Nav head units with CD - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Clem · 27th January 2006, 23:25

Has anyone tried to retrofit a 16:9 E46 Nav unit into their car?

Reason I ask is that the E46s units have a CD vs. a tape player.

E55AMG2 · 27th January 2006, 23:43

I dont think it fits...then there is the bus difference

Clem · 27th January 2006, 23:45

Is the Ibus that different from the E46 to the E39?

I thought the E46 got a lot of "hand-me-downs" from the E39

mchin · 28th January 2006, 00:46

clem,

Please keep us posted as I would love to have my CD unit in the car as opposed to in the trunk.

Thanks

Michael.

Clem · 28th January 2006, 01:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by mchin

clem,

Please keep us posted as I would love to have my CD unit in the car as opposed to in the trunk.

Thanks

Michael.

I'm trying to get as much info as possible.

Not willing to bite the bullet and just try it as it's not one cheap project to undertake if it doesn't work.

mottati · 28th January 2006, 01:27

clem, have you pulled out the cassette nav unit from your car? I was told the cd unit is physically too large to fit in the e39. You'd think somebody would have done this by now if it would work! Need to find a buddy with an e46 and cd nav to see. The unit comes out in 10 minutes easily.
Mike

Clem · 28th January 2006, 01:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by mottati

clem, have you pulled out the cassette nav unit from your car? I was told the cd unit is physically too large to fit in the e39. You'd think somebody would have done this by now if it would work! Need to find a buddy with an e46 and cd nav to see. The unit comes out in 10 minutes easily.
Mike

I haven't pulled out my Nav unit yet but if it's anything other BMWs I've worked on I know it will come apart easy. Kind of irionic for one of the best built cars (as a brand) around.

Sad thing is not a lot of people around here have Nav. Now if I can find someone who will let me try out their Nav unit....

VancouverM · 28th January 2006, 09:35

If there is ANY possible way for this to work... man oh man would I do that mod in a heartbeat!

I suppose the first step would be to see if the electronics would work simply hooking it up / modying connectors, etc. If that could ever be made to work, THEN comes the physical instalation. With the knowledge on this board here has got to be some who could work this magic?

HDClown · 28th January 2006, 15:37

Bimmernav.com is back up with all pictures, so I pulled these photos of an E39 in dash unit. It takes up FAR less space then the E46. The E39 unit has it's "protrustion" on the bottom, while the E46 is on the top. I'm going to assume that the A/C venting is different because of that on each car, which is why they never put the CD unit into the E39, they'd have to rework the vents.

And the E46 again

Now, I went over to the Yahoo NAV group and found a picture of an in dash CD unit in an E39. So it CAN be done obviously. I know guys with E46's mod their in dash venting ALL the time to fit an aftermarket unit, so why not do it on an E39? I'm not sure how they mod it. Perhaps they just cut out a section, or re-route it, no idea. I never got that involved.

E55AMG2 · 28th January 2006, 18:10

The protrusion is on the top as well, but I dont think that the two HUs are the same size.