[p-dawg]

Hello. I just wanted to write up a thank you post to Simon who on here is known as vorph for doing my combox retrofit on my 2009 plate E90.

I originally just had the standard CIC kit in my car and really wanted the 6NR combox. I contacted Simon who I was buying the combox from and he offered to do the install for me as well which is quite daunting. Simon came to my house yesterday to do the install in this freezing cold weather. He swapped out my old combox and telematics box and re did all the wiring and put everything all back in place and did the necessary flashing, coding and also showed me how everything works with pairing my phone.

Simon pays close attention in his work and takes high pride in carrying out his installs. Everything is done to such a high professional standard - credit to simon. Everything is just as intact as before. He even tidying up some loose cabling from a previous retrofit I did for me too.

I now have bluetooth audio streaming, spotify works over bluetooth now, BMW Apps, internet etc.

If anyone is thinking of having something retrofitted I would only ever recommend Simon, he is simply that good and know's his stuff!

Thanks Simon aka the vorph. All the best and happy new year!












picture uploading

[speedracer2169]

nice

[HollowmanVIII]

Just want to add high praise to Simon as well as he is on his way back down South now as I type, after spending the day here in Lancashire fitting a combox on my E92 Coupe.

He shows a high level of detail and commitment to his work. It was a long afternoon but Simon ensured everything was running as it should before he left.

Love all the new features, especially the spotify app which looks great with the album art.

Anybody wanting iDrive, combox etc retrofits then he is your man.

Thanks again!

[S1 John]

Where is Simon located and what is the rough cost to have this done? Miss not having bluetooth streaming on my cic.

Thanks

[david in germany]

Originally Posted by S1 John

Where is Simon located and what is the rough cost to have this done? Miss not having bluetooth streaming on my cic.

Thanks

Interested as well. Maybe he can provide instructions.

[drew 007]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread OP but I've got to ask, I've got a CIC system in my car its been retro fitted and for me to get the album cover/pictures/internet BMW apps on the idrive screen i must plug my phone in via a cable into the usb in the armrest.

I can stream spotify over bluetooth via the combox but that just tells me the track name and artist etc, no album pictures.. How can i get to use the CIC for all the features without having my phone hard wired in please guys or is that what the 6NR is all about?

Any help will be really appreciated.

Many thanks,

Kind regards.

[Deadlock]

Time to add another review 😊So just before Christmas I had a few chats with (Vorph) Simon regarding an fsc code for 2017 maps. Simon gladly provided this, but I was having lots of problems with the installation of maps (The fsc code worked however) But after many chats with Simon and with a dealership re my failing map updates I decided to opt for Simon to do a full combox retro fit.

Well the day came, I drove over to Simon and parked up in the warehouse he is using. After pleasantries :-) Simon got to work immediately, checked various systems and found out to my and Simon's surprise that my firmware hadn't been updated in fact nothing had been updated since factory !!! You may say "so what?!" Well I paid BMW £200 in late 2015 to update my firmware to get my maps updated from 2008 to 2015 at the time. No wonder updating my maps to 2017 was a struggle!! They said firmware had to be updated, they needed my car in for the whole day to do this!!!

Anyway....we moved on. Simon updated firmware, gateway, CIC, maps, all the while checking various systems, updated my gearbox/transmission software, engine software, reset transmission. Extremely neatly uninstalled old combox and Bluetooth - installed new combox (took out seats, re-wired) tested everything then put everything back.

Tested, then asked me to test while going through all the new "goodies" :-)

Very impressive work, would recommend all day long!!

And of today? All going strong, loving Spotify, emails and texts coming up and just getting started on the BMW connect apps and internet etc...

Thanks again Simon.

[p-dawg]

Originally Posted by drew 007

Sorry to hi-jack your thread OP but I've got to ask, I've got a CIC system in my car its been retro fitted and for me to get the album cover/pictures/internet BMW apps on the idrive screen i must plug my phone in via a cable into the usb in the armrest.

I can stream spotify over bluetooth via the combox but that just tells me the track name and artist etc, no album pictures.. How can i get to use the CIC for all the features without having my phone hard wired in please guys or is that what the 6NR is all about?

Any help will be really appreciated.

Many thanks,

Kind regards.

If you stream Spotify over bluetooth via the combox all you will get on the idrive display is the track name and artist information - you will not get album pictures. If you want album pictures the only was is by plugging in your phone into the USB port I am afraid.

[drew 007]

Originally Posted by p-dawg

If you stream Spotify over bluetooth via the combox all you will get on the idrive display is the track name and artist information - you will not get album pictures. If you want album pictures the only was is by plugging in your phone into the USB port I am afraid.

Thats great thanks buddy really appreciated, so hardwired is the only way i can get my idrive screen to mirror my phone?

Many thanks,

Kind regards.

[p-dawg]

Originally Posted by drew 007

Thats great thanks buddy really appreciated, so hardwired is the only way i can get my idrive screen to mirror my phone?

Many thanks,

Kind regards.

Yup it's only way pal, unless someone else knows more...

[vorph]

Thank you guys for nice feedback

[Dormermike]

Does apps require a subscription? I have an f10 with CIC and can stream audio via Bluetooth etc but no weather apps. I assume f10 CIC is the same as e90 CIC? Any pointers appreciated.. would be great to have weather and spotify. Thanks

[vorph]

Originally Posted by Dormermike

Does apps require a subscription? I have an f10 with CIC and can stream audio via Bluetooth etc but no weather apps. I assume f10 CIC is the same as e90 CIC? Any pointers appreciated.. would be great to have weather and spotify. Thanks

All depends of your car build date, actual CIC i-level and way you want to activate apps.

[mjn77]

Really fancy the BMW Apps. Already have a combox, etc, but most people are quoting stupid money.

[Wavey 335i]

He done mine also. Highly recommended very good job!

[Wobble]

Hi I really want to get my emails,txts and weather and BMW apps to work on my 61 plate 325d m sport idrive,what's the easiest way to do this,or is anyone around Cheshire (Warrington or Chester) that can do it thanks

[abeardo83]

I really fancy this. How much does it cost, there or thereabouts?

[richk84]

I think a lot depends on what version of CIC you have and whether you have USB in your armrest.

I'd be interfered in getting it done. Maybe we could arrange for Simon to come up North and split the costs that way

[mjn77]

vorph where abouts are you based?

[richk84]

Originally Posted by mjn77

vorph where abouts are you based?

He's in Southampton

[Dormermike]

Originally Posted by vorph

All depends of your car build date, actual CIC i-level and way you want to activate apps.

Car build date is March 2012. Not sure about version but fairly late I think.

[radoval]

Simon did the retrofit of Combox in my f10 (June 2010) just before Christmas.
Very neat and tidy, well organized, knows the stuff. No problems whatsoever. Did the part replacement, wiring changes, programming and what-else.

Originally I wanted to do that myself but was worrying of bricking the car (and hell lot of other stuff).
After Simon's job, the i-drive came to life and I realized that it had been actually bricked by BMW themselves (how can you make a car WITHOUT smartphone integration!? ).

So now there is plenty of goodies (and my favorite: Bluetooth audio streaming).

Thanks Simon