I'll be a familiar face in here. I'm picking up a 2008 R52S convertible on Saturday and can't wait to get put my personal touch on it. It has the HK system but no factory bluetooth (doesn't have button in center console). Does it have an aux port where I can plug a newer iPhone into? I don't see one under the toggle switches in center dash.

Is there anyway to stream Bluetooth calls and audio while keeping the factory unit? It would be nice if I could answer/end phone calls with steering wheel buttons and see caller ID displayed on the factory head unit.

What's my best option??

EDIT: Just realized I should have put this into the audio section. Could a mod please move it??

 

Got you covered but you owe us some pictures.

 

I purchased a unit that I thought that was supposed to be plug and play. Guess I did not read the fine print. It only works if you have a unit that had the CD changer option and that's where the unit plugs into, the CD Changer plug. If you have this option, I would gladly sell you my brand new unit that I got last week for an excellent price.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Thanks fellas.

I am buying it sight unseen, got a bunch of videos and pics from the dealer. I test drove some locally but couldn't find the perfect one with low miles and a low price in Colorado. These things are rare! I had to have a M6, HIDs, heated seats and the supercharger!

Here are pics on the dealer's website:
http://www.hollywoodautocenter.net/v...a4a1e8bee46030

I'll post pics on Saturday when I drive her back to Colorado.

How do I know if I have the CD changer plug? That unit looks what I need! Sucks it doesn't display caller info and song titles though.

 

Nice looking car The only way I know if you have that option is to take the radio out, about 10mins work. There will be a plug around where the antenna area. Unless someone else has a better way of knowing?

 

Run the last part of the VIN (TU81152) through myminivin.com and it will list all of the options for you. According to that, you do have the CD changer option

 

Hmm

The VIN decoder shows: Preparation, BMW 6-CD changer I-bus

Nice.

gumbedamit: Do you have the HK system? I'm surprised not all units have it. Send me a PM on how much you want for it!

 

I have the same Preparation, BMW 6-CD changer I-bus option. The cabling may be there for it, but the radio has to support it as well. Don't want you buying something you can't use, like I did. I think the only way is to pull the radio and see if it has a plug for the changer. I'm in no rush to sell my unit, just let me know. Yes I have the HK system.

 

gumbedamit, did you find a working Bluetooth adapter for your OEM radio?
I was just about to purchase this exact same Bluetooth adapter for my R53 when I went across this thread.

 

Not yet, I just tried installing the above unit over the weekend, which left me disappointed. My old phone has a AUX output which I was able to plug into my car. Since the compartment is so small my phone sat in a cradle attached to the CD player. I could make my calls and hear them from the stereo and my phone was close enough so I could speak and my callers would hear me, no problem. My new phone doesn't have a AUX connector, when I plug the car AUX into the adapter for my phone, it gets converted into a digital signal, which is great for when I'm listening to music, not so good when I'm speaking into a analog microphone which does not work if the phone adapter is plugged into a analog source. So, I'm still on the hunt for a reasonable Bluetooth solution.

 

Drats!
It may appear that our only solution is to buy the $100+ GROM Bluetooth adapter.

 

If you look at the instructions, it says the same thing:

nstallation:
Connect GROM-AND2 car kit to your car stereo via CD changer (EXT) port (see manual for details)

It plugs into the CD changer port as well. The only way to check if you have that port is to pull the radio out, takes less than 10 mins. Open the glove box remove the 2 side rail screws. On the drivers side get something soft to pry down the lower part of the dash, then remove the screws on the driver side rail. pull down on the rails and push to the side to expose the radio screws, that's it. You will see videos or instructions telling you to remove the console, you don't need to.

 

From the looks of it, the GROM unit may work.

The HU in this video has no extraneous wires adjacent to the antenna port.

 

if you have the aux port in the glovebox you can just get a bluetooth receiver.

i picked this up for $14 on sale but its a deal even at full price

 

Looking at this video seems like I was looking for a port in the radio that does not exits and that I need to pull a connection from the existing connections. I will try again tomorrow to see if the unit I have will work. It's lower priced than the Grom and gives you the same functionality. I thought there was a separate connection for the CD Changer and that there wouldn't be anything already plugged in it. I will let you know by tomorrow afternoon.

 

Please keep us updated with pics!
Thanks and good luck!

 

No all have the aux port in glove box? Weird lol. Flying out tomorrow morning so will know in 24 hours!

 

But you can't answer the phone or switch music from the steering wheel

 

Ok, Sometimes we just want too things too easy. The device does work as described. I just wanted to plug it in and it work, it does, just not the way I wanted it to at the time. The unit comes with an adapter that you have to plug into where the current plug is, which means you need to unplug it. You plug the adapter into the radio, then plug the cable that you removed from the radio into the other end of the adapter. The original adapter has multiple connections that plug into it, remove the white one and leave it unplugged. Remove the black connector from the original and plug it in the same location in the new adapter. Plug the small box that came with the unit into the cable and the other end of that cable to the cable coming from the radio.

The car has to be in ACC mode to send juice to the unit, turn your phone on and pair the unit. The Radio has to be in CD mode to answer and end calls You can use the steering wheel buttons, just not the ones you think. To answer the phone, you hit the right arrow , to end or reject, you hit the left arrow. I will post a few pics later. The biggest problem I had was tucking the cables in.

 

This is the original connector that you need to remove. Once you remove it, unplug the white connector and leave it unplugged.Remove the black connector and plug it in to the same location in the new connector. You plug the smaller adapter that comes with the unit into that spot.[/I]



This is what the new adapter looks like. Notice how I have the smaller white plug out, leave it out. . Plug the old adapter into the other end of the new adapter/I]

 

Very interesting!
It may seem that the device is mis-wired.
It could be as simple as switching the wires.

 

Do you have this unit already?
I must say that I am very pleased with this unit. I placed the microphone on the steering column tucked away, barely visible. It doesn't work quite like a factory unit, the radio mode needs to be CD and there is no voice activation to make a call, but it seems like the best alternative solution available.

 

Nope, I just ordered it.
Just curious, is the microphone cable long enough to be installed on the rear-view mirror?
How's streaming music via Bluetooth? Can you easily skip/pause tracks? How's the microphone audio quality? Is there any feedback noise (i.e. buzzing or crackling)?

 

I'm ordering this! I agree, not perfect like newer cars have, but works for me with keeping the factory HU. I just want to stream music mainly and be able to talk hands free if necessary.

 

I have a very discerning ear when it comes to music, with that being said, Bluetooth playback is just adequate, could be my phone which has a Dolby DAC for playback over AUX and no APTX for Bluetooth. Yes, you can skip and reverse, I've yet to figure out how to pause. The best part of this unit is for hands-free calling, there is no buzzing , sounds very clear on both ends, that was my main reason for getting this unit. The cable for the microphone is long, haven't measured to see it it will go up the pillar and to the rear view mirror. I'll have to spend more time with it to see how well the AUX/SD/USB playback is. If you guys are looking for hands free calling, this is a good unit, music playback so for is just mediocre over Bluetooth and my phone, (Razer Phone), no not Motorola Razor.......