Anyone know if you can "shoehorn" an AVIC F-Series in the BMW 1 Series.

Tom

You really need to get a custom double din fascia made up, and you have to hack the radio cage when done as well.

I fitted an F500 into the OEM portable nav tray on mine...

The unit is OK, but nothing more. The output levels are terrible so you need a line driver, but then you also need a ground loop isolator to cut out noise.

I had it wired up so the radio mutes with nav and tel, but I only wanted it to mute with the phone, and you can't choose that which is really annoying.

I have it hooked up to the aux, so when the phone rings I switch using the steering wheel button to aux and then it comes through the speakers as well, but until I get the line driver in it is acting more as a radio mute when I switch to aux as the unit is so quiet through its line level.

Also there is no button illumination on the F500, all the specs say 32k colours etc. but it is just white.

So now deciding whether to mod the illumination or not.

Don't get me wrong, a good unit, but just let down somewhat in certain areas.

Could you give more information about installation?

The changes made, the pieces that you used, etc.

Does the console already had or have you bought?

Are motorized and automatically opens or you do your hand?

Any image closed?

Thank you very much.

The tray is a part that comes with BMWs "Navigation Portable Plus", which is a rebadged Garmin 765T.

The tray part number is...

Part number is 65.90.2.158.728. and the price was £22.71 retail plus vat.

It replaces the storage tray found on some 1 series cars, if you don't have a storage tray you have to order one of those first...

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=51&fg=95

This comes with a template to cut the hole in the dash, so you are really spending €45 for a template, but at least it doesn't end being in the wrong place!!

I then used a dremel to cut a hole in the back of the trayto get the 500BT cable through and into the active mount that comes with the AVIC, then I superglued the mount to the tray.

You can see the mount supergued to the tray with the wires coming through here....

Now when you attach the cradle to that mount it is alot neater, the hole is hidden so it doesn't look messy when the nav is out of the tray.

I then wired the 12v to the ciggy lighter.

I bought a lighter extension and cut off the plug leaving me a socket with two bare wires.

Lift the gear surround off and you will see a connector with 3 wires in it, this leads to the ciggy lighter under the armrest.

The GREEN/YELLOW wire is 12v swicthed and the BROWN is ground, crimp the ciggy extension to this and then plug your AVIC power into that. There is enough room under there to tuck it in.

I then pulled the cable out the side and back up behind the radio, behind the air vent and into the tray.

Took 20 minutes to install.

If you want to install an in dash unit that replaces your factory radio use this or similar

http://www.metraonline.com/products.aspx?s=95-9306B

To see a similar install in a 335 check this thread

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=27867&p=195447&hilit=bmw#p195447

That fascia is made by connects2 and they said that it is for the 3 series only, they said the 1 series is slightly different. I would tend to agree as I have the OEM nav sat here with the OEM fascia for the 3 series and it doesn't fit the 1 series.

If they have tried it though and it fits then I may order one and give it a bash, I like the AVIC unit but the 500BT is flawed with its terrible line level out.

The link to the metra kit does state that it is for the 1 series on the web page and the installation instructions though.

Yeah I saw that.

I think I will order one from connects2 and see what it is like.

So, who wants to buy an F500 in the UK??

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!