Will my Idrive/NAV work in Germany?

[Swadeness]

Just a quick question. I am shipping my car to Germany later this month. Will my navigation work over there or will I need to purchase/install new maps? My 135 is US spec with a June 2010 build date.

Thanks

[ND40oz]

You're going to have to get them installed since it's hard drive based. Once you have the disk to install the maps, you'll need the FSC code which you can either get from here supposedly: http://fscmap.com/ or the dealer.

Or you can pay the local dealer to do it all.

[Dackelone]

You can go to any BMW Zentrum (dealer) over here and have them load the proper DVD. They are not cheap though. I think under 200 euros.

And get ready to pay a lot (over here)... bc German gas is right under $9 a gallon right now.

[Swadeness]

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by ND40oz

You're going to have to get them installed since it's hard drive based. Once you have the disk to install the maps, you'll need the FSC code which you can either get from here supposedly: http://fscmap.com/ or the dealer.

Or you can pay the local dealer to do it all.

Does anybody have any experience using this? It might be worth trying to save some cash.

Originally Posted by Dackelone

You can go to any BMW Zentrum (dealer) over here and have them load the proper DVD. They are not cheap though. I think under 200 euros.

And get ready to pay a lot (over here)... bc German gas is right under $9 a gallon right now.

I think I'll try and get it done over here if it is that expensive. And $9 dollars a gallon That is almost unbelievable.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Swadeness

I think I'll try and get it done over here if it is that expensive. And $9 dollars a gallon That is almost unbelievable.

Are you coming as a private citizen? Or thru the military?

IF you are coming over here privately... $9 a gallon is just the start of it! Then the Germans will charge you all these taxes and fee's - to put your car in the German system. A new 135i costs around 45K euros over here! You can import a US spec car over here for six months I beleive... (you do have to post a "customs bond" but you can drive around with US stafe tags while over here) but IF you intend to bring a 135i over here for good... and get German tags you will be paying big time $$$$.

Dackel

[Swadeness]

Coming over through the military.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Swadeness

Coming over through the military.

Ok, cool. Just like all of us already here. So gas is only $4 per gallon and we are exempt from most German car taxes.

[ND40oz]

I'd honestly just do what Dackel suggested and get your local German dealership to do it if it's only 200 Euro or so. That way, they can undo it for you when you ship it back and you have dealership support should you have any issues.