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a few questions on my 04 530i

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Old 05-10-2009, 07:26 PM
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My Ride: 2004 - 530i Sport, Auto, Alpine White, Dark Poplar, Beige Dakota w/ Comfort Seats, Cold Weather Package (yeah I know I live in SC, but I love it on my back after a long day of golf), Logic 7, Parking Assist, & Auto Sunshade.
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There have been a couple of questions that I have come up with over the last several weeks, I thought I would see what answers people on here might have:

1) I saw a post yesterday (and now I cant find it again) that showed a picture of some wiring asking if they were prewired for the Ipod retrofit. Where is that wiring? I have wondered what the most economical way to put in an auxilary audio input addition is. I dont need fully functional Ipod control through Idrive etc, I only want to be able to input an audio jack as I want to run my Garmin GPS which also has MP3 Player and my phone though bluetooth running through it. I am getting tired of having to run it through an FM station using the GPS's built in FM Transmitter (very poor quality). Just wondered how much I am looking at to get the aux audio jack built in.

2) Does anyone know if a software upgrade does anything to the Sattelite radio's ability to get the higher number of stations. It seems like that would just be a software thing. I just activated the Sirrius service a couple weeks ago and the radio doesnt get the higher channels needed to get the "Best of XM on Sirrius" programming. I just wondered if a software upgrade would change that at all? Anyone have experience with this?

3) I think I heard a while ago about a product that was like a clear protective cover that you can put over your front bumper and grill area to protect from small chips, and road debris damage.

4) and least important, I have always wondered when you look back at the center consol unit in the celing behind your head there is a ventilation grill type area and looking closely there are two small sensors or something (that almost look like little camera lenses). I wondered what those were? Are they something to do with light sensors, or are they something to do with interior motion sensors or something? Just wondered what the basic purpose of that area was?

I look forward to hearing some info from people that have been around here a lot longer than I have. Thanks.
Old 05-10-2009, 08:28 PM
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Here's a start for paint protection http://www.lamin-x.com/BMW-E60-04-Paint-Pr...ion-p/b017f.htm

In the future... might want to post separate threads for multiple questions. Some of us don't like to read long posts with multiple questions. We are lazy like that.

Hope this helps... and
Old 05-10-2009, 08:45 PM
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My Ride: 2004 - 530i Sport, Auto, Alpine White, Dark Poplar, Beige Dakota w/ Comfort Seats, Cold Weather Package (yeah I know I live in SC, but I love it on my back after a long day of golf), Logic 7, Parking Assist, & Auto Sunshade.
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Originally Posted by rogerj' post='874666' date='May 11 2009, 12:28 AM
Here's a start for paint protection http://www.lamin-x.com/BMW-E60-04-Paint-Pr...ion-p/b017f.htm

In the future... might want to post separate threads for multiple questions. Some of us don't like to read long posts with multiple questions. We are lazy like that.

Hope this helps... and
Thanks, I have bookmarked, I will look into this more this week.

I was going to post several different threads, and I dont know why for some reason I just lumped them all in together. I will probably do just that when I have some time for any of those questions that dont get addressed here.

Thanks,
Old 05-11-2009, 04:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Turboe' post='874610' date='May 10 2009, 10:26 PM
1) I saw a post yesterday (and now I cant find it again) that showed a picture of some wiring asking if they were prewired for the Ipod retrofit. Where is that wiring? I have wondered what the most economical way to put in an auxilary audio input addition is. I dont need fully functional Ipod control through Idrive etc, I only want to be able to input an audio jack as I want to run my Garmin GPS which also has MP3 Player and my phone though bluetooth running through it. I am getting tired of having to run it through an FM station using the GPS's built in FM Transmitter (very poor quality). Just wondered how much I am looking at to get the aux audio jack built in.
I have a 2004 530i (pre March 2004 build) - and have since had both the Aux Jack and then the i-Pod wiring put in by the dealer. Don't remember how much it was, but it was reasonable. I also had the bluetooth retrofitted (new TCU unit?) - and the dealer was very reasonable about it. Don't remember the price - but it CAN be done.
Old 05-11-2009, 07:02 AM
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I have an January 04 530. I had the auxiliary adapter put in about 18 months ago. It works well, and the sound is almost CD quality -- as you know, the AM reception is terrible and the FM is just OK.

The adapter retrofit was about $300 if I recall, including a computer update. I use the power outlet below the glove box, and the adapter input is in the same area.

This does not give full control of the ipod from i-drive; it's just a power and sound connection. You select AUX from the Entertainment menu and then use the ipod control to pick the music. Since I have playlists I like, its not a big problem. The ipod sits in the passenger side net or in the glove box.
Old 05-11-2009, 03:30 PM
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My Ride: 2004 - 530i Sport, Auto, Alpine White, Dark Poplar, Beige Dakota w/ Comfort Seats, Cold Weather Package (yeah I know I live in SC, but I love it on my back after a long day of golf), Logic 7, Parking Assist, & Auto Sunshade.
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Originally Posted by tom_hou' post='874982' date='May 11 2009, 11:02 AM
I have an January 04 530. I had the auxiliary adapter put in about 18 months ago. It works well, and the sound is almost CD quality -- as you know, the AM reception is terrible and the FM is just OK.

The adapter retrofit was about $300 if I recall, including a computer update. I use the power outlet below the glove box, and the adapter input is in the same area.

This does not give full control of the ipod from i-drive; it's just a power and sound connection. You select AUX from the Entertainment menu and then use the ipod control to pick the music. Since I have playlists I like, its not a big problem. The ipod sits in the passenger side net or in the glove box.
That would be perfect for what I want, because I have my GPS unit mounted in the side of my Idrive recessed area, and I use the power outlet down in the footwell for both the GPS and my radar detector (I have a 90deg elbow that is a two to one adaptor that works perfectly and lays down right against the underside of the footwell area. All I want is an audio input area. Then did you say you needed to do a software update to make there be an additional choice of AUX? Does that appear right in the menu with the other choices FM, AM, SAT, CD?

That would be great. Because I play MP3's through my Garmin, and also use it for a bluetooth portal for my phone. Did you say you had a BMW Dealer do it all and it was only around $300 including the software upgrade? That is great.
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