A 10-yr old BMW has the same features as a 2007 Nissan

[jochen 4]

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

[Yuen 16]

Fantastic, I take it this requires reprogramming to get it to recognise the camera? Or does it do it automatically once you hook the wires up?

Jochen you are making E39s a more attractive buy.

[SKT174 1]

I know what you mean, my 97 E39 has rain sensing wiper, auto dim rear vision mirror which some car manufacturer advertise as their new innovation/feature .

[jochen 4]

Fantastic, I take it this requires reprogramming to get it to recognise the camera? Or does it do it automatically once you hook the wires up?

Jochen you are making E39s a more attractive buy.

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.

[Yuen 16]

Awesome. Thanks for the info.

[charles28 117]

I know what you mean, my 97 E39 has rain sensing wiper, auto dim rear vision mirror which some car manufacturer advertise as their new innovation/feature .

Hehe.. mmm my 1986 Mitsi Sigma GSR had rain sensing wipers too..... they have been around for a while..

[Driftit 1983]

My 1984 Toyota Soarer had a reversing camera too. It also had touch full climate control, adjustible suspention stiffness, full electrics.

You better off comparing these features on cars that are the same age. And what you would pay for these features on your car now.

Pretty good how the old BMW was able to have the camera just plugged in. Its usually never that easy.