jochen

That is the Japanese GPS receiver. Of no use to anyone in any country other than Japan. I throw them out in the bin. What you will also have in your car, waiting to get thrown out, is a VICS or 3media receiver unit, and the navigation unit (nav drive). All useless once they are outside of Japan. Jochen

Well yesterday I said to myself my temporary iPod wiring to my TV AV input is just too shoddy - I hate cables strewn across the middle of the car. Ruins the look of the 540 :-) So I can a video and audio lead from the video module in the boot, to the glove box, along the proper wiring channels. Managed to dismantle and reassemble all trim panels without braking a single plastic clip - I am very proud of that! I fitted 2 x RCA sockets to the leads, and had then available above the fusebox. Fitted my iPod docking cable - which also connects to 12V power and ground to charge the iPod. Connected power to fuse 44, which is the unloader relay for the stereo. Ground went to a very convienient fusebox mounting screw. Ran the iPod cable through an access hole in the fusebox, and it dangles down into the glovebox. Now I can have my iPod connected in my glove box, playing movies, and with the ipod battery charging from the car. And the cable is long enough that you can take the iPod out and have it sitting on the centre console. And if I want to change from iPod to anything else, I just drop down the fusebox, unplug the RCA leads, and plug in whatever I want! Watching movies in your car is soooooo cool! Jochen

Just remove the spare tyre and see if you have the air reservoir and the ari lines to the air shocks. thye ar eplainly visible when the spare tyre is out. Jochen

Did you get the best motor (M62TU), 2nd best (M62) or a wannabe (anything with 6 cylinders...) ???

Radio: pre Sep-01 = you must change the radio module TV: no change needed Nav: Change the nav computer, easy Telephone: check if you have the mic in the headline. Mic = telephone wiring fitted = good. Then you can fit the BMW BT unit. But do this later. Reverse Camera: easy peasy to add. Must be NTSC Mirror Image Ps2/iPod Video: Easy to add with cables iPod in Stereo: you must sacrifice the CD changer, or install a switch. Needs an interface regardless. Screen in rear: easy to add, you need to figure out where to mount it 16:9: plug and play change, very easy Everything you want to do is achievable. But start with Radio and Nav, add the rest as you go.

Fantastic! You can do everything with that car. Happy to send you all the details. PM me with your email address, I'll start sending you stuff Jochen

yes, simply because there are not enough nav-equipped cars in NZ getting dismantled to provide for a local source of nav computers (nav hardware). In Germany and the USA, it is very easy to get the nav computer You can download Operating System software from the Internet, but I have not found any Internet source of the NZ map disc. For some strange reason, you can only buy NZ maps in NZ.... maybe the demand for an NZ map in the USA, Europe or Australia is not that great....?? BMW NZs parts pricing seems to imply that every BMW spare part is gold plated.... Did you know you can purchase spare parts at retail prices in the USA, ship them to NZ, and still be cheaper than BMW NZ retail pricing?

OK, I believe you. Rego BGL504 - I had a look at the ad.Genuine nav etc. That car has a Mk2 nav system, with built in telephone. Very worth while - you'll struggle to find any other M3 with that equipment spec. The nav can be very easily upgraded from the Mk2 to a Mk3 or a Mk4, which will offer improved graphics and faster response. You can also easily remove the 4:3 display and fit the widescreen display. The telephone can be easily unplugged and a BMW bluetooth unit connected to the same loom. Any NZ-New M3 around that era would NOT have had nav fitted. Telephone and TV, yes. But NOT navigation - as there were no maps available at that time. So they didn't specify the extra hardware. NZ-New M3s would only have had nav from around 2004 sometime. I remember BMW stating that they were preparing cars with nav hardware in 2004-ish, ready for release of the maps in 2005. Adding nav to a car that already has TV is very very easy. I added nav to a NZ-New M5 that had telephone & TV, but no nav. Very DIY. Just get nav unit, bracket, GPS antenna, and a cable loom (maybe the loom is not required). Installaiton is simple. I might come back in 2012... or maybe not... Yes, unlike BMW, where I am going does have Internet!

I doubt the car is NZ-new. Or if it is, maybe it has TV, but no nav. BMW NZ did not produce any nav maps until 2005, so to have nav hardware fitted to the car 5 years before they released the maps is too much to believe. Check carefully and see if it is a) an ex-Japan car - maybe its had the jap stickers pulled off? get the option coding printed, it'll tell you if it is a Jap car an ex-singapore car c) an ex-UK car (speedo in miles) BMW changed radio design in 2001. Pre Sept-2001 is now called 'old generation' or OG.Post Sept 2001 is called NG (new-gen) MP3 support and ability to display song titles is on post sept-2001 cars - ie: NG radios. The early NG radios couldn't do MP3s, only later ones can. You can always fit a 2003 or 2004 model radio to your car. even if the E46 is no longer a production model, the same tuner is used on the X5, where production of NG radios continued to 2007. You can fit an NG radio to an older car, BMW make wiring harness adapters for this. NG radios can be bought on ebay. For a car with nav, the radio module is located under the CD changer in the boot. Only the radio module in the boot needs to be changed, nothing changes in the front of the car. No, you see Playlist 1-5 as CD 1-5, 6=everything, and tracks appear as tracks 1-99. No names. But exact functionality depends on what type of ipod interface you buy. OK. BMW NZ operate with blinkers. They don't look any wider than their official info - which is very limited. Yes, adding nav to a car with no nav is a major job. It can be done, but you must acquire all the parts, then spend 2 days working on the car, stripping the interior to run new wiring looms. The nav system is awesome - having the map and voice instructions is really cool. With bluetooth, you can speak to your nav and it will understand you. You can play videos on your TV screen. And you can access a lot of trip computer data about your car. For me, BMW nav is a must, it is one of the best systems around, and the only car with factory nav in NZ. A car with a working BMW nav system is a very special car, everyone finds them really cool. I would recommend getting a car with nav. It adds almost nothing to the sale price of a 2nd hand car, but the difference in what you get is huge. Again, depends on age of radio. Newer NG radios, yes. OG = no. Go from Sept 2001 or newer, for the nav system you will get: New gen radio Widescreen display However, you can retrofit these to an older car. Just costs a few $$. I'm an enthusiast, but I have helped many people, and done lots of electronic work on BMWs. But I depart in December. So get in quick if you want my help!

Don't liosten to BMW NZ, they don't know sh*t I have my iPod Video connected to the AV input of my car so I can watch movies on my nav screen (via the TV AV in). That's dead easy, and can be done on any BMW with TV. Takes nothing more than a cable, which I made myself. There are about 4 or 5 different after-market iPod controllers out there that allow you to connect the iPod instead of the CD changer. They all work better than the native BMW controller. Then the iPod is fully controllable from the stereo, exactly the same as the CD changer is controllable. Steering wheel controls are identical to the volume knob and < & > buttons on the Bordmonitor, so the steering wheel controls will control the iPod. A lot of Americans use iPod controllers in their cars, their experience varies. Here's a good discussion about iPod controllers: http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/431807 To answer your questions: >> 1/ Will the ipod interface appear on the the Nav screen (i.e. artist/track etc..) No, in this regard BMW are correct. Your original radio tuner is too old. BUT swap it for a newer model and this will work. > 2/ How do you control the ipod? With steering wheel controls / head unit controls or only directly on the ipod? iPod emulates the CD changer, so is controlled exactly the same way as you control the changer now. > 3/ Will the ipod (with video) output video to the nav/tv screen Yes, if you plug it in. I have. > 4/ Will a Dension bluetooth option work with this car? Forget Denison Bluetooth, get original BMW Bluetooth and you get total integration from phone to Nav system,. You can then read/write text messages on the nav, answer phone calls, dial numbers, and you also get voice activation of the nav system as well. Buy the latest version BMW Bluetooth unit to avoid software bugs. Don't buy from BMW NZ, they don't know anything, get it from www.bimmernav.com > 5/ If so will information (contacts / call info etc..) appear on the screen YES, with the BMW Bluetooth unit, and a properly compatible phone (important to have the right phone!) > 6/ and as for ipod will the steering wheel controls operate the phone. Yes, if you have the proper BMW Bluetooth unit > 7/ What is a ball park cost and who supplies and installs these units... Auckland or Tauranga is closest. Akld and Tauranga may be closer, but USA is better and cheaper. You can purchase BMW spare parts from the USA at retail prices, ship them to NZ, and still be cheaper than the NZ BMW dealer network. DIY is best, you learn about your car :-) As for the phone, a prerequisite for making the Bluetooth phone module work is to have the factory phone wiring fitted - which possibly is in your car. Easy to tell: do you have the microphone fitted in the roof lining? If not, you can get the wiring loom and fit it retrospectively, I have full BMW original installation instructions to fit the BMW telephone cabling and Bluetooth unit. My recommendation: 1. Get only the BMW Bluetooth unit, purchase from bimmernav.com 2. Research which iPod controller you would prefer, buy ex USA 3. Connect the ipod also to the TV AV input, it's fund to watch movies in the car 4. If you have kids, consider fitting extra screens in the rear - these can be connected to the AV OUT of the TV system 5. Consider fitting a Reverse Camera - your TV system supports this as well, dead easy to connect, very cheap (USD $20 for a camera). I know these systems inside out, if you wish to discuss, send me a PM for my phone number PS: What software version is fitted to your nav? Curious... check under the Set screen, the SW version is displayed in top right corner of screen. Regards, Jochen (the BMW nav expert and electronics engineer extraordinar :-)

My friend now has full NZ nav on his ex-Japan 540i E39 Anyone here on this board have a Jap car with nav and they want to make it work here? PM me! Jochen

Nope, I have an 1997 E39 540i with full sat nav and in full NZworking order. Navigation was fitted from the first E39s in 1996. The 1997 E39 navigation system can be made to work in NZ, I've done my car, and plenty of others. PS: my 1997 E39 540i with 90,000 genuine kms and fully working NZ-band radio and navigation system, and TV, is for sale. full service history over its full life. All options and accesories that came with the car brand new are included. Interested parties call / PM me. Car available for viewing in Auckland.

That uses around 123 amps @ 13.8V, so I hope they fitted a 2nd alternator and a 2nd battery :-)

I tried it tonight, looked cool, sounded good So now I'm converting a DVD to store on my iPod to watch in my car... ...and the star of the DVD? A BMW 735i...

Try Jeffs Car Transporters: http://www.jeffs.co.nz/prices.asp

my mate has on his E39. His tip: use acetone to slowly melt the glue that holds the contact strip on. Do not pull the contact strip off with force! You'll break the copper strips. Melt the glue with acetone, and clean up all residue with acetone. Be careful, acetone melts plastic... use a cotton bud and be cautious.

Sort of a family OE...

What do you mean 'loose' ? I'll just be in another time zone.. :-) Change is "permanent" (whatever "permenent" means....)

No probs, hope it comes sooon...

I can make any X3. X5. Z4. E38. E39. E46 ex-Jap BMW with navigation work in this country It requires re-wiring and a new computer But if you want this done to your car, get in touch NOW! I can do the wiring for you and fit the special new connectors,. I'm leaving the country in December, so my help is only here for the next 6 weeks until end November.... So if you want it working, send me a PM now.....

And of course in my car, all the electronics work :-)

Hi all Bimmersportlers If you have an X5, X3, Z4, E46, E38, E39 ex-Japan with navigation, and you want to someday in the future to make your nav work properly in New Zealand, and you want me to do it for you, or to help, or to give you instructions, then do it now. I am leaving the country in December. So I have realistically only October and November to do further nav work on peoples cars. I am happy to help you, but only to the end of November. I have the special electrical connectors and the instructions - I can supply these as a kit or I can prewire your car for nav now. I am happy to change the wiring in your car and get it pre-prepared for navigation, then all you have to do is plug in the Euro nav computer, which you can buy at your leisure. I can do one car per night after work - I must leave weekends free to do housework :-) But only to end November - after that, I can only help by email! So if you want to make your nav system work in your awesome BMW, get in touch now - don't delay PS: and of course that also means I am selling my 1997 E39 540i with fully working radio, TV, and navigation at the end of November. Beautiful condition, very strong motor, runs beautifully, leather is in really good nick. Full maintenance history through entire life (Jap and NZ). Any interested buyers - please PM me.

No reprogramming required at all, just connect the NTSC camera to the reverse camera video input, and then connect the activation wire, and it works. Note: the camera must be NTSC - hard or impossible to find in NZ, but easy to get mail order from the USA.

Hi all, Seen those ads for new Nissans with the reverse camera built in? Did you know this function was available 10 years ago on BMWs? Yesterday my friend with his ex-Japan 1997 E39 540i (with full TV and nav system, and we already modded the nav to work in NZ) came around to my house and we fitted a reverse camera into his rear bumper. Now when he selects reverse, a proper mirror-image colour video picture appears on the factory TV screen automatically. We had to take the bumper off to fit the camera - the E39 bumper is sooo easy to remove - and the camera was easy to fit - we put it smack in the middle in the black stripe on the bumper. Plenty of room to fit it. There was even a convienient hole in the rear bodywork right behind the camera for running the wiring into the car, so didn't have to drill any holes or anything. We wired the camera into the native reverse-camera input on the TV tuner, and fitted a relay to automatically activate the reverse camera input when he selects reverse. It works beautifully! Total cost for the parts was something like $100 USD for the NTSC mirror-image camera, and about $15 NZD for a relay and connectors. And at the same time we fixed the electric boot lock which was not working because the rubber touch pad had jammed the switch - which made him even happier. A fun upgrade on a sunny spring Saturday Cheers, Jochen

That US unit is identical to the kiwi one. Just change it to Europe mode and it works in NZ. if you have a pick of it, the twin-display and 2x softkeys proves beyond doubt that it is a world tuner model.