio/GPS/amplifiers etc working is expensive and there's more expensive outlay for upgrading to the Mk4 GPS computer and a similar'ish amount for when adding OEM bluetooth as well. If you do decide on oem BT, hopefully it'll all work for you!
**EDIT** some more information for you from another UK forum where an owner is having BT issues with his Android Phone (Galaxy S5 although other responders mention the same issues with their Galaxy S6 and S7's. I'm sure other Android handsets have the same, just with the massive worldwide popularity of Samsung's it's always the top end phones which seem to be mentioned!)
In addition, a couple of the MINI BT modules are compatible.
Here's a list of part numbers (they 'might' be different for the USA models or perhaps not, double check on realoem.com) and their 'generation' numbers;
full list of numbers
84 21 6 915 563 end of life 10/02
84 10 6 931 854 end of life 03/03
84 21 6 934 552 end of life 06/03 1st generation
84 21 6 938 610 end of life 10/03 2nd generation
Don't bother with the above (unless they are dirt cheap)
84 21 6 934 961 end of life 03/04 3rd generation : VR availeable with coding, phonebook.
84 21 6 950 089 end of life 06/04 4th generation : better DSP onwards
84 21 6 945 387 end of life 01/05 5th generation : better antenna optimization
84 21 6 955 522 end of life 10/05 6th generation : Phonebook works with iphone.
84 10 6 969 268 end of life 04/06 7th generation
84 21 6 958 358 end of life 05/06 8th generation
84 10 6 987 546 end of life 9/06 9th generation
84 10 6 980 130 end of life 11/06 10th generation
84 10 9 133 329 end of life 1/07 11th generation
84 10 9 145 007 end of life 05/07 12th generation
84 10 9 154 358 current production 13th generation
Mini Units
84 21 0 391 534 end of life 06/03 1st generation
84 21 0 304 492 end of life 10/** 2nd generation
If I had old Nav and non DSP I'd probably go aftermarket. For the capabilities your aftermarket solutions are priced in the same range and will be a great improvement in sound, compatibility [BT], and features like video etc...
The only thing keeping me from going aftermarket is the fact I have a 2003 with Nav and DSP. If I didn't I'd be on an Android platform TBH.
I'm not an audiophile, and don't care much for the tech. I have a navi in my wife's pathfinder and never use it.
All I want is the ability to stream music from my phone, which I now have due to the tape thing with a cable that was included in the new navi screen.
The second thing is hands free phone capability, that's all.
The reason why I considered MK3 upgrade is that someone locally is selling it for $200CAD ($150USD). It's been listed for a while, so I think I could get it for a better price.
That would fix the stretched display vs MK2?
Wouldn't I be able to get the BT functionality with GROM?
I have a 2000 M5 with 16:9 screen, MK3 and Grom BT3. The NAV is useless, but so is the NAV on my 2012 F150.
If I need NAV I use Waze on my phone. Nothing better IMHO. The Grom allows me to BT stream music from my phone to the car. Works great (after a slight mod).
FYI The trunk-mounted CD and DVD (HIGH) nav systems in our cars (all versions) is no longer supported by BMW. The last navigation discs you can get are for 2015 and no newer versions will be made available.
That being said, the mk IV is a nice upgrade over the Mk III and a huge step over mk II. IF you use nav.
If not then you might want to reconsider any kind of factory upgrade and go straight to Dynavin.
Factory Bluetooth is basically compatible almost all the way back. Check that you are pre-wired and have the factory ULF connector in the trunk and the buttons on the steeing wheel, nav screen frame, and pairing button on the centre armrest. If not then there are a lot of small parts you will need to acquire.
ULF connector should be tucked up against the inner wheelwell just ahead of the nav computer. Sound quality and cel compatibility of the early ULF units is a little spotty depending on cellphone compatibility and music streaming is not supported.
If you want to start near the bottom, have a BT 4th Gen ULF and antenna and headliner microphone available in Calgary. cheeeep. PM me.
I rarely use nav for nav anymore (because Waze knows about police and traffic), but I love it as a display. E.g. this week I added Sirius to the car (through the intravee).
It's a bit sad, as outside of police/traffic, I actually prefer the MKIV navigation to any other setup I've used (including waze). It doesn't talk to much, it calculates (and recalculates) INSTANTLY, the on display instructions are incredibly clear at a glance, and it varies how far off it'll tell you something by your speed. For the business of conveying information clearly and concisely, I prefer it to anything else I've used.
But, because it doesn't know about traffic or police, I rarely use it. And, I have no interest in any system that doesn't support police locations and traffic.
Later generation OE Bluetooth works great, though, imo-- I have it in 3 cars, just bought a module for the 4th (M3 wagon). It can't stream music, but I have no desire to stream music off my phone anyway-- I keep iPods hardwired in every car, one for me, one for my wife. Each car automatically selects the correct iPod (and seat position/climate control settings/radio presets) based on which key is used. I don't see any reason BT 5.0 shouldn't continue to be backwards compatible. I've had every iPhone since the first, never had any pairing issues (though all my modules are later modules, and all the phones have been iPhones).
So far all the android head units have been a bit crap ***, which has kept me off them (though they continue to be interesting to me because some of them could run waze). The name brand, not e39 specific head units are way to aftermarket looking for me to consider remotely acceptable to put in the car.
I have the MK4-16:9 screen. I use it all the time, I disagree with posts that classify it as useless. In fact, I find it to work better than the TomTom I had before. Even TMC is working perfectly.
As it is said before, map support is stopped in 2015. As far as I can find out nobody has filled that void yet and most likely they never will. There are fancy dvd boxes around with "the latest 2017 maps" (Ebay) but those are obviously fakes.
As time goes by the lack of map support could become a problem, to me that is the system's only drawback.
I have the MKII nav system that uses CD`s for maps. Did CD based map support stop in 2015 also? or earlier? What are the latest CD map available?
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