Replacing bmw head unit (for 1din CarPlay) - potential issues?

[cogs321]

Hi

I’ve just bought a lovely 2009 ‘2.3’ z4 that has a bmw professional head unit and no iDrive / screen.

Contemplating how to get CarPlay into the car without significant effort and tempted by a retractable single DIN unit for this purpose. Recognise this means screen is in annoying place, overlapping AC controls, but think I could live with it. Pioneer, probably.

Had a couple of questions and would value advice!
- the existing head unit appears to double up as a in car computer; are there any practical issues with losing these features?
- are there any specific compatibility issues with these type of retractable screen CarPlay devices and the z4? Another post mentioned fibre optics eg - I guess I want to know if it’s plug and play or in trying to fit one of these units you open a Pandora’s box and have to make other updates

If these questions are answered elsewhere, apologies - and would be really grateful for signposting / link!

many thanks for your help

 

[AnubisZed]

If you've got the MOST fibre optic network, then anything on it (Bluetooth, CD Changer, Amplifier etc) will no longer work. Now if you've only got six speakers then you won't have the external amplifier, so the others probably won't be a loss to you. The opening/ closing could be an issue, depending on clearance.
There are facia adaptors and adaptor boxes so things like steering wheel buttons still work etc.

There are some headunits that have what's called the floating screen, but they are permanently out, so would cover the AC controls all the time.

Another issue could be that you'd have to look down for the sat nav screen and other functions.

There is an alternative to all of these issues and that's an Android Touchscreen that replaces the dash top cubby hole and works in conjunction with your existing headunit.
I made an install video a few years ago, the software has changed but the physical fitment is exactly the same....
https://youtu.be/VC9VFJBDFQM

 

[cogs321]

Cheers @dave appreciate your help - I saw some posts from you and a vid showing the replica screen install.

Do you know how to determine whether the car has the MOST system?

And out of interest know any fitters of the retrofit / android system you mention? It’s more than I would want to take on independently.

 

[AnubisZed]

If you put your VIN into this site it'll tell you the original specs of your car from the factory (there are a few pop-ups with this site!!)
http://bimmer.work/
Then you can determine whether it's got MOST or not, or at least post it here and myself or someone else will let you know.

As for fitting, of the Android screen, I can do that, takes about an hour and half to two hours I'm in Grantham, Lincolnshire

 

[cogs321]

Thanks Dave much appreciated, I’ll have a look

 

[Silverstar]

If you put your VIN into this site it'll tell you the original specs of your car from the factory (there are a few pop-ups with this site!!)
http://bimmer.work/
Then you can determine whether it's got MOST or not, or at least post it here and myself or someone else will let you know.

As for fitting, of the Android screen, I can do that, takes about an hour and half to two hours I'm in Grantham, Lincolnshire

What option do you look for in the VIN decoder?

 

[AnubisZed]

What option do you look for in the VIN decoder?

To include, but not limited to;
Bluetooth (644), CDC (672), Speaker system (676 & 677)
Most things in the 6xx section of the VO code list

 

[cogs321]

Hi @dave unfortunately that vin checker doesn’t like my vin - have tried it with success on other general vin sites - any other parts checkers you’d suggest?

 

[cogs321]

Hi @dave unfortunately that vin checker doesn’t like my vin - have tried it with success on other general vin sites - any other parts checkers you’d suggest?

 

[Silverstar]

What option do you look for in the VIN decoder?

To include, but not limited to;
Bluetooth (644), CDC (672), Speaker system (676 & 677)
Most things in the 6xx section of the VO code list

As always many thanks Dave.

 

[cogs321]

Tried bimmer.work a few times from different devices and it just doesn’t like my vin. However, I did get a result from another site and it gave the attached breakdown. I don’t see any of the MOST related codes you mentioned but have included everything here. The spec appears accurate and correlates with the original options list.

 

[cogs321]

Would be really grateful for anyone’s expert knowledge on whether that means I could just add a head unit or if there would be secondary issues in doing so.

As mentioned that ‘09 professional head unit does have a few more general computer functions attached to it, operated via the generic buttons I’ve pointed to in the last attachment here, I believe. However its not clear to me whether I’d be losing anything useful if I didn’t have them!

 

[AnubisZed]

Tried bimmer.work a few times from different devices and it just doesn’t like my vin. However, I did get a result from another site and it gave the attached breakdown. I don’t see any of the MOST related codes you mentioned but have included everything here. The spec appears accurate and correlates with the original options list.

694, CD Changer is connected via the MOST network so if you went for the aftermarket setup then you'd loose that, but probably no issue there.

 

[cogs321]

Cheers - it doesn’t have the changer so reckon that must be for a harness / adaptor or something, which is fine as to be honest I’m ok without cd’s - appreciate your help with interpreting this, thank you

 

[cogs321]

Either that or the original owner unbolted it before selling it to my mate (im third owner)