I just bought my 2004 MC and I need to replace the stereo ASAP.

1. No CD player
2. The most difficult radio I've ever seen to operate
3. Poor sound quality

I am having trouble finding anybody who has an in dash kit for the minis.

I have installed after-market stereos in several vehicles and I am not interested in a $500 solution, I simply want a "good" sound and a CD player.

Has anyone got any $200 solutions they have tried?

 

I have no clue, but why doesn't it have a CD player?! That comes standard on MINIs?

 

Crutchfield.com

Mine came standard with a cd player and 6 speakers. Sounds great, but I don't blast it so....

 

The original owner needed a cassette deck, you can get either CD or cassette.

Found nice stuff on Crutchfield.com but don't know if my steering wheel controls will work with aftermarket radio.

 

The steering wheel controls almost certainly won't work with an aftermarket radio. There's no industry-wide standard for external controls, so most aftermarket head units don't even have connections to accept external controls.

Many aftermarket head units *do* have radio-frequency remote controls, so it is possible in some cases to buy an external controller that clamps to your steering wheels to give you some control over the head unit from the steering wheel, but you're probably out of luck if you want the factory MFSW controls to work with an aftermarket stereo.

Scott

 

Have you looked around for a factory CD unit that someone has taken out of their mini? Craigslist, ebay, local auto wrecker...?

 

You could post on NAM's market place forum that you are looking to buy stock cd radio.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...play.php?f=151

 

Check out Newministuff.com out of the UK. mikeythemini on MINI2 they have adapters for aftermarket stereos which will retain the MFSW controls.

I got my Ice-link from him 3 years ago. Great guy, and pretty well known in the European MINI segment.

He's got lots of great aftermarket bits that we don't get here.

If I remember correctly "wave" is non-HK and "boost" is HK

here is a direct link to the adapters.
http://www.newministuff.com/new/shop...ductshow&id=80

You could probably try to contact him through email or mini2

 

No, I don't believe that's it at all. This is my understanding:

Wave = "base" head unit that is NOT available in the USA
Boost = improved head unit, standard on all USA MINIs

The H/K is an "extra" on top of the Boost stereo... it uses the same head unit.

I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's the situation.

 

Edge--

good catch. You are correct and here is the proof.

http://www.newministuff.com/new/index.php?section=9

 

For an aftermarket stereo system, I recommend the Alta CAI and a Milltek cat-back exhaust. (Just kidding).

I always begin my searches at Crutchfield. I think many of the Blaupunkt head units would fit in with the current MINI ***** and switches..., or at least they used to.

 

http://www.mini2.com/forum/interior-...blaupunkt.html

 

Good to know - I've only been out of car audio for a short while, but I had no idea that so many of the aftermarket decks were hardwired for remote controls now. I've always just had the RF remotes.

Thanks for the link!

Scott

 

Here's another link when you decide which head unit you're getting.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-l0nNSur...skipvs=T&g=750

 

You don't need a dash kit for a Mini btw...

 

Yes and no. You don't need a whole "Dash Kit" but in most cases you do need a trim piece, commonly referred to as a facia adapter. The MINI has an ISO sized dash opening and that is a hare bit taller than the normal DIN sized headunit you find here in the States.

Here's an example: http://www.autotoys.com/x/cust/produ...tid=1595&cat=6

Regards-
Randy