[DaWhole9]

Just got a 2016 535i and saw that you can upgrade the MMI to support wireless CarPlay. Is there a downside? Do I lose any current functionality?

[CrippledLucifer]

The only downside I know is that the map won't work with the HUD and if I remember correctly, neither will the music playlists. Otherwise all stock functionalities are retained.

[DaWhole9]

Originally Posted by CrippledLucifer

The only downside I know is that the map won't work with the HUD and if I remember correctly, neither will the music playlists. Otherwise all stock functionalities are retained.

I just got the car and haven't even used the bmw Nav yet lol. Didnt realize the playlists or the Nav showed up on HUD.

[Hellboy550i]

the car have very rich sound effects if it play in cd or music collections, but if we attach the carplay will we get the same sound effect or its worst?

[Surly73]

So IMO you haven't been quite specific enough with your question. You said "upgrade the MMI to support Carplay". With this statement you could mean 'retrofit an MMI unit with Carplay" or "upgrade the existing system to support Carplay".

Your 2016 has NBT (at least) which puts you in a different starting place than some like me with the older CIC (in my 2011). I have just recently retrofit an MMI unit to add Carplay.

Downsides? It will always be a retrofit. They've done a pretty good job, but the Carplay audio comes in the AUX input. I can't listen to the radio and use Nav at the same time any more. What the other person said about HUD is also true, but I'm OK with that. If I so much as touch a door handle when the car is parked the Carplay unit wakes up and grabs my cell phone, but once it's fully booted it usually releases it once it realizes that the car isn't started.

Some people have upgraded their Nav unit entirely to a new BMW unit that supports Carplay. The newer your starting unit, it's likely that fewer components will require upgrading. This option would never be a "retrofit" and everything should just work.

So far, for the money the retrofit is OK and I don't want to remove it or anything like that, but it's not quite perfect. It will breathe a little more useful life into the vehicle I think, opening up easier use of music services and the like in addition to Nav.

[Egoy936]

I have had every aftermarket piece of junk out there. I recommend upgrading to NBT evo with oem Apple CarPlay. I have a few NBT evos left for sale. It is a plug and play solution.