Any modern OEM looking radio for E36 we can recommend?
Any modern OEM looking radio for E36 we can recommend?
Author
Discussion

NelsonR32

Original Poster:

1,777 posts

201 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
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I currently have the £895 upgrade Blaupunkt pullout (Mcgruber style) cassette player and 10cd changer. In an ideal world I would love to keep this system in the M3. However, the unit no longer stays in the cage properly (meaning speakers occasionally don't work) and the cd changer laser is weak and near useless.

I was considering going the OEM/Rover route as I really want one to match the dash lighting. However, with digital imminent and the high cost of these second hand units I am now looking for something that can also maybe add ipod compatibility as well.

The orange lighting would be crucial though for my OCD biggrin The M3 is off the road until May now so no rush thankfully!

stevesingo

5,046 posts

252 months

Wednesday 4th December 2013
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Becker Grand Prix 7992



AUX input for iPod and Blue tooth for phones. A module is available for iPod conrol but only older generations.

Not available new anymore, but you can find them on ebay and the like.

Depthhoar

691 posts

158 months

Wednesday 4th December 2013
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The above Becker is a good unit but can be a bit pricey(?)

What about this?:

http://codedradio.info/pics/BECKER/be7886.jpg

A Becker Monza & backlit orange. Not easy to get now but they do come upon eBay every now and then (I've got one but with blue backlight, though this can be changed by a service agent...not for sale!).

Neil_M

702 posts

214 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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I'll sell you a BMW Business Tape Deck. Keeps things OEM and you can buy the adaptors to run the iPods for them on eBay. biggrin

E30M3SE

8,493 posts

226 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Becker if you can find one, as they stopped making H/U's at least 3 years ago.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

254 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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You have to go red with Becker to get it close, the amber is too yellow.

There is of course the BMW Becker unit that matches perfectly, I had one..




But I would go with a Pioneer 80PRS, great unit in every respect and looks pretty good in BMWs...


Mark34bn

827 posts

207 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Becker Grand Prix all day long. I sold mine recently on Ebay for about £200 so they're not as expensive as they used to be. Great sound, brilliant iPod control and 95% OEM looks.

NelsonR32

Original Poster:

1,777 posts

201 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Managed to find a mint Rover cd43 for less than £50 in the end. Just need to find a way to rub the Rover badge off without damaging it smile

Earthboundmisfit

469 posts

248 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
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Becker Grand Prix 7992 is the best for not only colour match but the actual HU itself looks OEM.

va1o

16,116 posts

237 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
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NelsonR32 said:
Managed to find a mint Rover cd43 for less than £50 in the end. Just need to find a way to rub the Rover badge off without damaging it smile
Good choice, certainly looks 100% oem. People used to stick small //M badges over the Rover logo.

Mark34bn

827 posts

207 months

Thursday 26th December 2013
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A cd43 looks more oem than anything, but unfortunately it's terrible at being a hifi. Gutless underpowered cr4p, I ended up buying a special booster amp to try to improve things. A becker is like a meridian hifi in comparison.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

254 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Mark34bn said:
A cd43 looks more oem than anything, but unfortunately it's terrible at being a hifi. Gutless underpowered cr4p, I ended up buying a special booster amp to try to improve things. A becker is like a meridian hifi in comparison.
That's why I suggested a Pioneer 80PRS, it has that liquid smooth sound that sounds very hifi while still looking pretty decent.

4rephill

5,168 posts

208 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Mark34bn said:
A cd43 looks more oem than anything, but unfortunately it's terrible at being a hifi. Gutless underpowered cr4p, I ended up buying a special booster amp to try to improve things. A becker is like a meridian hifi in comparison.
To be fair, not everyone is looking for the ultimate hi-fi experience when they're out driving their car.

Take Myself for example. More times than not, when I'm out in the car the stereo simply becomes background noise due to concentrating on My driving. I'm far more concerned about the other cars on the road than if My bass is a bit weak or if the mid-range lacks a bit of clarity. So long as the stereo can generate some background noise, that's all that matters - for Myself (and people like Me), an expensive, crystal clear, bass thumping ultimate car stereo is simply going to end up being a waste of money as it will be paid no more attention than a cheaper stereo!


Mark34bn

827 posts

207 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Fair enough, sorry if I sounded a bit harsh in my post - I'd had a few yesterday!

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

254 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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4rephill said:
To be fair, not everyone is looking for the ultimate hi-fi experience when they're out driving their car.

Take Myself for example. More times than not, when I'm out in the car the stereo simply becomes background noise due to concentrating on My driving. I'm far more concerned about the other cars on the road than if My bass is a bit weak or if the mid-range lacks a bit of clarity. So long as the stereo can generate some background noise, that's all that matters - for Myself (and people like Me), an expensive, crystal clear, bass thumping ultimate car stereo is simply going to end up being a waste of money as it will be paid no more attention than a cheaper stereo!
Don't get on your high horse, the suggestion was based on the OPs criteria, matching led colour to the BMW orange and ipod connectivity.

Having a decent head unit allows you to fill the cabin without it sounding anything but smooth, it is not about thumping bass, it is about giving a more relaxed sound, so helping you concentrate on the road around you more easily. rolleyes

Your comments just show you're ignorant to what a nice head unit brings to the table.

4rephill

5,168 posts

208 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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gizlaroc said:
Don't get on your high horse, the suggestion was based on the OPs criteria, matching led colour to the BMW orange and ipod connectivity.

Having a decent head unit allows you to fill the cabin without it sounding anything but smooth, it is not about thumping bass, it is about giving a more relaxed sound, so helping you concentrate on the road around you more easily. rolleyes

Your comments just show you're ignorant to what a nice head unit brings to the table.
Well let's just review the situation shall we?:

As posted on Monday 23rd December:

NelsonR32 said:
Managed to find a mint Rover cd43 for less than £50 in the end. Just need to find a way to rub the Rover badge off without damaging it smile
So four days ago the OP has got himself a stereo head unit that he is apparently happy with (and many other owners find that the CD43 does exactly what they need - It plays the radio and CD's for a bit of back ground noise).

Now he's got people telling him that the CD43's rubbish and he should have bought something better/more expensive for better sound quality/output. (Mmmmm...... Horses and stable doors ring any bells? scratchchin ).

My post was simply pointing out that not everyone is that concerned about the having the ultimate hi-fi experience when out driving (as I say, plenty of owners find the CD43 perfectly adequate for what they need!).

As for:

gizlaroc said:
Having a decent head unit allows you to fill the cabin without it sounding anything but smooth, it is not about thumping bass, it is about giving a more relaxed sound, so helping you concentrate on the road around you more easily. rolleyes


A more relaxed sound to help you concentrate on the road? - As I've already posted, When I'm driving, My concentration on the road means that I'm paying the stereo no real attention whatsoever! I can travel 200 miles to see My friends and barely remember any songs that were playing during the journey, and yet I remember the cars and trucks I encountered, the various conditions of the roads, potholes, roadworks, speed cameras etc., etc.

Any attention that is allocated to the stereo is purely subconscious!

Besides that, the stereo doesn't set the mood of the music, making it relaxed - The choice of music does! Even the best car hi-fi in the World is not going to make AC/DC as relaxing to listen to as Andy Williams!

So long as the stereo isn't hissing, buzzing or cutting out, then the quality of the sound is almost irrelevant! - And I suspect it's exactly the same for many other drivers too!

I would suggest that if you're paying that much attention to the quality of your stereo whilst driving then you're not concentrating as much on the road as you could be!

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

254 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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clap

g3org3y

22,499 posts

221 months

Saturday 28th December 2013
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For the cheap option I've kept the standard head unit and use one of those FM transmitters. Works well (when you can find a free frequency).

JiggyJaggy

1,474 posts

170 months

Sunday 25th April 2021
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Few years on now, does anyone have a good set up solution for an OEM based head unit with bluetooth connectivity attached, or even any sort of wired connection for an iPhone?

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

254 months

Sunday 25th April 2021
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Continental, DAB, USB, Bluetooth Audio etc.....



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303700450872?chn=ps&amp...





Blaupunkt have released a modern Bremen.....