[Processing61]

Hi I’m looking for some advice/info if anyone can point me in the right direction.

I’ve got an E91 with the professional radio. My last car E90 had CCC Idrive, I ended up fitting an android unit which allowed you to use the Idrive and android functions. I would like this in my E91.

I know I can get an aftermarket apple play/android radio in its current slot but I’m really not keen on that position.

So it looks like I can retrofit non Idrive with Idrive and I feel like if I’m going through the hassle of that, I would rather have CIC than the older CCC. I could then fit a combox for bluetooth functionality and apple car play. Or I could then fit an Android unit. I will have some questions if I do go with the complete retrofit lol.

It would be nice to have the bmw Idrive functions but the main thing I want is apple car play in the bubble dash. So I wondered if I could replace the dash with the “bubble” dash (space for Idrive) and then fit an android unit there using the current radio setup. This would be a lot cheaper.

Let me know any thoughts?

Thanks

[Markos ZimZimma]

Originally Posted by Processing61

Hi I’m looking for some advice/info if anyone can point me in the right direction.

I’ve got an E91 with the professional radio. My last car E90 had CCC Idrive, I ended up fitting an android unit which allowed you to use the Idrive and android functions. I would like this in my E91.

I know I can get an aftermarket apple play/android radio in its current slot but I’m really not keen on that position.

So it looks like I can retrofit non Idrive with Idrive and I feel like if I’m going through the hassle of that, I would rather have CIC than the older CCC. I could then fit a combox for bluetooth functionality and apple car play. Or I could then fit an Android unit. I will have some questions if I do go with the complete retrofit lol.

It would be nice to have the bmw Idrive functions but the main thing I want is apple car play in the bubble dash. So I wondered if I could replace the dash with the “bubble” dash (space for Idrive) and then fit an android unit there using the current radio setup. This would be a lot cheaper.

Let me know any thoughts?

Thanks

A few people have added carplay/android boxes to non iDrive dashboards which involves cutting, but with the supplied bezel the end result always looks good. Saw a video of it being done just last week, this would surely be the cheapest solution for you.

[dar2008]

Originally Posted by Processing61

Hi I’m looking for some advice/info if anyone can point me in the right direction.

... I could then fit a combox for bluetooth functionality and apple car play. Or I could then fit an Android unit.

Fitting a ComBox does not give you apple car play functionality, that's only possible in an E-Series using an Android unit.

[Rich_D]

Retrofitting CIC into a non-iDrive car is not worth the cost or hassle, you'd be better going aftermarket.

[Rich_D]

Originally Posted by dar2008

Fitting a ComBox does not give you apple car play functionality, that's only possible in an E-Series using an Android unit.

You can add an MMI box for around £200 if you've got CIC.

[Processing61]

Thanks for the advice guys!

[infinite_creations25]

If you can source all the cic parts from a local junkyard then the retrofit can be done for pretty cheap, provided that you do the work yourself. Once you have a cic, I would skip on the combox and instead, install a aftermarket mmi carplay box or replacement android screen. The aftermarket solutions aren't 100% perfect but having OEM like carplay/android auto integration is a big plus

[michaelalex17]

It's so funny that people want the opposite of what they have. I had a CIC car and thought it looked dated and the double bubble ruined the lines of the interior so I did a dash swap and deleted the idrive.

[Processing61]

update on this;


I ended up doing a CIC retrofit (non-dab) as I managed to get the parts pretty cheap. I really like the position of where the CID is in the bubble dash and having the OG idrive system so that's partly why I went down this route. In the future, i can now put in a CIC MMI or an android unit to get all the extra functions but it's still in the factory position and can still access the factory idrive.

If anyone is doing e90 BMW professional non idrive to CIC idrive retrofit and comes across this thread, you will need:


CIC radio/hard drive

CIC display (CID)

CIC controller

Center console panel which accepts the correct CIC controller and auto or manual shifter

Display cable (CIC radio to CID screen)

Usb connector and cable (Connects from back of CIC radio into the glovebox or wherever you want to place the USB connector).

Full "bubble"/nav dash (Passenger airbag can be transferred from your old dash to new dash)

CIC radio/Hardrive cooling tube

Plastic trim panel for climate control module/buttons (you can use your old climate control, but it will move position from bottom to top so you need a new surround)

The plastic trim panel which goes around the radio and lower section (your old buttons like heated seats, parking sensors etc can be transferred onto your new plastic panel)

GPS antenna to plug into radio (blue fakra) if you don't already have one



There is a few different ways you can do the wiring but I found a breaking car with the CCC unit and took the controller wiring and display wiring from the car. I took the centre console off, traced back the controller wires as far as i could and cut the ends off and kept the black connector which plugs into the controller intact. Youll have 4 wires here a power, earth and two can wires. I wired the power to a constant live which I believe was a blue 6 way connector which plugs into the gear shifter panel/plastic trim. I put the ground/earth to the chassis, there was a little cut out in the carpet where an earth stud already was, I added it into there. I then took the can wires (green and orange green) to the same green and orange green can wires within the smaller loom which runs on the right-hand side of where the gearbox tunnel is, where the centre console usually sits. For the display wiring, I cut all the wires in the black connector which is just below the fusebox maybe 15 cm long and did the same at the other end, where the display cables plugin to the display so the end where the connector is, is still intact. Ideally you want to keep this all one length and have no cuts in it but I think I needed to remove the dash and I couldn't remove the dash to do this, so I cut them. I then repinned the extra wires in the large black connector near fusebox into my connector. This for me was a Power wire in pin 1, earth in pin 27, or/gr can into 11 and green can into 30. I then extended the wires with suitable wire size and ran them up to the display where the black 8 pin connector will be plugged into the display with 6 wires hanging. Then I connected the wires together. Power pin 1 to 1, Earth pin 27 to pin 3, or/grn can pin 11 to pin 5, green can pin 30 to pin 6. I soldered these connections and insulated them well. Again, ideally you want no cuts in the loom so you could either make it from scratch or don't cut when getting off your breaker car. Because my wires were from the CCC i needed the correct display connector housing, the CCC and CIC have different connectors, the wires are the same though so they just get repinned into the new connector.

There is quite a lot involved in doing this retrofit but its not super difficult, there's just a lot of parts you need to acquire and a lot to take off the car to do this, so just take your time and make sure you label all your screws etc.

This isn't like a guide, its just some notes I've got in my head which I wanted to write down before I forget, in case they can help someone. So take everything I say with a pinch of salt basically lol.

I want to give a shoutout to ccfj1 who has been giving me some advice through private messages. He can also provide the wiring needed for this retrofit and can do all the coding necessary to get the system up and running, including the advanced coding like if you need the firmware being updated etc (like I do). Mine may be going to him for the firmware update soon, to activate and update maps.

I will try and add some pics but I don't have many really.

[Processing61]

Just wanted to give another shoutout to ccfj1 . I sent my CIC radio/hard drive to him where he did all the coding: Firmware update, FSC coding to my car, map update to 2022-1 and lifetime map code. Received back and all working great.

[sfarisminhas]

It would be good to have a definitive guide including pics etc for this retrofit. I've got a pretty decent ICE setup in mine with a double din Kenwood dmx 8019dab. Love the unit, although I have always found that in the e9x aftermarket units just don't look right.

[Processing61]

Originally Posted by sfarisminhas

It would be good to have a definitive guide including pics etc for this retrofit. I've got a pretty decent ICE setup in mine with a double din Kenwood dmx 8019dab. Love the unit, although I have always found that in the e9x aftermarket units just don't look right.

I felt the same way, there are some really nice radio/headunits out there but I really wanted to use the OEM position with the bubble dash and then you always have the option of adding an android unit into the OEM position later on for more functionality. I think the android units where you make a hole in the dash are cool but you don’t get the CCC or CIC idrive with that, that’s why I went OEM.

It’s all about the cost really if you can find all the pets cheap enough it’s worthwhile and that can be a problem, It might take some time to pick up the parts at the right price, especially all the idrive/nav bits.

I didn’t intend to do a build file so I don’t have many pics

[sfarisminhas]

How much was the total in parts? I'll need to look for it if I'm going to embark on a project this summer. 😊

[Processing61]

Originally Posted by sfarisminhas

How much was the total in parts? I'll need to look for it if I'm going to embark on a project this summer. 😊

CIC radio/hardrive, CID screen, CIC controller, trim piece for parking sensor button and heated seat button, trim piece to move hvac controls from bottom to top - £200

wiring partly made myself and bits from a breakers yard - £20

Centre console trim - £40

bubble dash - £50

CIC CID nav cable and USB connector - £50

Antenna - £5

Coding - £100

Cooling tube (am yet to buy one) – about £20

I think that’s everything. So just under £500. But I did get a good deal on the CIC gear so it might be hard to find something for that price, that’s the only reason I did it really as the CIC gear came up for a good price. You can obviously get one of the android units where you cut the dash for roughly £300 so it is a fair bit more. But for me having the oem functionality and position seemed worth it.

You’ve also got to consider if you want all the Android functionality you would then need to put an android unit in there or get a mmi box which I guess would be an addition £100-£300, something like that. So seeing as you've already got an android in yours, that is a lot of expense.

But please update here if you do go ahead with it

[sfarisminhas]

It is something that I am actively debating. I have a pretty high end double din Kenwood that has wireless CarPlay and basically everything else needed for functionality. My aftermarket system is pretty solid. If I go down this route, It'll mean everything that you've done, getting the mmi box for CarPlay and then buying an extra piece that sits between the headunit and my DSP so that a clean signal is sent from the headunit to the DSP. So, a fair amount of work and cost. Still tempting though….

[Processing61]

Originally Posted by sfarisminhas

It is something that I am actively debating. I have a pretty high end double din Kenwood that has wireless CarPlay and basically everything else needed for functionality. My aftermarket system is pretty solid. If I go down this route, It'll mean everything that you've done, getting the mmi box for CarPlay and then buying an extra piece that sits between the headunit and my DSP so that a clean signal is sent from the headunit to the DSP. So, a fair amount of work and cost. Still tempting though….

I hear you. Let me know if you do go down this route!

[JTCV]

Originally Posted by Processing61

Hi I’m looking for some advice/info if anyone can point me in the right direction.

I’ve got an E91 with the professional radio. My last car E90 had CCC Idrive, I ended up fitting an android unit which allowed you to use the Idrive and android functions. I would like this in my E91.

I know I can get an aftermarket apple play/android radio in its current slot but I’m really not keen on that position.

So it looks like I can retrofit non Idrive with Idrive and I feel like if I’m going through the hassle of that, I would rather have CIC than the older CCC. I could then fit a combox for bluetooth functionality and apple car play. Or I could then fit an Android unit. I will have some questions if I do go with the complete retrofit lol.

It would be nice to have the bmw Idrive functions but the main thing I want is apple car play in the bubble dash. So I wondered if I could replace the dash with the “bubble” dash (space for Idrive) and then fit an android unit there using the current radio setup. This would be a lot cheaper.

Let me know any thoughts?

Thanks

Hello friend, greetings from Mexico, could you help me with some photos of the harness for the screen and the control, you would help me a lot, to encourage me to make this update

[Rich_D]

I know of people that have replaced the whole dash for a 'bubble' one to retrofit iDrive