Replacing the 2002 Factory Stereo w/2003 Model

[tic-tac]

Please forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere... I did a few searches and couldn't find the exact information that I was looking for...

While I'm OK with the factory-installed radio, I'm keen on replacing it with the new model that is coming in the 2003 Cooper this fall... XM radio and especially the RCAs are the big things for me.

How difficult do you guys think this will be? I seem to recall reading that any sort of stereo removal/replacement in the Cooper is difficult. Think it would be any easier if you were replacing it with a Mini product?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

-Mark

[mikeythemini]

Changing mini stereos is easy, you jjust need theright wiring adaptors
Havn't seen the connectors on american spec 2003 pre out radio but if someone posts a pic I will tell you what w0ould be needed
fitting an aftermarket radio is easy - lots of adaptors out there.
mike

[kevina]

This is probably a dumb question, but... How are you planning to get a 2003 model stereo without buying the car? Will MINI sell it?

Kevin

[flipper]

Why should'nt they?

[tic-tac]

Well Kev, I'm assuming that it's like any other part that they can order for you. I think I've been told before that I could order a CD replacement for my cassette player from MINI. (I got the cassette player because I usually use my iPod.)

mike- that's good to know. I thought I had read the issue was mainly with physically getting out the old unit and seating the new. It does seem a tight squeeze...

Thanks for the info!

[Casey]

Quote:

Originally posted by tic-tac
Please forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere... I did a few searches and couldn't find the exact information that I was looking for...

While I'm OK with the factory-installed radio, I'm keen on replacing it with the new model that is coming in the 2003 Cooper this fall... XM radio and especially the RCAs are the big things for me.

How difficult do you guys think this will be? I seem to recall reading that any sort of stereo removal/replacement in the Cooper is difficult. Think it would be any easier if you were replacing it with a Mini product?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

-Mark

Is the 2003 radio XM ready???? I assumed that the satelite radio would be Sirius as BMW is a major partner with them. I would be shocked to see xm radio as a factory option on the MINI or any BMW.

[kevina]

Quote:

Originally posted by flipper
Why should'nt they?

Okay, it was a dumb question. It's just not the type of thing you see listed in the standard accessories brochure is all I meant. Do you (i.e., anyone planning to do this) know how much the 2003 unit will sell for? Do you expect to sell your old one?

Kevin

[Casey]

IT WILL COST A FORTUNE - atleast if they are priced like other manufactuers....in an older pontaic grand am(95) I wanted to get the factory cd player instead of the tape it had - to order from the dealership - they wanted over 800 bucks. This was about 4 years ago as well. Does the 2003 factory radio include the sirius reciever? if not there is another 200 bucks you need to spend - just buy aftermarket - it will save a fortune - unless you are really stuck on keeping the stock appearance...then open you pocket book and get ready to be hosed.

[tic-tac]

Heh heh, I'm sure you're right, Casey. It will cost some change. I know that the MINI CD changer was like $900 or something... of course other brand changers can be had for much less.

About the XM vx. Sirius... My bad — I'm not up on my digital radio. It IS the Sirius system. I thought Sirius WAS XM radio, to be honest! Shows how little I know about that world. Probably a good thing... I really don't need another $10/month snatched away...

kev, I will probably just bite the bullet and buy one (assuming it's not REALLY outrageous) and may try to sell my cassette player on Ebay for peanuts or something. I know aftermarket would be cheaper, but I am one of those people who usually go with the OEM. Unless I found a really clean-looking model (no crazy LEDs, etc.) that would give the digital radio option, RCAs for my ipod, and would work with the MINI steering wheel controls of course...

[Casey]

be careful with sirius too - alot of investments firms have been saying they are going to file bankruptcy in the near future. I'd go with XM radio if you want sat radio - it is much much larger, more popular, and more likely to be around in 5 years.

Thinking back - I think MINIJewel or MINIQueen on roadfly mentioned something about the new radios not being able to be fitted in 2002s....sure possible then if you replace harnesses etc - but now you are talking alot more money if it involves retrofitting a bunch more stuff....

[stryder]

I'm hoping someone will upgrade their OEM stereo and I can buy an '03 if it'll work out too, then it shouldn't be expensive as they don't have much of a need for it anymore.

On paper XM looks like the worse of the two sat radio options. Sirius is entirely commerical free and only costs $3 more per month. If I'm going to pay $9.95/month I'd rather pay $12.95 and not have to deal with idiotic commericals (adverts).

Unfortunately, it's taken so long for Sirius to launch, everyone thinks XM is the only option. I dono if they will go bankrupt, but the announcements I saw said Sirius had licenscing agreenments with BMW/MINI as well as Daimler Chrysler iirc. Seems to be those seem like very good potential sources. I guess we'll have to find out, but I certainly hope Sirius works out, I was happy when it got announced over XM.

[monica]

Why would anyone want to replace the MINI head unit with another MINI stereo. I'm confused. But I'm sure someone would sell you their 2003 radio when they replace it for something else. Mine usually just end up in the new stereo box up on a shelf somewhere "just in case I sell the car and want to swap them." I never do.

Anyway my MINI will roll out the first week of the 2003 production and has the standard Radio/CD player used in the U.S. market. Can't see what I will be needing with two car stereos.

[stryder]

there's two reasons I can think of both related to keeping the factory look (and steering wheel function) but adding functionality.

1. Some people have already replaced their CD decks with tape versions so they could use a tape adapter for MP3 (or other) players. Also people in Europe and elsewhere have purchased MiniDisc models to replace their CD or Tape models. Finally other countries have a "Wave" option for the radio which has a lower power amplifier then the "Boost" one that's standard for the US. People have upgraded to Boost. (I would guess many of these people had pre-spec/used units or bought someone else's order, etc and couldn't choose the options they wanted).

2. The '03 MINI unit is supposed to (pretty well confirmed) have an AUX input (to fit the MP3 player need) as well as come pre-wired for Sirius (Satellite) radio. People with the '02 head unit (myself included) might want either of these 'new' functionalities and therefore would be tempted to replace their unit. (Whether this will work with the electronics however is debatable)

Hope that clears up our logic.

[tic-tac]

You're exactly on the money, stryder, as to the reasons why I want to swap out my '02 MINI cassette player.

I went by Best Buy tonight and checked out the car stereos. I hadn't been in that section in a few years.

Holy cow.

There are some pretty amazing car audio solutions these days. Unfortunately, many of them look like they belong in, oh I don't know... Buzz Lightyear's spaceship? But featurewise: stereo minijacks on the front of the units for mp3 players, tons of RCAs if you need them, all of them play mp3 CDs now, of course the whole XM thing, and, the one that blew me away, a Sony unit that can accept a memory stick so you can upload a customized photo to the faceplate AND has what I think is a firewire port that allows you to upload music to it... it has a 20 gig hard drive inside! Insane!

As cool as those are, though, you can't have your cake and eat it too. It will definitely not "match" the rest of your dash (forgivable, IMHO) but the worst is the loss of the steering wheel remote controls. It is really a shame that that stuff is not standardized and could be cross-wired.

Or can it? Anyone know? Hell, for all I know, you won't even be able to make the '02 wheel control an '03 radio...

[stryder]

I'm not sure when you got your car, but I got mine in time to get the latest edition of BMW magazine. (aparantly BMW admits in certain places that MINI is a pretty direct part of them). It had a very interesting article on Bluetooth in cars at some point. It'd be awsome to be able to leave say my ipod in my pocket (or cell phone), have my OEM stero recognize it, and be able to play tunes off it through the standard steering wheel and radio controls.

Ahh, the things I hope that will occur by the time I want to buy another car. Sometimes technology really can be useful.