Getting details about aftermarket radio install

[crvz]

I've been perusing this forum a bit to better understand what I'd need to if I decided to replace the radio in an E82. I've got a long history of replacing sound systems, having worked as an audio/video installer (including alarms/remote starts) while getting my mechanical engineering degree about ten years back, and I'm considering ordering a new 135i. I would opt for no audio upgrades, as I'd prefer a radio with quality pre-outs with built in bluetooth streaming audio. But I've read that removing the radio can bring up other issues with the car.

So tell me, what exactly do I lose if I remove the factory radio?

And number 2, I've seen a few folks recommend relocating it to the trunk... how exactly would that be done? I presume it requires running wires from the dash back to the trunk, but which wires are necessary?

Thanks!

[nato-main-man-5am]

I'm not sure I'm reading you right. If what you want is a good head unit with quality pre-outs, and bluetooth streaming, get the base (US, internationally there is a lower end one) unit and add the enhanced bluetooth option when ordering, and it seems like it will do what you want. No need to remove it or replace it.

Now, the amp and speakers, on the other hand, if you are a car audio person, you'll want to ditch those and upgrade.

[crvz]

I would prefer not to spend $650 on enhanced bluetooth when I can get a higher end radio for considerably less than that. Though I may end up there depending on the response to my first question above; what functions do I lose by removing the factory radio?

And does the factory radio have RCA pre-outs? I'd find that hard to believe, having never seen it in the past...

[slade1274]

If you get the "hi-fi" package, you get tweeters in the sail, midrange in the door, 8" midbass/sub under the seat. That unit is coded for a nice flat signal and sends it to the factory amp via balanced low-level inputs. Easy to buy an adapter cable from member here or splice RCA ends on the factory wires.

Technic is on here and the 3 board, but can't find his posts on the harness specifically.

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...m-harness.html

[crvz]

Is "hi-fi" the harmon kardon package or just the standard package that comes with the car?

[AKopp]

Keep the radio. I'd recommend MusicarNW for all your audio needs. It's the real deal if you're serious about improving your sound.

[crvz]

Thanks for the input so far, I will certainly check that out, BUT...

can anyone address my actual questions? I much prefer aftermarket sound systems, including head units, but I want to be educated and understand what I would lose if I replaced the radio. And also, if it really is inadvisable, I want to probably order the bluetooth upgrade for streaming audio.

[AKopp]

What are you looking to gain with an aftermarket unit? These cars come from the factory with bluetooth. I'd recommend going the hi-fi option. If I'm not mistaken, the base stereo has a heavily processed output. Hi-fi is clean and flat, which is ideal. It can be pulled off well, but I feel the aftermarket units look kind of tacky. But that's me!

[nato-main-man-5am]

Originally Posted by crvz

Is "hi-fi" the harmon kardon package or just the standard package that comes with the car?

Standard in the US. There is a lower end version in MY2010 and outside the US in most years.

The FAQs explain this and many of your other questions:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...64&postcount=3

[nato-main-man-5am]

Originally Posted by AKopp

What are you looking to gain with an aftermarket unit? These cars come from the factory with bluetooth. I'd recommend going the hi-fi option. If I'm not mistaken, the base stereo has a heavily processed output. Hi-fi is clean and flat, which is ideal. It can be pulled off well, but I feel the aftermarket units look kind of tacky. But that's me!

As I recall, the included bluetooth is the phone connection, and to get streaming audio you have to buy the "enhanced" bluetooth upgrade.

But while streaming audio via bluetooth is convenient, it's by no means high fidelity -- essentially the quality of a 128 mp3 file.

I'm not saying I don't use it sometimes, but it's not a hi fi option, imo.

[crvz]

I did read through the FAQ, and a few of the terms being used seem to be unintentionally interchangeable and I am unclear on what folks are precisely describing, hence this thread. And $2k for that musicnw package seems ludicrous, I can surely piece together my own system for way less than that.

So, for the time being, everyone ignore the reasons WHY I might want to swap out the head unit. The car does not come with bluetooth streaming, I use that all the time for podcasts. I like it. I don't want to spend $650 for that single feature, when a great aftermarket radio can be had for half that. But before I make that decision, I would still like to know the answers to my original questions. Does anyone have a concise description of the following:

What functions/features (outside of the audio) would I lose by replacing the factor radio?

What wires are necessary to include when relocating it to the trunk?

[AKopp]

I hear ya with the quality of blue tooth, I tried it once, sounded terrible. I use the aux input for all my music streaming. I was referring to "hi fi" as the stereo package option as it is the most straight forward setup for modifying the sound system.

[nato-main-man-5am]

Originally Posted by crvz

What functions/features (outside of the audio) would I lose by replacing the factor radio?

What wires are necessary to include when relocating it to the trunk?

1. IIRC you cannot update the car's ECU and other electronic functions, no software updates, fixes, etc, without the HU.

2. IIRC everything other than the audio output. But there was something about losing the door chime and other alarms.

Several threads on here and the 3 series forum that discuss the how's of people relocating the HU to the trunk, but it's been a couple years since I read them, so it's foggy.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/search...rchid=28231130

and similar searches will help you out. I suspect if the bluetooth upgrade is too dear, you could get one of the aftermarket solutions, some of which are under $50, which are discussed in several threads, here.

[vertebra]

An easy way to stream Bluetooth is to get a Bluetooth Dongle. It can either be plugged in via the usb port or cigarette lighter then the audio cable goes into the aux input.

I believe this car is one of the harder cars to upgrade due to the necessity of keeping the old stereo for software updates, The physical space sucks and I believe there is threads about problems adding external amps to our stereo.


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[crvz]

I'm revisiting this thread as I started doing some of the work. A couple of things I've learned:

1) even by purchasing the $650 option for "SOS with enhanced USB and bluetooth", well it turns out that does not include streaming audio for the 2013 model year. So I got screwed on that.

2) the factory head unit puts out an electronic buzz. It's not terrible with the factory amp, but I replaced said amp, and it is a show stopper. I know it's coming from the head unit as I plugged in other sources directly into the amp and they did not have such buzz. I put the factory amp back in, brought it to the dealer, and they said it was normal and they were going to do nothing about it (I've seen other posts here that imply replacing the factory head unit will solve this problem, but they're not going to pursue it). so sucks for me again.

========

So I've ordered an alpine head unit, it's coming in a few days, I intend to just pull out the factory head unit and hope for the best, but who here has done so and succeeded? Do I really need to relocate the factory head unit somewhere else in the car? I don't care for the SOS feature, I don't care about satellite radio, I simply want what I thought I bought in the first place (bluetooth streaming audio) and the ability to have a much higher fidelity sound system (without electronic buzz).

[crvz]

I've been trolling around some and will share here for the 1-series folks how much of this story applies from the e9x application (which seems to be quite similar), and I've gotten a number of emails from Ken at musicarnw which have been great for my understanding. I suspect I will relocate the factory head unit to the trunk in order to retain my park distance control and chime, as well as eliminate any issue with future programming/SOS errors resulting from the missing factory radio. I've consumed a lot from this thread about how to do that:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=319976

I'll keep this thread updated with any results, though I suspect they'll be slow. I ordered a few parts to extend the MOST fiber optic cable for the factory radio relocation, but that will come after I get the new head unit in place. I pulled the factory radio and drove around for a few days with nothing to see if there were any errors or issues, but thus far I've only lost the chime (which is nice on some level) and PDC. I popped the factory radio back in and everything was restored, so I've not goofed anything just yet.

These are the parts I ordered.
fiber optic cable
socket connectors
Not sure yet how they'll all stack up, but I'll share that when I get into that aspect of the work.

[CactusMcGee]

Ill be watching this thread for updates. I just picked up a 2009 and really dont care for the factory system. I will probably go the way of relocating the factory head unit in the trunk as well. I dont even have the usb plug which is awful. All of my music is on flash drives, and Im not about to go back to burning mp3 cds. Im also not about to spend 300 dollars so I can retrofit it. Ill be looking forward to updates. Good luck sir.

[Simmons-Racing]

Originally Posted by crvz

I've been trolling around some and will share here for the 1-series folks how much of this story applies from the e9x application (which seems to be quite similar), and I've gotten a number of emails from Ken at musicarnw which have been great for my understanding. I suspect I will relocate the factory head unit to the trunk in order to retain my park distance control and chime, as well as eliminate any issue with future programming/SOS errors resulting from the missing factory radio. I've consumed a lot from this thread about how to do that:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=319976

I'll keep this thread updated with any results, though I suspect they'll be slow. I ordered a few parts to extend the MOST fiber optic cable for the factory radio relocation, but that will come after I get the new head unit in place. I pulled the factory radio and drove around for a few days with nothing to see if there were any errors or issues, but thus far I've only lost the chime (which is nice on some level) and PDC. I popped the factory radio back in and everything was restored, so I've not goofed anything just yet.

These are the parts I ordered.
fiber optic cable
socket connectors
Not sure yet how they'll all stack up, but I'll share that when I get into that aspect of the work.

Can you explain what SOS and PDC is?

Thanks,

Simmons