[showmerico]

Hi all,

Stumbled across this site when I was on google trying to find out whether it was possible to make some changes to my car.

So I just bought an 2007 bmw 3 series coupe and it has bluetooth interaction and an auxiliary port under the arm rest. I noticed that bmw offer a y cable that is compatible with my car. I however do not have a usb port on the auxiliary port.

I wanted to go down the bmw route to see if they could change it so I could have the usb port integrated.

I want to be able to see the music I'm playing on the stereo display and change tracks etc and i believe that the only way i can do it?

I'd appreciate it if anyone could give me any ideas around costs or the feasibility of what I'm asking.

Thanks

[chris_s1]

Hello and welcome to the site.

I don't know exactly what's involved myself having never done it, but I might be able to point you in the right direction since no-one else has chipped in yet.....

The original BMW option for the USB port in the armrest was called 6FL. I believe that's what you will need to retrofit to get the full functionality. There will also be an element of coding required as well as the physical install.

If you search for "retrofit 6FL" or similar you will find plenty of info on the site about it.

There are people who have done it, but from what I remember from other threads, its a real ball-ache and most people either just stick with the standard AUX input or go with a 3rd party solution like Dension or something.

It will also depend on what audio system you have in the car, if you don't have iDrive, you wouldn't get much benefit

[225_AB]

Try the search function, lots of threads. In summary very expensive.

[IanS100]

I have an LCI 320d without the USB & got quotes from 3 different BMW garages. The cheapest was in the region of £800 rising to about £1,000, the differences being how much time they wanted to allocate for coding. I got the impression that if they didn't know how to do it I was going to have to pay them while they messed around finding out. For an option that cost about £60 when the car was built £800 seemed way ott & I'd love to know how they justify charging £300 plus just for the parts

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by IanS100

I have an LCI 320d without the USB & got quotes from 3 different BMW garages. The cheapest was in the region of £800 rising to about £1,000, the differences being how much time they wanted to allocate for coding. I got the impression that if they didn't know how to do it I was going to have to pay them while they messed around finding out. For an option that cost about £60 when the car was built £800 seemed way ott & I'd love to know how they justify charging £300 plus just for the parts

Very interesting to know.
I was interested to get it done, as I could code it myself.
But looking at parts price, I will stick to ipod kit.

[showmerico]

Originally Posted by chris_s1

Hello and welcome to the site.

I don't know exactly what's involved myself having never done it, but I might be able to point you in the right direction since no-one else has chipped in yet.....

The original BMW option for the USB port in the armrest was called 6FL. I believe that's what you will need to retrofit to get the full functionality. There will also be an element of coding required as well as the physical install.

If you search for "retrofit 6FL" or similar you will find plenty of info on the site about it.

There are people who have done it, but from what I remember from other threads, its a real ball-ache and most people either just stick with the standard AUX input or go with a 3rd party solution like Dension or something.

It will also depend on what audio system you have in the car, if you don't have iDrive, you wouldn't get much benefit

Thanks for the quick reply, yeah I'm not sure if I have iDrive I'm gonna give BMW a call today and find out whether it's worth it or whether it's worth going the third party route and asking them to put it in the glove compartment.

But I'll search through them threads.

[showmerico]

It seems pretty expensive but it is annoying that you have to change the track on the iPod but all of your comments have been useful

[rickyjones1209]

Originally Posted by showmerico

Thanks for the quick reply, yeah I'm not sure if I have iDrive I'm gonna give BMW a call today and find out whether it's worth it or whether it's worth going the third party route and asking them to put it in the glove compartment.

But I'll search through them threads.

Errr...the iDrive is the big screen that you have or dont have on your dash

I have thought this too since recently buying my new car. I have AUX but not USB (I kind of assumed they were the same thing before I bought the car). It is a pain having to switch tracks and stuff manually on the ipod. What are the aftermarket options then to get the track listings off the ipod onto the idrive screen?

Im not too bothered so would need to be cheap...

[kaiser]

My dealer quoted me £600 to have it done. What bothers me is in my car there is a USB in the glove box for software and map updates, it cannot be that hard to make that port work with your iPod.

On my last E90 (05 plate) they just ran a Y-Cable from the back of the stereo system and brought it out in the glove box, my iPod worked perfectly through the iDrive, they charged me £150 for it. You can't tell me that cannot still be done, surely.

[Martin c]

I have the professional bluetooth set up in my car with the y-lead but in my work vehicle I have retro-fitted a parrot ck9000, it gives music over Bluetooth or through the USB, aux or i pod/phone connection, Voice activated calls plus it also charges my i phone.
Another consideration as it was only £99 and took about 30 mins to fit, all plug and play, no wires to cut.
This would have been my choice if I didn't have the setup already in the car.

[showmerico]

Originally Posted by Martin c

I have the professional bluetooth set up in my car with the y-lead but in my work vehicle I have retro-fitted a parrot ck9000, it gives music over Bluetooth or through the USB, aux or i pod/phone connection, Voice activated calls plus it also charges my i phone.
Another consideration as it was only £99 and took about 30 mins to fit, all plug and play, no wires to cut.
This would have been my choice if I didn't have the setup already in the car.

sounds amazing, where abouts is the iPod connection situated in the car when you fit it.

[Martin c]

The i pod/phone cable is approx 1 mtr so you should be able route it to the centre armrest I would think.

[IanS100]

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy S3 & started using Bluetooth audio - The sound quality is OK, sounds the same as the AUX to me, I can change tracks via the iDrive & steering wheel and get track info on the screen so I doubt I'll use the AUX input much now.

[ENZOCOREA]

how does it work? i just got a 2007 335i w/idrive. i did link it via bluetooth to use the phone function on my iphone 4, but didn't try the bluetooth audio yet.. (my car only comes with the aux, so this is kind of important, to be able to control songs via idrive without the usb)

Originally Posted by IanS100

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy S3 & started using Bluetooth audio - The sound quality is OK, sounds the same as the AUX to me, I can change tracks via the iDrive & steering wheel and get track info on the screen so I doubt I'll use the AUX input much now.

[mcpcolas]

Originally Posted by ENZOCOREA

how does it work? i just got a 2007 335i w/idrive. i did link it via bluetooth to use the phone function on my iphone 4, but didn't try the bluetooth audio yet.. (my car only comes with the aux, so this is kind of important, to be able to control songs via idrive without the usb)

the Bluetooth audio feature is not available on 07 models i believe they added that feature on 2010+ models cause i have an 09 and i don't have that feature . but its a wonderful feature whenever i get a loaner 2012, that's the first thing i do sync my phone and start blasting music. u can get it retrofitted but you gonna lose your bmw assist sos capabilities. thats y i didn't go forward with a retrofit

[ENZOCOREA]

thank you for the info...... i don't have the bmw assist, but retrofitting sounds pretty expensive.....

Originally Posted by mcpcolas

the Bluetooth audio feature is not available on 07 models i believe they added that feature on 2010+ models cause i have an 09 and i don't have that feature . but its a wonderful feature whenever i get a loaner 2012, that's the first thing i do sync my phone and start blasting music. u can get it retrofitted but you gonna lose your bmw assist sos capabilities. thats y i didn't go forward with a retrofit

[mcpcolas]

Originally Posted by ENZOCOREA

thank you for the info...... i don't have the bmw assist, but retrofitting sounds pretty expensive.....

can say for sure if it,s gonna be expensive or not, but what i figure is that anything bmw is expensive . but here's the email of the tech i was an contact with he's a vendor on here <info@bimmer-tech.net> just send a message with ur VIN and he'll give you a price quote

Patryk Matysiak
BimmerTech
www.bimmer-tech.net

[yeti racing]

Can you only buy the Y cable from BMW? As the old owner kept theirs

[Cozy]

Originally Posted by yeti racing

Can you only buy the Y cable from BMW? As the old owner kept theirs

TIP: eBay .

The BMW Mini uses the same cable, I bought mine for £9 instead of £46 from BMW dealer.

As for the USB interface, BMW make things such a ball ache to install after manufacture, it shouldn't be that way. I just hunt for my cars fully loaded now, just easier.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by JamJay

TIP: eBay .

The BMW Mini uses the same cable, I bought mine for £9 instead of £46 from BMW dealer.

As for the USB interface, BMW make things such a ball ache to install after manufacture, it shouldn't be that way. I just hunt for my cars fully loaded now, just easier.

Just becareful..mine Y cable was not BMW and when i updated my ipod video to lastest firmware ( last firmware update was in 09) then suddenly it said it is not supported =[

[Cozy]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

Just becareful..mine Y cable was not BMW and when i updated my ipod video to lastest firmware ( last firmware update was in 09) then suddenly it said it is not supported =[

Ah that's a shame, I didn't realise that there were aftermarket versions. I bought a genuine BMW/Mini one, I can't remember the part number though but search on eBay for that rather than BMW Y-Cable.

[yeti racing]

Originally Posted by JamJay

TIP: eBay .

The BMW Mini uses the same cable, I bought mine for £9 instead of £46 from BMW dealer.

As for the USB interface, BMW make things such a ball ache to install after manufacture, it shouldn't be that way. I just hunt for my cars fully loaded now, just easier.

Good man!