Late 2021 Review of BimmerTech MMI Prime on E70

[uberchris]

Full disclosure: I am pretty anal when it comes to the quality and consistency of these types of retrofits on my cars. Most people probably won't be bothered by some of the stuff listed below, but it's stuff I would have wanted to know before buying this unit (and for the most part haven't seen on other's reviews).

This review is for the BimmerTech CarPlay/MMI Prime retrofit on my 2011 BMW X5 (CIC, TCU, MULF, no combox, 360 camera) running MMI software version 3.1.1.4. I am testing using a couple iPhone 11 Pros running iOS 15.1. Note that I am using wireless CarPlay for this review. I imagine many of my gripes would be rectified by using the wired CarPlay, but I don't want to have to plug in my phone every time I drive.

The Good:

• The hardware build quality is outstanding. Connectors seem to be of OEM quality. Cables have plenty of length and are nicely wrapped in felt tape. The unit itself is solid with a nice metal enclosure.
• Once paired and connected, wireless CarPlay is pretty reliable.
• Putting the car into reverse does switch from the MMI interface to the (original, not retrofitted) backup camera.
• Installation was fairly straightforward. The included instructions were vague and incomplete, but I found the videos online very helpful.
  

The Not-So-Good:

• Initial CarPlay pairing is flakey. About half the time when I try to pair a new phone, the phone will connect to bluetooth but never prompt for CarPlay. When this happens, I have to delete the phone from MMI, delete the pairing on the phone, and start over.
• There is a bit of a lag for the system responding to the idrive controller. When you turn the wheel, it takes a moment before the interface responds. It is probably only half a second or so, but it just feels far less responsive than the idrive menu.
• When starting up the car in the morning, there is a strangely variable delay before connecting to CarPlay. Sometimes it connects right away, sometimes I am several minutes into my drive before it connects. Also, while it is in this state, the MMI unit is extremely slow to respond. The aforementioned delay between using the idrive controller and the interface responding grows to a laughable 5-10 seconds. Note that this is in the MMI menu before the phone is even connected, so it is absolutely not a CarPlay issue.
• Also when starting the car up in the morning, the MMI interface only appears about half the time. This is easy to fix by holding the menu button for 5 seconds to switch the interface manually, but it is an extra step and it is weird that it is random.
• Audio quality is just a little sub-par. At first I thought I was imagining it, but then I A-B tested the same song played through MMI vs directly through Aux-In and there is a perceptible difference. I'm not sure if this is because of CarPlay or the MMI.
• The unit does respond to steering-wheel controls, but it does not block idrive from also responding to steering-wheel controls. This means that while playing music through carplay, pressing the voice or phone button will activate both Siri and the idrive assistant.
• The steering-wheel track buttons work, but there is about a 3 second delay before the track changes. Also, the directions are backwards from what I would expect.
• The unit seems to stay on with bluetooth enabled about 15 minutes after the car is turned off. This is an issue because sometimes I will turn off the car, get out, go upstairs and my phone is still connected to the car. If I receive a call, I have to manually switch my phone off bluetooth audio.
• With multiple phones paired, I haven't found a way to switch which phone is connected.
• While putting the car in reverse does switch away from the MMI interface, pushing the button to activate 360 view does not.

I spoke with BimmerTech support about this issue. After testing and fiddling with some of the system settings, they ended up sending me a replacement unit. After installing the new unit, I encountered the exact same behavior. This leads me to believe it is not a hardware problem.

[CarFan]

My experience since September has been quite similar. I too was sent a replacement model when I had complaints about the lack of a seamless experience like I've had on rental cars. Their promotion implies that the device will simply allow you to enter the vehicle, start and drive away and for me that just isn't the case.

And I would have preferred if the wired option were a real option that they plan for the the USB cable to come through the center console instead of just poking out the dashboard. I've moved mine to a discreet area in the footwell as I prefer an OEM look.

One difference with yours is that I use an Android phone.

I've come up with a work around for the delay at initial start which can sometimes take up to 10 -15 mins at a time to activate in my case -- as soon as I start the engine I pick up my phone and manually select the MMI Prime system on bluetooth. In less than 10 secs the system starts including music.

This works about 95% of the time or better and even though it's an extra step, by making the connection regular it comes across as seamless. Passengers don't notice that this isn't a regular feature of my X5. If I could get this function to work - connecting to MMI Prime on Bluetooth manually -- before I'm actually in the vehicle I'd likely less notice the extra step.

I've also discovered that instead of pressing the voice activation command button on the steering wheel, I press the jog switch for about 5 secs and the MMI prime prompts me to speak a command and carries it out. If I use the voice activation switch on the steering both the MMI Prime and the BMW system tries to respond.

As for the sound I did a lot of adjustment with the MMI prime audio settings and the BMW's to get a sound experience that I'm very satisfied with.

My up switch on the steering wheel does play the previous song and the down plays the next song -- which to me seems counter-intuitive.

As for extra phones, my X5 comes with an "additional phone" option allowing two phones to be connected at one time and I use this approach for the "other" regular passenger. My situation is unique in that the vehicle is almost never driven without me being in it as either a driver or passenger.

I'd give the system overall a B+. It does work, it's just that it promised to be more.

[CarFan]

Update:

I recently received a AAWireless Adapter from IndieGogo. I bought it for our Mercedes but its actually not driven much and I wondered since the device worked so well in the Mercedes, how would it work in the X5?

Amazingly. This device turns the Bimmertech device into the thing Bimmertech advertised it could be. Plugging in the adapter makes the Bimmertech device think that you're hard-wired changing the performance markedly better!

Within seconds of getting in the vehicle -- even before you can get the phone out of your pocket Android Auto is up and running.

No need to do anything to the phone at all. It just works. I'm using velcro to hold the device in place in the passenger footwell just under the glove box area.

With AA Wireless, I now give the system an A!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My experience since September has been quite similar. I too was sent a replacement model when I had complaints about the lack of a seamless experience like I've had on rental cars. Their promotion implies that the device will simply allow you to enter the vehicle, start and drive away and for me that just isn't the case.

And I would have preferred if the wired option were a real option that they plan for the the USB cable to come through the center console instead of just poking out the dashboard. I've moved mine to a discreet area in the footwell as I prefer an OEM look.

One difference with yours is that I use an Android phone.

I've come up with a work around for the delay at initial start which can sometimes take up to 10 -15 mins at a time to activate in my case -- as soon as I start the engine I pick up my phone and manually select the MMI Prime system on bluetooth. In less than 10 secs the system starts including music.

This works about 95% of the time or better and even though it's an extra step, by making the connection regular it comes across as seamless. Passengers don't notice that this isn't a regular feature of my X5. If I could get this function to work - connecting to MMI Prime on Bluetooth manually -- before I'm actually in the vehicle I'd likely less notice the extra step.

I've also discovered that instead of pressing the voice activation command button on the steering wheel, I press the jog switch for about 5 secs and the MMI prime prompts me to speak a command and carries it out. If I use the voice activation switch on the steering both the MMI Prime and the BMW system tries to respond.

As for the sound I did a lot of adjustment with the MMI prime audio settings and the BMW's to get a sound experience that I'm very satisfied with.

My up switch on the steering wheel does play the previous song and the down plays the next song -- which to me seems counter-intuitive.

As for extra phones, my X5 comes with an "additional phone" option allowing two phones to be connected at one time and I use this approach for the "other" regular passenger. My situation is unique in that the vehicle is almost never driven without me being in it as either a driver or passenger.

I'd give the system overall a B+. It does work, it's just that it promised to be more.

[heatmizr]

I have no need/desire to venture where you two have... however enjoy reading the write-ups.

On the "backward" button controls for PREV and NEXT song...
I am not sure which way the OP was describing as he did not specify, but CarFan you state:
"My up switch on the steering wheel does play the previous song and the down plays the next song -- which to me seems counter-intuitive."

The stock e70 buttons work as you describe - Up is PREV, Down is NEXT. The reason this is different from some other devices we use (like my BT headset I use when working out) is that when you are looking at the stock iDrive screen it lists the songs from top to bottom, so of course if you press Down, it goes to the NEXT song. Up goes back up one song. This is how I think of it so it makes sense when using those buttons.

It makes sense to me that these buttons are wired this way and continue to work in this way even with the unit installed.

[Mrfurious214]

Originally Posted by uberchris

Full disclosure: I am pretty anal when it comes to the quality and consistency of these types of retrofits on my cars. Most people probably won't be bothered by some of the stuff listed below, but it's stuff I would have wanted to know before buying this unit (and for the most part haven't seen on other's reviews).

This review is for the BimmerTech CarPlay/MMI Prime retrofit on my 2011 BMW X5 (CIC, TCU, MULF, no combox, 360 camera) running MMI software version 3.1.1.4. I am testing using a couple iPhone 11 Pros running iOS 15.1. Note that I am using wireless CarPlay for this review. I imagine many of my gripes would be rectified by using the wired CarPlay, but I don't want to have to plug in my phone every time I drive.

The Good:

• The hardware build quality is outstanding. Connectors seem to be of OEM quality. Cables have plenty of length and are nicely wrapped in felt tape. The unit itself is solid with a nice metal enclosure.
• Once paired and connected, wireless CarPlay is pretty reliable.
• Putting the car into reverse does switch from the MMI interface to the (original, not retrofitted) backup camera.
• Installation was fairly straightforward. The included instructions were vague and incomplete, but I found the videos online very helpful.
  

The Not-So-Good:

• Initial CarPlay pairing is flakey. About half the time when I try to pair a new phone, the phone will connect to bluetooth but never prompt for CarPlay. When this happens, I have to delete the phone from MMI, delete the pairing on the phone, and start over.
• There is a bit of a lag for the system responding to the idrive controller. When you turn the wheel, it takes a moment before the interface responds. It is probably only half a second or so, but it just feels far less responsive than the idrive menu.
• When starting up the car in the morning, there is a strangely variable delay before connecting to CarPlay. Sometimes it connects right away, sometimes I am several minutes into my drive before it connects. Also, while it is in this state, the MMI unit is extremely slow to respond. The aforementioned delay between using the idrive controller and the interface responding grows to a laughable 5-10 seconds. Note that this is in the MMI menu before the phone is even connected, so it is absolutely not a CarPlay issue.
• Also when starting the car up in the morning, the MMI interface only appears about half the time. This is easy to fix by holding the menu button for 5 seconds to switch the interface manually, but it is an extra step and it is weird that it is random.
• Audio quality is just a little sub-par. At first I thought I was imagining it, but then I A-B tested the same song played through MMI vs directly through Aux-In and there is a perceptible difference. I'm not sure if this is because of CarPlay or the MMI.
• The unit does respond to steering-wheel controls, but it does not block idrive from also responding to steering-wheel controls. This means that while playing music through carplay, pressing the voice or phone button will activate both Siri and the idrive assistant.
• The steering-wheel track buttons work, but there is about a 3 second delay before the track changes. Also, the directions are backwards from what I would expect.
• The unit seems to stay on with bluetooth enabled about 15 minutes after the car is turned off. This is an issue because sometimes I will turn off the car, get out, go upstairs and my phone is still connected to the car. If I receive a call, I have to manually switch my phone off bluetooth audio.
• With multiple phones paired, I haven't found a way to switch which phone is connected.
• While putting the car in reverse does switch away from the MMI interface, pushing the button to activate 360 view does not.

I spoke with BimmerTech support about this issue. After testing and fiddling with some of the system settings, they ended up sending me a replacement unit. After installing the new unit, I encountered the exact same behavior. This leads me to believe it is not a hardware problem.

I've been trying to wrap my head around what is the best way to get Apple CarPlay into my wife's 2012 E70 35D with CIC. I thought this would be the way but not after seeing so many annoying issues you are having. Can you give an update on things now and also lmk if there are any other options you would consider if you had to do it again? Thanks!

[JellyStyle]

I had the MMI, i didnt have the issues that the other guy had, it was ok but i went with an android screen and setup, far easier and costs half as MMI.

buy here, and yes they all ship from china, WhatsApp support is good as well. i am not affiliated

https://www.ugode.co.uk/

[CarFan]

Originally Posted by Mrfurious214

I've been trying to wrap my head around what is the best way to get Apple CarPlay into my wife's 2012 E70 35D with CIC. I thought this would be the way but not after seeing so many annoying issues you are having. Can you give an update on things now and also lmk if there are any other options you would consider if you had to do it again? Thanks!

I have an Android phone so I haven't had much experience with the CarPlay side of the MMI by Bimmertech. After 2 years of ownership I'm very much a fan however.

Dresses up the X5 nicely. Passengers assume that its OEM and it works fairly seamlessly.

[CSI]

Originally Posted by Mrfurious214

...the best way to get Apple CarPlay into my wife's 2012 E70 35D with CIC.

https://www.mr12volt.com/collections...ts/p2000-cicmm