Can I put my own unit in or only factory one?
Does any one know exactly where is it?

 

welcome aboard, alex123 !

 

Welcome alex123

You don't say which country you're in. I assume USA, if so, my understanding is Satellite Prep refers to your Sat Radio that you have over there - is it called sirius 1 or something.

Loads of members from US here so they'll be able to help you a lot.

 

Hobi is correct, but technically it is the installation of all the neccessary fiber optic cable from the antenna in the shark fin to the unit installed in the trunk to the iDrive computer so that it is integrated. If not done when the car is built, doing the wiring is impossible (or at least way too expensive) to do. If you are thinking of getting Sirius, it is worth the $75 when you order the car...

Oh, and welcome alex123!

 

Invoice of 70 bucks? Come on BMW should just make Satellite Prep standard!

On 2005 E60's if Navi is not ordered you don't even get Navi Prep (Menu and voice buttons)! <_<

My 11/03 production had'em!

 

That may be true, I was simply asnwering the question of what Sat Prep was.

 

Is poosible to get aftermarket unit connected, I want to see if I can get one I can take home with me?

 

Looking at you signature, you ordered Sat Prep, so you'll be able to get Sirius. The BMW unit is more expensive than aftermarket because of the integration issue. If you're talking about on of those units that you use in the car and then unpluf to use in your home, no, this is not one of those. The trade off is sound quality and integration w/ the iDrive vs. the portability of using in car or home. I'm sure Sirius is like XM where they offer a "family plan", where the monthly fee is lower if you have multiple units, though I'm not sure of this for Sirius. I am sure of it for XM, which I use at home.

 

Sirius also offers discounts after the first subscription. I think the first is around $12.95/mo and each additional is $7.95/mo (but that may be paying 12 months in advance).

 

Actually I have conducted extensive research and plan on ordering the parts to do my own retrofit tommorrow (I do not have the factory prep). The necessary parts for the wiring should be about $100.

You basically need one fiber optic cable and two antenna cables, the power plug is already present for the phone booster. The system in our car is a network. All you need to do is unplug the fiber optic cable going out of the TCU and going to the CD changer. The you connect the fiber optic cable that is purchased from the TCU to the Sirius unit. The fiber optic cable from the TCU to the CD changer is then attached from the output of the sirius unit to the CD changer. ergo you have a complete circle to the network. I am betting that a fiber optic wire exists and can be ordered from the TCU to Sirius unit (as this is part of the factory prep).

Then you run the two antenna wires to the shark fin into the trunk (also presumably part of the factory wiring kit) and use the power cable alread existing. If one of the connectors is wrong they can be ordered from BMW and changed.

THis will be my thanksgiving weekend project and will be coded on Monday assuming the wiring is succesful

I will update upon completion. Wish me luck!