Huge thanks to CmdrVimes for giving me the courage to just do it.

First, I canceled my appointment with Bob Smith MINI. They were going to charge me $400 to install an AUX and iPod connector. This didn't work well with my New Year's resolution to not use ANY credit in 2007. Something for which I'm experiencing a type of withdrawl, BTW.

Since I was not happy that the music information would not be identified on my headunit with just the AUX, I had decided to use the HK Drive+Play system. It was also easier for me to see the display if it was right on my dash, and the controls could be placed down where my right had could easily reach them. so I bought the HK D+P at Best Buy for $99.00 (I know, I coulda gotten it cheaper on eBay or Amazon.com, but that whole New Year's resolution thing...I didn't want to wait the time it took to mail a check to them and wait until it cleared - I'm really struggling with my resolution, ya know?). I got the AUX cable at the dealer for $43.45.

I found most of the information I needed here on NAM. Huge HUGE thanks to all who have posted on this subject! I'm most certaily NOT engineerically inclined. Sure - my dad was a famous engineer, but it's a sad and true fact - DNA smart cells skip a generation.

The instructions for the AUX were simple. One thing on there said, "Remove Glovebox assembly." Since that's where I wanted my D+P unit and iPod to live, my first big deal was removing the glovebox assembly. I struggled most with finding the right size bit - my husband and I aren't the tidiest people. Only 10 minutes to find the bit and remove the glovebox, not bad. I found the U.S. equivalent to the 10mm bit for the center hole (3/8"), and the one for the 3mm starter holes for the faceplate (1/16"). But since I never did find the small phillips-head screw driver, it took me almost 30 minutes to tighten the AUX mounting plate...with a potato peeler. I'm not recommending that.

Next, I removed the panel under the steering wheel (and snapped off the driving lights cord - whoopsy) and popped the AUX cable into the back of the headunit in that easy-to-feel empty space. Oh - and since I never saw a post or any pictures of which side to try snapping in when you're doing the whole thing by feel (couldn't find that handy mirror-on-a-stick thingy either), the notched side of the connector goes up, and the tab-thing should be facing the steering wheel side. Took me all of 2 minutes.

I fished the AUX wires (behind the scene) over the headunit to the glovebox area with a piece of Romex we had laying around. I pulled the display cable and the hardwire cable of the HK D+P back through from the glovebox to the steering wheel area. I'm not going to hardwire it yet, but in case that's the way I decide to go, it's there. I put the AUX cable through the hole that I drilled in the side of the glovebox, and screwed on the nut to keep it in place. Simple.

I then connected all the wires that came with the HK D+P into the HK D+P. I never did open up the instruction package, it's pretty self-explanatory. I ran the controller and power cords through the back of the glovebox (through that handy little hole) and down, completely hidden, to the cup holder area. All wires are completely tucked away - a MUST for me and my MINI. The display cords are also hidden, and there's enough length to run it behind the headunit and all the way to the dash (to the left of the steering wheel).

When it was all done and everything put back together (and put away), it worked. Everything worked - the light in the glovebox, the air-condition vent in the glovebox, the driving lights, the iPod without the D+P unit (plugged directly into the AUX), and the HK D+P with the display & controller with the iPod connected to it.

There was only one casualty; I dropped one of the screws for the glovebox into a hole. It was the screw that holds the left side tight, but it feels extremely secure even without it. I didn't feel the need to take out all the other stuff, shake the glovebox assembly upside down until the screw came out, then put it all back to have it happen again. Just wasn't that important, and I'll get another screw some other day. Stuff happens.

I feel so butch.

 

Nice job!

 

You go, girl. Reading NAM before my MCS arrived, I found everything I needed to do an OEM iPod adapter and aux jack install just as soon as the car arrived. Honestly, I think my 8 year old could do it.

So, what are you going to do with the $400 you didn't give to the dealer?

 

Good Job! Maybe you can help me next time Im installing something!

 

Great report, Cheryl! Congrats on the install and on keeping your resolve, too.

 

That's the nice thing about this commitment - I didn't have the $400 to begin with! I'm hoping that by 2008 my credit card debt will be a thing of the past.

 

Congratulations. Now that you have a little project out of the way and successful you can gain the confidence to take on the bigger ones. Sorry I never got back to you about any potential install problems (didn't sound like you had any audio related anyway), but I never heard back from who I was helping out.

I did the same thing yesterday. I was trying to sort out a rattle I was getting with the glove box. So I took the glove box out of the car (5 torx 20 screws) and I think I found the problem. I believe the problem was those little blue plastic things that receive the screws, one of them was a little bent out of whack. So I took a lighter and got it warm and melted and bent it back into a better shape. When reassembling those 2 screws on either side of the glove box were the bane of my existence. They are recessed back about an inch or so from the curve of the glove box so they prove to be interesting to put back in properly. I eventually just magnetized my torx driver and that held the screw reasonably well (after I dropped it down the gap about a dozen times).

 

Way to go Cherry2005!!! Stay the course with you resolution. Credit card debt free is a beautiful thing. Dave Ramsey has a book about elimanating debit via "The Snowball Effect" its very good!!

 

Doesn't it feel good to do something yourself?

Let us know when you do that pulley thing.

We should start a new thread about getting rid of credit cards. I am pretty good about those, but it took many years to learn to only spend what you have. I listen to Dave Ramsey on XM all the time and love his common sense approach. Ain't rocket science.

 

Great post! I've done four iPod installs on MINI's, along with an HK retrofit...and the hardest part of any task is putting that left side glovebox screw back in. I found the easiest way was to use a magnet to get the screw into place and then while using the magnet to hold the screw in place, slide your torx wrench in there and tighten. You need the magnet anyway to get that screw out of where it fell the two dozen times before you finally succeed.

 

You avoided giving the dealership to omuch money for a simple task, improvised with kitchen tools, and it worked the first time!! YOu want a job? imagine what you could do with the right tools and work environment!!LOL congratulatoins on a job well done-as soon as that screw you dropped turns into an annoying rattle you will re find the resolve to take it back apart!

 

Cherry.....you rock!!!

 

Awesome! I think you've given me the courage to try and wire in my own DICE HD/iPod system (since my OEM iPod adapter sucks).

 

Way to go Mom...

 

Hey Sheryl!

Great job! Glad you finally put this little thing to rest. Now come join us on a club meet to show it off!

 

so are your kids now hanging out with wrenchin' mom in the garage?

good job.

 

Sure Octane Guy - got a couple dollars for gas?