I was in a buddy's 05 325ci with a BMW standard radio and he was playing MP3 cds on it. Is Mini's standard radio MP3 compatible??

 

Yes

 

Thank you

 

Well, sort of. Form '05 on, they are. '04's and earlier, they're not. If you have a big(ger) **** with ridges on it, it can play MP3's.


-Paul!

 

Yeah I just discovered it doesn't, I have an 02 :(

 

If you find a good deal on eBay from an 05 or newer owner doing an upgrade, you could gain MP3 capability. Get the right unit (HK or non HK)

Rawhyde

 

How much you think I can find em for??

 

Well, tonight one went for $65, and another for $171! So much for an efficient market...

 

Haha, well I guess I'll look around then

 

You can also go the Aux Audio Input route ($50) and then connect an iPod or other mp3 player into that. I use this (along with a Belkin iPod adapter) all the time.

 

If he's got an early '02, the Aux won't work - IIRC the stereo must have a build date of Oct'02 or later.

 

I've got an 05 and the mp3's play great, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with the FM transmitter route? My other vehicles won't do mp3's.

 

When we first got our ipod and used an FM transmitter it did not work well in Poco, but it worked better in Lois's Cabrio. I guess the soft top does not interfer with the signal as much. I installed a Aux. imput jack in Poco,an 03, and that works great. I burn mp3 disks to play in the 05 Cabrio.

Mark

 

I just installed an iPod dock/sleeve on my glovebox tidy, and the iPod adapter plugs into the back of the dock. It's great! The iPod is held securely, out of the way, and not rattling around during the twisty times.

 

Actually, the head unit is identical whether you have the HK or not. It's the exact same part (Boost).

 

If you want to upgrade to a headunit that plays MP3's, make sure you buy one from a MINI produced since July 2004 and onwards. Anything before 7/2004, will not play MP3 music files.


If you decide to go the iPod adaptor (My favorite) then you need to upgrade to a headunit from a MINI manufactured since October 2002 and onwards.

If you want the best of both worlds, then stick with a newer unit.

Note: the great majority of factory head unit stereos were made by Alpine in Japan.

It appears to be that very recent production 2006 MINIs, including the limited edition JCW GP, come equipped with a Siemens VDO headunit instead, which looks slightly different from the Alpine one (If any one cares to post a pic of both Alpine and Siemens head units, feel free)

The Siemens VDO head unit has been offered in Europe since 2001, but was never really offered in US spec MINIs until very recently. I don't know much about that head unit, but I pressume it is also fully MP3 compatible and also accepts the OEM Ipod adaptor.

 

Correct!