hybrid

Well quite a few months ago I read the thread Jochen wrote about changing your standard e46 head unit into from Japan frequencies to the more common 87 - 10x.x FM frequencies. After a quick visit to Jochen's house we soon realised that this was a Japanese (Alpine build) radio that was quartz locked to jap frequencies. He sold me (very cheaply I might add) an international / US (Philips built) e46 head unit. Looked mostly the same apart from a few buttons on the front. My main concern with this was my denson ICE:LINK CD changer replacement ... Which is a unit that allows my ipod to take the place of my CD Stacker! (no more CD's in the car) Would this unit work or not ?!? We were about to find out. Tools needed for the install 1 x cloth / clean rag 1 x Philips head screw driver 1 x med / large flat blade screw driver Lets start by looking into the differences between the two units. Alpine built Jap e46 head unit (Front). Alpine built Jap e46 head unit (Rear). Philips built International / US e46 head unit (Front). Philips built International / US e46 head unit (Rear). You can see the differences between the two ... The Philips supports RDS (Radio transmitted track and station text) but the removal of the CD buttons and instead a "Mode" button. To start the installation... I recommend adjusting the height of the passenger seat .. else you'll end up with a sore back trying to lean forward all the time. Start by removing the dash trim ... to do this .. wrap your flat blade screwdriver in your rag / cloth as not to damage your dash or trim (always do this). Place it under the left hand side by the passenger door. carefully lifting the trim.. it may take a little force but just be gentle. (see below) And then remove the center console dash trim by using the same method After this, grab your Philips head screw driver and un-screw each side of the head unit Pull the head unit out slowly making sure not to scratch / scrape the aircon console below with the metal head unit. Now comes the fun part with the cables ... its actually really easy .. just make sure you have key turned off .. and if you really feel inclined your car battery disconnected. Slide the flat blade screw driver into the release clip .. and wiggle it up until the clip slides up-wards, you should be able to move it up with your fingers after loosening it with the flat blade. The large plug on the rear will just pop out with a small tug. Pull off the main and auxiliary arial plugs and remove the head unit. Grab the international head-unit and plug in plugs the same way the came off, remember to slide the clip back on and make sure its secure. Make sure your head unit loom bunch back into the dash properly else you’ll find it impossible to get the new head unit in. Basically replace everything back in reverse order you took it out. I tested the head unit before I replaced all the trim just to make double sure. I also tested the in car ipod ICE:Link system ... and it was fully functional with CD ( mp3) text included RDS text (ZM heh ) iPod CD Text (Cyantific in da house ) iPod CD Text (Cyantific in da house ) My old Jap coin tray removed and my ipod and dension ICE:LINK Plus installed (did this early this year)

LOL ... had this happen in my old e36 ... but its not as bad as the time I went through wendys with the e46 ... they didnt put the lid on properly .. I grab it .. its wet on the outside .. and it unloads ... down my door inside my window electrics, down the inside of my door and the outside .... sticky coke ... took weeks to clean out ...

yeah nice ride man and welcome to the site.

There was a guy in the states who tried the same thing with his e46 ... what they all seem to forget is that they all try to put 19 or even 20inch wheels on ... the tire profile end up looking stupid with the size of the gaurds .... the only thing that looks good on these is maybe 17 or 18 inch race stype flat faced wheels with larger tire walls (profile) ..

:banghead: punch in the head ........ Well ... Driving the fast lane and using my high beams to get people out of the road if they are lane blocking the whole motorway. Drafting in the 'twisties' overtaking people not doing the speed limit

190whp of torque steer love

take some photos .. post them up ... maybe johen could help ?

This is my point exactly, When I get into mine, im not thinking about how I can drift the next corner or how nippy the car is for jumping the next traffic light. I enjoy the fact that Im getting into a clean, quite, smooth environment that has been set just the way I like, and that it is at home in the city just as much as it is open road. That also my passengers can enjoy the same comforts I do. That I can leave my climate control on 21.5 and auto and I just dont have to think about being too hot or too cold. And that I'm driving around in one of the safest vehicles in the world. And most of all reliability. I certainly dont mean to offend people when I say this, but as you get a little older these things become very important when looking into buying a vehicle for daily use.

can you open your box ? or is it sealed

got mine ... best of both worlds. Im not sure what ill get when its time to move on (for a daily) ... I actually do like the e90 for some strange reason .. its grown on me. By the time I buy .. it'll be a face lift. Most people should really give the more modern beemers a chance they have a whole new set of character that people dont seem to release. Its not until you have driven them for a while you actually apprieciate them ... In the same way as you would of asked me start of the year about e30's and I would of said . .. not a chance ... now I see their charm after driving mine for a few months.

they are not a xenon light (which uses a voltage converter or ballast) to charge the xenon gas. If its the same as mine itll be the DDE (angle eyes) If with the key on they are on but still dimly lit, I would check the ground point. The best way to do this honestly, is to look where it is, if it is something thats obviously perfect (like say the hoist point on the engine, bare metal that is obviously grounded) you might be fine, but sometimes you get on a painted section and the bolt doesn't make good conduction or shifts etc. It wont be the relay, as they either f**k out or dont. Do you have small black boxes with two wires in from the relay and four wires out to the DDE ? But yeah earth points.

youll all come to the dark side one day e46, daily and drive tuff ...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=49...01605&hl=en enjoy

or phone a car locksmith ... the mobile ones are about $75 for the call out ...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4292626232047272481 nuff said

love it dude ..... looks great More people need to get into this, its really not as expensive as people think.

I would give arrow wheels a phone (NZ Based) .. they will have something for you ... they also know what theyre talking about

The Dog and Lemon guide is the difference between a motoring enthusiast and regular joe public (it being a biased guide for joe public).. Most techincal writers go off what mechanical workshops experience is. Most of these shops will only see the worst of the worst. This is amplified by New Zealanders breed-in 'trying to do things on the cheap' mentality and the current 'junk import' car scene. Alot of things get bad names from a few lemons ... and worse is whiney n00bs with lemons ... While there are exceptions to every rule... I would go off what International writers / experienced car reviewers in context with what you want out of the vehicle / are buying for. Not some know all New Zealand post jap import influx trash money making rag writer.... /cynic

seen it happen after track racing leaving the hand brake on .. non bmw tho.

crunk that sh*t

... fine print always gets me too hehe

scroll to the bottom of the page

haha nice

nice one yeah not a fan of the chrome either .. but you can get em in any finish you want .. their are some hot metal / brushed finishes out at the moment .. I would take the inner part as the same as my paint and keep the polished lip ... (which isnt chrome) Same as I what I have on the C4 multi's at the moment ... Would love this finish wise (the below one would suit your CSL to a t) or

yeah ... My band website http://www.myspace.com/thisisantiform