[marijz]

Hey everyone,

I’m currently buying a e91 325ix pre lci from a friend, and I’m already finding how I could make it a little bit better… here is the things I’m wondering if are possible

1. The car has pre lci gongs and I really want to have the bmw gong (I read somewhere I need a new radio from lci models)

2. The car has the bmw professional radio and I don’t want any Chinese CarPlay or anything like that, I want to keep it OEM, and I want to put a unit that supports Bluetooth , DAB and usb and I’m wondering if it’s something I could do

If someone will be willing to help I’ll be forever grateful.

[ctuna]

In most of the World Bluetooth , DAB and usb come from modules in the Trunk . Mulf 2 Hi and Combox for usb and bluetooth and DAB has it's own module. Some of the newer unit's have that stuff built into the Head Unit .

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=687463

[DavesZed]

There are headunits that have all of that in them (Bluetooth calls but not music!) and they can be retrofitted. You could get away with not having to do any coding, BUT the doner vehicle MUST have had the same minimum spec as your car to have your options already coded in, otherwise it would need coding. To be fair though this would probably only really affect things like if you have PDC, as DAB, USB, AUX and Bluetooth would all be used on the doner vehicle anyway.

So you'd need the following...

Correct headunit - Photo shown below.
Microphone and housing - For ease you could use the steering column top cowl type from the E93/ late E92, otherwise you'd need to use the interior light housing.
USB/AUX socket and cable
DAB antennas and cables

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

There are headunits that have all of that in them (Bluetooth calls but not music!) and they can be retrofitted. You could get away with not having to do any coding, BUT the doner vehicle MUST have had the same minimum spec as your car to have your options already coded in, otherwise it would need coding. To be fair though this would probably only really affect things like if you have PDC, as DAB, USB, AUX and Bluetooth would all be used on the doner vehicle anyway.

So you'd need the following...

Correct headunit - Photo shown below.
Microphone and housing - For ease you could use the steering column top cowl type from the E93/ late E92, otherwise you'd need to use the interior light housing.
USB/AUX socket and cable
DAB antennas and cables

So my car currently has only the professional radio, and aux… nothing else… my understanding is i need to buy a dab, bluetooth etc. radio, put it in (with the antenas and mic), code it and it should work?

[DavesZed]

Originally Posted by marijz

So my car currently has only the professional radio, and aux… nothing else… my understanding is i need to buy a dab, bluetooth etc. radio, put it in (with the antenas and mic), code it and it should work?

Basically, yes!

Here is a How-To I wrote some time ago now, it runs through the installation process for the E89 Z4, but basically it's the same. There's no DAB included as I never did that on that unit, so you'd have to add the antennas into the mix.
It includes the coding (you'd have to add in 654 for DAB as well), but as I say it would only need coding for anything you had that the doner car didn't. EG; if you have PDC and the doner didn't then you'd need to code the new headunit, but everything else wouldn't necessarily need coding.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ynfzp...=6yxx4o4c&dl=0

Hope that helps

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

Basically, yes!

Here is a How-To I wrote some time ago now, it runs through the installation process for the E89 Z4, but basically it's the same. There's no DAB included as I never did that on that unit, so you'd have to add the antennas into the mix.
It includes the coding (you'd have to add in 654 for DAB as well), but as I say it would only need coding for anything you had that the doner car didn't. EG; if you have PDC and the doner didn't then you'd need to code the new headunit, but everything else wouldn't necessarily need coding.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ynfzpnhyy5b2zhaw3uv5s/Stereo-Install-BMW-e89.docx?rlkey=mfg0rfrmlwlk0kc1io7ltsdtb&st=6yxx4o 4c&dl=0

Hope that helps

Thank you very much!! I will post an update if i manage to make it work.

PS: would a “standard” dab antena work?
Like this?

[DavesZed]

Originally Posted by marijz

Thank you very much!! I will post an update if i manage to make it work.

PS: would a “standard” dab antena work?
Like this?

I couldn't say it would be OK or not. Personally I've not had good experience with these types.
I'd recommend doing the job with the correct antenna, which is part number 65206959147. This is the shark fin with the other antennas built into it, but only covers Band L. For Band III, most of Europe, then on the E91 the OE antenna is part of the rear right window, so that's a bit more complicated to swap over.
So long as you've got the FAKRA connectors on the radio end of the cables and it's a proper DAB antenna then it should work.


Just for clarity, since I made that How-To, posted above, I've now retrofitted full OE iDrive to my car and this now includes the DAB headunit. I decided to use the proper antennas for my car, both of which are relatively easy to retrofit without changing glass. It works fine here in the UK, and I've even tested it on our trip to France last year.

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

I couldn't say it would be OK or not. Personally I've not had good experience with these types.
I'd recommend doing the job with the correct antenna, which is part number 65206959147. This is the shark fin with the other antennas built into it, but only covers Band L. For Band III, most of Europe, then on the E91 the OE antenna is part of the rear right window, so that's a bit more complicated to swap over.
So long as you've got the FAKRA connectors on the radio end of the cables and it's a proper DAB antenna then it should work.


Just for clarity, since I made that How-To, posted above, I've now retrofitted full OE iDrive to my car and this now includes the DAB headunit. I decided to use the proper antennas for my car, both of which are relatively easy to retrofit without changing glass. It works fine here in the UK, and I've even tested it on our trip to France last year.

Okay, so i will probably first test it with the aftermarket antena, although im not sure if the connection will fit. I saw a video on youtube of someone having that kind of antena and it worked no problem.

[DavesZed]

Here you go, same type of glass mount antenna but with the correct FAKRA plug on it...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/316995236...xoCjekQAvD_BwE

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

Here you go, same type of glass mount antenna but with the correct FAKRA plug on it...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/316995236562?chn=ps&_ul=GB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amda ta=enc%3A1_XGCwuq0RhO1qT60HqaZPg46&norover=1&mkevt =1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=316995236562&targetid= 2448003509029&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=100692 6&poi=&campaignid=21690875706&mkgroupid=1884738337 75&rlsarel="nofollow" target=pla-2448003509029&abcId=10027099&merchantid=5480600664 &gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21690875706&gclid=Cjw KCAiAmp3LBhAkEiwAJM2JUA7Pc4FJJfa82V-tZsrl-9fJqI-_hX2Q0_vy35wsO-tEpItUupMP7xoCjekQAvD_BwE

Perfect!
I really hope everything will work as i hope…
Main thing is dab and usb… oh and i need the bmw gong😅

[DavesZed]

Well on that photo I posted earlier you need all of those sockets on the rear.

The Mustard and Green are your DAB antennas, then the Black is the FM/AM antenna. Then you've got the White which is your USB connection. As for the large Blue one on the right, that's the Quadlock for everything else. Now this doesn't have to be Blue, as Blue is for units that have the fibre optic network, and unless you've got anything else connected to it (Top HiFi amplifier, DAB module, bluetooth module which you haven't) then this can be the Black version. Blue will work without Fibre optic, but Black wont work with fibre optic network, if that makes sense?


Now if you'd like bluetooth music then check this out...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C9JBXS...NXFZAV1QZ7KQRB

I did a headunit retrofit (same as this but without the DAB) for a customer late last year and he bought this for me to fit at the same time. Fitting was straight forward, plug-n-play, and set up was very simple. it uses the AUX input and works perfectly with your phone for music. It also still connects to the headunit bluetooth for calls at the same time without issue. ie; two bluetooth connections. In your phone bluetooth settings you just need to set the headunit connection to Calls only and the adaptor one to Media only

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

Well on that photo I posted earlier you need all of those sockets on the rear.

The Mustard and green are your DAB antennas, then the Black is the FM/AM antenna. Then you've got the White which is your USB connection. As for the large Blue one on the right, that's the Quadlock for everything else. Now this doesn't have to be Blue, as Blue is for units that have the fibre optic network, and unless you've got anything else connected to it (Top HiFi amplifier, DAB module, bluetooth module which you haven't) then this can be the Black version. Blue will work without Fibre optic, but Black wont work with fibre optic network, if that makes sense?


Now if you'd like bluetooth music then check this out...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C9JBXS82/?coliid=I28BF8KGCR21LE&colid=SHM7HC8GH0OG&psc=1&re f_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_lstpd_N8B90GNXFZAV1QZ7KQRB

I did a headunit retrofit (same as this but without the DAB) for a customer late last year and he bought this for me to fit at the same time. Fitting was straight forward, plug-n-play, and set up was very simple. it uses the AUX input and works perfectly with your phone for music. It also still connects to the headunit bluetooth for calls at the same time without issue. ie; two bluetooth connections. In your phone bluetooth settings you just need to set the headunit connection to Calls only and the adaptor one to Media only

Perfect! I think I will manage to do it… let’s say i get the idea now… probably will need help with coding and such but will deal with that later…
Will this work for everything i want?

https://ebay.us/m/NfC8nO

[DavesZed]

Originally Posted by marijz

Perfect! I think I will manage to do it… let’s say i get the idea now… probably will need help with coding and such but will deal with that later…
Will this work for everything i want?

https://ebay.us/m/NfC8nO

Yes it will.

Do you have PDC? As that headunit is already set up for it, so I'd take a guess at no coding required.

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

Yes it will.

Do you have PDC? As that headunit is already set up for it, so I'd take a guess at no coding required.

I do have pdc, only rear tho. No front sensors.

[marijz]

Originally Posted by marijz

I do have pdc, only rear tho. No front sensors.

One more thing, the unit i sent does it support the new gong? I have the old pre lci beep

[DavesZed]

Originally Posted by marijz

I do have pdc, only rear tho. No front sensors.

So no coding there then, should be all good to go.

Originally Posted by marijz

One more thing, the unit i sent does it support the new gong? I have the old pre lci beep

I cant say for certain, but the date code on the one in the photo is 0913, which is September 2013. But he had 4 originally available so not sure what date code you'd end up with. I would say probably though.

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

I cant say for certain, but the date code on the one in the photo is 0913, which is September 2013. But he had 4 originally available so not sure what date code you'd end up with. I would say probably though.

As was my understanding for the gong i need anything later than 08 or something like that.

[DavesZed]

Originally Posted by marijz

As was my understanding for the gong i need anything later than 08 or something like that.

Don't quote me but I believe all of the headunits with the built-in Bluetooth and USB control are later than that anyway. I'm not sure exactly but I believe they are all post 2010

[marijz]

Originally Posted by DavesZed

Don't quote me but I believe all of the headunits with the built-in Bluetooth and USB control are later than that anyway. I'm not sure exactly but I believe they are all post 2010

Even better 😀