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X3 E83 (2004 - 2010)
Talk about the E83 BMW X3 in this forum! |
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#1
05-08-2009, 10:21 AM
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Finished! Custom navigation installed in 2006 X3
Here's a little project that I just completed for my mother's 2006 X3. She'd been asking for Nav for a while, and I wanted to do something nice...
First off, thanks to Jim, Derek and the guys at Sound-in-Motion in Allston, MA (http://www.sound-in-motion.com/) who did the actual work... I just came up with the concept.  I've worked with them in the past on a few projects, and Derek had done some amazing fabrication work for me on my e46 with a custom Alpine touchscreen: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=402923.Anyhow, I found this picture on a 1 series forum a while ago and it inspired me:  To fill the gaping hole in the X3's dash, I ordered a super-sized Garmin Street Pilot 7200 from Amazon for $299. It has an $800 MSRP, but the model is about 2-3 years old and can be had for cheap. Its still the only 7" screen Garmin offers (with video / reverse camera inputs). BTW, if you register this unit with Garmin, you get free access to the software updates and 2009 maps for the first 30 days. I updated the software and installed the 2009 maps before I did anything... BTW, I didn't have them do the reverse camera--although I imagine at some point I'll probably have it added... https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=6389 After buying the Nav unit, the first thing I did, was locate a discontinued part. BMW OEM part # 51453401824 is a Euro only blanking cover that goes on the dash where the flip-up OEM Nav unit would go... At some point, BMW decided to give all cars that came without Nav the storage bin instead of this blanking plate, and if you check realoem you'll find this blanking plate has been superseded by the storage tray: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...51&fg=30&hl=18 I ordered a blanking tray from Tischer BMW, and was told it could take 4-6 weeks to come in... Being impatient, I tried to locate a new one... Luckily I found a used one from member Supercourse, who shipped it to me for cheap money... Here is the blanking panel. It had some grayish rubberized paint on it. My shop decided to remove it and paint it to better match the interior. Here it is as it came from the factory:  And here is how they chose to modify it to fit:    And now some installed pics of the final result.     
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods) 
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#2
05-08-2009, 10:32 AM
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Wow, very nice!
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#3
05-08-2009, 10:42 AM
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Nice, so how much for the whole project?
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#4
05-08-2009, 10:56 AM
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Quote:
$600 for the install / custom fabrication. $300 for the Garmin... So total price = $900
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#5
05-08-2009, 02:14 PM
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Holy #$%^!
 That is a fantastic installation! How is the unit powered?
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Gimpy McFarlan 2007 X3: Crimson / Beige & Black / Gray Wood - Auto - Premium Package Heated Seats - Heated Steering Wheel - Clear Paint Protection - 35% Llumastar Tint
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#6
05-08-2009, 03:32 PM
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Quote:
Thanks! It came with a cigarette lighter adapter. We cut it, tapped into the wires and hired wired it to the fuse box The unit has a remote (no idea why since its touch screen)... Tossed mine in a box somewhere.. 
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#7
05-08-2009, 07:56 PM
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That is some really nice work.
Great to see someone else motivated into improving the electronics on an other wise superb vehicle.
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Waiting on the real "M" class X3 BMWCCA Member 
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#8
05-09-2009, 05:40 AM
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It looks really nice. Pricey, but nice.
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#9
05-09-2009, 05:55 AM
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Quote:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-X...spagenameZWDVW Thanks! As for price... I'll have better than-OEM Nav (the Garmin), which is easily upgradeable (software / maps upgrade via USB cable) with a reverse camera, and OEM look for under $1k... I retrofit OEM Nav in my e46... Thats a 6 hour project that involves ripping out all seats, finding / sourcing all sorts of misc parts etc... Not for the faint of heart...
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#10
05-09-2009, 06:12 AM
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Wow! Sounds like a good deal to me!
Is it totally integrated with your stereo? What (if any) sacrifices did you have to make?
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#11
05-09-2009, 06:16 AM
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Quote:
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#12
05-09-2009, 07:00 AM
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Just awesome!
This is AWESOME! (And I'm not a fan of nav systems at all.) At some point, I'm hoping car manufacturers start offering BYON (Bring your own Nav) instead of the $1,800 OEM system.
For example, instead of the OEM CD changer, I have my own iPod. It's better than anything BMW could have offered. BMW was smart enough not to compete with Apple, rather they should accommodate Apple. When will BMW figure that out about Garmin too? -James Seattle, WA 2006 X3 3.0i (manual, sport, premium, xenons, stereo, pdc, silver-grey on black)
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#13
05-09-2009, 09:39 AM
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sna77, you've heard it but I'll say it again, excellently done!!! I was quite impressed with my "rear-sub-mod" attempt (again, with help from Evlengr, thanks), But this takes the cake. The mod to the blanking cover looks like it could have came from a mold. You guys realy have great recources to take on these projects (it's do'able here but extremely costly).
NICE ! Quote:
Last edited by LvdB; 05-09-2009 at 09:46 AM.
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#14
05-09-2009, 09:50 AM
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Quote:
BTW, ever seen this? The BMW branded Garmin... haa. Its in the dealer's aftermarket sales catalog... http://www8.garmin.com/products/BMW/ 
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#15
05-10-2009, 06:14 AM
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While it does look great, very expensive for a Nav that doesn't fold down.
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#16
05-10-2009, 06:42 AM
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Quote:
Retrofitting OEM Nav is over $3k btw... That's just too expensive IMO... If this is stolen, the Nav unit pops right out, and a new one is $299... Although I wouldn't install a non-fold down Nav in NJ either... My car once got broken into in a church parking lot in NJ... oyyy
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#17
05-10-2009, 06:59 AM
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Quote:
I just open the center tray and stick it in there when needed. If I leave the car, I just store it in the tray and close it.
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#18
05-10-2009, 07:08 AM
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Quote:
Wanted the large screen for reverse camera also... Also wanted things to be clean (I hate, hate wires, chargers, things that get lost etc)... And I certainly didn't want the interior to look like this: haaa 
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#19
05-10-2009, 08:01 AM
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Wait! is that the bimmer version of "KITT"
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#20
05-12-2009, 01:35 PM
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OK... So I decided this system really need a reverse camera since I already had the giant screen...
Grabbed an Eclipse BEC106 reverse camera off Amazon for $175... Yes, I know there are cheaper cameras out there, but very few of the quality of the Eclipse... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...F8&me=&seller= I then wired it to the Street Pilot 7200, which has built in controls for a reverse camera... My shop then cutout a section of the plastic trim piece and attached it here. The camera automatically kicks on when the car is placed in reverse...   
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#21
05-12-2009, 01:45 PM
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love the install!
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BMWCCA Membership #409206 Alida:Born: Friday, 9th January 1998 Arktissilber Metallic on Schwarz 528i/5  Fs: Sealed IDQ-12 & KAC-8103D
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#22
05-12-2009, 06:53 PM
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Damn, nice job man!
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#23
05-12-2009, 07:08 PM
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Thanks! I'm really happy with how it turned out.
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2006 X3 (me) 2004 325xi (wife) 2001 325i (gone, but not forgotten) MY DIY write-ups MY Garage (all the mods)
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#24
05-12-2009, 10:42 PM
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Hey, top job. Looks Great. ive been thinking about doing something that for a while now. i think you have answered most of my questions.
just a quick one, could you have gone a little deeper on the base or would the screen have been blocked from the standard sitting position??
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#25
05-12-2009, 11:18 PM
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nice work
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