Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Non OEM Double Din Units

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
storminmike
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 1013
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:52 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by storminmike » Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:29 pm

[quote="Sanj"]
It kinda does in the newer models - with the completely stealth look and the swivel and flip (Mercs and BMWs - I know of).

No middle-finger references btw!
[/quote]

really?  The CD player is sort of redundant and although wider and thinner I thought it would be a great candidate for a ipad type display to pop out of. With the CD gone then that would free up a connection of sorts to play out through. Wouldn't solve phone connection though unless these pads start to come with phones

StefanW
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Mariefred
Contact:

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by StefanW » Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:53 am

This is what one of our x5's looks like with an alpine ine-s900r using "janus" double din kit:
Total install time took about 2 hours
Image

garethdeb
Member
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:35 pm

Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by garethdeb » Thu Jan 10, 2013 1:54 pm

Hmm, have to confess now, I think a double din unit looks guff in the X. I'm not bothered too much about keeping OEM looks but the double din unit just looks lost in that huge facia plate.
Just my opinion tho.
Gareth

Raj
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4512
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:30 pm
Location: Midlands

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by Raj » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:13 pm

[quote="garethdeb"]
Hmm, have to confess now, I think a double din unit looks guff in the X. I'm not bothered too much about keeping OEM looks but the double din unit just looks lost in that huge facia plate.
Just my opinion tho.
Gareth
[/quote]

Agree the aperture is just way to big so unfortunately for a double din unit there is a lot of space round it. But for me it's pure function over form. OE headunit and tbh the Hualingan and Dynavin are crap by comparison to my Pioneer in terms of functionality and software, etc, but agree the aforementioned are more suitable in terms of looks due to the dash aesthetics.
Image

dobbor1
Member
Member
Posts: 277
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:09 pm

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by dobbor1 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:16 pm

[quote="garethdeb"]
Hmm, have to confess now, I think a double din unit looks guff in the X. I'm not bothered too much about keeping OEM looks but the double din unit just looks lost in that huge facia plate.
Just my opinion tho.
Gareth
[/quote]
To be honest, I have to agree looking at that photo.  Other pictures I have looked at didn't seem to have the unit looking quite as lost.  I think Raj's unit looks fuller somehow.
I have looked at the Dynavin unit but am a bit nervous of spending that money on a unit which has although looks OEM, receives a bit of negative feedback. It doesn't solve my DAB requirement either.  What a dilemma to be in...... :'(

Is yours a wider screen Raj?
Last edited by dobbor1 on Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Currently:  2011 E70 X5 40D M Sport Black Sapphire
Previously: 2006 E53 X5 30D Le Mans Blue Sport Edition

Raj
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4512
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:30 pm
Location: Midlands

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by Raj » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:23 pm

[quote="dobbor1"]
To be honest, I have to agree looking at that photo.  Other pictures I have looked at didn't seem to have the unit looking quite as lost.  I think Raj's unit looks fuller somehow.
I have looked at the Dynavin unit but am a bit nervous of spending that money on a unit which has although looks OEM, receives a bit of negative feedback. It doesn't solve my DAB requirement either.  What a dilemma to be in...... :'(

Is yours a wider screen Raj?
[/quote]

2 differences really. I think one is that although the unit above and the Pioneer are probably very close in total size, the Pioneer uses a larger screen overall and runs nearly to the edge of the unit. Also the fascia makes a huge difference. My fascia plate has the extra slight recess making it look like part of the headunit surround as opposed to the fascia surround and as mine is painted Gloss Black again it's less differentiated from the headunit.
Image

Raj
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4512
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:30 pm
Location: Midlands

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by Raj » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:27 pm

That Janus fascia would look better if it were either colour coded to the trim pieces or maybe a proper matt black colour to darken it and not look so plasticky.
Image

garethdeb
Member
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:35 pm

Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by garethdeb » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:01 pm

Ok, so I looked on Fleebay for the facia. 120 quid for a bit of plastic? Really? Surely they are cheaper somewhere?
G

Raj
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4512
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:30 pm
Location: Midlands

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by Raj » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:28 pm

[quote="garethdeb"]
Ok, so I looked on Fleebay for the facia. 120 quid for a bit of plastic? Really? Surely they are cheaper somewhere?
G
[/quote]

There's THIS ONE maybe.
Image

StefanW
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Mariefred
Contact:

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by StefanW » Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:51 am

The kit I bought can be had unpainted, which is how we got the one that's in the other x5, and with a different alpine unit.

The only downside to all these different fascia kits, including the one i bought, is that they never seem to be 100% perfect following the shape of the dashboard, we went through three different models before installing this one permanently in both cars.

Now all that remains is sorting out the lack of radio reception in one of the cars
Last edited by StefanW on Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

Imy
Member
Member
Posts: 585
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 12:26 am
Location: London

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by Imy » Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:24 am

[quote="Raj"]
[quote="garethdeb"]
Ok, so I looked on Fleebay for the facia. 120 quid for a bit of plastic? Really? Surely they are cheaper somewhere?
G
[/quote]

There's THIS ONE maybe.
[/quote]

someone is seriously taking the piss. thats a hell of a lot of money for £1 worth of plastic and a couple of brackets.

garethdeb
Member
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:35 pm

Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by garethdeb » Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:25 pm

That's cheap compared to what I've seen! Tis crazy tho for such a small amount of plastic.
So what about cable harness/aerial adapter/steering wheel control adapters, where's best to source these from? So far I've worked out that I need to spend as much if not more on all the bits than the actual head unit!
G

StefanW
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Mariefred
Contact:

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by StefanW » Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:04 am

I got the cables from different suppliers: quadlock extension from here: http://incartec.co.uk/pages/Product.aspx?P=3651

The janus kit from *bay (€49) (actually a lot cheaper there compared to his own webshop)

Steering wheel adapter from *bay (£19 or something) including the cable from the box to the head unit

Horizon
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 2599
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:34 pm
Location: Bury Lancashire

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by Horizon » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:02 am

Its a pity you couldntuse the facia of your original screen, with the buttons down each side, and replace the screen bit by inserting a doobledin toochscrren pioneer or the such inside. You would get the best of both worlds then.
When I was looking for an X5 I wanted the satnav package, but I couldnt find a tidy one for the right money, so I ended up with a MID unit one with the CD player, no stacker.
I got a Dynavin after alot of searching. I love it, the sat nav is winCE primo 2 , far better than any car one you will find. Its expensive but looks the part.
By the way the CD player incorporates the radio module as well on the non satnav version.But the MID is wired seperatly, so maybe possible to fit a plip screen one above the MID
Last edited by Horizon on Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
2011 Kia Sorento KX3  2.2D 60 Plate Auto in black ( mine )
BMW E83 X3.  3.0d M Sport, 2008 in black ( now gone )
BMW E93 330i Convertible  Msport  2007.  ( Now sold )
VW Golf 2.0 TDI 140 GT 2010 ( now sold )
Now Sold 55 plate, X5, 3.0 D Sport. Silv

User avatar
ChrisLux
Member
Member
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:24 am
Location: Luxembourg/Wolverhampton

Re: Non OEM Double Din Units

Post by ChrisLux » Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:17 pm

I'll vouch for Raj's unit . It looks the nutz and sounds even better , saw it at the Midlands X-mas meet .
'18 F25 Alpina XD3 Bi-turbo, Sapphire Schwarz

‘97 E36 B8 4.6 Touring (19/27) , Individual Tannen Grun

'02 E39 ACS5 3.0d Touring , Individual Velvet Blau - sold

'05 E53 X5 3.0d , Sapphire Schwartz - sold


Freude am Fahren - Sheer Driving Pleasure

Post Reply