sguilliard

Does anyone know how I can find out (other than pulling my car apart) whether my car already has the GPS antenna inside the fin on the roof and wiring loom already in place?

All the information I have found on the web just seems to refer to US-spec vehicles; anyone know how I can find this out in the UK?

I have tried to find out through the dealer and BMW customer services, both of whom have been useless!

tegel

I am almost sure that the shark fin only carries the Radio antennae. I remember reading in another forum (autopower.se) about a guy wanting to integrate NAV PRO into his e61 525i and he then found out that a separate antennae was needed.

/M

sguilliard

A separate antenna is indeed needed, but my question is how to I find out if it is already installed? I have the installation guide for installing the NAV PRO which described the removal of the 'shark fin' to install the GPS antenna inside the fin. The shark fin will apparently house the radio, mobile phone and GPS antennae.

In the US it seems you can refer to your 'BMW Sticker' which will tell you if your car has 'Nav Prep'; this includes the GPS antenna & wiring loom as I understand. However, there is no such thing in the UK and my dealer knows nothing about it; I was even told that Business Navigation and Professional Navigation couldn't be retrofitted despite both being in the accessories brochure for the E61 that I was given in my pack when I picked up my car last week. What I need to know is whether my car might have the US-equivalent of 'Nav Prep' so that I don't have to pull the whole car to pieces...

E60525d

I had a look at the shark fin aerial today and its got 3 connections. On mine only 1 of those connections are being used. Thats abit weird as i have sat nav so i would have thought 2 conections should be used.

sguilliard

Is it easy to remove for inspection then? If so, how do you remove it? I ask as the instruction manual for retrofitting Pro Nav without Nav Prep descrbed glueing the fin back in place!!!!

E60525d

On the interior roof there is a panel that is covering the 3rd brake light and antenna. Just pop if off. Pull of the side next to the rear winscreen first.

Also are you from the UK?

sguilliard

I hadn't notice that (but only had the car just over a week); will go and have a look later. Yes, I live in Oxfordshire in good 'ole Blighty; my company's offices are in Manchester (The Works in Ardwick) so I'm there at least once a week normally.

sguilliard

Just had a look at the roof in my car and there isn't any panel? Only two speakers mounted in the roof.

I'm guessing that you have the saloon and not the touring?

E60525d

yes, i have the saloon. Ill take a pic to show whats it like on mine.

sguilliard

Ok, thanks; I don't think it's going to help me too much as there are no panels on the roof of the touring 5er.

Is there any way I can remove the headlining to have a look from the inside without damaging anything? I noticed there were some threads on the DIY forum that had links to download the TIS but they're not working anymore; is this information in there? I only want to look to know for sure if any of the wiring other than the radio and mobile phone are already there.