HELP: 2006 BMW 3-series (E90) - carputer in dash possible??

smellygas · 01-01-2006, 08:35 PM

HI everyone. I was hoping someone could help me with this . . . I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out WHERE to mount a touchscreen for a carputer in the new '06 BMW 325i/330i (E90). I know people removed their factory HU's and ordered the premade touchscreen bezel in the E46...I know it was also possible to buy a DIN bezel and slap in a DIN touchscreen... but on the E90, I can't find ANY bezels or dash adapters that I could use!

Does anybody know where I could find these items? Otherwise, where could I mount my touchscreen? (and how would I run the wires?)

I would appreciate any help people could offer. Happy New YeaR!

SmellyGas

Cris · 01-01-2006, 09:03 PM

A pic would be very usefull...

smellygas · 01-01-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

A pic would be very usefull...

Fair enough. Here's a photo:
http://www.bmwworld.com/pics/3er/e90...erior_gray.jpg

SmellyGas

0l33l · 01-01-2006, 11:55 PM

Make an iDrive like housing for the monitor.

Quattro · 01-02-2006, 12:18 AM

Purchase a dash that has the housing for the OEM navigation screen. Other then that it looks like its going to be really hard to mold a screen into the dash. I don't see where you could relocate the climate control to. The only other option is to get an indash screen and replace the HU with it.

parksgm · 01-02-2006, 03:00 AM

I would locate the MOUNT for the screen in the dash, in the groove between the upper edge of the vents and the silver/gray panel above them. Then, mount the display so that the bottom edge is even with the upper edge of the vents (so as not to block airflow), and the screen itself extends upward across the large silver/gray trim panel that runs horizontally across the dash and has no other function. This way, no air vents are blocked, and the screen is at eye level (more or less), allowing for easy readability with less distractability.

Don't take out the factory headunit or ventilation as other have suggested above...your result won't look stock, won't be as pretty, and won't be functional. (!) :-) Nice car!

Gregory

mgithens · 01-04-2006, 01:12 AM

if your steering wheel has radio controls, just mount the screen so that it blocks the stereo... get the IBUS adapter that others are using and build it up so that you can't see the radio at all... I would guess that the screen would extend up to about where the vents are, but would be just below this... of course you could slide it down to slightly overlap the climate control...

it does look like this one will be a challenge... putting it up where the nav screen goes is too far from reach (I would bet) and would be expensive...

3onDubs · 01-06-2006, 02:45 PM

Two options:

1. Look at how the dash for the e90's with navigation look like. Purchase the necessary pieces for the upgrade (minus the screen) and put your own touchscreen in there

2. If option one is not feasible, go to www.e46fanatics.com and PM the member by the name of SrCsTc asking him if he is willing to accomodate your request. He makes beautiful dash pieces for various BMW models. Ask him if he's looked into the e90 yet.

Good Luck

integramodder · 01-30-2006, 09:20 PM

The E90 doesnt use an iBus, it runs on a fiber optic network that is similar to the new 5/6/7 series.

I'm still pondering this, but deffinetly not for a touch screen. I would use the screen already there.

tja · 02-04-2006, 07:23 PM

you could do this.. it's pretty ambitious though!!!

mgithens · 02-05-2006, 09:07 AM

some great photoshop, and totally doable...

dmurray14 · 02-05-2006, 06:52 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by integramodder

The E90 doesnt use an iBus, it runs on a fiber optic network that is similar to the new 5/6/7 series.

I'm still pondering this, but deffinetly not for a touch screen. I would use the screen already there.

Yeah, they have the MOST bus, as well as an additional (and completely different) fiber bus called "byteflight" that's a fault-tolerant highspeed databus for all of the safety equipment in the vehicle.

Honestly, I'd be REAL hesitant to mess with any of these newer cars...too much going on between onboard computers.

Dan

prophecy · 02-05-2006, 07:50 PM

holy **** i havent seen the inside of an E90 yet but damn they have taken alot of the console out.. my e36 is like twice that tall. weird.. good luck with the install

lchatela · 02-08-2006, 03:55 AM

Did you check the price of a dash for e90 with oem navigation at a bmw dealer... The location is great but I think you 'll have to change the whole up part of the dash.

integramodder · 04-14-2006, 04:45 PM

I think it would be easier to fit a flip up touch screen into the stock spot. Even then, I think you will get tons of problems for taking out the stock radio.

On a side note, there is a guy selling units that allow 4 difference RCA video inputs into the stock 8 inch nav screen thats in the E90. Its like 550 bucks though.

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