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      03-17-2014, 11:12 PM   #4
JackyChen
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Drives: X5
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Alberta

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My Retrofit experience with Bimmerretrofit


I just want to share my retrofit experience with Bimmerretrofit. That was a long story since Nov 2013 that I made a decision with these guys. Before that, I did quite a bit of research for several months. I had a 07 X5 E70, with the last generation CCC module, no Nav, no DVD, no rear view camera and just with a small piece of 6.5 inch screen. Originally, I am just not satisfied with this 6.5 inch screen. The first research was to replace 6.5 inch screen with 8.8 inch big one and the result was that it can work but not perfectly. I did source a 8.8 inch screen from ebay and replaced by myself. The showing area was shift to the left side of the new screen with the area of 6.5 inch which it was used to be and left the whole left part black. I was happy for a few days but started feeling uncomfortable by seeing this imperfectly ‘retrofit’. The same time I did research with changing of screen, I saw a thread (I believe it was in this same forum) and that guys did a perfectly retrofit from CCC to CIC upgrade with everything (high resolution screen, idrive controller, DVD, VIM and camera) with Bimmerretrofit team. I switched to a google search and found their website. Same time I searched form Ebay and a few lower priced package showed up and most of them are from European countries. Price was a really big concern especially for this kind of several thousand valued big toy, BUT I’ve been told to a lot of coding issues and Nav mapping problems that I was just feel not afraid to buy… Anyways, I need customer service for after sales and my case told me that was an absolute right decision with Bimmerretrofit (I am telling you later…) It took me a few weeks to make this decision and finally I contacted Kate in Bimmerretrofit for info, then quote, then shipping…



My package included CIC module with DVD, new controller, center trim, faceplate, 8.8 inch screen needs to be replaced as well, as the new one with high resolution. I also bought a rear view camera and a USB K+DCAN cable (in case if the system cannot recognize CIC, remote coding was needed and that was another big right decision, I am telling later in this thread). I don’t want to specify the installation because I was been given a really detailed manual from them and I did follow with the instructions step by step. I didn’t have any experiences at all so it took me half day to finish the entire job. My lesson was that you must completely shut down the power before starting and this point haven’t been referred in the manual. The screen replacement need a little bit wire change work and I made a short (the result was a black screen). I took the car to a local workshop to fix that fuse because the X5 fuse box was soooo difficult to pull out by myself (the under glove box one). After I figured out the fuse issue and screen finally back to work. Ohh Ohh… I found another issue from the rear view camera. Looks to me PNP was working and PDC did showing up and Bimmerretrofit guys saying that it may need a remote coding. Finally I saw the camera working after a remote coding session.

This entire retrofit took me a few months (I’ve been a long vacation in the middle). I am completest and I have to keep everything working perfectly to make myself feel conformable. This final result did make comfortable. Highly recommend these guys especially if you want to do the retrofit by yourself and if you don’t have any car coding experiences…
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