Does the 2008 Cooper S radio come w/ an aux input for an mp3 player?

Also, what does it mean that the radio is pre-wired for Sirius?

 

Yes.

 

Yes, the auxiliary input is standard on all R56 models. It's kind of hidden but is located at the bottom of the center stack.

For the Sirius radio, it means that the car is pre-wired to accept an OEM Sirius unit that goes in the floorboard under the front passenger seat. The hardware is a metal box that plugs into the wiring already located under the seat. Hooks in to the stereo system and the rooftop antenna with plug-ins.

Here's what the box looks like:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sowellman/1538530079/

 

How much does the OEM unit cost? Does this mean all you do is add that box, and then play sirius through the factory radio? Or do you also need to buy a sirius radio and antenna?

 

I paid $479 through Classic Mini in Ohio, which provides a 20 percent discount on parts to NAM members. List price back then, in September, was $599. I then paid $330 to my dealer, Rasmussen in Portland, to install it.

The install, along with required software downloads, synchs it to the factory radio. I have the built-in navigation system, so all of the Sirius menus and the Ipod adaptor I had installed at the same time, come up on the navigation screen.

The Sirius unit is the radio, so you don't need anything additional. The wire for the antenna is also located under the passenger seat and a built-in antenna is located in the shark fin on the top of the car.

Neither the Sirius unit, nor the Ipod connector, was available when my car was built in early March. That's why I didn't just add them then. The price of the unit I bought includes one year of Sirius service.

 

Thanks. I looked on Sirius and the OEM unit is only $49. Is this all I need?

Is the fin antenna standard if you don't have a nav system?

http://shop.sirius.com/edealinv/serv...750&scId=24750

 

No, the Mini stereo is not Sirius-ready. You would have to buy the unit I referenced, or buy a standard Sirius radio that you would install in your car. Pre-wired is different from Sirius-ready.

 

Really? That's interesting. How did you find that out?

 

I saw it on several posts here. And told them I was a NAM member when I called in both of my orders. They applied it without any problem.

 

Hmm. That's good to know, thanks!

 

According to the 2008 brochure, it says the radio is "satellite radio-ready".

Does this mean something else?

 

I think that still means you need to buy the $500 unit I have and get it installed. I haven't heard that there has been a change to the Sirius setup on the 2008 models and the configurator still shows a $1,000 charge for a factory install with the lifetime service.

Check with your dealer to be sure.