[jmilber]

Hello,

I am purchasing a 335i Sedan tommorow, but the car doesn't have the parking sensors which I was looking forward to having. If I pay the dealership, is it possible to have them install them? Or is it either from the factory or nothing?

[convinceme]

I think you can have them install it but it will be PRICEY...

[Deda]

yes you can!

[DrGP]

Google rear parking sensors. You will find quite a lot of aftermarket options at a reasonable price. Depending on the color of your car, you might just want to buy the BMW sensor to match your car's color. BTW, BMW's rear sensors for Jet and Sapphire black actually look purple

[convinceme]

How much does it cost anyways to have them do that, I mean that would require wiring and a new bumper wouldn't it?

[SpecC]

PM the member named riptide

he put a small camera in the middle of the rear bumper and connected it to this GPS which he mounted in one of the air vents

[Neurorad]

The retrofit BMW PDC system is not the same as the factory-installed one.

You can get the factory installed PDC system, but it will cost you - you'll have to buy a new car.

The retrofit system uses a beeping tone that increases in frequency as you approach something. I'm unsure if the factory system uses a tone, but it definately uses a visual 'diagram' on the monitor.

Search PDC, on this forum, with and without the additional term 'retrofit'.

[balance]

Its going to be WAYY expensive, the dealerships will kill you on labor.
I was trying to get the dealership to install a iPod USB Adapter in my car and they told me it will run well over a grand so I was like forget it.
PDC I'm pretty sure is a bigger job and isn't worth the money.

[Robert]

Yup, I use the pair of balls in my eye socket as parking sensor. Works pretty well so far.

[tsp533]

Originally Posted by bobbo

Yup, I use the pair of balls in my eye socket as parking sensor. Works pretty well so far.

You have a pair of balls in your eye socket?

[R608]

Originally Posted by Neurorad

The retrofit BMW PDC system is not the same as the factory-installed one.
. . .
The retrofit system uses a beeping tone that increases in frequency as you approach something. I'm unsure if the factory system uses a tone, but it definately uses a visual 'diagram' on the monitor.

I think that's just with Nav. I have factory PDC on my car and no visual indicators, or even a button for it. Just get beeping sound. It's kind of too bad they don't utilize the display between the speedometer and tach for the rest of us, but not a big deal, really.

[DrGP]

Originally Posted by Neurorad

The retrofit BMW PDC system is not the same as the factory-installed one.

You can get the factory installed PDC system, but it will cost you - you'll have to buy a new car.

The retrofit system uses a beeping tone that increases in frequency as you approach something. I'm unsure if the factory system uses a tone, but it definately uses a visual 'diagram' on the monitor.

Search PDC, on this forum, with and without the additional term 'retrofit'.

PDC in non nav cars just beeps.

[magmd]

Trust me...you can do pretty much anything.


Just gotta be willing to $$$$. How much---I have no idea. But you need to ask yourself....is it worth more than $1k or not.

If yes, look into it further. If no....stop now.

[Bimmeration]

i'm looking into this, too.

[Bilka]

heres a post on retrofitting PDC


http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...&highlight=PDC

[jmilber]

It would be worth $1000 to me but no more than that really.... I will look into this tomorrow and post what I learn. I live in SF where there are a lot of hills and tight parking everywhere--- my friend has an Audi A8 with parking sensors and man; what a convenience they are. They keep your bumper looking better since you wont have those occasional bumper chippers when you estimate the space behind you wrong.

[EDK99]

Why not order one with it. Way cheaper then a retrofit.

[cstavaru]

Believe me, parking sensors are A MUST. I learned this coming from a smaller car without, I can now park the BMW in tighter spaces than that car and avoid scratching the bumper of this expensive car.

They are definitely worthing $1000. But there is also a temporary option available at a lower cost: buy Meta Targa SR2 rear parking sensors which mount on the number plate (so no drilling the bumper !) the sensors work very well, they only cost about $130 and you can mount them yourself. No permanent modification to the car is made.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product...targa_sr2.html

[RyanDe680]

Why not just consider a backup camera?

[SoQuick]

have someone ground guide you

[viobruin]

Originally Posted by RyanDe680

Why not just consider a backup camera?

I used to think backup cameras were the best, but after using both, I must say that I much prefer parking sensors to a backup camera. Parallel parking with sensors is so much easier because you can focus more on using your side mirror (which folds down in reverse) than your rearview mirror. This, in turn, makes parallel parking more accurate in terms of spacial relation to the curb.

A backup camera, on the other hand, is essentially a very good rearview mirror, which leaves me less time to focus on the side mirror and makes my parking less accurate.

I can park well without any sensors whatsoever, but if I had to choose between a backup camera and parking sensors, the parking sensors make it so much easier.

[jocamryn]

Originally Posted by SoQuick

have someone ground guide you