OK, so I have started to see that the DPSM is becoming more popular amongst some of the "audio enthusiast" 1st Gen owners here... as I'm noticing more and more people who say they have it...

And I thought, why not make a list of them, so people know who to ask when they have questions about it? Also, so we know who to ask when we want to compare experiences?

In the interest of keeping it simple, I'm going to maintain a list of the NAM members who have it installed, in alphabetical order by username. That way there's no "club", nobody has a "number". (I abhor silly pointless "clubs" - heh)

Here's the list so far - I'll add to it as more owners come to my attention (either by posting here, PMing me, or me catching sight of it in another thread):

• 03ibmini
• 101101
• 2BeeMini2
• Bluegarvis (former owner, sold the MINI)
• DSRH
• Edge
• Ferroequine
• GBMINI
• hexproject
• Irishcow
• IRSHMNI
• JCWGP
• mmiskinis
• richsnuc
• ssallykat
• wildcrazy442000

That's 16 so far...

 

I hope to be removed from that list soon. Mine has been a total disaster. Great if you want screaming static, waiting to hear if Mini, and or the installing dealer will reinburse me for the unit. After I have the second dealer to work on it, uninstall the system. My car is entering its seventh week in the shop since 10-25-06, because of this unit.

 

Water is getting in my amp area. Right quarter window seems to be the problem. Car is at the dealer again, waiting for it to rain. Got to laugh I guess. I went to visit today "JACK" was sleeping though, poor guy.

 

I installed the DPSM myself three weeks ago, I got the new and complete DPSM retrofit kit for 1200 dollars (would be much lower if the exchange rate for dollars were not so high). It has run without problems and I think it is an excellent audio system. Below a frequency table I took out of the manual. The peak and 100Hz is there because this is the frequency where cars absorp a lot of sound because of interior upholstering and sound deadening and the DPSM compensates for that.

 

Well, I'm back. Mine did work great until one hot July day. Dealer has gone silent about dealing with the fact it now sounds lousy after they replaced the amp and installed a fan. Now the wife suggests I bring a cheap boom box up there to show them that it sounds better than my $2000 system. One or more of my drivers must be screwed up.

I am traped in a situation where I have to prove the damn thing used to sound great, now it sucks. They just can't get their heads around the idea that I listen to it every day and they only heard it for 3 minutes.

Still looking for someone in the Detroit area that has one that works right to compare it to. Service manager called me to say he will be calling me but hasn't called me back.

Had a whole bunch of stuff come up and have not had time to deal with this.

Any help is appreciated. Mark 734 945 3478

 

Some DPSM install links:
Install instructions, hosted on MotoringFile
Some pics I took of Keiths DPSM install at MINI of Peabody
Some pics from when I installed DPSM in GPMINI (not a difficult install if you're OK with removing ALL interior trim panels!)
Scans of all the DPSM user guide pages


Sorry to see people posting their DPSM problems ... I've been lucky so far.

 

My g/f just bought a used MCS. Turned out it had DPSM in it, and the dealer didn't even notice. So we basically just got a DPSM for free. As compared to my MCS stock radio and speakers, the DPSM is pretty good. Although personally I don't think a car is the optimum listening environment, at all. But, for a car stereo, this is pretty good.

So add IRSHMNI to the list...

 

Awesome - done.

 

add me to the list!!!

 

Done! Sorry it took a while. Glad to hear you got your issues resolved.

 

Well, I am somewhat sad to say that I am no longer a DPSM owner. In fact, I no longer own any MINI's. My son was looking for his first car and as I have done with my 2 older children, I offered to front the down payment and co-sign for him. My MCS was the down payment for his 328 coupe. I do have some parts for sale that will be posted in the marketplace. Head over in couple of days to take a gander... NO DPSM parts though. Those stayed with the car.

Oops... just saw I need to update my signature...

 

My impression is that this is a very fragile/temperamental system. Anyone out there with extended listening hours who can vouch for reliability?

[Crickets...]

 

Bummer! That's quite a sacrifice for your son - and quite a huge downpayment! You must really love your son to give up your MINI for him. If I was in your situation, I doubt I could do the same... I'd probably do something else instead, like offer to match him dollar-for-dollar with money he saves for a car, or something.

I have edited the first post to reflect your status. I left you on there because part of the point of this thread is to have people to talk to about their experiences. Yours are still valid, whether you still have the MINI or not. Well, obviously my case is not the best example... after all, I had them rewire the entire freaking car in order to get it. I did have lots of problems at first... but I think they were due to the rewiring, not the DPSM itself.

Since that project has been all done, it settled down and it has been very reliable. I love it.

 

Just about 2 years on mine, and not one single problem.

 

Well, not to bore with details, I had financed the MCS so it is not the financial windfall that you might expect... further, as with all my kids, the down payment and co-sign is on me, the payments are on you. Another caveat is they must be full time employed and going to school full time with our (wife and mine) overview of grades. Anything slips, we take control of said vehicle.

This has worked out for us really well. We are very lucky to have raised incredibly motivated, socially respectable, successful and well adjusted children (twin girls and a boy, 22 and 19 respectively).

Not sure how you came to this conclusion, initial start-up issues? Yes. However, I had mine for more than 2 years and no a single issue after it was sorted out...

 

I came to the same conclusion, that DPSM seems to have an unusually high failure rate. The accounts in the forums do not inspire confidence. A quick search came up with GBMINI, wildcrazy442000, 101101, and I think I've seen others. By way of comparison, there are also occasional reports of HK amp failures, but hundreds of thousands of HK units have shipped. DPSM on the other hand is extremely rare.

 

That's cool. I hope you didn't take my post as criticism of your parenting style... I sure didn't mean it that way. Rather, I was more in awe of the sacrifice you were willing to make for your son.

 

After 14 service trips and 4 months time in the shop, related to my DPSM. I sold my MINI. Proud owner of a non DPSM R56.

 

well, it's screeching and buzzing. man, am i pissed....
more later. anybody know how to contact the idiots that made this thing?
mark

 

Mine has been 100% trouble free from day 1, and I really crank it up every once in a while too. No buzzing or screeching at all. The only thing I've had happen is one of the rear badges came off the grill (does anyone know where to get a new one BTW?).

For those of you having problems, did you do the install yourself or did the dealer put it in? Have you tinkered with the electronics? I'm not insinuating anything, just curious.

 

Flow MINI installed mine and DSRH (Andrew's) both had problems. Mine had three amps installed, wiring replaced, and tweeter crossover replaced. I believe they ended up selling my car wholesale. Service tech at Hendrick's MINI told me they installed only one and it had similar problems. Great way to ruin a nice car.

 

I have never touched the damn thing until the other day. Dealer installed, dealer serviced. First one failed on a hot day, what 3 years ago. Went through hell getting them to replace the whole thing under warranty something like 9 months ago.

Last week it quit (on an 80 degree day and not turned up), then after turning the head unit off it assumed a mind of it's own and started to make a series of bizarre, speaker threatening squeals, buzzing, etc. Wanted to get an audio file recording of it but when i took my air book out there to get it of course refused to act up.

Now, out of warranty due to the fact it starts on the purchase date of the original unit this thing has rendered my car painful to drive. Worse than no stereo at all.

$2200 and this is what I get. I have no idea what to do. What, buy another sound module? Can I even do that? For what $500? Will the new one work better? Are my speakers screwed up?

What a mess.

Mark 734 945 3478

 

There should be two more years warranty on any parts replaced under warranty.

 

i suppose i'll call them up. they are sick of dealing with me and this stupid dpsm.

 

OK, so I don't know if this is due to you guys jinxing things up or what, but after 2 years of perfect and delicious sound performance, my DPSM has now started the same buzzing, crackling and booming. First time was 2 days ago, on my way to work. Since then, it has occurred randomly, and one time the whole system shut off for about 5 seconds.

I've got recordings of it on my iPhone, and the best way to describe it is as scratchy, static radio accentuated by the occasional bass "bomb". No difference whether listening to FM, CD or iPod. I've also gotten this same noise with the headunit turned off, leading me to believe that the brain / amplifier unit has gone haywire somehow. Heat is not an issue for me, it doesn't get overly hot here.

We'll see what the dealership has to say tomorrow...