Modernise your BMW’s cabin tech with expert iDrive retrofits & upgrades in North County Dublin. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, larger screens & more by Bimmerwise.
Is your older or base-model BMW’s iDrive system feeling dated compared to modern tech? Wish your BMW had Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a larger touchscreen, DAB radio, or the latest BMW navigation with up-to-date Irish maps? At Bimmerwise, Dublin’s foremost BMW enhancement and retrofit specialists, we offer factory-level iDrive retrofits and infotainment upgrades.
Our Lusk technicians professionally replace older CIC/NBT iDrive head units with newer, more capable NBT Evo or MGU systems. Alternatively, we seamlessly install high-quality MMI boxes integrating CarPlay/Android Auto with your existing screen and controls. Bimmerwise meticulously sources genuine BMW hardware or premium aftermarket solutions, performing intricate wiring and precise coding for flawless, factory-like integration. Elevate your driving experience and modernise your BMW’s tech with Bimmerwise. At Bimmerwise, “We make BMWs better.”
Retrofitting BMW iDrive systems is a specialised task involving meticulous hardware installation, intricate wiring, and precise vehicle-specific coding – far from plug-and-play. At Bimmerwise, serving BMW owners from Dublin and across Ireland from our Lusk base, our technicians possess profound understanding of BMW’s iDrive generations: CCC, CIC, NBT, NBT Evo, to the latest MGU.
We advise on viable upgrade paths for your BMW. Bimmerwise can source and install Genuine BMW components for full head unit retrofits (e.g., upgrading an F-series from CIC/basic NBT to NBT Evo ID6 with new screen/controller). For a budget-conscious modern smartphone connectivity solution, we expertly install premium aftermarket MMI (Multi-Media Interface) boxes from trusted brands, adding Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wired/wireless) to your existing screen, integrating with original controls.
Our team handles every installation aspect with painstaking care, ensuring secure connections and invisible wiring for a factory-perfect look. Crucially, we perform all essential ECU coding and programming. This ensures new hardware is recognised by other modules (instrument cluster, amplifier, PDC) and all features (steering wheel controls, voice commands, parking displays, audio) work flawlessly. Trust Bimmerwise for professional, reliable, seamlessly integrated iDrive retrofits.
Effortlessly connect your smartphone. Use essential apps like Google Maps/Waze for real-time Dublin traffic, stream Spotify/Apple Music, make hands-free calls, and manage messages via voice, all through your upgraded iDrive.
Upgrade from older, slower iDrive systems to newer generations with faster processors, larger, high-resolution touchscreens, intuitive menus, superior graphics, updated Irish/European navigation (RTTI where supported), and enhanced media playback.
A professionally retrofitted, modern iDrive with Apple CarPlay is a major selling point, enhancing your BMW's appeal, modernity, and resale value in the Irish used car market.
Enjoy a more intuitive, responsive, visually appealing interface. Depending on the retrofit, gain touchscreen control, faster boot-up, logical menus, and a more pleasant user experience compared to older iDrive versions.
My BMW lacks Apple CarPlay/Android Auto; I need Waze for Dublin traffic & Spotify for Irish drives.
The factory iDrive screen in my older BMW is small, dated, non-touch, and has poor resolution.
My current iDrive navigation maps are outdated for Ireland, and official updates are expensive/unsupported.
My existing iDrive is slow, laggy, struggles with modern media formats, or lacks DAB/good Bluetooth audio streaming.
I want a reversing camera for easier parking in tight Dublin spots, but my basic iDrive doesn't support it.
I plan to keep my BMW for years but want to refresh its interior tech to feel new, without buying a new car.
My imported BMW has an iDrive from another region (e.g., Japan) with incompatible maps/language for Ireland.
Installs an MMI box adding wired/wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto to your original BMW iDrive screen, using existing controls. Includes USB media playback & camera support. Ideal for older CCC, CIC, NBT, or early NBT Evo systems.
Comprehensive upgrade replacing older CIC/NBT head unit (often screen/controller too) with newer NBT Evo (iDrive 5/6). Brings native CarPlay, modern UI, potential touchscreen, updated navigation, enhanced multimedia. Requires extensive coding.
Replaces smaller, standard iDrive display with a larger, OEM-look, high-resolution screen (often 8.8"/10.25" touchscreen). Improves visuals for navigation, media, CarPlay. Standalone or with head unit retrofit.
Installs a high-quality reversing camera integrating with existing/retrofitted iDrive. Auto-displays on reverse with dynamic guidelines for safer parking.
Replaces analogue instrument cluster with a fully digital LCD display (similar to Live Cockpit Professional, e.g., 6WB for F-series). Offers modern, customisable look with different display modes. Complex installation/coding.
Adds DAB/DAB+ capability for crystal-clear digital radio stations across Ireland. Standalone module or part of head unit upgrade.
Yes! For many older BMWs in Ireland (E90, E60 with CCC/CIC iDrive), Bimmerwise can expertly retrofit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is often achieved by installing a high-quality MMI (Multi-Media Interface) box, integrating with your factory screen and controller for seamless app use (Waze, Google Maps, Spotify) in Dublin.
No. When Bimmerwise installs an MMI interface box for CarPlay/Android Auto, you retain 100% of your original factory iDrive features. You can easily switch between the new interface and your standard BMW menus by pressing an existing iDrive button (e.g., ‘Menu’). It’s an additive solution for our Dublin clients.
Installation time at our Lusk facility depends on complexity. An MMI box for CarPlay/Android Auto typically takes 3-5 hours. A full NBT Evo head unit and larger screen upgrade (more disassembly, wiring, coding) can take a full working day (6-8+ hours) or occasionally longer.
Both have advantages. Genuine BMW NBT Evo/MGU retrofits offer the most seamless OEM experience but are costlier, involving more parts/coding. Aftermarket MMI boxes are a popular, cost-effective way to add CarPlay/Android Auto to BMWs lacking it, while retaining original iDrive functions. Bimmerwise offers impartial advice for your BMW in Ireland.
Yes. If the retrofit involves a new, larger screen designed as a touchscreen (e.g., NBT Evo screens), and the head unit or MMI box supports touch input, Bimmerwise ensures full touch functionality is enabled and calibrated via coding for intuitive interaction, especially for apps like CarPlay/Android Auto.
In many cases, yes. Depending on your BMW’s current iDrive system and existing hardware, Bimmerwise can retrofit full BMW navigation capabilities. This might involve upgrading the head unit (e.g., to NBT or NBT Evo), installing a GPS antenna, and performing extensive coding. We can assess feasibility for your specific model.
Upgrading from CIC to NBT Evo ID6 is a significant retrofit. It involves replacing the CIC head unit, screen, and often the iDrive controller with NBT Evo components. Extensive wiring loom modifications or adapter harnesses are usually required, along with critical vehicle-specific coding and programming by Bimmerwise to ensure full integration and functionality of all vehicle features (PDC, sound system, instrument cluster etc.).
Most MMI box installations are fully reversible with no permanent modifications to your BMW’s factory wiring, making them ideal if you plan to sell the car later or return it to stock. Full head unit retrofits using genuine BMW parts can also be reversed, but this is a more involved process. We always discuss reversibility based on your chosen solution.
Absolutely. Correct vehicle-specific coding is a critical and non-negotiable part of any iDrive retrofit performed by Bimmerwise. Our specialists use advanced BMW diagnostic and programming tools to ensure all new components are properly recognised by the vehicle, all features work seamlessly, and there are no conflicts with other ECUs. This is essential for a stable, factory-like integration.
Generally, professionally installed, high-quality retrofits like those performed by Bimmerwise, especially using MMI boxes that work alongside the existing system or Genuine BMW parts, are unlikely to cause warranty issues for unrelated vehicle components. However, if a problem arises directly related to a retrofitted component, that specific component may not be covered by the BMW warranty. We always use best practices to maintain vehicle integrity.