Replace factory Nav HU with aftermarket?

[jjprusk]

I was wondering if anyone has replaced a factory nav HU with an aftermarket unit, such as a Kenwood DVD910. Realizing the factory unit is taller, is it still a standard opening where a replacement could be inserted? And if so, does Kenwood or someone provide a wiring kit that would allow this type of replacement? I purchased my car off the lot and the factory Nav would not have been my first choice, but since that's what I have to work with I was wondering if anyone has experience doing this type of upgrade?

[OBS3SSION]

Anything is possible. Depends on how much you want to spend, and the availability of brackets made for a replacement of a BMW NAV unit. (Anything custom will cost more.) But you never said what you are trying to accomplish. Better sound? Better NAV? Just remember, You'll loose a few features of the car besides the stereo/NAV like the extended OBC.

[Pinecone]

I was wondering if anyone has replaced a factory nav HU with an aftermarket unit, such as a Kenwood DVD910. Realizing the factory unit is taller, is it still a standard opening where a replacement could be inserted? And if so, does Kenwood or someone provide a wiring kit that would allow this type of replacement? I purchased my car off the lot and the factory Nav would not have been my first choice, but since that's what I have to work with I was wondering if anyone has experience doing this type of upgrade?

If you do, I am interested in buying your stock head unit.

[gfeiner]

Me too. (What Pinecone said) :D

[jjprusk]

It's just an option I'm exploring. I have a few goals, one of which is to integrate a Phatbox MP3 player into the car. I'm exploring other ways to do this - my dealer mentioned that they currently didn't have a phatbox i/f cable for the nav system, but that a new one was being released. However, he didn't know too much about it. Ideally, the unit would be able to display ID3 tag info., etc. on the screen.

[gfeiner]

It's just an option I'm exploring. I have a few goals, one of which is to integrate a Phatbox MP3 player into the car. I'm exploring other ways to do this - my dealer mentioned that they currently didn't have a phatbox i/f cable for the nav system, but that a new one was being released. However, he didn't know too much about it. Ideally, the unit would be able to display ID3 tag info., etc. on the screen.


You're dealer doesn't know jack about Phatboxes. Goto www.phatnoise.com and order it directly from them or off ebay. There is no special interface cable. All the phatbox uses is a modified blitzsafe adapter to connect to the CD changer cable in the trunk. Oh, and the phatbox does not display ID3 tag info on the headunit. The phatbox "speaks" the song titles and artists through the speaker system. All you see displayed on the head unit is the CD/track number (the phatbox emulates a regular CD changer). If you are talking about the Kenwood Keg, which is a OEM phatbox bastardized by Kenwood, I think it might display ID3 tag info, but it only works with certain kenwood headunits or if you use a special display unit/control that you would have to mount up front on the dash.