Z4 Rear view camera retrofit

Added the rest of the instructions for the rear view camera in posts 2 and 3.

Wow thats awesome... what is the price on the parts???

Originally Posted by xlacrosse

Wow thats awesome... what is the price on the parts???

Haven't got there yet.

The additional front camera kit retails for $310.

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

Haven't got there yet.

The additional front camera kit retails for $310.

I'm incorrect on that.

Part number 078 is the rear camera kit.
Part number 083 is the switchbox kit needed with the camera kit with NAV but no TV.

So it looks like you would need 078 and 083.
078 is $??? retail.
083 is $310 retail.

Following is the contents of the two kits.

Seems typically BMW over-engineered! $310 for a camera? ouch. I doubt the rear will be less than $600. I really wan to put in video inputs into the nav and a rear camera (I'm so tall, I'm looking at the ground unless I scooch - so the camera would be my full-time rear-view mirror).

Any other - more reasonably priced solutions? (the tv part alone is a ballbuster in price!)

Originally Posted by peeti

Seems typically BMW over-engineered! $310 for a camera? ouch. I doubt the rear will be less than $600. I really wan to put in video inputs into the nav and a rear camera (I'm so tall, I'm looking at the ground unless I scooch - so the camera would be my full-time rear-view mirror).

Any other - more reasonably priced solutions? (the tv part alone is a ballbuster in price!)

$310 is for the switch box kit.
PDC is much much more and more of a pain to do.

big bummer.

I found a guy on ebay that has an X5 solution for $200 - (the input side) - and he claims it should work with e85/86. I'll be following up on it. If it works, then that plus a decent lipstick cam and we should have an all in for around $350.

P

Ron, is there a diffrenece for the 07 roadster with the 609 nav. system?

Originally Posted by kcsails

Ron, is there a diffrenece for the 07 roadster with the 609 nav. system?

609 is what you need.

Waiting for the guy you talked to today.

Ron - I've installed the OEM front and rear camera's to several X5's. The rear camera sticks out like a sore thumb. One of my business partners had his stolen while parked in NYC. What we use is a discrete camera mounted in the centre of the rear Roundel. It's so much more low profile than the OEM unit.

However, the front OEM camera is brilliant. People often ask what the point is but the beauty is that the monitor splits the screen showing you left and right at the same time. This is very useful when pulling out of driveways or blind intersections.

Originally Posted by alpina22

Ron - I've installed the OEM front and rear camera's to several X5's. The rear camera sticks out like a sore thumb. One of my business partners had his stolen while parked in NYC. What we use is a discrete camera mounted in the centre of the rear Roundel. It's so much more low profile than the OEM unit.

Where have you been? Any pics of the camera Roundel?

I didn't like the rear camera either but haven't looked for a replacement yet.
Not that far into it yet. Was going to go with a round one in the bumper like the one EAS sells.

Doubt that the one your using will work in the Z4 6 series rear Roundel.

So, when do you attempt the forward-looking far infrared camera discussed in the recent BMW magazine?

Originally Posted by phrider

So, when do you attempt the forward-looking far infrared camera discussed in the recent BMW magazine?

It's not on the list yet.

Cars been off insurance for four months.
Did not get the mods planned done.
Keep coming up with new stuff and every mod normally creates others.
Raising the standards adds time too.

Car should be basically done this time next year.

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

Where have you been? Any pics of the camera Roundel?

I didn't like the rear camera either but haven't looked for a replacement yet.
Not that far into it yet. Was going to go with a round one in the bumper like the one EAS sells.

Doubt that the one your using will work in the Z4 6 series rear Roundel.

Hey Ron
I've been away from the boards for about 9 months now (focusing more on baby, wife and work (in that order)). Anyway, I'll find a picture of the many Roundel camera installs we've done and post it later.

Yesterday, KAV posted about adding a rear camera on a Z4.
Based on that, I got interested again.
Z4 kits are available in Europe but not in the system here.
So I tried looking at cars that might have the same parts available here.
Focused on the X3 since it is similar to the Z4 electrically.
Had all the data that needed to be sorted.
Got involved with some other things and it went down on the list.
Spent a few hours today and it looks like the X3 kit will work.
It comes with everything I need except the camera.
The Z4 kits schematic matches the X3 schematic.
Since it comes with the switch box I can add a front camera with cable.
Also need a switch that goes on the steering column.

66 22 1 0 397 639 $370 retail. $270 dealer net. 17% margin.
Will order one Monday.

Z4 two kits are for NAV or TV--------------X3 two Kits are just for NAV
------------------------------------------X3 second kit is camera
Numbers are last three digits of part number.

Z4M kit 078-------------------------------X3 kit 639

080 reversing camera complete
081 electronic relay***-------------------081
082 set of cables, reversing camera--------841
084 adapter lead
725 diverse small parts--------------------725

Z4M kit 083

007 bolts---------------------------------007
527 screws
304 nut/plates
578 sealing strips
599 cable straps
033 nuts----------------------------------033
566 connection pieces
770 switch box***------------------------770
771 adapter lead--------------------------771
772 cable---------------------------------772

http://reviews.ebay.com/EVERYTHING-Y...00000000708736

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

Yesterday, KAV posted about adding a rear camera on a Z4.
Based on that, I got interested again.
Z4 kits are available in Europe but not in the system here.
So I tried looking at cars that might have the same parts available here.
Focused on the X3 since it is similar to the Z4 electrically.
Had all the data that needed to be sorted.
Got involved with some other things and it went down on the list.
Spent a few hours today and it looks like the X3 kit will work.
It comes with everything I need except the camera.
The Z4 kits schematic matches the X3 schematic.
Since it comes with the switch box I can add a front camera with cable.
Also need a switch that goes on the steering column.

66 22 1 0 397 639 $370 retail. $270 dealer net. 17% margin.

Will order one Monday.


Z4 two kits are for NAV or TV--------------X3 two Kits are just for NAV
------------------------------------------X3 second kit is camera

Z4M kit 078-------------------------------X3 kit 639

080 reversing camera complete
081 electronic relay***-------------------081
082 set of cables, reversing camera--------841
084 adapter lead
725 diverse small parts--------------------725

Z4M kit 083

007 bolts---------------------------------007
527 screws
304 nut/plates
578 sealing strips
599 cable straps
033 nuts----------------------------------033
566 connection pieces
770 switch box***------------------------770
771 adapter lead--------------------------771
772 cable---------------------------------772

Fantastic Ron! Thanks so much for all the work. You have me doubting my order. I may call and put my order on hold since the price difference does not seem to be much with an OEM kit and aftermarket one. I am trying to understand what your post means with regards to all the numbers, are they prices?.. Why are there two Z4M kits? Do you have order all those parts seperately? I tried the part number listed but it did not come up on a few of the online BMW parts sellers.

Originally Posted by kav

Fantastic Ron! Thanks so much for all the work. You have me doubting my order. I may call and put my order on hold since the price difference does not seem to be much with an OEM kit and aftermarket one. I am trying to understand what your post means with regards to all the numbers, are they prices?.. Why are there two Z4M kits? Do you have order all those parts seperately? I tried the part number listed but it did not come up on a few of the online BMW parts sellers.

Still have a way to go.
I assume that the cables are the right lengths. Still have to find a camera.

Z4 kits are two because of the NAV or TV.
Second kit gives you the switchbox.

X3 kit is just NAV and has the switchbox and electronic relay etc.
X3 second kit is the camera with the X3 rear moulding.

Numbers are the last three digits of the part numbers. Not all kit numbers are available or in the system.
The numbers on the right are the numbers that the X3 kit has from the ZM kits.

Keep your order. Not sure if either one will work as of now.

Front camera BMW kit 66 21 0 301 009 $990 retail.
It's the one for the Z4 and many other cars.
In the system but not fot US.
Not sure what would happen if ordered.
Comes with camera, brackets, cables etc.
Assume it is like the one Alpina mentioned in post #13.

Rear cameras around $500 from BMW.
Haven't found a way yet for the Z4 one.
Will try to add the two cameras separately to the system.

Great stuff. Thanks for keeping us posted. I kept my order at your suggestion. I am just trying to decide on a camera from Ebay. Will keep upated as well. This unit has two video inputs as well so you could technically run a front camera as well. It may turn out to be quite a bit more economical.

Originally Posted by kav

Great stuff. Thanks for keeping us posted. I kept my order at your suggestion. I am just trying to decide on a camera from Ebay. Will keep upated as well. This unit has two video inputs as well so you could technically run a front camera as well. It may turn out to be quite a bit more economical.

I'm going with the X3 kit. The kit switchbox has two inputs.
Will also have a connection for the front camera in the engine compartment.
Will be able to add a third camera at this connection to look at other things.

Bunch of rear view camers out there.
Search using rear view camera brought up a bunch.
Less money than the BMW ones.

Alright both the module and camera are going to be here tomorrow. I was going to take this to a local install shop to do the work, since I prefer not to do it myself.

I was just reading through some of the posts Ron has put up on removing the trunk trim and it seems a lot more involved than I thought. What do you guys think about removing the battery, trunk trim, reinstalling battery and then taking it to the installer to do their thing? Then I can reinstall everything myself and feel better that the trim peices are installed correctly and not broken.

The other thing is that according to the instructions on removing the battery, certain functions need to be re-adjusted or activated after unhooking the battery. For those of you who have done this, can you tell me which functions have to be reset/re-adjusted?

Thanks.