[XAMI]

Recently installed the BimmerDirect - Carplay/Android 8.8 screen replacement.
~~Any feedback, experience, advice for this same screen is welcomed.~~

Replaced the old non-nav screen on my 2016 m235i because i mainly wanted an updated style, with maps and an EQ.

Positives:
Maps works great (didn't have it before), I now have a full audio EQ which i didn't have on the stock screen (I have the HQ audio system)
Easier to browse and select songs/playlists.
Screen fills up the whole thing vs 2/3 on the stock system.
And that might be it.

Installation was pretty easy, only had to swap out about 3 plugs, it took me longer because i didn't want to break anything, and i reached out to support about some plugs that they mentioned, which mine didn't have which turned out to be normal.

Negatives:
-Very very generic "instructions" for a range of cars, which led to confusion.

-LOTS of settings to set, to get it to work, which aren't given to you at all. I spent more time with support getting the initial settings right, than it took to install the hardware. Support was amazing and fast, as i was in my car with everything apart, but they ended up having me go through and toggle every setting, then change it to the next, and to the next until it worked.
I wish they had a list of settings to use, that is specific to your VIN.

-Sometimes audio doesn't connect, and i have to switch the bluetooth destination to either carplay or bmw on my phone

-Sometimes an incoming call will kill the carplay connection.

-With announce text turned on, it will kill the carplay connection once a text comes through.

-My backup camera works half of the time, the other half it says "camera malfunction" no rhyme or reason. Also the reverse angle lines are completely gone and i can't get them back.

-Carplay mode is touchscreen, if i go into the old stock-drive system for car settings and touch the screen, it crashes and freezes.

-Hitting the next button on the stock stereo, will skip 2 songs, instead of just going to the next one.

All in all, its cool, but the frustration of songs dropping and not playing is really annoying (it'll say connected, show the song with the timer moving, but no audio)

My biggest frustration is the backup camera only working half of the time.
I really don't want to sit on the phone with support while they have me toggle every single setting to try and get it to work the way it should. (they had me do that to get it to this point)


I may end up reverting to the stock system if it frustrates me enough, even though i don't want to.

Has anyone else installed this same 8.8 screen on a 2016 235i non-nav car and gotten it to work perfectly? If so, i'd love to hear which settings you have used.

This is the one i purchased:
https://bimmerdirect.com/collections...y-android-auto

[HUGMEE]

I had a horrible experience with BimmerDirect from beginning to end not to mention the rep Ian G. is rude and their units are overpriced.

These screens are dropped shipped and the same unit is $199 through Road Top. Amazon's Ninetom is Road Top. I went to Autoabc for $220. They are all the same units.

[XAMI]

Originally Posted by HUGMEE

I had a horrible experience with BimmerDirect from beginning to end not to mention the rep Ian G. is rude and their units are overpriced.

These screens are dropped shipped and the same unit is $199 through Road Top. Amazon's Ninetom is Road Top. I went to Autoabc for $220. They are all the same units.

Thanks, so did you end up ditching the BD hardware, and got the exact same one through Autoabc and it worked the way it should?