# Want Nav in my 2001 X5!! Help



## d72176 (Apr 18, 2004)

I want to get a nav system for my X5. I can currently get a good deal on the small screen BMW E39 E38 7 SERIES, & 5 SERIES NAVIGATION MONITOR E95. Is that a simple plug out and play swap, and also will the unit still light up and control the radio even though I do not yet have the DVD nav unit. Thanks Donnie 412.720.6880 in Pittsburgh or [email protected]


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

d72176 said:


> I want to get a nav system for my X5. I can currently get a good deal on the small screen BMW E39 E38 7 SERIES, & 5 SERIES NAVIGATION MONITOR E95. Is that a simple plug out and play swap, and also will the unit still light up and control the radio even though I do not yet have the DVD nav unit.


Assuming the X5 is similar to the current 3-series, most of the electronics are completely different between NAV and non-NAV cars. In particular, the radio tuner is a separate box in the trunk instead of in the dash. Also, the display is only a monitor - the "brains" of the system are in the navigation computer. Plus, you'll need the wiring harness. In all, it is an expensive, difficult task.

BMW sells an aftermarket navigation system which doesn't require all this work, but is is less integrated with the car. You could investigate that, or a portable mavigation system.


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## gfeiner (Jun 27, 2003)

Have you looked at BMWNav.com? http://www.bmwnav.com/index1.htm

They sell widescreen navigation head units, MKIV navigation computers, and the new 2004 DVD maps at a real good price. You will still need to get a new audio wiring harness with appropriate navigation connections in order to add the NAV to your non-nav X5. You will also need mounting brackets and other miscellaneous parts. And you will also need a new radio tuner. Navigation equipped BMWs have a headless radio tuner mounted in the trunk/rear of the vehicle. Last time I looked, the radio tuners are around $800 new from the dealer.


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## d72176 (Apr 18, 2004)

*Wow.....*

That Garmin 2620 Talking GPS Unit for $600 is starting to sound much easier. Thanks Guys!!


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

gfeiner said:


> Have you looked at BMWNav.com?
> 
> They sell widescreen navigation head units, MKIV navigation computers, and the new 2004 DVD maps at a real good price. You will still need to get a new audio wiring harness with appropriate navigation connections in order to add the NAV to your non-nav X5. You will also need mounting brackets and other miscellaneous parts. And you will also need a new radio tuner. Navigation equipped BMWs have a headless radio tuner mounted in the trunk/rear of the vehicle. Last time I looked, the radio tuners are around $800 new from the dealer.


I just looked at that site again. NavTech says that the 2004-2 map is only for the 5 and 7 series - I've emailed BMWNAV to see what they say about that. I just want to point this out in case more 3-series owners want to use it.

The radio tuner is common between the E39. E46, and X5 and lists for $435 at US dealers (I borrowed one a couple weeks ago to test my XM Direct system, so I know the price is current).


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## gfeiner (Jun 27, 2003)

Terry Kennedy said:


> I just looked at that site again. NavTech says that the 2004-2 map is only for the 5 and 7 series - I've emailed BMWNAV to see what they say about that. I just want to point this out in case more 3-series owners want to use it.
> 
> The radio tuner is common between the E39. E46, and X5 and lists for $435 at US dealers (I borrowed one a couple weeks ago to test my XM Direct system, so I know the price is current).


I'm using the 2004-2 DVD map disc right now in my 2003 330i with MKIV nav. I've had no problems.


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

gfeiner said:


> I'm using the 2004-2 DVD map disc right now in my 2003 330i with MKIV nav. I've had no problems.


This looks like a complete lack of candor (I hesitate to say "scam" - I think they're just not forthcoming) by NavTech.

I received my 2004-2 disc from bmwnav.com (excellent service, by the way) and it works fine on my 3-series MK IV. I don't know whether it is NavTech or BMW that is holding these discs back for the 3-series (NavTech told me on the phone that the disc is only for the 5- and 7-series and wouldn't sell me one for my 3-series). Apparently someone wants to make the 5 and 7 folks think they have a more exclusive product.

However, what I find really hard to believe is how stale the data is on this "2004-2" map disc. The image was created on November 17th, 2003. To compare, the "2003-2" disc was created on July 21st, 2003. It does have more data on it (some of the roads I've complained about are now on the disc), but I don't think it should be called a 2004-anything disc by any stretch of the imagination.


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## gfeiner (Jun 27, 2003)

Terry Kennedy said:


> However, what I find really hard to believe is how stale the data is on this "2004-2" map disc. The image was created on November 17th, 2003. .


I noticed that too when digging around in some of the text files on the disc. Oh well. I got it cheaper than buying it from Navtech.


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

gfeiner said:


> I noticed that too when digging around in some of the text files on the disc. Oh well. I got it cheaper than buying it from Navtech.


One big improvement is that they apparently backed out the change made starting with the 2002 DVD that had the road name always displayed as the official numeric name instead of the name everyone knows it by. I haven't checked exhaustively, but they seem to have fixed many of the roads I use regularly. Also, with the combination of V23 software and the 2004-2 map, I haven't seen any auto-zoom problems (where the display goes from 400 -> 800 -> 1/4 mile).


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## gfeiner (Jun 27, 2003)

Terry Kennedy said:


> One big improvement is that they apparently backed out the change made starting with the 2002 DVD that had the road name always displayed as the official numeric name instead of the name everyone knows it by. I haven't checked exhaustively, but they seem to have fixed many of the roads I use regularly. Also, with the combination of V23 software and the 2004-2 map, I haven't seen any auto-zoom problems (where the display goes from 400 -> 800 -> 1/4 mile).


hmm. My MKIV is still at v22.1. I may have to update to v23.


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