Hello, im planning to have my ipod play in my 2004 Mini Cooper S and i have many questions. I know there are many options out there for me to choose from, but which one should i get? There are the ones that cost about $40 from outmotoring and minicarparts. I am planning to buy that one, but is the quality good? Te other ones out there is like the Dice Silverline and other expensive ones that run over $100. I know that the expensive ones have more features, but i just want to control the music from my ipod and i dont need text on the radio. I am just looking at sound quality from both, waht are the differences from the two? Also, are they easy to install, and are they compatible with my 2004 Mini Cooper S? THANKS ALOT PEEPS!

 

The OEM one is very easy to install, and is just a line-in direct to the head unit. Not much can go wrong with it. Works for me in my 03.

Mark

 

Which one is the OEM one, and do you know any about the ones from outmotoring?

 

I acquired an '03 R50 in November, and purchased the Out Motoring OEM aux input shortly thereafter. I paid the dealership 1/2 hour labour for installing it, but kicked myself when I watched the tech do it with such ease. You really could install it yourself using the MINI instructions included in the package.

The quality is good both in materials and sound. Like you, I only needed something to transmit the sound from my Iphone to the factory stereo, and this fits the bill quite adequately.

Hope that helps.

Asif

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...30-post12.html

How I did it.

Mark

 

Yes it's a 15 minute job including beer time

 

I have the Dice one, that is the interface as opposed to the Aux input so you can control it from your steering wheel. The reason was the labor I would pay was the same for either. It stopped working correctly hours after installation and when I took it back to get replaced the guy did it in like 5 minutes. I felt stupid paying $100 on top of the cost. Hindsight being 20/20 I would have opted for the Aux input, save a ton over interface, and done it myself.

 

I've got the I cruse interface and it's FAR harder to install since theres a LCD display to mount and wire to the rear of the head unit and run power grounds ect

 

THANKS ! I have found a really cheap way. I have found an old MPC2 Audio Cable from a computers CD-ROM Drive and i plugged one end to the back of the radio unit. Then i cut off the other end of the wire and connected it to and 3.5mm auxiliary cable and i got a cheap Auxiliary input. It is pretty good, but i would like to see the differences between the ones you buy form websites and the one i did. If you guys want anymore details about it, let me know im welcome to show you step by step with directions and pictures.

 

Do you have a link to the pinout for the stereo? I think I have a cable that will work but I just need to know the wiring.

 

Has anyone had an EXTREMELY hard time removing the plastic thing underneath the steering wheel? I've looked at the pictures people have posted, but it almost feels like mine is glued in on the right side or something. I have an 04 if that helps.

Thanks,
Shane

 

I have an 04 MCS as well. If your talking about the plastic panel that swings down, just pull on the top portion of it and it will swing down on hinges. It may take a little force. Just wedge your fingers in the top and pull steadily. It will pop out and swing down.

 

BTW, I have the OEM kit and it works and it sounds great. I got it on E-bay. Installation was about 15 minutes and that's with tucking wires away for a clean installation.

 

Just pull it REALLY HARD! It will come off. I was scared removing it too!

 

Whenever I have to remove the panel beneath the steering wheel, I use a long-shaft screwdriver to go through the opening that is provided for adjusting the height. Just push down firmly, and it should pop down.

 

Thanks for the help guys. This forum is awesome.

Shane

 

Another tip is to remove the plastic cover on the side of the dash. You can see the left side attachment point of the "plastic thing" and its easy to pry the left side ball out.

 

yeah just pull down hard it wont break.

 

Just wanted to say that I just used these instructions and they worked like a charm. Way easier than the ones that came with the AUX kit.

Thanks!

 

I was lost in the number of wiring adapters offered and the features each had with prices varying widely. The factory one described how you could have play lists on the factory stereo and use radio controls as well. Maybe I am remembering this incorrectly but I recall reading a disclaimer on one which said it would not work on a stereo with RDS...seems backwards.

I don't mind paying more if I am getting something for paying more but does anyone have a comparison of features and reasonable amount each should cost so we can evaluate the trade-offs? Factory one had the most complete info but I recall it was very expensive; what should it cost and is there another adapter which allows the same features for less?

BTW: I downloaded the Mini iPod factory adapter owner’s manual from someplace as I looked. I would upload it here if anyone wants it but I haven't been a member long enough to know where or if it is even possible.

 

"THANKS ! I have found a really cheap way. I have found an old MPC2 Audio Cable from a computers CD-ROM Drive and i ............"


Can you please share the details? I really need to know what the connector, or plug looks like that goes into the back of the radio.

 

I bought & installed the oem aux input from the good folks at Outmotoring.

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...pod_mp3_hookup

Really was a piece of cake to install. Now I can listen to all my Frankie Yankovic polka tunes on my iPod.

 

@Space Blue06: Well, just go on ebay and look up a MPC-2 cable, and just get a regular aux cable. When you have them two, it is just joining them two together and then its plug and play from there. I didnt take any pictures for the process, but if you really want it, i be more than happy to make you a DIY to follow, but it is pretty straight forward.
What you will do is, cut one end of the MPC-2 cable and same thing to the aux cable. After that, you will splice all the wire covers off of the MPC-2 cable (The side you cut at). Then you do the same with the aux. After that, you connect the wires together using butt connectors or what so ever that transfer the wires connection.
So, the colored wires that I found in my MPC-2 cable was a black, white, and red I believe. Inside of my aux was the same thing. So, what I did was, red to red... and blah, blah, blah, but then I tested it out and my right speakers was SO much louder than the left, so I just messed around with some wires and I found out the problem. I just cut/removed the butt connector of the white wires and the sound was even. So, back to the last step of making the auxiliary input. After you connect the wires with butt connectors, you just plug the MPC-2 end into the back of the radio. This part is kind of hard. I dont know if you know how the back looks like, but there are some pins in the back of the radio where the legit axillary input is supposed to go. If you are looking at the radio from the back of it, the pins would be located on the bottom right. Since I knew where it was, I didnt want to go through the hassle of remove the radio, so I just reached my had in there and tried to plug it in. For the pins, there are many of them, I really dont know where to put the MPC-2 cable in, so all I did was just plug it into any of the pins until I get the AUX MODE option. Thats all!! I have that annoying static noise sometimes from my aux while playing music and I dont know why. I think my aux cable is bad since I found it in my house because when I bend my aux cables base in a certain direction or something, I get clear sound. Overall, I THINK THIS IS A VERY GREAT AUXILIARY INPUT FOR UNDER $3!!!!! If you have any trouble, PM me and ill be glad to help you.

PS: You dont have to use the aux cable below if you dont want to. You can get a aux cable that is male to female, and have a regular aux cable that you can lug into the female whenever you want. I didnt realize you can do that, so I always have a aux cable just hanging in my car. If you dont know what I mean, PM me.

GLAD TO HELP!



Below is the link to a MPC-2 cable:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Internal-CD-...efaultDomain_0

Below is a link to a aux cable:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-5mm-AUX-AUXILI...efaultDomain_0

Below is the link to a butt connector:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3M-22-18AWG-RED-...efaultDomain_0

 

So you are saying the white wire was poorly connected and so you improved the connection…you did not simply disconnect the white connection?

Possibly you still have a loose connection. Soldering the wires together instead of using butt connectors would give you a more reliable connection.

 

That would be a great idea, but I just had the butt connectors around and they are just as good. Either way is fine.

Have you done this mod to your car?