Aftermarket head unit

[Echo46Z]

All. Great thread. One question, what is the best unit that is plug and play. My unit just died on my 2004 M3 Vert.

[Baris - Carphonics]

Ah dang, it retains the original mic location and look, though, right? I understood my 03 M5 wouldn't need a new mic since it came with the telephone option.

As for disconnecting the Nav unit- I think that should be fine- I've replaced the screen before. Do you have a video of what the interface looks like- from your videos it looked like the same menus? Don't think I'll lose sleep over losing the splash screen. But is this the case only if I want the touch screen, or is it for the OEM controls as well?

Yes, it will go into the original mic location, as it’s an oem mic.

I’ve attached the photo tv modules oem interface. It has 2 shades of blue and 2 shades of brown, and also day/night setting.

Makes no difference for oem controls or touchscreen. I run my M3 with just the tv module and CarPlay. Lightweight race car

[lemoose]

Thank you very much for your order.

Neither of those. Although the 84318380338 has a black bottom instead of a green. Haven’t seen one like that in UK. The better ones I normally buy don’t have the connector sticking out of it and it’s embedded into the mic.
However, I forgot to mention, the oem mic has to be modified to work with the CarPlay.

Don’t worry, I will sort you out a good mic. I will send you the better mic, and connectors you need for the aux and mic.

Are you happy to disconnect the nav unit, to connect the TV module? The oem display will be controlled by the tv module and the interface is slightly different, but most don’t worry, as it will go into CarPlay automatically. You lose the splash screen though.

Ah dang, it retains the original mic location and look, though, right? I understood my 03 M5 wouldn't need a new mic since it came with the telephone option.

As for disconnecting the Nav unit- I think that should be fine- I've replaced the screen before. Do you have a video of what the interface looks like- from your videos it looked like the same menus? Don't think I'll lose sleep over losing the splash screen. But is this the case only if I want the touch screen, or is it for the OEM controls as well?

[Baris - Carphonics]

Baris - Carphonics got-it. just placed an order! Is the mic basically either the 84318380338 or 84318380319 part?

And the touch screen, I would assume it is one piece and the installation of it would be similar to doing a basic screen replacement. But it sounds like it piggybacks on the existing screen?

Thank you very much for your order.

Neither of those. Although the 84318380338 has a black bottom instead of a green. Haven’t seen one like that in UK. The better ones I normally buy don’t have the connector sticking out of it and it’s embedded into the mic.
However, I forgot to mention, the oem mic has to be modified to work with the CarPlay.

Don’t worry, I will sort you out a good mic. I will send you the better mic, and connectors you need for the aux and mic.

Are you happy to disconnect the nav unit, to connect the TV module? The oem display will be controlled by the tv module and the interface is slightly different, but most don’t worry, as it will go into CarPlay automatically. You lose the splash screen though.

[lemoose]

Baris - Carphonics got-it. just placed an order! Is the mic basically either the 84318380338 or 84318380319 part?

And the touch screen, I would assume it is one piece and the installation of it would be similar to doing a basic screen replacement. But it sounds like it piggybacks on the existing screen?

[Baris - Carphonics]

This would be for my 03 M5. These are the only options I see on the e39 page. The X5 page, however, seems to have the option you mention (top one), is that it? What does the installation process look like for the touch screen? And last question, what is the purpose of the modified mic?





If i like it on the M5, I'll definitely get it for the M3 as well- which I think might need the whole retrofit package since mine didn't come with the Nav

That’s the retrofit CarPlay for cars without the factory nav system.

If you scroll down on the e39 page, you will see the CarPlay upgrade option.

https://carphonics.co.uk/shop/shop-by-car/bmw/bmw-x3-series/e38-x3-2003-2010/apple-carplay-android-auto-original-system-conversion-copy/

The microphone option is for the newer bmw microphones which came in the e60 onwards. They are much better quality.

The installation is very easy. The CarPlay comes pre installed in the OEM tv /video module, which already has a bracket for it in the trunk. See photo attached.

You can either disconnect the blue connector on the nav and connect to the tv tuner or I can supply a retrofit cable, which piggy backs off the nav unit, and you can keep the nav and the oem nav interface.

For the touchscreen, you have to feed a wire from the tv module to the monitor.

For touchscreen, you can either send me your monitor, or I can supply one ready made. Usually if someone has dead pixels on the screen, it would cost £300 for new TFT screen and touchscreen. So paying a little extra for a monitor I supply, is sometimes better.
And if you don’t have dead pixels, the cost is £180 to get the touchscreen done, if you send your monitor to me.

You can always have the touchscreen added later on, just let me know and I can add the cables to the tv module, so it’s ready for it.



By the way, what do you guys think of moving the controller knob to the left side and moving the volume knob to the right side? So you have easier access to control CarPlay and you already have volume control on the steering wheel.

[dr_011]

No reason for using everything offline to be a show stopper on carplay-- Apple Maps and Apple Music both support downloading your content to the phone.
I also have and enjoy the inductive charger-- but they really need to release a magsafe version!

yeah, magsafe would be cool. i use wireless AA on my other vehicles but i live near rural areas with no cell service so having everything offline is awesome for my road trips. i don't have to bother downloading maps or music for each trip since it's already there. i use here we go for navi which allows you to download all 50 states (and more). if i connect to cellular then i can get traffic updates and what not but i don't need that in BFE. music is synced wirelessly via a microsd card to my iTunes database so it's always updated. works great for me.

[Obioban]

Guess I'm the outlier here but I like my Avin unit. I've had 3 so far (due to upgrading specs, not issues). I prefer the 'OEM look' and I use everything offline (navigation, music) so car play and android auto aren't interesting to me. Sound quality dramatically improved over the stock HK. Support has been fine and setup is pretty easy IMO. I added the Induktiv wireless charging pad as well to keep my phone juiced up. It's a great setup all around.

No reason for using everything offline to be a show stopper on carplay-- Apple Maps and Apple Music both support downloading your content to the phone.

I also have and enjoy the inductive charger-- but they really need to release a magsafe version!

[dukeofchen]

Guess I'm the outlier here but I like my Avin unit. I've had 3 so far (due to upgrading specs, not issues). I prefer the 'OEM look' and I use everything offline (navigation, music) so car play and android auto aren't interesting to me. Sound quality dramatically improved over the stock HK. Support has been fine and setup is pretty easy IMO. I added the Induktiv wireless charging pad as well to keep my phone juiced up. It's a great setup all around.

Just installed an AVIN and this agrees with my experience so far. Looks great and out of the box functionality all seems to work pretty seamlessly, but the carplay integration through the dongle + third party app is by far the weakest link, which is a pretty glaring weakness in 2025. Next time around I'd go for something with integrated Carplay, but for now it works decently enough and I'll be happy with it once I figure out the external microphone situation.

Now as to whether it's going to fry itself like others have reported here, I guess time will tell.

[lemoose]

The main CarPlay option is all you need, but there are some other options, depending on your personal needs.

You have a 2002 car? Which means you have an older bm53 radio module, so won’t have an aux input. The firmware can be upgraded, if you want to send it over to me. Can also get the stage 2 amp upgrade to improve the sound on the bm53. This boosts the stock amps from 20/25 watts per channel to 50rms watts per channel, using pioneer mosfet amplifier ICs.

If not, then the audio will go through the cd changer input.

If the cd changer works, I can send the cable for it, if not, I will send something to replace the cd changer.

For hands free, most US cars came with telephone prep. So you just need to check which connection you have in the trunk and I can send you the correct connector and microphone.

The CarPlay is installed into the OEM tv / video modules. So you can either disconnect your nav unit and connect the CarPlay or I make retrofit cables.

If you have a coupe, it’s easy fitment, as your bracket is designed for it.

Here is a guide for fitment. Most of the beginning is for older cars like e38/e39.

https://youtu.be/xLFvvdQad_s?si=TvxyKgoB5wGG9pwX

Feel free to email me or WhatsApp me.

This would be for my 03 M5. These are the only options I see on the e39 page. The X5 page, however, seems to have the option you mention (top one), is that it? What does the installation process look like for the touch screen? And last question, what is the purpose of the modified mic?





If i like it on the M5, I'll definitely get it for the M3 as well- which I think might need the whole retrofit package since mine didn't come with the Nav

[Baris - Carphonics]

This is really all I needed as well. Both my cars have HK and they both sound awful stock headunit or aftermarket - so whatever at least now I can wirelessly CarPlay. I have a Eonon something in my 330i and an Essgo in the M3. The Essgo looks like just like the factory navi headunit, while the Eonon has the larger screen. They both work as advertised. The Essgo was $102 and I paid a whopping $145 for the Eonon.

Stock radio (bm53) has poor amplifiers. Need the stage 2 amp upgrade to make better use of it, if you’re not going down the aftermarket amplifier route.

And if your cars came originally with the nav system, then aftermarket is now run by 6 meters of very poor quality speaker wires and power. So the more you increase the volume, the worse it gets.

If you had non nav, then it should sound better than stock, as your connecting directly into the radio connector. If not, you received a poor quality stereo.

[Baris - Carphonics]

Baris - Carphonics im a little confused about the package selections- which would i select if i want carplay but dont want the touch screen?

The main CarPlay option is all you need, but there are some other options, depending on your personal needs.

You have a 2002 car? Which means you have an older bm53 radio module, so won’t have an aux input. The firmware can be upgraded, if you want to send it over to me. Can also get the stage 2 amp upgrade to improve the sound on the bm53. This boosts the stock amps from 20/25 watts per channel to 50rms watts per channel, using pioneer mosfet amplifier ICs.

If not, then the audio will go through the cd changer input.

If the cd changer works, I can send the cable for it, if not, I will send something to replace the cd changer.

For hands free, most US cars came with telephone prep. So you just need to check which connection you have in the trunk and I can send you the correct connector and microphone.

The CarPlay is installed into the OEM tv / video modules. So you can either disconnect your nav unit and connect the CarPlay or I make retrofit cables.

If you have a coupe, it’s easy fitment, as your bracket is designed for it.

Here is a guide for fitment. Most of the beginning is for older cars like e38/e39.

https://youtu.be/xLFvvdQad_s?si=TvxyKgoB5wGG9pwX

Feel free to email me or WhatsApp me.

[Ramage]

I decided to go with a Kenwood DMX958XR last year, even though it doesn't maintain the factory look. I chose it mainly because I had been carrying around a Janus-Design double DIN mounting kit since 2014.

The cage that came with the kit fit perfectly with the short chassis design of the Kenwood double DIN and required no modifications to the HVAC system. I also like that LDAC with my Android phone noticeably improves the sound quality when streaming.

I like the idea of some of the integrated features in purpose-built head units, but as an old-school car audio guy, I was never really keen on the offered brands. I am sure this bias is outdated since everything is made in the same place.

While it would be an abomination, I would appreciate having a cluster with integrated navigation since this is the one feature I miss when switching from our Range Rover Velar to my E46.

[lemoose]

Baris - Carphonics im a little confused about the package selections- which would i select if i want carplay but dont want the touch screen?

[9kracing]

Another happy Avin user here.

I think a lot of the complaints are from the lower end units.