Has anyone come up with a way to hook up the standard Bluetooth kit (not the crazy expensive one) to the MFSW buttons? I mean, how hard can it really be?.. maybe just cut the control pad wire and then wire it into the steering wheel.

Any info would be great. If it's possable I'll probably try it.

 

Do you mean the OEM Bluetooth kit with the little black control pad? This unit usually runs between $300 - $400+ depending on where you get it from. I have this kit and it works like a champ. Install was pretty straight fwd. The feature that I do like is that if you are listening to a CD and get or make a call...the system will pause the playback. Would I have liked to use the buttons on MFSW...yes but I would also love a MODE button on the MFSW.

Plenty of options out there to utilize the buttons on the wheel but none appealed to me.

 

It's a little more complicated than that... keep in mind that the main buttons are already used for something else, so you can't just shove a wire in there and activate the buttons for the Bluetooth (unless you want to disconnect your stereo controls?).

Also, there is one button on the keypad that is NOT represented on the steering wheel... it's the one that looks like a head shouting. This button activates voice control on the crazy expensive one (which I have), but more importantly, you need this button simply to pair your phone with the car.

When I had my BT kit installed, at first I did not want the armrest & phone dock... but then they installed a keypad. I said "what the heck?" about that... since the steering wheel controls also worked. The reason was simple - the armrest dock has that 1 extra button in it, so without the armrest, I had to have the keypad. That's why I ended up getting the armrest installed anyway - no more keypad!

In the case of the cheaper BT kit, I don't think you'll have much luck - but there are many aftermarket kits available that do make use of the steering wheel buttons.

 

thats bull there are several kits available over on MINI2, check out newministuff.com here is a link to there hands free section.
http://www.newministuff.com/new/shop...roducts&cat=10
They have a parrot system for like $160 or so (not sure cause its in GBP) that works with the 3 spoke MFSW. Forget the over priced OEM stuff.

 

EXCUSE ME but what in my post was "bull"... all I did was inform him of the OEM limitations, and then I even suggested aftermarket solutions at the end.

I do not appreciate your tone.

The OEM products are expensive, but they are not crap. In fact, the "very expensive" unit is the only one (that I'm aware of) that fully integrates with the factory Navigation screen as well.

 

Confucius say "It is the wise man who is careful to be upwind when starting a p***ing contest..."

 

Okay, I'll confess...I bought one of those OEM kits that fits in the armrest and works with the MFSW for my Mini Cooper. You know, I really do like it. I especially like the fact that it works with "cartridges" than can be changed as phone styles change (although I've got to tell you...BMW sure doesn't have cartridges for the most common cell phones! I had to dump one of my Razr phones for a Nokia that has been out of production. I had to pick one up on Ebay and that was a hassle!). At any rate, the unit works pretty well! Charges the phone and the hands free works well once you learn the "language" of the hands-free system. I haven't put it in my Cabrio because I'm not sure it would work so well in a convertible and besides...that sucker was expensive! I'd rather install a carbon fiber dash with down posts before doing this again!

Having said all that, I really do like the MFSW OEM Hands Free System.

Oh and one other small item...I had the lower priced Bluetooth system on a Mini Cooper that I owned a couple of years ago (an '04) and only two things really drove me crazy: 1. When it got hot, the adhesive that held the controller in place loosened and the controller would fall off its mount. Adhesive needed to be replaced; 2. It seemed like it would drop calls at the strangest times (but I don't know if this could have been the phone or some gremlin which I didn't understand). I will say that I thought the lower priced bluetooth worked very well considering and it is probably a more reasonable "hands free solution" than the other hands free system.

Chuck