What is this on our ‘13 X3
Discussion
Dear all. I have just bought a new (to me) X3 3.0 MSport to replace the 08 one we killed (at 160k miles, it spun a big-end bearing shell writing off the engine thus car)
The new one is an ex-demo so pretty high spec but no DAB. However it has an aerial attached to the near side A pillar on the windscreen but there are no markings on it.
Before I try to remove it, can anyone identify what is is or use?
Thanks in advance.
The new one is an ex-demo so pretty high spec but no DAB. However it has an aerial attached to the near side A pillar on the windscreen but there are no markings on it.
Before I try to remove it, can anyone identify what is is or use?
Thanks in advance.
Great, thanks. Not the previous as he was an old boy, but perhaps the original owner.
Are the aerials generic to any aftermarket head unit? And how do they interface into the iDrive system, or are they stand alone? Is it hard wired in, ie a cable running behind the A pillar cladding, or is it wireless to the head?
I’d like to get the DAB option, it was the only decent option the car did not have. It was built just before it was standard, I believe.
Are the aerials generic to any aftermarket head unit? And how do they interface into the iDrive system, or are they stand alone? Is it hard wired in, ie a cable running behind the A pillar cladding, or is it wireless to the head?
I’d like to get the DAB option, it was the only decent option the car did not have. It was built just before it was standard, I believe.
There are a few different connectors, some are amplified, some are not.
You'll usually find a thin wire from the little black box going down the A-pillar, along underneath the glovebox (or behind it) and then into the space where the head unit was.
It may not even have been connected to a head unit. It may have been connected to an aftermarket DAB interface that connects to the iDrive.
Only way to find out is to follow the cable and see where it takes you.
You'll usually find a thin wire from the little black box going down the A-pillar, along underneath the glovebox (or behind it) and then into the space where the head unit was.
It may not even have been connected to a head unit. It may have been connected to an aftermarket DAB interface that connects to the iDrive.
Only way to find out is to follow the cable and see where it takes you.
As said above, the antenna could have connected to a third party DAB box, and not the head unit. I had one installed on my E90 that was connected to a Pure Highways DAB 300di unit. Not a bad way of getting DAB in the car, as it used the Aux-in jack under the armrest - nice and hidden. My Pure Highways unit is sitting in the garage unused (and unlikely ever to be used again) if you want it?!
https://www.pure.com/uk/archive/highway-300di
https://www.pure.com/uk/archive/highway-300di
Mystery solved. Speaking to Cardiff BMW, whose demonstrator it was, they retrospectively fitted the BMW approved DAB system. £299 at the time. It didn’t appear on the build sheet obviously but was in the maintenance records held on the system. Makes sense as it had every other option.
Anyway, assuming if the aerial was there, the processor must also be, I ordered the missing remote for £15 and the nice chaps at Yeovil BMW printed out all the maintenance/user sheets and bingo. DAB present.
Not a great system as plays through a FM frequency rather than being fully integrated but works fine and all for a few quid.
Little victories as it was the only compromise on the spec of the car I wanted. To my wife’s eternal annoyance, it can take months to find the absolute right spec-ed vehicle!
Thanks all.
Anyway, assuming if the aerial was there, the processor must also be, I ordered the missing remote for £15 and the nice chaps at Yeovil BMW printed out all the maintenance/user sheets and bingo. DAB present.
Not a great system as plays through a FM frequency rather than being fully integrated but works fine and all for a few quid.
Little victories as it was the only compromise on the spec of the car I wanted. To my wife’s eternal annoyance, it can take months to find the absolute right spec-ed vehicle!
Thanks all.
As long as you stay fairly local, the FM frequency set should not get any interference...go on a long journey though and you'll like start to have interference, unless the system is smart enough to auto-tune to a free frequency on the go?
It's one of the reasons I connected my Pure Highway 600 via the aux-in port instead - got fed up having to retune the FM frequency.
It's one of the reasons I connected my Pure Highway 600 via the aux-in port instead - got fed up having to retune the FM frequency.
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