I bought my wife an XM Roady for her Toyota and am blown away by the sound and features. Now I've got to have a system for Mini. Since I've got the stock radio with the single CD, I guess I'm stuck with getting the Delphi XM receiver and the FM Modulator kit. Do I need to buy an antenna as well or does the system use my existing antenna system (I hope)? The guy at Best Buy was less than knowledgable. And how is the reception/sound with the FM Modulator set up?

Thanks for any comments.

(SEE my comments below, I bought the system and love it.)

See install pics:

 

>>I bought my wife an XM Roady for her Toyota and am blown away by the sound and features. Now I've got to have a system for Mini. Since I've got the stock radio with the single CD, I guess I'm stuck with getting the Delphi XM receiver and the FM Modulator kit. Do I need to buy an antenna as well or does the system use my existing antenna system (I hope)? The guy at Best Buy was less than knowledgable. And how is the reception/sound with the FM Modulator set up?
>>
>>Thanks for any comments.

I have a SkyFi in my wife's Jeep and it sounds excellent and I;m assuming that the FM Mod is similar to the Roady but I'm not sure. The FM modulator has a choice of 3 frequencies on the low end so you should be able to find one with no station in your area. It has a place for your existing antenna to plug into and it, in turn, plugs into your radio antenna jack. When the Sat radio is on, it cuts the antenna signal and you just tune to whatever frequency you picked and it comes through loud and clear.

If you want to wait a little while, Blitzsafe is working on a system that will allow you to hook up XM to the Mini radio and control it with the sterring wheel and display on the radio, just like the Sirius from MINI does. You just have to have one of the Sat Ready radios from the 2003 models and maybe late 2002 from what I've read here.

Also check http://www.xmfan.com for plenty of info regarding XM installs.

 

thanks for the info. How is the reception using the Mini antenna and the FM Modulator interface?

 

I believe you still have to have the XM Antenna, which then recieves the signal from the Sat, and that goes in to the FM Modulator, which then broadcasts on a lower frequency like 88.5 or something, then you tune the car radio to that. I've been looking at doing this almost every day I do some research, but I still have questions.

 

thanks, this is clearly the next "BIG" thing in audio for the car. The sound is awesome (at least in my wife's car) and the channels are extensive. I've got to have it in my Mini.

 

My bad, I did not understand your question fully. I was descibing how the signal gets from the Delphi unit into the radio. You do need a sat radio antenna but the Delphi Roady comes with one in the box and the SkyFi has one in the car kit. The antennas now are just a touch bigger and thicker than a book of matches and will eaisly fit on the dash of the MINI judging by the pictures I've seen here.

 

well I made took plunge and bought a system for Mini. Had the audio guys at Best Buy do the install. And they earned their money took these guys four hours (would have taken me four weeks). Anyway, it was worth it. The set up is incredible and I can pop out the receiver and pop it into the portable unit I bought that my wife keeps in the kitchen (that is what sold her on getting a second system). Anyway, if anyone is interested in pics, I can post them. Otherwise, my strongest recommendations to all. BTW, a second unit is only $6 and change a month.

 

So I'm assuming you got the SkyFi? If so where did you mount it?

 

yup, SkiFi and it's centered/mounted in the space immediate above the cigarette lighter. I'll post a pic tomorrow.

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'02 EB/W MCS, Rogue intake, Helix 15% pulley, Magnaflow exhaust, Exel TZ-10 white wheels, Magnecor wires, Bosch Platinums, XM Sattelite System. Next up: ECU upgrade and Randy's throttle body.

 

one final note, the SkiFi unit is portable. I made the "mistake" of buying my wife a boombox setup so she can use the unit in the kitchen during the week while Mini sleeps in the garage awaiting our weekend outings. Now I cannot pry it loose from her or our two cats who love the New Age channel so well, they've moved into the kitchen!