Satnav update

[Barroni]

Afternoon all

Have a 2011 with satnav which I doubt has been updated since 2011.  Does anyone know how easy and expensive it is to update to 2017 maps? 
Ive see some dvd on ebay but wondering if its simply a case of insert and pray?

Cheers

[X5Sport]

There were two (legitimate) ways.  You need a new licence key from BMW which were nearly £200 and either a set of DVDs or a set of USB keys with the map data also from BMW.  The last time I did it the map discs were £25.  It takes about an hour to load the data so you need to either be driving the car, or have it hooked up to a large charger as you need the ignition circuit awake to keep the iDrive awake.  The system will then update the maps in the background (which can take a while too) whilst giving you the old maps and then rebooting.

The licence key (FSC Code) is based on your VIN and you enter the number into the iDrive.

[Barroni]

Thanks X5Sport.  So if i understood correctly I'll need to get this Vin based licence and thats gonna cost close to £200 large. Bit more than I had in mind. 

So does this render the discs that you may or not be able to purchase from certain auction sites useless without said licence?

Cheers
Lee

[Pat Mustard]

I ordered latest maps today on usb from my usual source costing €70.  €20 refund when usb is sent back to him. Think the file is approx 30 Gb  and will take 1-2 hours to copy. He needs vin for code as explained in previous post.

[Barroni]

Thanks Pat