Ipod / Bluetooth and BMW 4:3 Nav Unit (E46)

[dtk 0]

Gidday... new to BMW and new to this site. I love speed and I love technology!! About to get the speed just looking to up spec the technology and would appreciate any info and advice.

Would like to add ipod and bluetooth integration to a 2000 M3 (E46). The car is NZ New and fitted with factory Nav and TV head unit.

From reading other posts it seems a Dension ICE unit is what I need. On the Dension website they appear to have a compatible unit and also have options to add video output and Bluetooth connections. However it doesn't give specific details for this car and I was hopeful some guru may have the answer to my list of questions...

1/ Will the ipod interface appear on the the Nav screen (i.e. artist/track etc..)

2/ How do you control the ipod? With steering wheel controls / head unit controls or only directly on the ipod?

3/ Will the ipod (with video) output video to the nav/tv screen

4/ Will a Dension bluetooth option work with this car?

5/ If so will information (contacts / call info etc..) appear on the screen

6/ and as for ipod will the steering wheel controls operate the phone.

7/ What is a ball park cost and who supplies and installs these units... Auckland or Tauranga is closest.

Sorry for all the questions but hopefully someone in the know will oblige me!! If it all works as hoped it sounds a little too good to be true. BMW basically said no option was available as the car was too old... after checking this site it appears all may not be lost!!

Cheers

[jochen 4]

Would like to add ipod and bluetooth integration to a 2000 M3 (E46). The car is NZ New and fitted with factory Nav and TV head unit.

From reading other posts it seems a Dension ICE unit is what I need. On the Dension website they appear to have a compatible unit and also have options to add video output and Bluetooth connections. However it doesn't give specific details for this car and I was hopeful some guru may have the answer to my list of questions...

1/ Will the ipod interface appear on the the Nav screen (i.e. artist/track etc..)

2/ How do you control the ipod? With steering wheel controls / head unit controls or only directly on the ipod?

3/ Will the ipod (with video) output video to the nav/tv screen

4/ Will a Dension bluetooth option work with this car?

5/ If so will information (contacts / call info etc..) appear on the screen

6/ and as for ipod will the steering wheel controls operate the phone.

7/ What is a ball park cost and who supplies and installs these units... Auckland or Tauranga is closest.

Sorry for all the questions but hopefully someone in the know will oblige me!! If it all works as hoped it sounds a little too good to be true. BMW basically said no option was available as the car was too old... after checking this site it appears all may not be lost!!

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 :-)

[dtk 0]

Awesome... thanks for that. Judging from other posts I had hoped you would respond. Very comprehensive reply... cheers.

It's not clear above but my questions are pre-purchase queries so I know what I'm in for. The M3 decision has been made just not the specific car. The car I have described above is currently on my radar. I like it because it has the nav installed which seems pretty hard to find (in an M3) but would prefer a later model. Thus can't give you software version details.

A few more Q's

1/ When you say the radio is too old... what do you actually replace? The in dash TV screen / radio unit itself or just a control unit in behind. Is this aftermarket or ex BMW.

2/ If the radio is not replaced will you just be controlling the ipod blind (unless you can see the ipod screen itself)

3/ The bluetooth option seems fairly straight forward...thanks... do they not have the internet at BMW NZ.

4/ Is it wrong to be influenced by the fact a car has a TV or Nav unit. i.e is it a major exercise to add Navigation to a car with a standard stereo... without it looking aftermarket of course. I'm not particularly interested in a TV but Nav woud be nice and of course but I'm primarily keen to get the ipod and phone info to appear on a screen.

5/ Supposing I forgo Nav and keep a standard bmw head unit. Do you see the tracks/artist on the radio display.

6/ I picking that the newer the vehicle the easier some things get... do you recommend a minimum year to buy to simplify things.

Do you provide a service or are you just a helpful enthusiast? I saw in another post you were leaving in Dec... when do you plan to return as if you do provide a service I'm a likely punter!!

Cheers, David (the BMW nav rookie)

Edited November 2, 2007 by dtk

[jochen 4]

It's not clear above but my questions are pre-purchase queries so I know what I'm in for. The M3 decision has been made just not the specific car. The car I have described above is currently on my radar. I like it because it has the nav installed which seems pretty hard to find (in an M3) but would prefer a later model. Thus can't give you software version details.

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)

1/ When you say the radio is too old... what do you actually replace? The in dash TV screen / radio unit itself or just a control unit in behind. Is this aftermarket or ex BMW.

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.

2/ If the radio is not replaced will you just be controlling the ipod blind (unless you can see the ipod screen itself)

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.

3/ The bluetooth option seems fairly straight forward...thanks... do they not have the internet at BMW NZ.

OK.

BMW NZ operate with blinkers. They don't look any wider than their official info - which is very limited.

4/ Is it wrong to be influenced by the fact a car has a TV or Nav unit. i.e is it a major exercise to add Navigation to a car with a standard stereo... without it looking aftermarket of course. I'm not particularly interested in a TV but Nav woud be nice and of course but I'm primarily keen to get the ipod and phone info to appear on a screen.

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.

5/ Supposing I forgo Nav and keep a standard bmw head unit. Do you see the tracks/artist on the radio display.

Again, depends on age of radio. Newer NG radios, yes. OG = no.

6/ I picking that the newer the vehicle the easier some things get... do you recommend a minimum year to buy to simplify things.

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 $$.

Do you provide a service or are you just a helpful enthusiast? I saw in another post you were leaving in Dec... when do you plan to return as if you do provide a service I'm a likely punter!!

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!

[dtk 0]

Thanks again...

Car is psuedo NZ new... Imported almost new from Germany by BMW NZ as one of the first M3's probably the first as it's a 2000 model. Has working NZ Nav as I have used it. It's on trade me.

Do you know if many NZ new M3's had the Nav option? If they have a TV but no NAV installed is it still a major to install Nav?

Are you planning to return? No doubt the board won't see the last of you as I'm pretty sure they have internet overseas

David

[jochen 4]

Car is psuedo NZ new... Imported almost new from Germany by BMW NZ as one of the first M3's probably the first as it's a 2000 model. Has working NZ Nav as I have used it. It's on trade me.

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.

Do you know if many NZ new M3's had the Nav option? If they have a TV but no NAV installed is it still a major to install Nav?

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.

Are you planning to return? No doubt the board won't see the last of you as I'm pretty sure they have internet overseas

I might come back in 2012... or maybe not...

Yes, unlike BMW, where I am going does have Internet!

[dtk 0]

2012!! now that's planning ahead.

OK I think I'm getting the picture.

I take it getting nav hardware only is again best sourced overseas. What about software? Is BMW the only source for compatible NZ Nav software? I'm guessing it comes on a gold plated DVD.

[kiwi535 538]

sorry to hijack. jochen is cd 43 ng or og?

[jochen 4]

I take it getting nav hardware only is again best sourced overseas.

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

What about software?

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....??

I'm guessing it comes on a gold plated DVD.

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?