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PCM replacement/alternatives.

Scubadiver

Well-known member
Joined
3 Jun 2017
Messages
49
The 2003 Cayenne Turbo I bought recently came with a PCM with a dead screen. Everything seems to work other than that so hoped it might be fixable, but it seems the cost of repair in addition to the missing UK SatNav disc would leave me forking out similar money to an up to date replacement.

So, my question is what have people fitted? I've had a good search around but if anything I'm left with more questions than answers.

What's important to me is:

SatNav - a good, postcode based system.
Radio - preferably DAB but not vital.
Hands free phone.
Integration - OEM look with integration with the steering wheel controls and fibre optic Bose amp.

Any other features would be a bonus, but those are the musts.

For plug and play my options seem to be:

One of the Chinese Android based machines on Ebay (but my feeling is they are likely to be garbage)
The Dynavin N6-PC which others seem to have bought but I'm struggling to find longer term reviews of how they perform and the one review on Amazon is shocking.

Any other option would seem to be a standard double din unit by any other make made to fit with a Cayenne specific surround/fitting kit. It's the steering wheel and Bose amp integration that I'm not sure about in these cases.

Has anyone fitted an aftermarket stereo to a Cayenne that they'd recommend?
 
I guess the other question I need to ask is if I decide to stay OEM and buy one of the second hand PCMs on Ebay, is is just a straight swap? Or are they coded to the car in any way?

The one I've now removed is a PCM 2.1, BE6654 which has manufacture date on the unit of 15/05 (???) and came with a set of 8 Navigation CDs from 08/2007 with CD3 (UK) missing.

Would I need to replace with another Becker 6654? Or would other PCMs fit? Is sourcing the missing CD going to be a problem?
 
I'll answer some of my own questions.... :lol:

The Chinese Android based units are indeed garbage.

The twice as expensive Dynavin version (also Chinese) also garbage. Having now met someone who bought one and regrets it as it constantly freezes and has to pulled out of the dash to have the plug pulled, I've eliminated that.

I bought a second-hand PCM 2.1 of the same model as mine (BE 6654) and it works. It didn't have the Navi module in the bottom, so I swapped the one over from my old one. I have complete functionality of everything now except...

The navigation is asking for a disc which I don't have. It would seem that the PCM software version I am running is the original non-updated one (04035) making it 2.1 as opposed to later 2.1A and 2.1B versions.
While it seems possible that it can be updated to use later maps, this process seems fraught with danger, particularly to possibly bricking my Bose amp (software 00012115).

Does anyone know which discs I need to buy to use it in it's current state? (PCM 04035, navigation 00001291)

Also, is anyone familiar with the update process? Can it be done safely without spending hundreds at a main dealer?
 
I cant help much here im afraid .. but you seem so lonley in this thread that i thought id come and join you :D

Only a dealership ( i think ) has the update discs .. there are an awfull lot and it was something i used to hate .. takes ages , never seems to work and as a mechanic i only got 0.5 hrs for it .

If you cant find any discs you are happy with then i would say main dealer .. but they wont like you very much lol .
 
It was getting a little cold in here, cheers! I THINK the process might involve updating first to 2005, then to 2007 so I'd be very unpopular, plus out to the tune of a few hundred at a Porsche dealer. Looks like the discs are available second hand (as they're old!), but actually doing it could brick various components if you don't know what you're doing.

I've found an Ebay seller in Belfast who's trying to find out what disc might work in it's current state, from the reading I've done updating might even mean replacing the Bose amp to a newer one so probably not worth the effort/expense.

Although if anyone has done so at a reasonable cost, I'd still be interested to hear how it's done!
 
Hi, just bought a 2003 S and having similar thoughts to you. Wondered if you had made a decision and bought anything?

I want to get mands free android phone, bluetooth or AUX music steaming, and DAB radio working ideally without changing the headunit so I can keep the trip info display. Though I am starting to think maybe a new headunit would be better...

A friend at work had had a dab radio kit fitted with built in FM transmitter that works well on his BMW, but the phone integration via bluetooth was poor, low volume and interference. http://www.justconnectme.co.uk/

Anyone else have any solutions that work well I should consider? I know there appears to be something you can use to replace the CD changer, I would consider that as unlikely to want to use that again once I have DAB and phone streaming.

Did you ever sort your DVD issue? I have the discs for mine but I wont use them, the phone is simply better.

Phil
 
Scubadiver said:
I'll answer some of my own questions.... :lol:

The Chinese Android based units are indeed garbage.

The twice as expensive Dynavin version (also Chinese) also garbage. Having now met someone who bought one and regrets it as it constantly freezes and has to pulled out of the dash to have the plug pulled, I've eliminated that.

I bought a second-hand PCM 2.1 of the same model as mine (BE 6654) and it works. It didn't have the Navi module in the bottom, so I swapped the one over from my old one. I have complete functionality of everything now except...

The navigation is asking for a disc which I don't have. It would seem that the PCM software version I am running is the original non-updated one (04035) making it 2.1 as opposed to later 2.1A and 2.1B versions.
While it seems possible that it can be updated to use later maps, this process seems fraught with danger, particularly to possibly bricking my Bose amp (software 00012115).

Does anyone know which discs I need to buy to use it in it's current state? (PCM 04035, navigation 00001291)

Also, is anyone familiar with the update process? Can it be done safely without spending hundreds at a main dealer?

Scubadiver,

Sorry, I haven't been on here as much as I used to, work getting in the way of being on here.
I will send you a PM.

CL
 
PhilPR said:
Hi, just bought a 2003 S and having similar thoughts to you. Wondered if you had made a decision and bought anything?

I want to get mands free android phone, bluetooth or AUX music steaming, and DAB radio working ideally without changing the headunit so I can keep the trip info display. Though I am starting to think maybe a new headunit would be better...

A friend at work had had a dab radio kit fitted with built in FM transmitter that works well on his BMW, but the phone integration via bluetooth was poor, low volume and interference. http://www.justconnectme.co.uk/

Anyone else have any solutions that work well I should consider? I know there appears to be something you can use to replace the CD changer, I would consider that as unlikely to want to use that again once I have DAB and phone streaming.

Did you ever sort your DVD issue? I have the discs for mine but I wont use them, the phone is simply better.

Phil

Hi Phil, sticking with the original head unit is definitely the best option from what I've found out, and I like the trip information etc too (which I didn't even know was there before I bought the used one from eBay!)
An extremely kind offer from Captain Lockheed should hopefully see the navigation on mine working soon, but for all the other modern options it lacks I'm using this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XZ3W5SH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm amazed at how well it works. The FM transmitter works perfectly and having two charging ports, bluetooth, 3.5mm jackplug input and an SD card slot, all bases are covered. The handsfree calling also works perfectly and I acheive DAB by playing the Tune-in Radio app on my connected smartphone.
I like it so much I'm ordering a couple more for the other vehicles

:D
 

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