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Originally Posted by ryansbmw
Hello everyone! I know this is tue F30 forums but it has the most interaction on this topic so I hope y'all dont mind me posting here.
Just inherited my dad’s mint 2010 e60 535 with CIC. I love it but it has no option for streaming audio. Bluetooth only allows for phone calls. I am interested in either the Andream or Bimmertech MMI box for use with Android Auto. Just had a few questions:
If I understand it correctly, the units are essentially the same correct? Any go with one unti and wish they chose the other?
Are the harnesses for all CIC units the same? A forum member has a Bimmertech MMI prime unit that bought for his e70 X5 with hifi for sale. Will that plug and play into the e60 (also hifi)? I assume it would since Andream doesn’t seem to differentiate between CIC but Bimmertech said the harnesses are not the same (but they also want to charge me $300 for the cable)
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I only have Road Top and Carlinkit and two off-brand MMIs. No experience with Bimmertech. But from the cheaper MMIs, only the Andream and Road Top provide reliable after-sales support and firmware updates.
In the beginning all the MMI units by Andream, Road Top, etc. and Bimmertech were the same. There may be some different chips inside by now, may be better quality, but the basic functions are the same. Bimmertech has the advantage that they hold your hand in installing, etc and they may have added better audio features. But it comes at a cost that is 2-3 times of the others. You have to decide how much support you need.
The Andream is about $260-280 and Road Top is about $220-240. Both have US warehouses to ship from and both respond well to follow up assistance. Both provide firmware updates to original buyers. Confirm with them what HU you have and what unit you need. Some CIC units come with 4+2 LVDS (6-pin) plugs, while others have a separate 4 pin and a 2 pin (power/gnd) cable. Yours is probably the 4 pin and separate 2 pin since its older, but worth to look.
The harness for all the NBT units are the same ( do not know Bimmertech). The CIC units probably also are the same (not with the NBT), but they have extra mic cables. The latest CIC MMI from Road Top and I think Andream also (confrim with them) does full Bluetooth audio instead of using the AUX-IN. In most cases that provides better audio quality.