Hello,
My `07 Cooper currently has the basic mini CD, I want to replace it with the boost CD. apart from the hardware, do I need to visit the dealership, to program it?

 

What country do you live in?

If it is the USA you already have the Boost CD even though it may not have the marking on it.

If you live in another country then it may be possible to have a lesser model of the radio/CD.

 

I live in Greece.

Here there are three options: mini CD, wave CD, boost CD. I currently have the cheaper one. and I found on Ebay a boost CD at a good price, so I want to replace it. I can install it. But will it work immediately?

 

This may not be as easy as you think

The Boost CD/Radio (head unit) is not the only thing that has to be changed.

1. Head Unit
2. Speedometer face - MINI/Wave have single display line, Boost has 2 display lines
3. Control Module and display
4. Cooling Tube - MINI and Wave do not require a cooling tube the Boost does
5. Programing is probably needed to add the additional display options for computer display items such as MPG, Clock, Avg Speed, and other computer related display info.

Also the MINI CD and the Wave CD both use the exact same part number for an 07-10 model year cars so I am not sure what the difference is between them. But I can tell you that the sound output is greater on the Boost vs the MINI/Wave but only by a very small amount maybe 3-4 watts.

Good Luck with the upgrade if you go thru with it.

 

I already ordered, the head unit, display, radio controls, speedometer(to get the face for the screen).
I didn't know about the cooling tube. Where it is located exactly? am I going to find It on realoem?

 

Shown right here on realoem

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...74&hg=65&fg=05

 

Thank you, when I receive the parts, I'll write about the outcome of the upgrade..

 

Hello,
Today I installed the Boost radio, everything went OK.
No coding needed..

Except the cooling tube, shown above...
Does anyone has picture how it is installed back there?

 

I too recently replaced the Wave CD radio with Boost CD radio. It was quite a challenge, but successful one.

It's working very nice and the sound is subjectively better, more clean. Not to mention the bigger display looks cool.

We installed even the cooling tube, it cost me only 6 € at my dealer. The cool air opening is on the left side of the center console (my car is LHD), down below the steering wheel. It normally has a cap. (On the right side, there is already connected tube leading air to the co-driver's comparment.)
The tube has to be sticked there from the cd radio area and easily connected to the air outlet. It then leads the cold air to the back side of the radio (it is not connected to the radio, it just blows there).

 

Yeah no coding will be necessary when you get used BOOST radios. There are a few things to watch out for. You do want to try to get the radio from a car with the same options as your vehicle (like no bluetooth, IBOC, and SDARS, those two don't apply outside the US). And you want to try to get a unit that came from a car without the HIFI/HK amp.

 

One can't have Wave CD radio together with Bluetooth upgrade, because Boost CD radio is a pre-requisite for it (judging from the Mini price list from 2007). At least here in EU where we don't have digital radio.


Plus one thing to look out for - when the radio unit and display/controls unit are bought separately, make sure there's a pin in the display/controls unit's conector that will press the flat cable from radio unit (I had to send one unit back because of this). Also don't combine 2007 and 2008/2009 and 2010 units, there's been some changes made. For example the flat cable connecting them is slightly wider on 2009 units and thus cannot be aligned correctly.