Hi there.

I just came from my dealer, where they are unable to install the software that will allow my iPod interface to talk to the Sat Nav. Needless to say, the situation is pretty frustrating.

Does anyone have the iPod interface working with Sat Nav, and if so, can you tell me the version number of the software in your car? Maybe I can get it to the service dept at my dealership so they know what they are looking for.

Also, if you have it, how's it workin?

Thanks!
JMelrose

 

I have it jmelrose,
If you let me know how to check the version number I can find it for you. Also you may try having your dealer call Patrick Mini in IL (where I bought my car).
In terms of how it works: Once your iPod is connect, it will be treated by the Sat Nav as a CD changer with a MP3 disc in it. So from there you can see the song title along with any playlist you have in your iPod. You can also go through the different "CDs" like CD2 I think is organize by artist name, CD3 is by albumn title, etc. It works great so far and the music will mute when Navi instruction comes in and will pause when the phone rings.

 

Thanks Shadow.

Can you tell if there's a limit to how many items appear in the menu? I had read 255 was the max number of songs (or artists, albums, etc.) but hoped they improved it.

Also, how's the speed? Is it faster to get started up if you don't unplug it while stopped (parked)?

I think that should do it for now. I'll get word to the service guy I spoke with. Just to clarify: you do have it hooked up to the SatNav, right?

Thanks a bunch. I'll report back once I know more. I'm hoping they have everything they need someplace.

Jmelrose

 

To be honest I have not check the limit. I will try and see tomorrow morning. And yes my iPod adaptor is interfaced through the Sat Nav.
The start up time is very quick if you leave it plug in (less than a second) I have my iPod with me all the time so I plug it in everytime I get into the car and it seems by the time I have the secret compartment closed the song have already started. The dowsize to pluging and unpluging is that it will forget what song you were listening to last and start over everytime.
Hope your dealer can get the iPod working soon, I am quite happy with it so far

 

What did it cost you? MINI of Mountian View is quoting about $600 installed.

 

$583 for me.

Maybe the $17 is the software.

 

If the SAT/NAV treats it like a CD changer, what happens if you have a CD loaded and the iPod attached?

 

I'm getting the software installed tomorrow. Apparently it's the real deal this time.

In the meantime, I wondered where people's iPods are being connected. The accessories catalog shows it in the glove box, but the "secret compartment" is where my dealership installed it, with a cool little pad to keep it from sliding around and everything. Are others having theirs installed in a similar manner?

 

i wonder the same thing, mcarlo.

 

I don't have an R56, but the way headunits usually work is that the built-in single CD is independent of the CD changer. On the headunit (or integrated SatNav) you would choose an input mode, which is typically radio, CD, aux input, and CD changer. So you select CD to play a single CD or select the "CD changer" for the iPod.

 

Yes mine is installed the same way also inside the secret compartment with a little plastic pad to keep it from sliding around.

 

Mine is being updated overnight tonight by the saints at Downtown Mini. 6 hours of install time needed. The tech started at 5pm tonight and is going to "just stay until it's done." How cool is that. I got a loaner, will go back in the morning to pick it up. These guys rock.

 

Wow.

The download didn't take last night. They needed to do it again.

THey tried again this morning.... didn't take again.

To add insult to injury, the nav system software is currently hosed. The car can't be taken out so they HAVE to make the software take... I certainly don't understand why BMW have to make this process so difficult.

So, I'm without my Mini indefinitely. Not happy.... not at all. Sigh.

 

Similar story with the software, as described at https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=99558

 

The tech at the dealership told me today over the phone, "I hope you like the loaner." I guess I'm now trapped in software deployment hell. Or, rather, my lobotomized Mini is.

I'm not thrilled to find out that IF they get hte software to install, it will likely be an older version, possibly even older than the one the car came with. In addition, after all this it likely won't have iPod capability still. (As that requires the software to be updated... and the circle continues.)

BMW needs to get their act together on this. It's embarrassing to have this great new car, everyone knows I have it, and I have to explain that it's at the shop because it needs software upgrades, and they last "patch" was botched so badly that the car needs a total restore of whatever OS it runs.

I'm betting Microsoft is inside that car someplace... nothing else makes sense. :-)

By the way, at this point I officially DO NOT recommend getting the Mini ipod kit installed if you have the Sat Nav system. Unless, of course, this fun experience colea and I are having looks appealing to you. BMW/Mini clearly rolled this product out before it was ready for prime time, and I'm pretty forgiving about these things, as I like ot be an early adopter. This just a mess though.

 

Ooh, bad prognosis. My SA, who had called me daily with updates ("no progress") last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, did not call today. I take that as a bad sign.

 

I spoke with my MA this evening, and the upgrade had 1 hr 40 minutes to go about an hour before the dealership closed. However, he said they tried a different PC or connection (I forget which) and that gave better results, insofar as the car looked to be actually getting reprogrammed as it was supposed to. Not sure how it compares to what they saw before, but he sounded hopefully. The service manager, who is probably a nice guy but needs to learn a bit about bedside manner IMO, did not paint as positive a picture when I spoke with him. When I call tomorrow, I'll speak with my MA. Actually, he said he would contact me first thing in the morning ot let me know how it went. Here's hoping!

 

Apparent good news today. I had a voice mail from last evening from the SA saying that the "electrical repairs" had been completed and all that remains is an unrelated issue (repair of a scratch created during installation of door sills).

So it sounds like the software upgrade was completed successfully...am waiting eagerly to be reunited with my baby, perhaps even with a working iPod adaptor (& radio & Bluetooth & nav, etc.). Yea!

 

Colea,

Can you find out if there is any more information about what went wrong, what was done, etc? (Maybe point out this thread?) Also, what dealership did you have the work done at, just in case today isn't my day for getting my Mini back?

Let me know if the iPod, etc is working. I hold out hope that my Mini will get the iPod interface working, but if not I've asked for it to be removed so I can have the rest of the car back, preferrably working as well as it did initially.

Thanks!
JMelrose

 

Yes, will let you know what I find out.

 

My car will be at the dealership for another 7-10 days. The "CCC" unit has to be replaced, which requires one to be generated, programmed, and shipped over from Germany.

I'm suddenly kinda wishing I'd found a car less stressful to own. I'm kinda kidding about that. I'm kinda not.

(And please, no posts about "How great it will be once you get the car back." It's too soon for that.)

I was signed up for the Patrick Air Force Base car show in a couple weeks. Looks like I'll be cancelling, unless things happen a lot faster than I expect them to... *sigh*

Avoid the iPod adapter, that's all I'm saying. Avoid, avoid, avoid. At least, if you have the Sat Nav.

 

BTW, did I start thread 100,000? WHoa!

 

Whoa, that sounds like a major setback! Was the unit defective, do you know, or was it just that they could not overcome the problems in downloading the software?

Still no details on my own MINI yet. I'm hoping to get the car back this week, and we'll see how many of the hi-tech things actually work.

People have complained about the high price of the iPod adaptor, but if every installation requires MINI to foot the bill for 1-2 weeks of loaner cars while their technicians struggle to get the installation working, they are for sure not making any profit on this! (Currenly starting day 8 with my loaner Hyundai Accent.)

 

Amen to that! I'm guessing the SatNav's complexity is probably what is causing these big downloads, and the issues with them.

I get to keep using the dealership's Cooper, which is nice since at least I have a cool car to use while my much cooler car is being repaired. I'm guessing they're shelling out for rental cars, but hopefully not every day I have this one. Probably cheaper in the long run to give me the loaner, which is fine. I'm learning to love the sport button on the Cooper, although I have to say it seems to make the car a lot jumpier.

I'm leaving town for 11 weeks, including 2 cross-country drives, in 16 days. If they haven't gotten things fixed, I'm not taking my Mini... meaning ownership. I'm returning it. I don't see that I have much else as far as choices go, really, and then I'll have a breakdown since I won't have a car at all. But I'll cross that bridge when I get there I guess. But I refuse to take a car with known computer issues on such a drive, and have to live with it for 11 weeks, and I don't plan to leave it at the dealership for such an extended stay either. The iPod install was part of my initial options so I'll Lemon Law the car or something, if need be. Hard to believe I have to consider my options on that possiblity!

For now, all I know is the unit was fine, but apparently having the download crap out part way through the install hosed the unit. I don't know why they can't send it to the VDC or some "higher end" service facility and take care of it that way, but getting it shipped over from Germany sure seems to be the long way around.

In the meantime, I'm just worried now about the car sitting out in a lot for 7-10 days. I hope it at least gets a wash before I pick it up. :-)

 

I feel your pain. Having been a BMW owner for many, many years, this seems to be par for the course. BMW is great at designing/building engines/suspensions, but really sucks at electronics. When the 7 series was introduced in 2002, many owners went through similar trials. It seems that BMW has no problem making new model owners beta testers. Just be thankful that Mini's don't have I-Drive...yet.