Have you swapped out your entire system (head unit, amp, speakers) for an aftermarket system?

I'll buy the system you took out provided it's in decent shape. I have an '06 Cooper S so it would need to fit (I think '05 will fit too?)

If you even just have the head unit or the head unit and amp, I'd take that too. Just looking to upgrade but have a stock-looking system in the car.

 

First of all, you should know that the head unit is exactly the same part for the HK vs. the standard "Boost" setup. There's no reason to buy another head unit.

Secondly, you should realize that the HK is an entirely different animal than any of the other OEM stereos - it has completely different wiring and it is not a simple install.

MINI did indeed make an official H/K Retrofit kit though... take a look at this:

MotoringFile » Archive » Official H/K Retrofit PDF

Thirdly and finally, I do indeed now have a full set of the H/K speakers & amp, recently removed from my car for this crazy project, which is now almost complete. However, just having the speakers & amp isn't enough. There isn't a separate H/K wiring harness - the H/K was wired into my entire car directly from the factory.

I suppose it would be possible to somehow obtain the wiring & other parts from the official retrofit kit listed above, but again... installing the H/K in a car that doesn't have it is a very tough feat.

Can it done? Of course. The question is, how committed to the idea are you, both in terms of cost & time?

To be honest, if you have the standard Boost system, you should look into getting the Digital POWER SoundModul (DPSM) instead. It will be a LOT easier to install, plus it is superior to the H/K anyway (just as clear, if not clearer, and a lot louder). It isn't cheap, but it would probably work out to be cheaper than retrofitting the H/K... and just like the H/K, it's OEM - no additional interior space, complete stock appearance, etc.

 

Wow, I'm not THAT committed to this. I think that would cause me to BE committed. Without having done prior research I actually thought that this would be the easy option.

I was just looking for an easy and inexpensive way to boost the performance without having a head unit that "stands out" in comparison to the rest of the dash.

The DPSM is a little pricey, and if what you say is true (that the head unit is the same in all the cars) I think my best bet is just buying an amp and speakers aftermarket (maybe a small sub) that i could hide in the car somewhere.

Thanks for the info and time saving advice!