Total replacement of the panel isn't always necessary, there are several companies that specialize in fixing this problem:
Bmw Pixel Restoration
BMW, Porsche, Land Rover Instrument Cluster Repair and restoration of MID & LCD repair for the typical missing or faded pixel problem
Additionally, BMW has stepped up and covered some or all of the replacement for many members here.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope everything works out for you in the end.