Sat Nav E39

[sam919]

Hi All Merry Xmas!,

Would this be a relatively easy fit to my E39. It would replace the radio/ cassette area ofcourse, do they hae the wiring to accomodate the already fitted cd player in the boot?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-SAT-NAV-E39-5-SERIES-M5-...

Thanks for any help in advance

[rassi]

It is DIY but quite involved: You would need the wiring loom that is not in place already + the nav computer (MK3 = 150 pounds, or MK4 (DVD based) = 300 pounds).

You are looking at at least 300-400 pounds on top of just the screen.

[Fox-]

For a start thats a 4:3 screen so you will instead need a 16:9 screen if you want to use the newer navigation computers. These are £300.

Then you need a Mk4 Nav Computer at £300.

Then you need a BM54 Radio Module at £250

Then you need a Navigation loom at £120

Then you need bracket for the boot at £30

Then you need to remove the entire interior to fit it.

Then you need to sit back and wonder why on earth it just cost you over £1000 to retrofit an 8 year old Navigation system when it only costs 400 quid to fit a far newer touchscreen system to an Audi. I've still not worked it out yet.

[sam919]

Fox- said:

For a start thats a 4:3 screen so you will instead need a 16:9 screen if you want to use the newer navigation computers. These are £300.

Then you need a Mk4 Nav Computer at £300.

Then you need a BM54 Radio Module at £250

Then you need a Navigation loom at £120

Then you need bracket for the boot at £30

Then you need to remove the entire interior to fit it.

Then you need to sit back and wonder why on earth it just cost you over £1000 to retrofit an 8 year old Navigation system when it only costs 400 quid to fit a far newer touchscreen system to an Audi. I've still not worked it out yet.

Ok good breakdown. What are the alternatives if any? Or is it a case of Tom tom out for any long journeys and relax with making the interior looking like the kennedy space centre

Edited by sam919 on Thursday 25th December 11:10

[matt uk]

Save your money.
I've got an e39 with wide screen sat nav built in - and quite frankly it's a bit rubbish. Nothing really wrong with it, just that tech has moved on so rapidly that it just feels very old fashioned to use. For example:
Really slow to create a map - and it's a rubbish looking 2D bird'e eye view map
Slow to type in and recognise your address
Doesn't give multiple options on route planner
If you take a wrong turn it's slow to update and re-route - sometimes up to a minute
Actually, I'll just sum it up as S-L-O-W. The whole system is slow. You give it a command, nothing happens, think you must not have clicked properly, click again, then realise that it was proessing the first command and then it starts processing the second one which may not be what you wanted...

I've got used to it now (in the way you speak slowly and clearly to a deaf great-aunty) but the Audi MMI system is much better.

Spend over a grand? You'd have to really hate a TomTom to do that. Unless mine is particularly crap and all other e39 systems are better, but I wouldn't know.

Save your cash for other things.
Just my thoughts.

[MarkwG]

Matt UK + 1: also worth considering is that the "built ins" chime in when you least need them to - where as the portables run in the background, sound on or off, quietly going about their business!

[rassi]

The difference in calculating speed and level of detail is quite significant between a MK3 (CD rom based) and the MK4 (dvd based), regardless of whether you have a wide-screen or not.

I suspect that may be your problem Matt, as I have no complaint at all with mine (MK4) and actually find it somewhat easier to use than the Audi MMI (Audi A5) I had access to for a while.

Level of detail absolutely fine, and if the nav voice is irritating, it can of course also be turned off.

However, to retrofit from scratch I would agree that a TomTom would be significantly cheaper and at least on a par as regards functionality.

[sam919]

Ok Thanks for that. As luck would have it, i was offshore for xmas and being a car fanatic was the only one out of 120 people onboard to win a Tom Tom Xl. Love the tom tom anyway, bigger screen now.....sorted.

[julian64]

Okay I love my E39 MKIV system. Its light years ahead of the tomtom, and its totally 3D with fluffy clouds and everything, not 2D. It was standard in my 2001 model M5.

The reason its so far ahead of the tomtom, is that it has traffic information which reroutes you around heavy traffic, and it works. Even told me once which lane the accident was in before a queue had even started on the M25.

Furthermore it has a number of gyro sensors which know instantly when you turn a corner and is already directing you through the next corner rather than the tomtom which has to wait until you have completed your turn and then some to find out whether you chose the right road or not.

Try using a tomtom with a sucession of quick turns in london, and you'll soon see why the BMW system is king.

[pixor]

matt uk said:

Save your money.
I've got an e39 with wide screen sat nav built in - and quite frankly it's a bit rubbish. Nothing really wrong with it, just that tech has moved on so rapidly that it just feels very old fashioned to use. For example:
Really slow to create a map - and it's a rubbish looking 2D bird'e eye view map
Slow to type in and recognise your address
Doesn't give multiple options on route planner
If you take a wrong turn it's slow to update and re-route - sometimes up to a minute
Actually, I'll just sum it up as S-L-O-W. The whole system is slow. You give it a command, nothing happens, think you must not have clicked properly, click again, then realise that it was proessing the first command and then it starts processing the second one which may not be what you wanted...

I've got used to it now (in the way you speak slowly and clearly to a deaf great-aunty) but the Audi MMI system is much better.

Spend over a grand? You'd have to really hate a TomTom to do that. Unless mine is particularly crap and all other e39 systems are better, but I wouldn't know.

Save your cash for other things.
Just my thoughts.

You may have an older version than mine - I swapped the Mk3 for a Mk4 when I bought the car, and it has none of the above faults - 3d view, responsive etc.

Mind you, if I didn't have the rest of the kit already in there, I'd probably have gone for one of those with the flip out screen that goes in place of the radio/cassette unit - they are very cheap now. I love the Tom Toms, but I can't be doing with wires everywhere, sticking the mount on the windscreen etc. I like the convenience of it always being available and not asking to be nicked.