Just bought a Mini-S, 2005, blue. Great car and my first mini. Great fun driving it. Since they decided not to give gas away anymore I thought I'd change over from my BMW X5. Still have it, but I think it will start collecting dust, the mini is just too much fun.

We live in California and they are coming out with the "cell phone" law in a month or two. Can anyone out there recommend a good Bluetooth system that they have installed and are using. I'd really like to have a GPS too. The dealer I bought the mini at said the factory radio was capable of auxiliary input by a cable that I can buy from the dealer, so I guess I could hook-up an iPod easily, but not sure about the bluetooth or GPS. The only ones I seen on the web are Garmin, TomTom, and BlueTraks, that look any good. But I hate to mount stuff all over the dash. Looks like the BlueTraks installs under the radio. Anyway comments would be appreciated!

 

Welcome and Congratulations!!!!!

I don't know about after market GPS or Bluetooth, much but I have been looking at a coule products by Parrot for bluetooth cell phone use. Parrot CK3200 LS-COLOR, is one that I have been looking at.

 

Thanks Gray Shade. The Parrot looks OK on their website. Where would you hang it? Looks like your '03 (nice color!) has a NAV...how do you like it?

 

welcoem and congrats

 

Welcome! California Cell phone law, that is why I got my self a Bluetooth Jaw bone for my cel a few months, now I got my self a Mini (at sea right now) and got the bluetooth usb/ipod option, poor jaw bone will start collecting dust along with my nissan sentra lol.

Enjoy your car! by the way I would just use the Aux from the stereo with your ipod, go to radio shack and buy your self a cable for it. ipod adatper is too expensive, that is why I got the bluetooth usb/ipod option, because is factory install since I ordered my Mini. Dealer install ipod is like god knows how much, like 800 dlls or more, totaly crazy!

 

Thanks MiniNova, nice to be here. Thanks also for the info on the iPod. Not sure what cable to get at RadioShack, tho'. What do you get from the dealer for the ~$800 iPod install?

 

odd, my coworker just traded her X5 for a 08 MSCa. welcome!

 

Krim, nice hearing from you. Well I didn't actually trade in the X5...still have it, but it's gathering dust.

Hey everyone, just contacted BlueTraks they said they had a Bluetooth, iPod & Nav system for my MCS. Gave me the name of a dealer to go see so I'm on my way. They have a pic of one installed in a MINI on their webpage. Looked good. I think I'll move this to the 1st gen Nav and Audio forum if things work out. Keep you posted.

 

Your welcome Caroln, you will need to buy a "3.5mm Jack Stereo Audio Connection Cable,", you can get it a t radio shack or any other electronics store, it should not cost more than 5 dlls, depending on how long it is.

You might one to get a long one and a short one, like if you have some one on the back of the car and they want to change songs, you can just trow them your ipod and a small one for your self so it doesn't tangle up with the gear stick and stuff, (that's what I did). Here is the link to one so you can see how it would look: http://www.wiredco.com/images/6FT35MMMA2.jpg , remember, it has to be "male to male" meaning both ends are the same, female will be were connects on the car and on the ipod.

I'm not sure how much they charge for the ipod options connection, but I think it's 300 and something for the device + installation, so it could get up there at 800dlls, Volvo for example, is around 900 to 1000 dlls for that same option.

It basically gives you the option of plug in your ipod with via the ipod interface connection, that way you get to change the songs and volume with the steering wheel "if you have the Multi function steering wheel", also see the song and artist name on the stereo display and it changes your ipod at the same time.

With the Aux connection you will only send the audio signal from your ipod to your car stereo, you wont be able to charge it, get song and artist name on display or change songs and volume with the steering wheel.
You can always buy a car charger, that's how I've done it all this time on my Nissan sentra

I just think 1000 dlls for an ipod interface connection to change songs with your "steering/charge/display artist name" is completely ridiculous....

 

MiniNova, Thanks for all the info. The costs you have told me about are really out of the realm of reality for just iPod. I have done something that (I think no one else on this site has yet done) and sprung for a BlueTraks BT211N. This "looks" like a really great solution. Please see my post on 1st gen - Navigation and Audio forum. I think that this is where this belongs.