BMW Ipod interface

[danny addick]

Hi everyone,

does anyone know if this is worth the £125 price tag? Is it any better than the Gateway 100 in function or sound quality?

Thanks if you can help

[Richard_P]

The BMW interface is very limited, it makes your iPod look like 6 CD's based on 5 named playlists an all the songs on the iPod, the Gateway has much better functionality.

[danny addick]

Thanks a lot, how about sound quality?

[Richard_P]

I don't think there is much in it sound wise, reliability of the BMW unit is probably better.

[bensidewalker]

I have the BMW one (I guess, cause I have a MINI manual just like the usual manuals you get with the car) and the sound is great, only downside is that you can't see title/track info and you have to create playlists that can be played through the preset buttons on the stereo.

In hindsight I probably would've gotten the Gateway (I got it before I joined this forum)

[danny addick]

Thanks guys. So if the sound quality is just as good then perhaps I should just go for the Gateway 100. Near me I can get it installed for £150 whereas the ipod interface from BMW is £125 + £350 fitting (scum bags!) due to the 2hrs coding required.

Does anyone know if the FM Icelink is any good from Dension? Only that's only £69.99 fitted.

Many thanks!

[Richard_P]

Sound quality from any FM transmitter type device will be vastly inferior to a hard wired solution.

The 1st Gen Mini does not need codeing at all when installing the iPod interface.

[mikeythemini]

What he says - 1st gen Mini interface requires NO coding

[bensidewalker]

I had to pay nearly £300 all in for mine to be installed - I got it done at a local garage (not MINI but they do MINIs) who is a mate, and it took them 2 hours, drilling etc.

[mikeythemini]

The factory ipod adaptor or gateway take 30 mins to fit max assuming you have the kit that connects at the stereo.
We charge £25+ vat to fit one of our gateways

[mikeythemini]

Danny whats your cars spec?

[danny addick]

2003 52 reg MCS (no steering control over radio) CD Boost.

Are you saying that a BMW ipod interface requires no coding?? Only BMW told me over the phone that it needs 2 hrs worth!

[danny addick]

is the icelink plus the same thing as the gateway 100? And you say I can fit this myself?

What price do you charge for the kit Mikey?

[mikeythemini]

The 2nd gen MINI needs coding 1st gen doesnt
Between the 2 - sound quality the same, both are using the dock output on the ipod into the cd changer port in the stereo
Functionality: Mini adaptor you can select from 5 playlists using the stereo buttons BUT they must be named Mini1 Mini2 Mini3 etc. Button 6 plays the whole ipod -
Gateway: You can leave the playlists named whatever you want, it will allow you to select from all playlists & also flick through albums & artists. Its a bit hard at first as your stereo wont display titles
An idea:
You could get the gateway, then maybe in the future pick up a 2nd hand Boost from 2005-2006 & then switch on the text on the gateway & your laughing - something you cant do with the mini adaptor
another option with the gateway is you can switch it to ipod made then use the ipod for selecting your music. We can supply it with an active cradle & optional no holes mount for this

[danny addick]

I'd like a no holes mount actually- somthing i can removed easily.
So with the BMW part, I cant use the ipod to control it?

How much is your icelink plus/gateway 100 mikey??