I have just bought a 2007 GTC, and was wondering what sort of easy upgrades there are for the electronics?

Specifically, I would like to add a proper parking camera, but is there a way for this to connect through to the existing (original 2007) computer? Likewise with maps / navigation and music.

If there are any easy answers here about vendors and service providers and exactly what they can do for me, it would be much appreciated!

 

First, there are about 100 threads on this about that, so I'd start with some homework, all of these questions have been answered.

Second, I'll start you off in the right path:

1. 2007 Infotainment/navigation sucks, as do the speakers, this is a known weak spot of the GTs.
2. You have two choices to upgrade, the Ben Hur conversion, $2,500 plus the cost of a new radio and installation (way too expensive) or a weird Chinese knock-off that seems to be oddly…ok.
3 . You'll probably want to upgrade your speakers
4. If you're a cheapskate, you can buy an add-on Bluetooth module to hook up your phone and be done with all of the expensive stuff.

I upgraded everything with the best possible components, cost me $7,500, I would say the cost/benefit ratio was wacked, I think the benefit was about $2,000, so there's that. Waste of money.

Lastly, you don't want to get rid of the car's power amp for a variety of reasons you can read on your own.

 

Thanks both. I have actually trawled through some of the threads but cannot make much headway - I am at best amateur with cars and possibly even less.

In particular, I could not find the reference to the cheap Chinese system which was mentioned. Is there a link to this?

With regards acquiring my own screen and installing it this is rather beyond my ken. I could ask my mechanic to do so but it seems like the Bentley electronics are so aged that this process is quite a complex one. Am I wrong?

Lastly, since I am based in Hong Kong, I wonder if anyone happens to have anyone they can refer me to on Hong Kong-based mechanics who can do all this for me.

 

As an inexperienced technician, my current choices are:

1. Do nothing and live with the 2007 system (which is quaint and has built-in UK maps whereas I live in HK)
2. Pay about $1,000 to have a new rear camera system installed which, as far as I can understand, simply hard overrides the display such that whenever I go into reverse gear the old display will just show the camera
3. Pay about $1,200 for a new Tesla-style unit from Taobao (the Chinese version of AliExpress which is cheaper) and then hope that the mechanic can deal with it.

None of which helps me upgrade even my speakers from the 2007 GTC!

 

That's why I went with the Ben Hur. As told to me, the story behind the Ben Hur was that Bentley lost the original infotainment manufacturer, and to make warranty claims with no available parts, were actually disassembling brand-new, not-sold Bentleys to use the parts to repair already sold cars. The guys behind Ben Hur were called and asked to make a replacement, which they did. It is plug-and-play, it works great, it is way, way, way too expensive, but it's off-the-shelf. That's why I did that.

If you look back through my thread, I go through my audio update. I put in a powered sub-woofer (too small, it ends up), kept the factory power amp, replaced all speakers with trendy top-rated French speakers. I also put in a full permeant mount for my iPhone, which is great…I recommend that very highly. I bought the best Alpine radio available (it's fine) and my only complaint is that my sub is too small at 8" and my tweeters in the A-pillars are far too harsh, but it works good. The downside as I've stated many times is that the cost is just stupid. My GT has ten speakers (way too many, they're placed in bad places too) so its no easy job to upgrade the amplification. The Ben Hur really should sell for $500, not $2,500.

However, I bought my car knowing I was going to have to get a modern stereo system in it and I don't regret anything (other than not spending another couple hundred bucks on my sub setup and ordering cloth tweeters).

I'm a pretty techy person, but I balked at re-wiring the infotainment system myself, I'm not really an electronics putterer and knowing me, I would fry the whole system, not just the unit.

If you really wanted to go the cheap way, replace your speakers and get a bluetooth adapter. Or, buy the Ben Hur or the Chinese thing. I was very skeptical of the Chinese thing since the ads were photoshopped and the whole thing sounded sketchy, but someone on here took the chance and it all seemed to work out ok, but he might have had problem with too low a signal out. I'm still unclear about the 'radio' part of the system, but I haven't spent any time researching, I've already blown my money on a workable replacement.

If the Chinese company could come up with an American partner that would provide specifications, instructions, videos, tech support…I think that would change the whole market.

 

I agree with Mr British, the Ben hur is way to expensive for what you get, but there are no other "plug and play" system available. It works great, and I went with the Kenwood DAB unit with Garmin GPS. I will at some stage upgrade the speakers as well. The subwoofer I fitted made a big difference, but I think the OEM speaker are a bit lacking.

If the big Tesla style one has proper back up and wasn't so reliant on "custom" bits for the operating system and potentially a lot of DIY, would it an option, but the BenHur uses the OEM wood trim, so at least keeps the original bits.

 

4. Trade the car in for a later model and all your issues disappear.

 

One more thing: you're talking about the backup camera. With the replacement Alpine radio, it had a connection for a camera, they put a "camera license plate" on my rear bumper and a switch on the gear lever, now when I go into reverse, the camera automatically comes on.

I presume the Chinese thing can do that too, but there just isn't that much info. The guy that installed it left some pictures but I haven't seen him answer any questions in a while.

 

Thanks for all this.

Since I am living in Hong Kong, I am getting quotes from a local shop that purportedly can do all sorts of these upgrades, based on the various Chinese models. As it happens though, the more I look at it the more I am tempted to perhaps just keep the car "as is". Bentley built the car this way; who am I to change it?

The one thing which really does push me to do something is the parking camera, since Hong Kong is a tight place. But as mentioned by British, this can be solved in a relatively under-the-radar manner with a sort of manual override, leaving the existing computer intact.

 

I just wanted to update you on the quotes I have had from a supposedly reputable car audio specialist.

1. Rear parking camera HK$2,000 - HK$4,000 (manual override to existent screen if possible)
2. Speaker upgrade HK$2,000 - HK$4,000 ("6.5 inches")
3. Head unit upgrade HK$6,000 - HK$7,000 (Chinese made Tesla-style Android unit)

This shop has had some experience with Bentley and I have seen an example of their work on a (very nice dark blue) 2005 GTC. It all seemed to function fine so I am tempted to let them do it, but at the same time I feel bad messing around with what came out of the factory.

Below are photos of the car I have bought, as of yesterday (the covering below the gear stick has been replaced since then).

 

That is a GORGEOUS car, you did good. Beautiful paint color.

You do want to upgrade the infotainment. I disagree with "leave it like Bentley intended", Bentley themselves didn't like that infotainment and got burned on it. It has a bad/old screen and is just…old and bad. I don't know, I hated it. I liked everything else about the car, but that infotainment was terrible. When I researched prior to purchasing, I found that to be the most common complaint. So get rid of it.

The prices you were quoted seem too low, unless I am doing the conversion wrong. My speakers, without install, were bought from Britain for 1,000 pounds. Are they just selling you two speakers?

I don't know about the Chinese replacement thing, but for my radio, there was an aux input for the backup camera, they mounted it as I said earlier, in my license plate. Since some of these came with that as an option, you might find a connection on the current infotainment, someone else would know.

Here is my advice:

1. Get rid of the old infotainment
2. Use the Chinese replacement (I don't know enough, if you can look at one, that would be best) or Ben Hur
3. see if they can get a subwoofer installed somewhere. I have a pass-through to the trunk, but you don't. You may not be able to, but that adds to the sound
4. Upgrade the speakers, but only after you put a new infotainment system in. I never knew if it was the infotainment or my speakers that sounded so terrible. Guys on here say it's the speakers, others say the speakers are fine, it's the infotainment. I changed it all out at once, so I'll never know if it was one, the other or a combination. There is a set of French speakers that folks like, they're some the best, but it's probably marketing. They sell them in sets, you need 10 speakers, two boxes. I don't like the tweeters.

Here are the Focals on US Amazon, you can certainly find them cheaper where you are:
TeamJones also bought these after I did, I don't know if he has installed them yet, he will have more information.

Anyway, do it now, that's my advice. It's the first thing I did, make an appointment, got an estimate, bought the speakers on my own (US prices are oddly high for components). If you go Ben Hur, you can buy them direct from Britain and escape the VAT, or at least Americans can.

most important: Get a hard mount for your phone, it makes ALL the difference. I really mean it…get the mount.




I had them also put an HDMI connector and a USB connector in the ashtray, that's useful, I don't know if the Chinese thing has an HDMI input or extra aux USB, my Alpine does.

 

Also, unless I don't understand exchange rates, my total radio conversion (10 really good speakers, subwoofer amp, subwoofer, Ben Hur, Alpine, backup camera and installation) cost near $60,000HK, so it sounds like you have found a great deal where you are, I would go for it.

And others have seen me say this, it's not worth $60,000HK for a great radio, I acknowledge that. But what a pleasure to get in the car and listen!

 

Yes I finally gotten around to changing my speakers and let me say it was a pain in the ***. Making the adapters for the 6 1/2 for the doors are where my pain came from 😂. The pillars for the front tweeters were a piece of cake along with the 3in in the front doors. The 3in and tweeters for the rears were not bad. I had 12 speakers in all. Changing the radio was also easy if your willing to take on the thought of doing it yourself. I’m a ex installer so it was no problem for me but I understand how some might not want to even touch it. I just need to add a sub and I’m done.

If you like music, I say change it all out. I also went with the Ben Hur and put in a Kenwood radio. With today’s electronics and the convenience that comes with it, eventually every time you drive it you will be mad. I stream all my music that way I have control over what’s being played this way I don’t have to listen to the same stuff over and over again on the regular radio. Sirius radio is just like regular radio now so I stop my service and just use Tidal. Changing out everything to your liking will give you a whole new feeling when driving your car. You WILL enjoy it more. I took out my changer and Navi as I didn’t need them anymore and will be fitting a spot for a small hard drive for movies and stuff. (That’s where I ran my HDMI cable). And I ran both my USB cables to where the ashtray use to be. A nice thumb drive full of music also helps.

 

An update on this for those who are interested. I have now fleshed out the options and the potential car audio people who can install these options, and what I can get is this:

Option 1: parking camera working through existent head unit, via a manual override switched on whenever one is in reverse gear, plus a Bluetooth adapter inserted into the CD player which allows me to play music from my phone into the car audio system. This is the least intrusive option and allows me to keep everything in the car intact, but does not increase any capabilities in the computer. Cost: HK$9,500.

Option 2: a replacement computer system for the current one, which in size terms appears to be similar to the BEN HUR option that UK posters have shown. This is a touch screen computer with full Bluetooth, maps etc and connects correctly to the car's current computer functions. It includes parking camera etc. This will change the look of the current console but is still relatively sympathetic and does not need any changes to the wood panelling. Cost: HK$16,000.

Option 3: "Tesla"-style large head unit which replaces the entire console. This is an enlarged and more modern version of the above with all functionality + better resolution etc. However this is by far the most intrusive of the options and needs a new wood panelling segment which currently cannot match my walnut interior. Cost: HK16,000+.

Really, Option 3 is a non-starter since I do not want to ruin the interior of the car. This leaves options 1 + 2. As I have written previously, the reason I do not jump at Option 2 is that something still makes me feel the original design is nice in "factory made" mode, although I recognise that some of you think this is not a big deal. Nonetheless all of them are very affordable, much more than I had anticipated. I promised myself a month of usage first, in order to get a feel for what I really want from the car in terms of electronics and I am still going to do that. But weighing up 1 + 2 in my mind.

I will post photos of Option 2 when I can.

 

Indeed, I had not spotted that. Let me ask my man about it.