1) Why is this Review Important/Unique?
I will be the first to admit that I have no mechanical or technical abilities and I set about this task with a great deal of apprehension on whether I could handle the installation and the coding. Hence, my having installed the system successfully is a testament to two things: First, the fact that anyone can indeed handle this installation, and second the absolutely amazing level of support and guidance provided by Patryk. I cannot emphasize the importance of this second factor enough.
2) Why did I choose the CIC Retro fit Route?
When I bought my 2008 M3, I disregarded the fact that the car came with the older navigation. Had I known how much better the CIC system is, I would have held out for a 2009+ car to get the system. Unlike many, I use the idrive a lot especially for the navigation and the old system was quite frustrating with its clunky interface and slow response time. I also like having a clean OEM setup, so this took out aftermarket navigation systems.
I started exploring this option after reading Technic’s thread on M3post on swapping out CCC for the CIC. My eyes glazed over after reading about 3 posts, due to the technical nature of the discussion and installation. I shelved the plan.
I then came across Patryk’s thread for the retrofit and my interest was rejuvenated after reading the number of users with positive reviews. I corresponded with Patryk to get some basics, but I was still intimidated by the installation and was hesitant because it is not necessarily the cheapest mod.
3) My Impulse Purchase
I bought my CIC from an M3post member who put his unit for sale after trading in his car. This was the opportunity that I was waiting for and I bought the system immediately. I was confident about the purchase because Patryk had already confirmed that he would be willing to code the system for me even if I didn’t purchase it from him. The seller also wrote up an amazing DIY for the system so that gave me a lot of hope.
4) Hardware Installation
The seller had the nav to me within 5 days of my purchasing the system. My intent was that I would have one of my more technically apt friends install the system for me in exchange for some beers. As my luck would have it, none of my friends could spare the time right away and I was itching to install the system. My patience ran out after 2 weeks of sharing the couch with the CIC system. I made an appointment with a DIY garage and nervously set about the task.
In my first 2 hour session meticulously following the seller’s DIY, I managed to completely remove the old navigation system, leaving a huge gaping hole in my dash. I still had all the critical aspects left for the second session. Specifically, swapping the HD video connectors and routing the USB cord to the glove compartment.
For the second session, I did enlist the help of a meticulous friend, who helped swap out the HD connectors and route the USB. We made a couple of mistakes, the significant one being a broken connector which required a hasty trip to the dealership parts department. The rest of the installation went smoothly, which left me wondering why I didn’t start the installation sooner.
While I didn’t document the installation, I will direct you to an awesome DIY:
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...t=cic+retrofit
5) Navigation and Voice Control Coding
This was the biggest hurdle to my getting the retrofit, because the software world is a big blur to me. This is where Patryk’s expertise kicked in. He gave me simple directions to download a few files to my desktop. The steps were simple enough that even I could handle them with ease. Once the programs were downloaded, he connected up to my car, asked me a few questions over skype and within a couple of hours I had a shiny new navigation system with DVD in motion!
6) Is the Retrofit for you?
For those who rely on idrive have 08 cars, I definitely recommend this upgrade. In addition, for me it was a simple way to freshen up my car as I do intend to keep my car for the long term. The cost is definitely a factor, but keep in mind that Patryk also offers a non OEM coding option which makes it about $1000 cheaper. I personally opted for activation with OEM codes, as I like the security of OEM functionality. If you can find used CIC parts (like I did), the entire process becomes even more cost effective.
7) Patryk’s Customer Service
I wanted to dedicate a section to Patryk’s customer service because the service he provides is not a simple “put in box and ship to buyer” process.
Within 2 days of my opting for the navigation coding, Patryk had the coding cable shipped to me.
His communication is absolutely amazing. I could expect to hear from him within minutes of my sending him a question over PM. As an example, the day prior to my coding, I decided to get voice control activated as well. Voice control requires Patryk to get additional FSC codes from BMW which could take up to 3 days. Patryk placed my order immediately and managed to get the codes in time for my installation.
Initially, I was a bit apprehensive of having someone remotely code my car. What would be the recourse in the event of an issue? My fears were immediately laid to rest as I got a glimpse into Patryk’s level of knowledge with coding. As a first example, my computer did not recognize the remotecoding software. Patryk, however, anticipated this and asked me not to worry about it since he had a solution for it. As another example, my car did not immediately recognize the navigation FSC codes. Over Skype, Patryk calmly requested me to sleep the car by shutting off everything and rebooting the navigation. Lo and behold the issue was sorted!
My point is that at no point during the remote coding process did I feel like Patryk did not know what he was doing.
I am thinking about doing the COMBOX retrofit as a next step and Patryk will be my vendor of choice for the installation.