A friend and I were just discussing the MINI's factory radio setup. We started wondering, is it possible to install the MINI Sirius tuner and an XM direct setup, using the factory head unit to control them both?

For the antennas, you could use the MINI am/fm/Sirius antenna and a magnet mount XM antenna directly behind the base of the MINI antenna. If I understand correctly, there shouldn't be interference between the two.

I think you would have to mount the MINI Sirius tuner on the driver's side using the extension cable and mount the XM direct on the passenger side in the place of the CD changer.

But would it work?

 

I wanted to order my Mini with Navigation and Sirius satellite radio, but I was told by my salesperson that you couldn't have both because there was a problem with having both antennas at the same time. He couldn't elaborate as to exactly what the problem was, and neither could any of the other salespeople. Now, maybe it's just a problem when you try to combine satellite radio and navigation...

I'm very interested to see what people have to say about this, because I really want Sirius in my Mini (I'm a Howard Stern fan).

 

It's a simple problem really. MINI hasn't come out with an antenna base that has both a GPS antenna and a Sirius antenna in the same unit.

You can still get both in the same car, either go with a PNP Sirius and forgoe to the steering wheel controls, go with a blitzsafe adapter and a seperate antenna, install the MINI system yourself with a seperate antenna.

 

I am in EXACTLY the same boat as Hyper Blue, and I opted for NAV over Sirius. Easy decision really... but I wished I didn't have to make it.

I too would love a retrofit upgrade to gain both, via OEM options. I really don't want an aftermarket solution, because I would prefer the "clean" install that OEM provides.

The only sign of hope that this might happen in the future is the following story, and the possible pressure from customers to MINI to make it happen:

http://www.motoringfile.com/2004/12/...al_with_sirius

 

I believe it's one of the new Acura's that is the only car to use this system...

 

This can and has been done. You basically have to make a choice on the antennas.

1) Keep the factory NAV antenna and add an aftermarket Sirius magnet mount antenna somewhere.

2) Switch to the MINI am/fm/Sirius antenna and add an aftermarket NAV antenna somewhere. (The write-up in a thread here on NAM went this route and mounted the aftermarket NAV antenna under the dash pad, similar to the location described in the directions for the Traffic Pro install found at MotoringFile.)

But what about the MINI Sirius system and the XM Direct? Any thoughts/experiences?

 

I had thought about this and the only way I can figure it would work is to custom make a Y cable and hook both tuners to it, then remote mount a switch so that you could turn one or the other on, then turn on the radio.

The XMDirect basically tricks the radio into thinking the Sirius tuner is hooked up, I just don;t see how it could cope with both of them being hooked up at the same time.

 

I am not sure I could pay $26.00/mo for....radio.

 

Ahh, I remember saying exact same thing about TV.

 

That's probably the bigger question here... Why do you want to spend the money on both?

Honestly, I've got Sirius and while I spend a lot of time in my car, I don't think I would listen to XM enough to justify the cost or even the effort of figuring out how to have both.

 

That price is about what it would cost to subscribe to both of them...

 

You haven't seen my HDTV/Cable internet bill.

 

Probably wouldn't shock me that much... Mine's just as high!

 

The answer is, I don't plan to. This was just a question that came up when we were sitting around discussing the various radio options.

You know, the quest for knowledge and all that...:smile:

 

Order the Sirius dealer-installed option, and then mount one of these to get XM:

http://shopdelphi.com/products/consumers/myfi/

It can broadcast to a specified FM frequency so you use your FM tuner. There are a variety of aftermarket mounting solutions, and you can even hardwire to 12V with minimal effort if you don't want to use up a 12V outlet. It uses a wired magnet antenna. On hatchbacks like the Mini, you'd run the wire out the back and the antenna would sit on the very rear of the roof. Even without drilling, you'd hardly know it's there. I've taken some long trips in rentals with it - works great.

 

The answer to your question is.... It is possible, just not with the MINI HU... The Pioneer AVIC-N2 is XM and Sirius compatible... Don't know if they can both be hooked up to the radio symultaneously or if there is only one antenna input though...

 

When using our BMW/XM SLD 01,you can control XM thru the headunit. You could use the pass thru on the 01 to connect a BMW/KEN ITI V.1. With that part you can control a Kenwood Sirius Tuner, the 902 I believe. You will not get display info like the artist or track names, but you could control both XM and Sirius without changing your headunit or without having a separate display. The BMW/KEN ITI V.1 retails for $120, but with the NAM group buy discount, the total would be $94.00 shipped.

 

XMfan.com is an excellent source for information and gray-market Sat radio products including timeshifting using xm-direct - they also sell color matched antennas...

Also, and ftr: it is possible to have multiband antennas exist in the same antenna and housing. Receptec, llc makes them for most of the oem's and aftermarket suppliers - and - if you want a really clean install, with an internally mounted antenna you're better off going with sirius, depending on location (in the US) you could undermount the antenna to your rear deck spoiler and/or put on your dash...most of the new antennas are not much larger than 2in square so are quite easy to hide.