[chris b.]

[SIKH335]

Ok guys I have been reading everything I can for the past week on upgrading the stock head unit. This is what I believe thee final verdict to be for those of us who have Logic 7 please correct me if Im wrong with anything.

To upgrade head unit:
-Stock head unit must be relocated to trunk or glove box to retain chimes, SOS, Trip function, and BMW factory upgrade of programing.
- Aftermarket amp needs to be installed since Logic 7 cars have fiberoptic running from head unit to amp. Renders stock amp useless. JBL MS-8 seems to be the best solution for this. Ms-8 threads are all over the audio section.

After the above items are done it's a straight forward head unit and aftermarket amp install. Wiring harnesses for moving head unit are mentioned in this thread.

The only question I have is for the fiberoptic cable going to the stock head unit should this also be moved to the trunk and kept connected. If so where do we find this cable. If not will it bring up any errors.

I'm doing this because hopefully the next newbie will find this post first and this will answer their question quickly and efficiently. Since some board members seem to get a little irritated when questions are asked that have been answered before. The only problem with this is that there is a plethora of information on this site and it took me a week to finally find this thread in-between my busy schedule.

Thanks in advance guys for the answer to the question above please let me know if I have missed anything.

PS- please post picture of where people have relocated the stock head unit.

[SCrazor]

Does take a bit of time to find an answer to some questions that have been answered before.

[positiveions]

wow, I like. SOme people didn't like, according to those on AMazon.com.
I was thinking of the Alpine headunit.

[HellsBells]

I had a Dynavin HU installed, I didn't do it myself although I wish I had.
I am getting tired of the SOS error and I don't care about the chimes. I have seen srcstc's posts about moving the factory HU to the trunk. The install info and pictures are great, but what I haven't found anywhere are pictures of how the MOST cables and female connectors are attached to the factory HU. Can someone post those please if available?

[HellsBells]

Originally Posted by HellsBells

I had a Dynavin HU installed, I didn't do it myself although I wish I had.
I am getting tired of the SOS error and I don't care about the chimes. I have seen srcstc's posts about moving the factory HU to the trunk. The install info and pictures are great, but what I haven't found anywhere are pictures of how the MOST cables and female connectors are attached to the factory HU. Can someone post those please if available?

bump

[cliverman]

looks great! Whomever did the install did a "factory" job.

[plokij]

nice thread.

rich, did you ever get around to that DIY for this? i've got the basic roadmap in my head, but could really use a walkthrough with some pics to keep me on track. pretty please, bro.

some thoughts before i start:

1.) i'm pretty much settled on a pioneer head unit. interface looks great, and they've built in the hd radio & traffic tuner (at least on the z130). was thinking maybe could save a few bucks on the x130, but with the added cost of hd radio & traffic tuner boxes, the price diff between the 2 is only $118.

2.) i absolutely want to move the oem head unit to the hatch area to keep the servicing easy, but wonder since i don't have assist if i could just do the wiring and add the unit as needed (instead of having it chill back there full time).

3.) where exactly is the location for the chimes/gong add-on speaker that you speak of (on the driver's side of the dash)?

4.) it seems like a pain in the ass to extend the gps antenna in the shark fin from the tcu. then again, it kinda irks me that i would have to mount another gps antenna when i already have one wired in the car. however, your mounting spot on the dash where the center channel speaker would be is brilliant.

5.) do the existing usb & aux-in connectors in the center console hook into the pioneer head unit ok? or did you have to relocate the ipod interface somewhere else like the glovebox?

6.) someone posted a link to a single wiring adapter that preserves the oem steering wheel and pdc controls into the new head unit. seems like a winning product to me. hope it works.



anyway, looks great. hope you have the time to help us out.

[monkawekrue]

Looks good.

[MiKc]

looks a lot more responsive compared to my navi !!

[335Power]

It looks good but I much prefer the stock dash navigation setup.

[mjollnir19]

looks like a clean install man looks awesome!

[FSociety]

Does it hang out from the bottom ?

[FSociety]

Originally Posted by HellsBells

I had a Dynavin HU installed, I didn't do it myself although I wish I had.
I am getting tired of the SOS error and I don't care about the chimes. I have seen srcstc's posts about moving the factory HU to the trunk. The install info and pictures are great, but what I haven't found anywhere are pictures of how the MOST cables and female connectors are attached to the factory HU. Can someone post those please if available?

bump

Originally Posted by eatrach73

wow, I like. SOme people didn't like, according to those on AMazon.com.
I was thinking of the Alpine headunit.

yea i think i saw it too but i wouldnt listen to everything on amazon, what did you end up getting?

Originally Posted by plokij

nice thread.

rich, did you ever get around to that DIY for this? i've got the basic roadmap in my head, but could really use a walkthrough with some pics to keep me on track. pretty please, bro.

some thoughts before i start:

1.) i'm pretty much settled on a pioneer head unit. interface looks great, and they've built in the hd radio & traffic tuner (at least on the z130). was thinking maybe could save a few bucks on the x130, but with the added cost of hd radio & traffic tuner boxes, the price diff between the 2 is only $118.

2.) i absolutely want to move the oem head unit to the hatch area to keep the servicing easy, but wonder since i don't have assist if i could just do the wiring and add the unit as needed (instead of having it chill back there full time).

3.) where exactly is the location for the chimes/gong add-on speaker that you speak of (on the driver's side of the dash)?

4.) it seems like a pain in the ass to extend the gps antenna in the shark fin from the tcu. then again, it kinda irks me that i would have to mount another gps antenna when i already have one wired in the car. however, your mounting spot on the dash where the center channel speaker would be is brilliant.

5.) do the existing usb & aux-in connectors in the center console hook into the pioneer head unit ok? or did you have to relocate the ipod interface somewhere else like the glovebox?

6.) someone posted a link to a single wiring adapter that preserves the oem steering wheel and pdc controls into the new head unit. seems like a winning product to me. hope it works.



anyway, looks great. hope you have the time to help us out.

what did you do ?

Originally Posted by MiKc

looks a lot more responsive compared to my navi !!

which nav you have?

Originally Posted by ROBNYC

Does it hang out from the bottom ?

i answered my own question saw the pics lol this is the only kit that looks perfect even if the climate controls are on top, the other one with the climate control on bottom makes it not fit at the bottom of the dash (ugly, cheap, bad)

[rccar]

Sorry to revive an old post, but is this double din facia still available? On Rich's website there are some E-mail addresses and I've emailed both of them with questions about the kit but never got a reply. I have the metra piece that does not fit my e92 and keeps falling out.. I need this piece asap

[shenanigans01]

Originally Posted by FSociety

bump



yea i think i saw it too but i wouldnt listen to everything on amazon, what did you end up getting?



what did you do ?



which nav you have?


i answered my own question saw the pics lol this is the only kit that looks perfect even if the climate controls are on top, the other one with the climate control on bottom makes it not fit at the bottom of the dash (ugly, cheap, bad)

What kit is this?