Upgrading Car Stereo

[Biscuit128]

Hi all,

I have just purchased my first ever BMW and am extremely happy with it. I have a 61 plate 318i M Sport Edition. One thing that is bugging me however is the stereo, it is pretty poor in my opinion and therefore I am potentially looking to upgrade it.

The stereo in question I believe is the BMW Business Radio - looks exactly like this;



Which stereo would I need to upgrade - just a normal single din (think thats what its called) or, can you get an alternative BMW one which is better? I have a AUX port under the arm rest just behind the gear stick, in this compartment there is a detachable "thing" which I believe might also be for in care entertainment - if anyone could un muddy the water for me id be most grateful.

Thanks

[Collectingbrass]

Biscuit128 said:

Hi all,

I have just purchased my first ever BMW and am extremely happy with it. I have a 61 plate 318i M Sport Edition. One thing that is bugging me however is the stereo, it is pretty poor in my opinion and therefore I am potentially looking to upgrade it.

The stereo in question I believe is the BMW Business Radio - looks exactly like this;



Which stereo would I need to upgrade - just a normal single din (think thats what its called) or, can you get an alternative BMW one which is better? I have a AUX port under the arm rest just behind the gear stick, in this compartment there is a detachable "thing" which I believe might also be for in care entertainment - if anyone could un muddy the water for me id be most grateful.

Thanks

This page of this site will tell you what you need to get in order to fit a single DIN stereo into your BMW

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/products.asp?s=Car%20Stere...

Delivery is very quick, prices are very keen and the quality of the product is very good. Usually BMW head units arent very good and most people who are bothered by this fit after market stereos. I'd buy the head unit on the high street / Halfrauds as at least you can listen to them adn try all the bells and whistles. But that website will be _much_ cheaper for the fitting kits.

Is the AUX port a USB socket or a 3.5mm headphone socket?

[Biscuit128]

The aux port is a 3.5 mm jack annoyingly

[gizlaroc]

Go to e90post.com and have a read up on there, you have hundreds of pages to read on how to upgrade and what is where.

If you don't have tweeters in the door triangles (behind the rear view mirrors) you have the standard stereo.

Be careul as a lot of the posts on e90post forums are from yanks and they have the hifi option as stnadard with tweeters, subs and and amp.
Maybe search the UK section?

I wrote this a while back, which is a great easy upgrade....

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136...

[Biscuit128]

Is this what you were talking about regarding door triangle tweeters?

I have also just discovered that - my stereo has bluetooth which allows me to make calls - but not to stream audio :@ I thought I purchased a BMW not a Fiat panda - what were they thinking not adding this lol. Anyway, I have seen a solution to this which is http://www.amazon.co.uk/Genuine-BlackBerry-Music-G... however - this still means I have cables on display -

anyone recommend me a decent single DIN stereo?

Thanks

Edited by Biscuit128 on Friday 29th August 19:18

[Osinjak]

He's referring to this triangle here:

[Collectingbrass]

Biscuit128 said:

anyone recommend me a decent single DIN

It depends what you want. Digital radio? Bluetooth music streaming? Hands free calls? CDs? Satnav? DVD? controls from the wheel / stalk? Control iPod from the head unit?

You'd be better thinking about what's important to you and narrowing down from there. There'll be units that do what you want at every price point, as an example with Halfords offers I got a Sony xplod head unit with full Bluetooth connectivity & control of iPod for £65