New Ipod MOST Interface Install instructions. Can
12-08-2006, 09:05 AM
#61
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Hi All
there has been a few threafds on here as to how you go about getting your iPod to work within iDrive. Thats distinct from the Aux In socket that some cars have as standard, and some as an optional fitment.
My experience refers to the UK and quotes UK prices, but I think it answers a lot of questions, especially the 'will it work without programming my car' one.
In the UK the availablity of the BMW ipod interface seems to be a secret. There is nothing in the literature that says its availble, and even my dealer didnt have it on his options list in the computer system. He did know it was availbale and that they had done several.
Before I knew of UK availbility, I ordered one from a company in the USA. Mistake number one. By the time you convert to UK money, ad shipping, and pay VAT its just about the same price as the dealer will sell one to you for. Still, no loss there. For reference, the cost of the interface is a little below ?200 pounds.
As has been discussed here in other threads, its easy to fit. I ended up taking the glove box lid and glove box out as I couldnt find the optical connector. (My car is 4 days old, so a fairly new build!). If you know where the optical connector is, you only really need to take the box door off.... easy - just 4 screws from under, and two pins that hold the drop supports. The back of the glove box has a removable hatch that allows all you need to get decent access.
The DC supply cable floats loose, you can see this right away, but the optical cable is bound up in a black 'furry tape covered' loop that isnt obvious. If you feel in the centre part of the approx 1ft long loop, you will feel a hard plastic block - the optical cable joiner. You can CAREFULLY cut away the cover (probably $$$$$ if you damage the opticals) and expose the block. It seemed that the block can be teased open with a screwdriver, and it breaks it in the process. The kit for the interface has a plastic plug that puts it all together in the same shell as the dc cable, such that one connector holdss the two opticals and the dc wires.
Following the rest of the kit instructions, pulg in, fit yhe box, put the cable through a pre marked hole (need drilling) , bolt it all up, and you are done.
But you are not.......
Seems im the first person to actually try this on this site, that didnt have the 6 cd changer installed first. Even though you have all the wiring, and its a straightforward fitting, iDrive doesnt know if you have the interface or CD unless its 'coded' to do so.
This was kinda expected, as no one on this site seemed to have an answer and hadnt done it before. But im telling you now YOU WILL NEED CODING if you havnt got the cd changer already.
Now the shocking part.
Just been to dealer. Talked to the guy that sold me the car, as i felt the service desk might not know about the little known (in the UK) interface. Takes me to the service desk, expecting (both of us that is) that its a straightforward job. Even the guy on the desk was like 'yeah, just bring it around and we will do it'. Then they asked their service secialist / whatever how long it takes.
6 hours he says.
In my most restrained tones, I conveyed 'WTF - if you think im paying 6 hrs labour (?92 an hour) for a ?200 box, you must think im stupid. 'thats how long it takes' i was told. Digging deeper, unbeleivably, it takes 4-6 hrs to code up a car, and the labour element of this, inc the fitting of the ipod kit (in the kit there is a bmw doc saying 0.75 hrs fitting time) is 2 hours total, at approx ?185 pounds.
So, Ive been told I need to pay ?185 just to have a menu item added to iDrive.
After some discussion, I have told them the minimum I expect is that they charge 2 hrs, less the 0.75 time i used to fit it. That still leaves me with a ?120 bill to get it working. Even if they agree to the 'concession'. On top of that, I dont expect a warranty as I didnt buy the kit from that dealer, and fitted it myself.
from this, I deduce :
1. if you have a 6 CD, and fit yourself, you are likely OK.
2. If you dont have a 6 CD, forget about it. YOU WILL need to go to the dealer and get the unit coded, so you may as well get the thing fitted and set up by them. The price I was quoted 'from scratch' was about ?420 pounds.
3. That if you buy a 6 cd in the car 'from new' the UK option price is ?295. Get it retrofitted its ?620.
4. Even if you decide to fit a 6 cd to your car thats didnt have one (s/h from ebay for example) , you will get the same hassle and 'coding' charges as described.
What a huge expense. Just to get a decent music interface on the car, looks like im spending
?129 for the 4gb ipod
?200 for the interface
?120 - ?192 for the 'coding' by the dealer.
If I knew what i did now, I dont think i would have bothered.
buyers beware
cheers
steve
there has been a few threafds on here as to how you go about getting your iPod to work within iDrive. Thats distinct from the Aux In socket that some cars have as standard, and some as an optional fitment.
My experience refers to the UK and quotes UK prices, but I think it answers a lot of questions, especially the 'will it work without programming my car' one.
In the UK the availablity of the BMW ipod interface seems to be a secret. There is nothing in the literature that says its availble, and even my dealer didnt have it on his options list in the computer system. He did know it was availbale and that they had done several.
Before I knew of UK availbility, I ordered one from a company in the USA. Mistake number one. By the time you convert to UK money, ad shipping, and pay VAT its just about the same price as the dealer will sell one to you for. Still, no loss there. For reference, the cost of the interface is a little below ?200 pounds.
As has been discussed here in other threads, its easy to fit. I ended up taking the glove box lid and glove box out as I couldnt find the optical connector. (My car is 4 days old, so a fairly new build!). If you know where the optical connector is, you only really need to take the box door off.... easy - just 4 screws from under, and two pins that hold the drop supports. The back of the glove box has a removable hatch that allows all you need to get decent access.
The DC supply cable floats loose, you can see this right away, but the optical cable is bound up in a black 'furry tape covered' loop that isnt obvious. If you feel in the centre part of the approx 1ft long loop, you will feel a hard plastic block - the optical cable joiner. You can CAREFULLY cut away the cover (probably $$$$$ if you damage the opticals) and expose the block. It seemed that the block can be teased open with a screwdriver, and it breaks it in the process. The kit for the interface has a plastic plug that puts it all together in the same shell as the dc cable, such that one connector holdss the two opticals and the dc wires.
Following the rest of the kit instructions, pulg in, fit yhe box, put the cable through a pre marked hole (need drilling) , bolt it all up, and you are done.
But you are not.......
Seems im the first person to actually try this on this site, that didnt have the 6 cd changer installed first. Even though you have all the wiring, and its a straightforward fitting, iDrive doesnt know if you have the interface or CD unless its 'coded' to do so.
This was kinda expected, as no one on this site seemed to have an answer and hadnt done it before. But im telling you now YOU WILL NEED CODING if you havnt got the cd changer already.
Now the shocking part.
Just been to dealer. Talked to the guy that sold me the car, as i felt the service desk might not know about the little known (in the UK) interface. Takes me to the service desk, expecting (both of us that is) that its a straightforward job. Even the guy on the desk was like 'yeah, just bring it around and we will do it'. Then they asked their service secialist / whatever how long it takes.
6 hours he says.
In my most restrained tones, I conveyed 'WTF - if you think im paying 6 hrs labour (?92 an hour) for a ?200 box, you must think im stupid. 'thats how long it takes' i was told. Digging deeper, unbeleivably, it takes 4-6 hrs to code up a car, and the labour element of this, inc the fitting of the ipod kit (in the kit there is a bmw doc saying 0.75 hrs fitting time) is 2 hours total, at approx ?185 pounds.
So, Ive been told I need to pay ?185 just to have a menu item added to iDrive.
After some discussion, I have told them the minimum I expect is that they charge 2 hrs, less the 0.75 time i used to fit it. That still leaves me with a ?120 bill to get it working. Even if they agree to the 'concession'. On top of that, I dont expect a warranty as I didnt buy the kit from that dealer, and fitted it myself.
from this, I deduce :
1. if you have a 6 CD, and fit yourself, you are likely OK.
2. If you dont have a 6 CD, forget about it. YOU WILL need to go to the dealer and get the unit coded, so you may as well get the thing fitted and set up by them. The price I was quoted 'from scratch' was about ?420 pounds.
3. That if you buy a 6 cd in the car 'from new' the UK option price is ?295. Get it retrofitted its ?620.
4. Even if you decide to fit a 6 cd to your car thats didnt have one (s/h from ebay for example) , you will get the same hassle and 'coding' charges as described.
What a huge expense. Just to get a decent music interface on the car, looks like im spending
?129 for the 4gb ipod
?200 for the interface
?120 - ?192 for the 'coding' by the dealer.
If I knew what i did now, I dont think i would have bothered.
buyers beware
cheers
steve
12-15-2006, 11:46 AM
#62
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My Ride: 2005 530i Individual, DVD Package, HUD, Bluetooth, Comfort Seats, SR, etc
Worse Even If you Have a working CD Changer and installl it and find out when you are at the dealership that you have a business radio which is NOT compatible with the Ipod interface. So I am giving mine away to a friend of mine 525SE....for some reason he has business radio and still his car can play MP3 s....
12-27-2006, 02:03 PM
#63
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My Ride: 06 550 SMG |Comfort seats | sport, premium sound and cold weather packages | active steer | Navigation |comfort access | rear seat heat | rear seat fold down| sirius|
Hey I just got mine installed today by dealer. $500 USD...
02-25-2007, 07:47 PM
#64
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My Ride: "Angel I's" 2005 525i Debadged, Remote Homelink, Full Burl Package, Cold Weather PKG, Premium Sound PKG, BMW Wheel Stems, Biege Rubba Matz, EURO Tag, Dual Zone Vents, Automatic Car Ventilation, Rescue Kit. Due up: Aux Input, TINT, and K&N Filter and some Zaino LOVE for my Angel.
I am totally confused and will be totally upset if this is the REAL DEAL for intergrating to the MOST BUS!!!! The install time is NOTHING. They said it would be 3HRS!!!!!!!!!!!! and then 3HRS programming. Now here's the question: Is this the AUX input install or the Intergration?!!! What's the deal here with BMW!!!!! I just got the AUX input done!!!!!!!!!!!!!
07-03-2007, 08:12 PM
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My Ride: E60
Model Year: 2006
Engine: N52
Do you have to order the fiber optic connector housing i.e "part H" separately? I just bought the ipod adapter and it was not in the box.
07-03-2007, 10:07 PM
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My Ride: 2004 Black BMW 525i
Originally Posted by HHP' post='371580' date='Dec 27 2006, 04:03 PM
Hey I just got mine installed today by dealer. $500 USD...
BMW in Alhambra quoted me at $350 installed. Where did you go to have to pay $500.00?
07-03-2007, 10:09 PM
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My Ride: 2004 Black BMW 525i
Originally Posted by pro2cer' post='395651' date='Feb 25 2007, 09:47 PM
I am totally confused and will be totally upset if this is the REAL DEAL for intergrating to the MOST BUS!!!! The install time is NOTHING. They said it would be 3HRS!!!!!!!!!!!! and then 3HRS programming. Now here's the question: Is this the AUX input install or the Intergration?!!! What's the deal here with BMW!!!!! I just got the AUX input done!!!!!!!!!!!!!
07-06-2007, 07:17 AM
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My Ride: E60
Model Year: 2006
Engine: N52
Are there any real pics of the install? I'm having trouble trying to figure out where to drill the 18mm hole. The diagrams in the instructions look vague. Thanks
07-06-2007, 06:52 PM
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My Ride: (USA) 645Ci, Silver Gray, Chateau, Cold Weather PKG, Premium Sound PKG, Sport PKG, Step, NAV [Std Equip in 645], HUD, Satellite (SIRIUS) Radio, Aux Input, Bluetooth enabled using iPhone 3GS w/ adapter cradle - Build date - 01/05, Baby delivered 2/24/05
Originally Posted by jgt' post='444086' date='Jul 6 2007, 11:17 AM
Are there any real pics of the install? I'm having trouble trying to figure out where to drill the 18mm hole. The diagrams in the instructions look vague. Thanks
Did you check out picks in post #53 above?
I do not do iPod so I personally have not done this.
As far as I remember most have not done the hole, but not sure if it matters if they had 6CDC or not prior to install. So much time has passed on this topic that I forget where all my resources are.
I think I saw where some did a velcro attach and others did a tie wrap fasten to the rear of glove box. Others just loose.
I think there might be additional pics or step by step over on bimmerfest - in the 6 series forum. I know alot of my posts may have been deleted but there may be others. Also look in their e60 section - maybe more there.