Mudweasel

Firstly, I would just like to say a quick 'Hi' to everyone - great, informative board to which I only hope I can contribute in a small way....

Ok, now onto the reason for this post;

I have recently bought a 4 month old 530d M Sport from a BMW dealer - and in general I am absolutely delighted with it. However, I have a few issues with the standard fit speaker set-up...

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have just come off the phone to BMW Customer Services, who have confirmed what I have been told by a dealer - there is no way that the Hi-Fi speaker package can be retro-fitted

What really annoys me however, is the excuse they gave - that the Hi-Fi speaker package is such a complicated thing and requires additional speakers (really!) and in standard-build cars there is no space for these additional speakers. Now, maybe I'm being a bit stupid here, but I can see the speaker grills where the additional tweeters would go, if I had the Hi-Fi package - all that appears to be missing are the tweeters themselves and the wiring to go with them (along with the different amp, of course).

I realise that I shouldn't really be querying how complicated a procedure is when I haven't the knowledge to do the job myself, but I find it unbelievable that it is beyond the wit of BMW technicians to fit BMW parts to a BMW car.

Before anyone suggests going to a third party to have the speaker system anhanced (yes, that would be an option) I am a bit loathe to have others 'corrupt' my nearly new BMW - I would prefer that all work be carried out by BMW techs with BMW parts.

Anyway, sorry for the rant - if anyone from BMW is reading, c'mon guys, you're missing a trick here; think of the additional money you would make if you offered a 'proper' service!

Not a great start to my first BMW experience!

Ricracing

Hi Mudweasel and welcome,

I think you have a good question here.

Of course there is room for the Hi-Fi speaker system.
There might be some acustic material but the places excist.

I'm not sure about the E60 cables, but with experience of all
previous model BMWs I had, they should be there also.

The bigger question is the amp, it's probably different from the standard Buisness CD.

So if you really are into music, I must say: go for a retrofit solution.

pedrollo

Hi-fi gets a different/another amp, and also a couple of bass speakers under the front seats - do a search, you will find loads. To be fair to them, it is not just putting tweeters in the spaces. Anything is possible at a price but I think it would be a bigger job than you imagine.

The same money would get you a better quality aftermarket set-up.

tonye60

the standard radio has speakers under the seats

Mudweasel

I've done a search and from what I've read, I believe that the standard setup has the bass speakers under the seats (in fact, I know it has, as mine has these) - the 4nr additional speakers that the Hi-Fi package has are the 2nr tweeters in the front door pillars and the 2nr tweeters in the rear shelf - coupled with the different amp which, if you read my original post, I did mention.

I never said that it was 'just putting tweeters in the spaces', but I do not believe that it is the impossible job that BMW are making out and I find it hard to believe that BMW refuse to do it at all - for whatever price.

What I am questioning as much as anything, is the fact that I was told by BMW Customer Services that the reason they can't do it is that there is no space for the additional speakers - I find that very hard to swallow, seeing as I can see the grills where they would go...

Anyway, thanks for your comments.