The standard cable does reach the ashtray area, i did not buy an extension. There is not much extra to play with tho....

 

I just went to my BMW dealer and the iPod retrofit kit is only $325.00 Canadian. It includes an enclosure (the same size as the CD changer but empty) and two cables. So I will buy it instead of buying the kit from http://www.specdock.com/

I'll let you know how the install goes.

 

UPDATE:

I took my car in to BMW to get it coded for MP3, the adviser checked the serial number, checked with the technician and apparently my car cannot be coded to play MP3 CD's because it was manufactured in 2003!!
However he said they can code for the iPod retrofit, but it has to be installed first. I was almost fuming at this point. So I asked them to install the unit and code, this will cost me $690.00 + tax.

The only thing I will do then is to install the doc and wire the cable to ashtray.

The car will be done this afternoon, I will test a CD with MP3 in the console player, if it does in fact play MP3 CD's I'm going to give the guy an earful.

Stay tooned.

 

UPDATE:

It's in, and love it!!! iDrive displays all the playlists with no lag what so ever and with enough cable length to reroute to center console.
OK, it's not exactly a DIY however I will reroute the cable myself and see what happens. In the mean time I will enjoy the thousands of songs I have instead of only 7 CD's worth of music.

I also tried MP3 CD from the in dash CD player and it didn't work, but that's ok.

Total it cost me $700, BMW installed.

Will show pics soon.

 

Can someone confirm that if you do an ipod interface/coding you will be able to listen to web radio (pandora etc.) from an iphone 4 through the car system?
Thanks

 

I've never thought of trying that, next time wife has her iphone 4 connected i'll try it and report back.

Gav

 

Interface does not matter. All you need is the phone to be on the latest software and have your iPod connected. When it's connected and starting to play your music on your phone you just need to press the home button and then go into pandora and hit the play button there. Note that you can't change pandora stations or tracks from the steering wheel controls.

 

Have you not noticed that txt message and ring tone sounds come through the speakers as well?.

 

Now there's a thing, her iphone 3 used to do it...but the iphone 4 does not?

 

This is amazing, I can get anything to play out to my car speakers including virtual piano, Internet radio, Ustream anything that uses audio!!!!

I have an iPhone 3GS, so here is what you have to do...

1-Plug the iPhone to the iPod adapter in your car
2-In iDrive, select a song from your iPhone playlist and play it, this opens the channel between the iDrive and iPhone
3-Now you can open any app that plays audio and it will play it back to your speakers!

I tried an internet radio app, Ustream for live podcasts and Fingerlite virtual piano. You can't launch iPod app because it's already connected.

So I am a happy little camper!!!!!!!!!!