Ipod Integration

[niva441]

Hello again

Just finding my way back from a very short, but too long, foray into the wilderness of BMW ownership and have ordered a C Sport Coupe and dumped the BMW at the MB dealer. Whilst setting up the spec I was going to have the ipod integration option. However when I mentioned this to the salesman the price changed from a reasonable £172 in the brochure to nearer £400 fitted. This removed some of this advantage of being a cheap, compact alternative to a CD changer.

Does anyone know what this kit includes and whether it has to be fitted by the dealer?

Thanks

Todd

 

[blassberg]

an expensive lead and an hours fitting at £98. Still better and posier than a cd changer although the changer can play mp3 discs

 

[Blobcat]

I have the cd changer and an Itrip. With the Itrip I can use the ipod in any car with an FM radio (yes I am aware that a 1/4watt FM transmitter in the Boradcast band is not strictly legal in the UK but Offtel tend to ignore them and are thinking of licensing them)

 

[MBC180]

Please check my post titeled: IPOD Integration "THE ULTIMATE GUIDE" This gives overveiw of Ipod Integration, I have mine for over a week now and got to say I'm impressed, with access so far to over 2000 pieces of music I have abandanned Radio and CD. On negative side. The first 6-8 letters are shown on middle display, so I learnt (after 4th attempt) using IPOD ITunes, to catgorize music properly, mainly by gender and artist, then finding groups of music is simple using steering wheel controls. NANO doesnt work. Important to choose music with High Bit rate and set equilizer to standard, otherwise some music can be quiet. On the hwole I would give it 95 out of a 100, a great success, definately worth the money. Took MB Hungary 1 hour to fit and cost 200Quid including phone integration, which the sales guy did in 2 minutes while handling the car over to me.

 

[niva441]

Thanks for the replys guys, sorry I forgot to use the search facility. I've loaded up the other pages now.

I'm not surprised it is just a lead, I suppose the hours labour is so that the dash isn't damaged getting access to the rear of the head unit.

So no programming required, it certainly makes it tempting to fit it myself.

 

[blassberg]

i watched the telephone engineer install my aftermarket phone kit - no way would I (even carefully which he did) hack the trim to the extent required. But that's me - I would worry that it never looked the same afterwards - but plenty of people do - if you can that's great. Enjoy.

 

[braintimbers]

A reasonable priced option is the Harman Kardon drive play. Sound quality is very good, and the display is majetic suiting the interior.

This is a wired option, it costed me £50 to fit from my local garage

 

[Blobcat]

i watched the telephone engineer install my aftermarket phone kit - no way would I (even carefully which he did) hack the trim to the extent required. But that's me - I would worry that it never looked the same afterwards - but plenty of people do - if you can that's great. Enjoy.

I would be very unhappy with any installer hacking away at trim. I almost always use 'no holes' brackets from 'Dashmount' or in my Merc I have their leather console which is colour matched to the interior.
Dashmout.co.uk is their website and if you are after fitting phone kits / brakets you may be better off getting the bits from them and then getting them fitted.