I did its retrofit with success. It is not complicated, fully reversible. Total cost $265 + 8h of works (depending on your skills). No codding required, however it is recommended. Troubleshooting very limited as this is a plug&play process.

Few weeks of planning and collecting parts:

- Radio head unit with speedometer (I bought a used set from 2012 CM)- $180

62109232432, depending on year


65123456870, but on my radio was 65123456869 and it fits perfectly

- microphone - cost of $25 for used one from some BMW model - same part no.

84109263744 or 84316938762

- microphone wiring set - I bought used from the BMW 7 from '98 for $25 and it fits microphone, I need to exchange plug/pins ad the end from radio set.

- USB socket

(4) - 84109229247

- USB wiring set

(11) from the picture - many part numbers

I decided to look up for USB at ebay, and I bought for $35 socket with wiring. Put phrase "USB Aux Switch+Wire Harness Cable Adapter BMW" and you will find some from Hong-Kong. It just requires small modification of the plug (delete some part of plug) on the radio side.


All parts visible here:


I will add later what you need to unscrew/release. The whole process is just plug & play. It works without codding, it works with multifunction steering wheel.

The pre-final look is here (I have combined radio and AC retrofits):

 

Hi Heiker.

This is a promising thread for me as I am heading down the same road.
I have the Radio on the way and I have ordered a usb/aux cable.

I am having trouble sourcing a Mic lead.
Do you have any info on the Radio Pinouts for the Mic. Armed with that info I could probably use an after market Mic as the latest BMW stock item is now quite expensive.

 

Hi shrubba105,

If you will have a radio with build-in bluetooth, then you can directly connect Microphone to it.

Microphone has 3 pins: (+), (-), (shield)
You need to connect them to radio's X13812 connector (big 40-pin socket) to the pins:
(Radio X13812, wire colour -> Mic)
(+), green: 17 -> 1
(-), yelow/black: 22 -> 2
(shield), silver: 33 -> 3

Regarding the USB connection, if you have a Radio with USB support biuld-in, your radio should have a dedicated, round socket on the rear side to connect the USB cable to(the one from ebay). Hint - you should have 2 round sockets - the one is to connect antena, the second for USB. If you have only one, than that is only for antena.

 

if i just buy the aux and usb to replace my just aux is there anything else id need to buy?

 

You need the Mini Boost CD radio head unit in Professional option. Lower versions of the head unit does not support USB and does not have a socket to connect USB.

 

Had a chance to play with my set up today.
The MFSW is working including voice command.
I do appear to have lost some FM reception but I am having a look to see if I have connected the Aerial correctly. I didn't use the radio much before so the fault could have been there already. I will check the reception at various frequencies to see if the issue is limited to various bands howevr AM and MW seem fine.
The AUX connector charges but is not able to read music data off of my Moto G.
I will try my Wifes IPhone 5 at some point to see what happens with that however I already have a Kinivio BTC450 fitted permenantly to the AUX so I am able to stream music from my phone as well, something the LCI Radio does not do.
I am also now looking into fitting a DAB Aerial to get DAB up and running. The RealOEM Retrofit DAB Aerial looks pretty much like the item you can buy in Halfords for £20 UK Sterling.
I fitted a Mic from a BMW 5 SERIES F07 F10 F11 & F18 HANDS FREE MICROPHONE 84109181411. The Mic seems to work well and requires no screening of the Mic to Radio cable.
I also didn't buy a new facia rather I just reworked the original 2006 facia to fit. This does leave some gaps at the top but they are not too obvious as the CD facia is black.
I bought a cheep LCI Union Jack centre console decal from Ebay to act as a guide but kept well inside the guide on the first cut and worked the final removals to fit.
All in all I am well pleased.
I paid:
£65 UK Sterling for the Radio,
£11 for the USB Lead AUX/USB Block
£8 for and E38 Mic Cable
£4 for the connector block for the Mic to go into the Quadlock
£4 for the centre console decal
=£92 + variuous P&P
It took me about 4 hours to fit it all but I amwell practised in taking the dash apart.
I will be looking for a new facia and USB/AUX Block but only at the right price.
So far this has been as cheap or cheaper than any decent aftermarket option and it is all OEM apart from the Kinivo but that is almost invisible other than the 1 inch diameter switch unit.

 

Can you explain how you did to remove the existing head unit ?
Thanks

 

Google "Mini Cooper R56 Removing Radio".
There are plenty Yoy Tube videos giving a fgood acount.
I can get all the required trim off in about 10 minutes now I've done it a few times. If your lucky there is no need to take the knee bolsters of at all.

 

To help you with, here is the short video footage made from the written manual

 

thank you, thank you , thank you

 

Hi. Could U help me. What modification It requires ?

 

I was not able to contact heiker, anybody here to help me with this mod????

Thank you so much

 

Hi. I install this mod. What questions do you have?

 

Hi peperonid, thank you so much for your help!

I have a 2012 R56, I was trying to code the 2RAD to check if it has bluetooth and set it to aktiv, but I can't read the module.... my radio is the Mini Boost CD, do you know how I can check if it has bluetooth without dismantling my dash?

 

If you don`t have this options in car specification list Hands-free system with Bluetooth S6NDA or Music interface for Smartphone S6NFA - it will not work. http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...05#65123456870

 

Thank you so much peperonid.

I only have option S6FC, which is the Radio Boost, no option for bluetooth or smartphone interface.... so let's move on....

I searched everywhere for a second hand radio unit and the prices are crazy.... all of you could get radio for good prices.... ebay is showing me prices around 280 -350 Eur, which is around 350 -400 USD.... this is crazy!!!!

Do you have any tips on how to find a good deal with these radios?


Thank you so much

 

It`s good price. New one cost 450 Eur
I bought it from Poland for 400 Eur. Also you need microphone, microphone wiring set, USB socket and USB wiring set. You can try to find it on Allegro.pl - but it`s very hard. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Aux-Switch-USB-Wire-Cable-Adapter-For-BMW-3-5-series-E87-E90-E91-E92-X5-X6-/291672744642?hash=item43e90ce2c2

 

That's crazy friend... other forum users paid 65 pounds!!! Or 180 usd....... I was hoping shrubba105 could tell me where he got it....

 

Hello I am thinking of upgrading the radio for my R60 2012. I has SIRUS but not bluetooth. Do i need to upgrade the Raido head that has the speedometer built in too. or just the lower portion with the cdboost.

 

I am not aware of the requirements on LCI vehicles.
I would have a look through threads to see if anyone has done this on an LCI.

However you won't need the speedo just the radio unit.
The buttons that sit in the speedo often come with the radio unit which is the best way to buy the assy but as your buttons are already black it is not a necessity,

You should look at this:
https://www.genuineautoparts.com/uk/...zWoaAta58P8HAQ

And this
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=03_1519

However looking at RealOEM the R60 does not appear to have this Bluetooth retrofit listed so it may not work

 

I've just completed an upgrade from the normal Boost Radio (Grey) to the black Professional Radio (from a 2010) on my 2007 R56 Cooper S.
The only thing I can't quite get working is the bluetooth microphone. All the information I've found online says the connections are pins 12 (-) and 6 (+) on the 'C' plug (which includes the Aux in).

I'm puzzled by the reference to:
(+), green: 17 -> 1
(-), yelow/black: 22 -> 2
(shield), silver: 33 -> 3
on this thread as the connections???
There are 3 seperate plugs in the rear socket of the radio with pin numbers 1-16 and 1-12????

Also does anyone know whether a standard dynamic mic would work simply across + & -?

Cheers

 

If I remember rightly there are three plugs that plug into the quad-lock plug that then inserts into the radio.
It is the pin numbering on the quad-lock you need to look at not the individual plugs.

I afraid I know nothing about microphones which is why I opted for the BMW part.

 

I can't find any information relating to the pin numbers on the whole socket, not sure if that's just a US thing???

Yours is the only post I can find with direct reference to the Mini Boost Professional Radio swap. The only other stuff I can find on Radio Connections is BMW, like below



This is the exact layout of the rear connector on the Boost Professional Radio, but not sure if the pin names are correct and I can't seem to get the mic to work at the pins shown. I've listened with a preamp to the mic at the socket and it seems to be working?





Also did you have any problems with certain buttons not working? '2' and 'mode' don't seem to work. I've traced them through and they both seem to be in the same area of the ribbon cable linking the control pad with the main radio unit, so I investigating that at the moment.

Cheers
Mike

 

Mike
I really want to help you as I struggled a bit with the mic myself.
Regarding the buttons mine came with the radio unit all connected together and I just screwed them onto the speedo and they all worked fine.
I had questions from someone else who was having trouble with his screen and when I looked at my old boost unit it was easy to get to both ends if the ribbon but I seem to remember it is not so easy on the LCI radio.
I remember now that my BMW Mic came complete with the 12 pin socket and I'm sure I just ended up plugging it into the quadlock as one of the two 12 pins literally had nothing on it but that may not be the case however if your OEM set up was like mine, i.e. boost and not extras like USB etc one of those 12 pin sockets at the bottom was almost empty and that where the mic went.
I had to loose my optical connectors as well as my LCI radio had no optical inputs so that is just hanging loose in the dash. It does throw up some code on my Carly App but generates not problems in use.
It's a shame as I did this two laptops and a couple of phones ago and I had pictures of everything. I also had a notepad where I researched all of the quadlock pin outs against various sources online. At the time there was an R56 WDS and TIS on line.
I think I struggled with those pin references for the same reason at the time but all my info has been lost.
I will have another look around but I am struggling to find anything.
I have an old hard drive from my old laptop so I'll have a look on that

 

Success.
I found this that I posted on
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...to-08-mcs.html
I connected the Mic to pins 1 and 6 in the top left connector in the radio quadlock connector holding the connector with the radio side facing you.
Everything works without coding as luckily I already had the steering wheel switches. Saying that my DAB radio does not work as I have no aerial connected. My LCI radio had no MOST optical connectors but my car was fitted with the 6 CD Changer fittings, but no changer. As there is nothing else in my car on the MOST Bus this is not a problem."

For this I think you are holding the connector upside down despite the numbering being right ways up as it actually plugs in the other way up.