Tag: full install

BMW i3 Wireless CarPlay MMI Prime Retrofit – Full Installation DIY

Posted on by

Today we are installing wireless CarPlay in my pre-LCI BMW i3! These cars never came with this option and I’m very excited to modernize the entertainment system on this 6 year old BMW! Let’s check out the CarPlay retrofit device a little closer and get it installed!

Experience:

I’m happy to report that the device has worked flawlessly for me so far, by the time I drive out of the driveway, the phone is already connected, showing the map and ready to play music. Speaking of music, the sound quality is superb. I have cranked up the volume all the way up and you cannot hear any hiss or distortion even during the quite moments. That is very impressive as I’ve had those issues with knock off devices in the past. Camera, microphone, steering buttons and the iDrive controller are integrated and worked out of the box. One item to mention that some people may ask, No, the song selection does not show up on the instrument cluster display when using the scroll wheels and just shows this message instead, but that’s to be expected. Outside of Apple CarPlay, this unit also supports Apple Airplay, so you can mirror your screen to the display, play YouTube videos or anything else you’d like and of course Android Auto is supported as well.  If you have any additional, more specific questions on the BimmerTech MMIPrime, leave your comments below and I’ll be happy to answer them or even make a quick video on the topic. Thank you so much for watching, let me know what you think of this upgrade and subscribe to see more updates on this car, like this screen being replaced with the 10 inch one!

BMW Z4 Aftermarket Apple CarPlay Retrofit – Full Installation DIY

Posted on by

After upgrading the speakers and subwoofers in my BMW Z4, it’s now time to modernize the infotainment system even further by installing an aftermarket Apple CarPlay and Android Auto unit with a BMW style controller. My Z4 came with a storage box instead of the screen, so I couldn’t do what I did in my BMW 550 and just add an interface to the existing screen. Anyway, let’s take the car apart and get this installed!

Last generation BMW Z4 (e89) never offered Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and most didn’t even have a screen fitted. My Z4 is a perfect example as it doesn’t have any kind of display and came with a storage box instead. So, in this video I go through each step of installing an aftermarket Android unit that offers CarPlay and AndroidAuto. This unit also displays vehicle information when the car is running. Even though this head unit is touchscreen, I decided to add optional controller to make it easier to use while driving. This unit can be installed on any BMW Z4 E89 that doesn’t have a display or you are willing to replace the original CiC unit.

I have now wirelessly connected my phone to the Apple CarPlay and played with it for a little bit. CarPlay works as you would expect and connects automatically. Of course, you can also use it without connecting your phone and still have music, navigation and car data. This unit pulls this data from the car computer and can show you speed, revs, mileage, temperature and other data in various screens. Anyway, this concludes the install video, subscribe to the channel to see the follow up video for a quick review of the unit after I use it for a couple of weeks. Also, if you have any questions about the install or the unit, leave those down below and I will answer them in the same video. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you in the next one.