2002 BMW 528i Avic-Z1 double din radio install pics

[Gregs///M]

Just finished a job for a customer of mine. 2002 BMW 528i, wanted a Pioneer Avic-Z1 double din radio in their dash. This was a bitch to fit into the dash so deep but I wanted a nice flush look. Took quite a lot of modifying but it came out well. Handmade custom trim panel to fit over the unit and factory radio bracket modified to hold the double din radio. Wood trim flap is still functional. Enjoy the pics.

[supark]

nice - though not to nitpick but I'd have just done away with the flap because it doesn't have a real useful purpose now...

[cdb3113]

definately one of the better installs i have seen for the E39. do you have a list of modifications you had to do, or even better, pictures taken during the process? i have been looking into doing a custom install myself to get a nice touchscreen display in there. i want to retain the functions of the existing display however, so i may have to relocate it.

its true, the flap does not serve a purpose, and i may have deleted it as well, however props for the rest of the install! very nice flush look! just leave the flap up, right? =)

[PaliE39]

MAKE ME ONE!!! i cant find a premade bezel for a double din nav unit anywhere! looks great. and i like that the flap is still functional. i dont know why, but its cool that its still there

[Gregs///M]

Making the bezel is the easy part. Fitting the unit into the dash is the biggest trouble. There is hardly any depth. I would not recommend anyone but an experienced installer to be able to fit the double din.

I could have deleted the trim ring but I used the factory mounting brackets for the factory radio and everything seemed to fit together and still allow it to swing down, so i figured I'de leave it. Not many people can install the double din and still have the trim fold down!

Email me if you decided to do it yourself and you need some pics, I took a few pics during the install.

[PaliE39]

oh that would be awesome man thanks alot.. just shoot some pics over to ahmadsamha@gmail.com i'd greatly appreciate it!

a friend of mine works at tweeter so we were gona work on it together, we just havent gotten started cause we dont really have a gameplan, i'm sure this would really help. thanks again!

[kingchorizo]

I guess as an owner of an E39 with Stock Navigation, it looks out of place. Don't get me wrong you did a nice job and made appear as "stock" as possible, but the problems with the Bimmer opening is it is so wide that when you add any aftermarket double-din unit, it has so much space to the left and right that it looks makes it look out of place and small. I am surprised there isn't an aftermarket kit that compensates for this opening or fills it with additional buttons to make it more appealing. I guess as non-nav owners, you only have 2 choices, upgrade to the bimmer nav mkiv unit or get an aftermarket unit.
I am greatful for my navigation (made by Alpine by the way) as there are several aftermarket add-ons for my nav that I don't have to upgrade the unit. here is a pic of it.

[tran2000]

Looks good. Did you have to modify any ducts to get the Z1 to fit?

[Gregs///M]

Very much so, yes.

[NORE]

Would of have been cool if u made a custom flap so that it could cover the whole screen. btw how much u charge for that custom install? looks great.

[PaliE39]

hey thanks alot for those pics.. i showed them to my friend and he says they'll be really helpful when we do the install! thanks again!

[chuckster71]

Just finished a job for a customer of mine. 2002 BMW 528i, wanted a Pioneer Avic-Z1 double din radio in their dash. This was a bitch to fit into the dash so deep but I wanted a nice flush look. Took quite a lot of modifying but it came out well. Handmade custom trim panel to fit over the unit and factory radio bracket modified to hold the double din radio. Wood trim flap is still functional. Enjoy the pics.

Would you mind sending me pics to cdmoll@sbcglobal.net? I am looking into upgrading my stock system in my 03 530i? Thanks, Chuck

[DennisCooper]

Hi Chuckster,

Bit of an old thread to bump up at over 4 years old!

Have a look at other threads/posts where people have done the double DIN head unit installs in E39's.

The current cleanest, and nicest looking way to do it is by using the Janus Design E39 double din fitting kit, and the airbox modification. The kit is here

http://www.janus-design.net/english/...edin/index.php click the link to see the fitting kit section as well. The kit will come in around 175 Euros, which is around $255 USD. Shipping I'd have thought would be around another $25-30 to the USA. Once you have that you'll need to get the cabin air box modified correctly and carefully. Some owners here have done it themselves - you can either cut and then seal it up or carefully melt it to make the space for the fitting kit. Expect around 3-4 hours labour costs at a pro car audio shop to do this for you. So perhaps another $200-300 or so. Then you can choose whichever double DIN head unit you want.

Theres pics on that site as well

Please post up pics of when you complete your install

Cheers, welcome to the forum by the way!

Dennis! West London UK!

[NYZ93]

Theres no such thing as a 2002 528i

[93formula]

Just did a double din in mine using a metra dash kit. No modification of the vents needed.

[Musicman132]

Just did a double din in mine using a metra dash kit. No modification of the vents needed.

Glad someone else was thinking the same thing as me.
is this a special edition e39?
I'm lost....

[OffTheEdge]

we have used the metra kit on more than a handfull of e39's. the kit works well and no modification to the inner works of the dash. I would like to see the pics of the custom install but all I see is little red x's

[DennisCooper]

Hiya

I also have a double DIN kit where modification of the vents isn't needed. It 'tilts' the double DIN unit up so as to clear the top edge of the airbox. The downside is theres a corresponding 'lip' along the top outside





BMW owners being so finickity say they don't like this option, which is fair enough, each to their own, for me, the £250 or so saving from having to have the airbox mod done by a pro audio shop and also having the latest 2010 technology in the shape of this Alpine unit far greatly benefits me, I can put up with an inch lip showing!!

Cheers, Dennis! West London UK!

[jdjg]

dennis I'm in love with the simplicity of your car...........

but i'm one of those bmw owners, I don't like your audio setup, sorry mate

cheers

jdjg, Panama City, Panama.....

[DennisCooper]

Hiya,

jdjg - cheers for the compliment on the car, and yes, I know the vast majority of BMW owners will scoff as my setup doesn't look oem !

I direct that question to you - am I correct in thinking the 'only' reason you don't like my setup is that it doesn't 'look' oem? or are there other factors as well? if so, could you let me know what they are?!

The reason I ask, is that I have a concept I've been working on as part of my forthcoming business venture and would like to gain some independant views from owners to see if some of my due diligence is on the right tracks

At some point, I'll also put up a specific thread as well

Cheers, Dennis! West London UK!

[xisco44]

i dont mind the radio on your car dennis but it doesnt look oem
i think thats the issue if the lcd was wider or something so it could look more hualliganish but with better quality

[jdjg]

Hiya,

jdjg - cheers for the compliment on the car, and yes, I know the vast majority of BMW owners will scoff as my setup doesn't look oem !

I direct that question to you - am I correct in thinking the 'only' reason you don't like my setup is that it doesn't 'look' oem? or are there other factors as well? if so, could you let me know what they are?!

The reason I ask, is that I have a concept I've been working on as part of my forthcoming business venture and would like to gain some independant views from owners to see if some of my due diligence is on the right tracks

At some point, I'll also put up a specific thread as well

Cheers, Dennis! West London UK!

My major reason its was the lcd looks like don't fit in your dashboard, feel like the lcd try soooo hard to fit in the dashboard.....

for example, the Hualingan and Dynav (I think they call this) looks cheap (I know that because my cousin has the Hualingan in his car a e46 that are basically the same widescreen in the e39) but looks like the fit in the dashboard, he don't need to put this horrible black frame around the lcd to try to fit with the dashboard......
And again, I in love with the simplicity of your car, I guess you have the manual front seat right? (I want one of those seats to my e39, with the manual setup)
cheers

jdjg from Panama City, Panama.....

[DennisCooper]

Hi jdjg,

I know that English isn't your first language - no worries on that. From what you've said and just re-arranging it in my mind I think you're saying what I mentioned before, which is;

Any of the aftermarket options, be it the Dynavin or Hualingan all in one replacement units, or the various double DIN fascias (like mine) don't look like the OEM 16:9 monitor/head unit. The nearest they can get is the 'black frame' around it.

I think I'm right in thinking that's what you meant! - I agree to an extent with you as well, the Chinese made Hualingan does indeed 'feel' cheap and has that typically Chinese electronics look to it. It's saving factor is that the screen is centralised and is 7 inch. The Dynavin is better looking aesthetically, much more oem looking except they've had to use a smaller screen and everything isn't centralised - it's all about 5-10mm lower.

The Fascia kits like mine above and the Janus Design hold Double DIN head units very well but are just fascias.

The OEM audio equipment is now old and outdated and massively overpriced, so it's stump up for old second hand no warranty modules that could fail in the next few weeks or months with no comeback, or one of the Chinese units or one of the Fascias.

Yes, my car has the manual seats, I wanted electric Sport black leather ones but then I thought it's just not needed, I drive 99.99% of the time, so they'd be useless really. It just so happens I have 2 black leather manual Sport front seats in my garage right now... if you really get stuck, you could buy them but shipping would be relatively expensive..

Cheers, Dennis! West London UK!

[jdjg]

yes Dennis, english it's not my first language, but I try to make some effort... lol

But yes, you are correct with my perception with your setup....

For the manual sports seat, lets talk the next year....

cheers mate....

jdjg, Panama City, Panama.....

[Gregs///M]

Sorry guys, this is the only picture I have left of that install.



Flush mount head unit, even the wood flat still folds completely down. No head unit sticking out.