Has anyone downgraded to OEM business stereo from a factory Navi?

[antknee]

I've hated how outdated the stock navi is, and for any navi for that matter as every couple years there's always a new, better version out.

I wanted to see if anyone removed their factory navi unit for an OEM business CD/radio. Its been a while since i pulled out my stock navi, so I forget if the plugs are different, so i was wonder if its a simple swap....and a matter of disconnecting the wiring leading from the Navi disk in the trunk.

Can i just relocate my heater/ac controls below the business cd too, or are they completely different.

[yhp2009]

I share your gripe with the nav.
Awhile back I looked into it and IIRC it requires a new line to be run from the front dash to the trunk. Will need to take apart carpets and looked like a lot of work

[heinzboehmer]

Not sure on the wiring side, but the AC controls are the same regardless of the head unit. You will need to buy the smaller single DIN bracket though. Another upside to the business CD is that it frees up some storage space where the AC controls used to be.

[TropicalM3]

It is a different wire harness, so it would require changing that out, a fair amount of work to do as you would have to remove alot of the interior pieces.

[luc405]

Did you ever pursue this further?

[S54B32]

You need a audio cable harness from a donor with non Nav. It‘s a separate harness from the main harness. I have done this with my M3.

[repoman89]

You need a audio cable harness from a donor with non Nav. It‘s a separate harness from the main harness. I have done this with my M3.

Could you post some details on what you had to remove and buy, where the harness runs to the back of the car, how much time you spent on it, etc? I've been interested in doing this for a long time, really can't stand the outdated nav. Now my screen is getting dead pixels and it annoys me even more.

[Good]

I've run a harness from the trunk to the headunit before and it's not bad at all. You remove the rear passenger side bolster and run the harness through and under the rear bottom seat piece which simply can be unclipped by pulling up. Then you route the harness to the passenger side and tuck it into the carpet and under the interior side skirt to the front passenger foot area. From there there's a plastic piece on the side wall near the passenger feet where you will remove and simply route up behind the glove box and into the back of the head unit area. It's a lot easier than it sounds. First time might take a while if your not familiar with the various different clips.

[S54B32]

You need to remove near entire interior and carpets. Have done as a part of a bigger other job on the car. So I can’t say a estimate time for this. You need harness, radio and console frame for relocate climate.

[repoman89]

I've run a harness from the trunk to the headunit before and it's not bad at all. You remove the rear passenger side bolster and run the harness through and under the rear bottom seat piece which simply can be unclipped by pulling up. Then you route the harness to the passenger side and tuck it into the carpet and under the interior side skirt to the front passenger foot area. From there there's a plastic piece on the side wall near the passenger feet where you will remove and simply route up behind the glove box and into the back of the head unit area. It's a lot easier than it sounds. First time might take a while if your not familiar with the various different clips.

I’m assuming you didn’t remove the existing harness as part of that run? Full replacement seems like it goes to speakers all over the car. There are a lot of guides for going the other direction turns out, so that helps with pictures.

You need to remove near entire interior and carpets. Have done as a part of a bigger other job on the car. So I can’t say a estimate time for this. You need harness, radio and console frame for relocate climate.

Thanks .. I’m replacing front seats and installing an armrest delete this spring, so I imagine those removals are a good 10% of the way there lol. Might do this then.

[repoman89]

Just bought a harness on ebay and will post back here how it goes when I get around to the project. I’m undecided if I’m going Business CD or Avin Avant 4, but even if I go with the latter I’d rather have the regular harness rather than have to run the extension for nav cars to the trunk. Hopefully the harness isn’t too much of a nightmare with crazy numbers of unrelated plugs. We’ll see

[S54B32]

IMO...Business or professional cd over every aftermarket radio!

had mk4 nav, then Xtrons nav and now finally OEM cd business (with Bluetooth added).

[heinzboehmer]

IMO...Business or professional cd over every aftermarket radio!

had mk4 nav, then Xtrons nav and now finally OEM cd business (with Bluetooth added).

Agrees. Business CD + BlueBus is the best combo imo

[repoman89]

Yeah, I have a Bluebus already and Business CD is likely the route I’ll go for the non-daily M3. Going to try the Avin in my E39 M5 though and hope I can get it to function as pretty much just a clean and reliable wireless CarPlay box. If I can then the benefits might be hard to ignore even though I too prefer the old school business CD.

[yhp2009]

Ive had the Avin 4 for a few months now (coming from an oem nav unit). Its quite nice to have an almost unlimited hard drive to store your music collection. But it simply doesnt feel seamless and has many bugs. WOuld be tempted to revert back to oem business cd eventually