Retrofitting OEM TV/satnav to an E39 M5

[Gad-Westy]

I suspect this will be a slightly contentious post as a lot will consider this a fruitless exercise but for various reasons (mainly appearance, ease of use etc) if/when I buy my E39 I would like it to have proper OEM widescreen satnav/TV screen. Now obviously not all cars have this fitted and I'm wondering if I should avoid looking at these cars or whether they can be converted relatively easily?

So these are the scenarios that I woud like to know about.

1. Ease/cost of fitting widescreen satnav to a pre facelift car with no natnav currently fitted
2. Ease/cost of fitting widescreen satnav to a pre facelift car that has 4:3 satnav currently fitted
3. Ease/cost of fitting widescreen satnav to a facelift car with no satnav currently fitted

Many thanks

[Slurms]

2 is fairly easy and I believe there are several articles on the net about changing from the square monitors to a widescreen one.

But retro fitting the whole thing into a car that has never been fitted with Nav is a pain in the backside... It's possible and I believe BMW produced a kit for the 3 series to allow you to do it - so there might be similar for the 5 - but it means dismantling the whole interior of the car and isn't an easy job at all.

So basically buy one with Nav if you want it.

[ukwill]

Considering the relatively small cost differential I'd say just buy one with the Satnav already in. Its really not worth the hassle if you know that you want the widescreen.

[MattOz]

You can have nav retro fitted for about £1200 at a place in Birmingham using new parts.

http://www.navtvman.co.uk/

However, it's probably best just to find one that's already got nav. I really wanted one with nav, but ended up buying one that hasn't got it. Can't say I miss it, having had it in 4 of my last 5 BMW's, but aesthetically, the 16:9 screen does look better than the radio and aluminium flap.

Matt

[Gad-Westy]

Cheers chaps. Looks I'm better off sticking to plan A and a finding a car with it fitted from the off.

[gizlaroc]

Retrofitting nav is a piece of piss.

BMW sell a proper retrofit wiring loom for £130.
The trime to relocate the climate above the ashtray is £25.

Widescreen display will cost you around £250.
The MKIV DVD nav will cost you around £350.
The BM54 tuner/brain will cost you around £300.

You can retrofit it yourself in around 4 hours. It took me 3 hours 15 mins on the CSL, the 5 series would take another 30 mins maybe.

[MarkwG]

^what Gizlaroc said^ - maybe, but spending a grand to save a fiver seems like a waste of time to me...for example,

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1550356.htm has
vs
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1540617.htm has not