Is there any other bmw models that share the same radio display.The pixels are not showing up and I can't find any X5 for breaking in my area.

Do you have the business radio with tape or CD above, or the 16.9 screen with Nav? If you have the former there are several companies who do pixel repairs for the radio and instrument cluster. Or check out Ebay for replacement if you want to stay OEM. The alternative is a replacement head unit Dynavin, Hualigin or similar which will give DVD/CD Nav, TV, Bluetooth etc.

Hi Dave,

I've just joined this group having bought myself a 2003 X5 in Hong Kong recently. Regarding your comment about Dynavin & Hualigin, Do you have any experience of either of these?

I've been trawling the web for reviews but they seem to be very thin on the ground, and the few that are out there give a mixed result....

Cheers...

Hi Neil

My 4.4 started to develop problems with the Nav and TV module, the remedy would have been to replace both units. Even sourcing from Ebay the cost looked to be in the order of £500, the cost of replacing with an aftermarket unit was around £400. I looked at both units as I wanted to retain as much as possible the OEM look. I used a Hualigan unit which looked good the only fiddle was a long interface cable loom is required if you have the 16.9 screen with Nav etc which I did. It runs from the boot to the front of the car worse for me as I had LPG so the OEM radio connections are under the tank in the boot. Once fitted the headunit is a straight swap, I found extension adapters for the Antennas and used the cars built in antennas to keep the OEM look as much as possible. The unit gave Bluetooth (Phone and A2DP) CD/DVD, Radio, DVB TV, Ipod connection, SD card, USB the list goes on.

So how did it compare? well generally the unit performed really well easy to use with a simple user interface.

Downside? the radio receiver was not the best with flaky reception in some areas of the UK and you loose the OBD for temp, fuel. etc.

As I understand it these units have come a long way in just the last 3 years so may be the radio issue has been fixed now? Plus some one will come up with an interface I am sure to let the unit communicate with the I-bus so the OBD function can be retained

My current X5 has the OEM set up and it all works so no need to consider a change or an upgrade but if there were problems or issues where cost of repair outwayed the cost of a replacement then I wouldn't hesitate. Likewise if I had a Business CD radio set up with no screen it really is plug and play.

Hope this helps

Hi Dave,

Thanks for getting back to me, your explanation helps a lot.

I have the business cd radio set up so it sounds like an no brainer. I have a professional installer looking at which unit he believes is best at the moment, so I'll wait to see what he' says before making a final decision.

HK radio stations are mainly broadcast in Cantonese and the English ones are not worth the effort, so radio isn't a big deal for me. Main functions I'm looking for are the blue tooth for the phone, Playing songs via the iPod, SatNav, and would be good if I could get an app loaded on for playing UK digital radio.

Sounds like these units fullfill these basic wants, so I'll give one of them a go.

Thanks again...