rastarrph

Hello Everyone,

This is more of a "success story" as supposed to a "request for help" post which I so often see well addressed on this forum.

I too, recently made a "request for help" post regarding MP3 CD playback activation for a 2004 530d, on a M-ASK Business non-navigation head unit, which of course is either impossible, hit and miss, or only a few people in the world can do it.

Nevertheless I am grateful for the several pm's i received and also for the kindness of one of the "heavy hitter" specialist forum members here who agreed for me to come to his home on a Sunday pm (when something important like GB olympics football team was playing) to give it a go. Sadly it failed.

But I finally won the war and have successfully had a CCC Professional Sat Nav with the 8.8" screen retro-fitted just this weekend.

My story is a long one, probably not too dissimilar from many others, but for the benefit of others using the SERPS and searching here as well, I shall include as much detail as possible.

I recently was fortunate to get a good deal on an e60 2004 530d, which was a spur of the moment purchase, i.e. same day, with good condition MOT, service etc etc. I guess I just assumed that such a car would come with obvious entertainment and communication capabilities, most important for me being - MP3 CD playback, as i tend to make quite a few motorway journeys every week.

Sadly, my frustrations began when the original "Business Non-Navigation M-ASK" unit clearly could not play MP3 cds but in addition, would not even play Audio CDR's, aaaaagh! It would only play Factory "buy in music shop" CDs. The system could only play Audio CDR's through the CD changer, which was a bit of a consolation, but still meant burning something like 12 new Audio CD's per week (to keep the music selection interesting), but is cumbersome.

As mentioned above, I tried to get the original unit coded and activated to play MP3s. We got as far as getting the "MP3" option in the menu i.e. FM - AM - CD - MP3, but no further. I was then advised the only way around this was to get the Dension Gateway installed for IPOD/usb functionality.

Before going down the Dension Gateway intallation route, I must have called every Indy + "super-duper" audio specialist centre in my local area as well as my local BMW asking if retrofitting other MP3 capable units to the car was possible. Needless to say, no-one wanted to know, literally not interested, understandably did not want liability etc etc.

SO my only option was the Dension Gateway, for which i chose the 500 GW52MO2 model, the all singing and dancing ipod+aux+usb+bluetooth. I was also forewarned that some coding may also be necessary for the mp3 functionality via the Ipod to work (i.e. song names etc, otherwise thousand of nameless tracks).

I went to have it done in London with an audio specialist who supplied and fitted in 2-3 hrs, then had to drive across town to an Indy programmer to activate and do the software bit. I suppose the right thing to have done would have been to go to BMW but after several phone calls, no call backs, several in-store BMW dealer visits, and just the same "suit and ties" giving the default answer of "it can't be done" or "our solution would cost you £3k+", for this age car, i have sort of written the dealers off.

The Indy programmer tried everything in vain to activate the Dension GW52MO2, but it didnt work. We managed to get the in-car comms working, so bluetooth via phone and contacts address book all came up through the system, but no MP3s via ipod or usb After phoning Dension support, we established that the GW52M02 model is not compatible with this age car, only the older Densions are, and still track names may not show up because the factory fitted Business without nav M-ASK does not have CD text.

Thankfully, same day, I got the Dension de-installed and received a full refund, BUT, after proposing it to the Indy, we agreed to attempt to retrofit a CCC Professional Sat Nav unit with 8.8 screen on the same day I.e. the same thing everyone else said could not be done (it was a long day, and i wasnt driving home defeated). 2 hours later we were doing a test drive to "calibrate/harmonize" the GPS antenna with the new retrofitted system, and 15 mins later I was on my merry way home being guided out of London traffic by Sat Nav whilst listening to my MP3 Cds all the way home.

The retrofit was quicker then the Dension Gateway install, I watched him do it, he just pulled off the dashboard trim, pulled out the old 6.5" screen, pulled out the old CD M-ASK unit, put in the new screen, put in the new CD+DVD unit, put the dash trim back, switched the car on, plugged in the OBd laptop, clicked a few buttons on the laptop and 15 mins later we were test driving GPS whilst listening to MP3 Cds.

So, success, it worked, it is possible to retrofit CCC Professional Sat Nav units with MP3 cd play back and wider screens into the more elderly e60's, but the lesson learnt was:

1. Buy a car which already has everything you want in it! LOL! (if you are not so car savvy, as I'm not, and i acknowledge this whole upgrading/retrofitting coud have gone horribly wrong)

I have included some attached pics of the pre - during - and post installation of the CCC unit.

It was a very very good quote supplied and fitted, considering what i was willing to pay for the Dension to be supplied + fitted + coded (and of course you make some money back if you flog the old monitor and unit on ebay so it works out cheaper than Dension option + considering you are gaining Sat Nav (i.e. no more suction windscreen holders .

If you would like the details for the chap who did the retrofit (London) please pm me, apparently he does them all the time.

Also you will notice from the pics, my lights in the dash/instrument cluster are "white" as supposed to traditional orange, which was a quick 1 hr job, if you need the contact details for that chap (Southampton), feel free to pm as well.

Best wishes.

matttytn2

WOW...if i get the parts whos this indy to make it work? what screen and mask unit did you use exactly? and what did you remove exactly. and lastly the year of your car and audio spec?

rastarrph

Hi matttytn2, thanks for your "WOW", yes, it was a "WOW" indeed and has changed my driving experience of the motor, no more burning 100's of CDS and no more opening the glove box to stick nuvi to the window to get directions, just start driving and plug in the postcode.

My motor is a 2004 530d (most likely built in 2003), it had the very basic M-ASK business without navigation and 6.5" small screen. But now replaced with CCC professional sat nav which has the 8.8" screen + DVD rom + MP3 CD Drive. It was pure plug and play, all i had to do in terms of extra parts was order a new fascia for the dual slot of the new system which was a nominal £31 from BMW delivered overnight.

I will send the Indy's details to your pm.

Also, 3 weeks later (very expensively cheeky) I tried the dension (GW2MOS2) install one more time (with same Indy) and it worked with the new unit, so now it is full blown Sat nav + Mp3 Cd + DVD rom + dension bluetooth + ipod + aux + usb. I am very happy on the motorway these days.

JoeNg

Thank you for posting this as i was on the fence considering if i should upgrade my old 6.5 M-ask business unit without nav to the CCC pro Nav!. I have read somewhere that you would need an antenna if your car does not have Nav can you confirm?

Maddog-99

nice work man

rustyj

Nice work!!!!
I am about it head down the same road but I have a 2008 520D.
The same M-ASK unit no Nav and have explorer the CIC option but can't justify the cost.
Do you know if there is an USB option for this unit or a way I can get USB in the unit?
Where did you get the Pro Nav unit from?


Could you give me the details of the Indy chap please.

Thanks

rastarrph

Hi Joe, no antenna was needed, it was plug and play using your existing gps (shark fin)

rastarrph

thank you rustyj, not sure about CIC having usb input, but with the CCC, i installed a dension 2 weeks later which comes with usb and ipod + bluetooth (an install which previously did not work with the previous business model)

Agentxee

Hi rastarrph,

Could you please email me the details for the chaps who did your retrofit? I am after the same thing actually for my BMW 520d 2005 Saloon. Do you mind telling us how much did it cost to add that retro satnav etc including parts and labour? Did you get the part or did the installer supply them?

Please reply

Pedro Alexandre Marques

hi rastarrph
Could you please email me the details for the chaps who did your retrofit? I am after the same thing actually for my BMW 520d 2007 Saloon i have the professional ccc but the connections r not the same can u email me the chap number pls