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Chiming in here. I have a Roadtop unit installed as well. There is no need to hit the menu button. The system automatically detects and switches to Apple Car play or Android Auto. I use the latter.

As for placement of the unit. I took out the glovebox and stuck the unit on a dashboard support beam to the right of the glovebox. You could zip tie to that. I'll admit that glovebox removal ain't easy and you need a short handle wrench to remove the torx screws below the glovebox. I remember it being secured by 4 or 5 screws.

As for microphone, I wired it using the supplied microphone tap. I'd say its easier that installing and tucking away the main processing box. There's just a little fear in it as you need to run the mic wire over the pillar airbag unit. All you need to do is take the drivers door rubber beading off, drop the mic from the headliner and install the mic tap unit. Its plug and play. Use a steel coat hanger of sorts to feed the supplied mic wire over the pillar air bag unit and into the headliner. Route the other end down on the A Pillar and into the dashboard. Both ends of the dashboard have a little plastic piece that comes off easily with a trim tool. I used the same coat hanger wire to pass it through and behind the dashboard and past the steering rack to reach the processing unit.

I also had to run an AUX cable into the center console. Else there would be no audio. I just ran it through the side of center transmission tunnel and tucked the wires in. They are out of sight.

Very pleased with the install. I now need to replace my screen as the lamination has sun damage and you can barely see whats on the screen during day time. Less of an issue an night.

Had to have a glass of cold milk and lie down after this DIY explanation rl:.

Will you also please post some pictures of your setup? And the sun damage is to your OEM screen? Not due to Road Top or any other factor?

EDIT: Found your thread! https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...r-old-bmw.html

Here you go. I think my car is older than yours so some minor differences may apply to the setup.

Screen damage is another known issue. Happens with age. Not a fault of Road Top. The weird thing is the level of damage keeps changing day to day, with the damage repairing itself when I park the car in the shade and then going back to being worse when parked under harsh sunlight. The screen damage isn't pictured in the above link as the screen was fine then.

Thinking about it today, I now feel I should have bought the touch screen Road Top unit cause with that, there is no decoder box. Its built into the screen. More the case now cause a used BMW replacement screen costs as much as the touch screen Road Top unit!

The condition of the sun damaged screen. Barely readable during day. Useable at night. Don't know if I should blow $500 for a used screen or just live with it. Cause the car is quite old.

Eeeeks, feel for you, it does look ghastly during the day. Is there no way you can DIY just the screen child component(s) if at all possible? Or maybe hunt for an used screen from a scrapped similar vehicle?

Why not try a high quality windshield screen (the aluminumized foldable ones) during the day?

From everything that I've read on the inter web, its the internal screen lamination that has failed. It ain't worth DIY-ing.

A used screen is easily available. I'm on the fence about blowing $500 for it, cause that screen also has age going against it. If in 6 months that replacement screen were to fail in the same way, thats money down to drain.

I use a windshield screen. Didn't save the idrive screen from this issue though.

Hello to both of you!

How are your respective Roadtop units faring? Coming to end of my 5 year BRI, hence exploring mods to my wretched iD6 unit and other areas. :D

Works flawlessly.

I use wireless Android Auto. The system does glitch from time to time. Its Android thats the issue. Not the Road Top unit.

The same works flawlessly with my sons iphone (Apple Car play).

I recommend getting their touch screen unit though. The hardware is integrated into the screen. Will further modernize the experience versus using the stock idrive screen, which in my case has experienced sun damage.