GPS/bluetooth

[Megabucks38]

[/B]Anybody installed the GPS/bluetooth set on their 3 series, sold by BMW Ingress? Any feedback is welcome.... cost about RM 2600 to installed.Looks pretty neat.

 

[BMWs]

Post some pics. Thank You

 

[racheltoh]

i bought my car from ingress n came with bluetooth.

 

[Schwepps]

GPS and Bluetooth for only RM2,600? That's pretty reasonable! For which model and where would the GPS screen be mounted? Would it include the sharkfin antenna?

 

[BMWs]

I will call Ingress tomorrow.

 

[Megabucks38]

There is one demo unit near the reception of ingress. The unit has a BMW logo on it. Software looks like garmin!

 

[Megabucks38]

GPS and Bluetooth for only RM2,600? That's pretty reasonable! For which model and where would the GPS screen be mounted? Would it include the sharkfin antenna?[/QUOTE

1,3 and x3. No antenna, centre console

 

[Schwepps]

Cool! But no antenna how to get GPS signal? And maybe not the original BMW digital maps. The update DVD itself costs +2k, and it's copy protected.

 

[E46Fanatic]

Sounds cool. Does it look like this retrofit?

Its called Navigation Portable Plus/Pro probably positioned for cars without iDrive.

Some folks are just buying the mounting brackets and kit and plugging in their Garmin GPS's to it. Have to DIY the wiring tho.

 

[saat]

GPS and Bluetooth for only RM2,600? That's pretty reasonable! For which model and where would the GPS screen be mounted? Would it include the sharkfin antenna?

If it is an add-on GPS device with Bluetooth, MYR2,600 is downright rip-off.

A Bluetooth equipped Garmin is low as RM1,350.

My dotter has one and it is crap.

 

[E46Fanatic]

Some interesting facts about this unit from bimmerpost.. It looks a lot better compared to the suction cup mounted Garmin I have on mine. However, I just checked the ETK, and its not suitable to be used with Climate Comfort windscreen. Same problems I have now with my Garmin in my case another layer of vkool on front windscreen. Takes forever to get a lock.

----------------
These are indeed Garmin units with the following differences:

• The plastic case is labled BMW, no roundel but just the block letters BMW.
• Splash screen comes up BMW.
• Doesn't come with any accessories (Cigarette Lighter Adaptor, suction cup mount etc.) but the standard Garmin accessories will work. So if you want to move it to another car, you have to buy a suction cup mount and cigarette lighter adaptor from Garmin.
• The BMW versions contain the BMW dealer directory on a special button to access the list showing you the closest dealer to your location
• These devices come with an extended warranty to match the vehicle warranty (up to 4 years).
• When mounted on the BMW mount, there is no cigarette lighter cable or traffic receiver cable to clutter the car. No suction cup mount to fall off the windshield.
• Some installations (depending upon radio) provide navigation sounds, MP3 content and Bluetooth audio through the in-car speakers
• system. Music or other programming mutes and navigation command chimes in.

The difference between the 760T (Plus) and the 860T (Pro) is primarily the Advanced Speech Recognition on the Pro. A button which you clip to the steering wheel or hand brake wakes up the unit and you can speak screen commands and addresses.

 

[Megabucks38]

Sounds cool. Does it look like this retrofit?

Its called Navigation Portable Plus/Pro probably positioned for cars without iDrive.

Some folks are just buying the mounting brackets and kit and plugging in their Garmin GPS's to it. Have to DIY the wiring tho.

Yep, this is the one without the bracket. They are just giving a clip. I prefer the bracket

 

[saat]

Be warned, to me the unit is nothing more than a normal Garmin with an adapted mounting.

The bluetooth is bad because it picks up ambient sound and the speaker is not loud enough for normal conversation.

I find the mounting is too far for convenient use or viewing lane assist or junction view.

To use on other cars, you'll still have to get the cigarette charger and windscreen mount.

 

[Schwepps]

One advantage is portability. But without an external antenna, there'll be many a time in the car when it won't get a signal or takes ages to lock. Wonder if it's possible to fit one? I must say the Navigation Pro that comes factory-fitted with the shark fin antenna works even when in underground car parks and tunnels. :top:

Look around at other aftermarket units too. For RM2,600, you may get more without the 'BMW logo'.

 

[saat]

Schwepps. I have a Garmin 360 (mini), a 255W and a Navman F150 (and earlier, a 205W). I do have a problem with my vKool equipped cars. But the problem is that only some models of Garmin has an antenna plug. There are 3rd party antenna but the nearest I can get one is in Singapore. Alas the 255 does not have an antennae plug. I solved the problem by sticking the unit out the window to get satellite lock.

The GPS antenna is different from the "Shark Fin" Antenna. So I doubt it can be used.

Yes you are right, your RM2,600 gets you more without the BMW logo.

 

[E46Fanatic]

Yep, this is the one without the bracket. They are just giving a clip. I prefer the bracket

Ya it looks a lot more integrated with the bracket. Based on the ETK the enclosure/bracket is compatible with our E90's. The bracket + wiring harness is only ~USD75. But I have a feeling they have to "cut" the dashboard to get it mounted just like the pic of the install on the X3. With the bracket it looks less suspicious and more integrated, avoiding chances of break in to steal the GPS unit.

Some additional info from 1addicts:

"There are 11 wires that go from a special custom cradle unique of the BMW Portable Plus (or Portable Pro). Two are power, 3 are apparently for feeding the sound into the aux port of the radio (the connection is to pins 6 and 12 of connector X13813 and to pin 16 of connector X13812). 5 wires are labeled on the wiring diagram as associated with "TMC". A search of this forum indicates that could be related to traffic information. The final step of the installation instructions discusses Retrofit coding of the car so that it recognizes the installation of the "Portable Navigation". The portable plus has GPS, MP3, and Bluetooth phone. The Portable Pro adds voice comands.
"

Interesting that a recode is needed to the car to recognize the GPS. Its not as "modular" as the off the shelf GPS systems, and its likely due to the integrated features of GPS, MP3 and Bluetooth phone?. I also checked the ETK and the mounting bracket/enclosure part no's differ for the X3 and the E90. So its made to custom fit our car's individual dashboard.

I also checked the price for the entire set on the ETK of the Navigation Pro plus + installation enclosure/kit. Works out to RM1,300 only after Euro to RM conversion. Add shipping etc, might come out a lot less than what ingress is charging for it. I wonder how much Stuttgart or Obermaier can bring them in for. However, install will likely have to be done at the dealer cos of the Computer recode on our cars.

 

[Schwepps]

That sounds much more integrated than a clip-on portable. :top: The thing to find out is whether this RM2,600 kit come with all that fitting and integration. If it does, then it's worthwhile.

E46F, is there any info on antenna sockets? A GPS that doesn't get a signal consistently makes you want to throw it away. So does having to stick it out the window.

saat, I know an aftermarket GPS antenna is different, but the shark fin is the BMW GPS and satellite radio antenna. The factory-fitted Pro is probably also a Garmin or other generic unit, so why can't it be used if you can have a fin fitted complete with wiring, and your GPS unit has an antenna socket?

 

[E46Fanatic]

E46F, is there any info on antenna sockets? A GPS that doesn't get a signal consistently makes you want to throw it away. So does having to stick it out the window.

Unfortunately dun have. Hence the note on the ETK that its not suitable for cars with Climate comfort windscreen. Our case worse, cos most of us have additional tint/vkool on the front windscreen. But I've lived with my existing Garmin and yeah at times I have to do the GPS stick out the window thing as well. It should work well with the CKD E90 320i or even E92 323i here cos of the Windscreen spec. The nice thing about this is that the Maps should be free from Garmin or via MSM or MFM. Group buy anyone?

 

[E46Fanatic]

Ok I'm getting some quotes from parallel importers for a group buy. Here is the parts list we are looking at. Looks like have to buy the maps afterall.

----------------
# Description Part number Supplement Date Quantity Weight Price
1
Navigation Portable Plus 65 90 2 146 529
Only in conjunction with item 2 and Matching road map. See ITU 651902
Set
For vehicles with:
Navigation system Business (S606A) = No
And:
Navigation system, Professional (S609A) = No
And:
On-board monitor withTV (S602A) = No 1 0.174 kg / 0.384 lb €234.45

2 Installation kit, Navigation Portable 65 90 0 445 990
Set
1 0.153 kg / 0.337 lb €24.37


3 Roadmap Singapore and Malaysia SD 65 90 2 147 985
SD-Strassenkarte 1 0.117 kg / 0.258 lb €74.79

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Lets see what the $$$ damage is..

 

[saat]

Ok I'm getting some quotes from parallel importers for a group buy. Here is the parts list we are looking at. Looks like have to buy the maps afterall.

----------------
# Description Part number Supplement Date Quantity Weight Price
1
Navigation Portable Plus 65 90 2 146 529
Only in conjunction with item 2 and Matching road map. See ITU 651902
Set
For vehicles with:
Navigation system Business (S606A) = No
And:
Navigation system, Professional (S609A) = No
And:
On-board monitor withTV (S602A) = No 1 0.174 kg / 0.384 lb €234.45

2 Installation kit, Navigation Portable 65 90 0 445 990
Set
1 0.153 kg / 0.337 lb €24.37


3 Roadmap Singapore and Malaysia SD 65 90 2 147 985
SD-Strassenkarte 1 0.117 kg / 0.258 lb €74.79

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

Lets see what the $$$ damage is..

If it is Gramin, dont buy the map. MFM is free.