[Marco1159]

I would like to have Apple CarPlay, but after much consideration, I find that the best solution is to upgrade to an NBT EVO. In the past, I have already replaced the small 6.5-inch screen with an original 8.8-inch screen. That was relatively easy to implement.

My car is a 320D LCI
German car
EntryNav with BT and Navigation

How difficult or easy is it to upgrade? What do I need? What needs to be coded, and can I do it myself? Coded the upgraded screen with Bimmercode.

I've attached some pictures of the head unit I found.
Does it matter if the head unit is German, European, or US/Canada?
I read that there can be complications with non-European head units in European vehicles.

Thank you very much for your help and tips!

[steve@codemybimmer]

Assuming that you're coming from Entrynav and you already 8.8" display retrofitted, you'll need the following.

- Voltage regulated CID cable
- OABR cable for flashing/Activation
- Wi-FI antenna for Apple CarPlay

You can go with either US or European head units but if DAB matters to you, I would go with a European one with the DAB ports. We do have a wiring kit + programming package available for NBT EVO retrofits. PM if interested.

[Marco1159]

Originally Posted by steve@codemybimmer

Assuming that you're coming from Entrynav and you already 8.8" display retrofitted, you'll need the following.

- Voltage regulated CID cable
- OABR cable for flashing/Activation
- Wi-FI antenna for Apple CarPlay

You can go with either US or European head units but if DAB matters to you, I would go with a European one with the DAB ports. We do have a wiring kit + programming package available for NBT EVO retrofits. PM if interested.

DM send

[dumitru.o]

better buy an EVO CID than run the older screen with voltage regulator. alo get the OABR plug with wires and repind the ethernet wires from the quadlock to the OABR.

this way is just like factory and you can code/program/ patch the unit without extra cables

[Marco1159]

I worked with Steve from CodeMyBimmer on this retrofit project. I ordered a cable kit and a one-hour coding session from him. The shipping process went nearly flawlessly. The package got stuck in customs (not Steve's fault) without updating the tracking data. He offered me a replacement without me even asking, but fortunately, the package arrived a few hours later.

I messaged him frequently because I had many questions. Each time, he went the extra mile, checked numbers, and provided thorough answers. Scheduling an appointment was super easy! You get a link to his calendar and choose a date and time. The calendar displays your local time zone, so you don't need to calculate between time zones, which is a feature I highly appreciate!

A few days before the coding session, I received download links to the necessary data (for me, it was PZData for e-sys) as well as e-sys itself. You should download the provided version of TeamViewer and install it as default, as the "only start" option won't suffice.

Day of Coding:

I prepared the car an hour before the coding session, which involved connecting the battery to a charger and removing the old NBT from the dashboard. I tried to wire everything up but failed due to my inexperience. I damaged the plastic on my old HU, and it got stuck in the connector.

Steve messaged me through WhatsApp about 15 minutes before our appointment to let me know he was ready. We communicated through WhatsApp messaging, calls, and video calls. We troubleshooted for about 40 minutes because the car wouldn’t connect to my laptop and switch. It turned out the cheap ENet cable I bought from Amazon wasn’t seated properly, so I had to cut the plastic cap on one end to fit it correctly. After this, we quickly proceeded to coding, and the rollercoaster ride began.

The HU I bought had its GPS pin retrofitted and was used in a previous retrofit. Steve checked the HU and explained what that meant. He needed to flash it to make it work with my APX1 screen (I had previously upgraded to an 8.8-inch screen), but this could potentially brick it. I reconsidered my decision (lol) and decided to proceed. He had good news for me, as the previous user had used the same set of tools. He also mentioned that due to my APX1 screen, I could occasionally experience black screens on boot.

He coded my car and the HU, and it felt like black magic to me. I’m tech-savvy and have done some coding myself, but he was on a different level. After two reboots, everything was done and working. He walked me through my mistake of damaging the plastic spacers/offsets/connectors on the old HU.

Everything worked flawlessly. The OEM navigation works perfectly, though I’m not sure if the Real Time Traffic Information works (as far as I know, it shouldn’t). Apple CarPlay starts nearly as soon as the engine runs, with no long wait times for the phone to connect (the old HU took a long time to establish a Bluetooth connection for phone and music). Even the MyBMW App works, updating the current fuel capacity and mileage.

In total, I required two hours of his time, and he was consistently friendly, approachable, and quick to respond to any questions. Steve Ma is not only a highly skilled professional but also an amazing person. His dedication and knowledge make him someone you can trust with your car's retrofit needs. I would eagerly work with him again and highly recommend his services to anyone looking for a reliable and knowledgeable expert in this field.

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