ICE install advice

Pinter75 · 27 Sep 2006 at 17:35

I have an amp and sub in the boot of my e39.

Scania · 27 Sep 2006 at 18:27

Rilot said:
The main problem with the E39 stereo is that the speakers are absolutely rubbish.

Having the same "BMW Business RDS" 6 Disc cd setup in my e38 as my Dad has in his e39, I can confirm the speakers are indeed terrible in the e39, strangely the e38 sounds much better, yet I'd have thought they were the same! :confused:

[TW]Fox said:
the sub is a little too small to be effective in the seperate sealed boot.

Your car has no "Ski hatch" ? :confused:

Vertigo · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:03

Tom's got a good setup in his M5 so you might want to pick his brains on this. He's also got a novel way of positioning the HU

[TW]Fox · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:04

R124/LA420 said:
Your car has no "Ski hatch" ?

I've not even looked but I don't think so

Tom's M5 system is awesome unfortunately I do not have several thousand pounds to retro fit the BMW navigation system, television and custom positioned Alpine HU

Scania · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:07

[TW]Fox said:
I've not even looked but I don't think so

Behind the centre armrest in my e38 & my dads e39 - the one in the back - I'd be surprised if you hav'nt got one, even if it isn't there, there will in that case be a small flimsy piece of metal covering the hole where tha hatch would go, pop it out and mount your sub behind it, opening / lowering the centre armrest as & when Bass is required.

[TW]Fox said:
Tom's M5 system is awesome unfortunately I do not have several thousand pounds to retro fit the BMW navigation system, television and custom positioned Alpine HU

I showed an Audio fitter some photo's of Tom's M5 (thieved from the gallery) and he quoted me £1000+ for that kind of work!

Good enough to show off again! :cool:

Nice install there Tom!

NickXX · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:09

R124/LA420 said:
Behind the centre armrest in my e38 & my dads e39 - I'd be surprised if you hav'nt got one, even if it isn't there, there is a small flimsy piece of metal covering the hole where tha hatch would go, pop it out and mount your sub behind it, opening / lowering the centre armrest as & when Bass is required.

My e46 doesn't have a ski hatch. I think it's reasonably easy to retrofit one though. My sub is in the boot, and is more than capable with the arm rest up - will be fine in an e39 too.

Scania · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:11

NickXX said:
My e46 doesn't have a ski hatch. I think it's reasonably easy to retrofit one though. My sub is in the boot, and is more than capable with the arm rest up - will be fine in an e39 too.

Like the e38 & e39, I think you'll find the same flimsy piece of metal covering where the hatch should be..... (I may be wrong though!

)

NickXX · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:15

R124/LA420 said:
Like the e38 & e39, I think you'll find the same flimsy piece of metal covering where the hatch should be..... (I may be wrong though! )

I think mine's a rubber thing, although there might be metal behind it. Either way, in a ski-related emergency, I'm pretty sure it'd be easy enough to turn it into a hatch

Pinter75 · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:21

Actually, that install in Tom's M5 is achievable via the DIY route.

All you have to do is make a bridging cable from the headunit display to the actual unit. Then you can mount the DIN unit almost anywhere in the car, connected using an ISO adapter.

EDIT, use the whole front panel recess on the main unit, so you can still remove it for safety.

You will need to make a new trim piece which would probably be the hardest thing to do.

If I was unhappy with the sounds in mine, I would do it that way, rather then try to relocate the MID and fit a crap looking fascia adapter.

TomO · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:22

R124/LA420 said:
Behind the centre armrest in my e38 & my dads e39 - the one in the back - I'd be surprised if you hav'nt got one, even if it isn't there, there will in that case be a small flimsy piece of metal covering the hole where tha hatch would go, pop it out and mount your sub behind it, opening / lowering the centre armrest as & when Bass is required.

I showed an Audio fitter some photo's of Tom's M5 (thieved from the gallery) and he quoted me £1000+ for that kind of work!

Good enough to show off again! Nice install there Tom!

they had to take the back of the head unit off and fit that behind the dash, there is no single slot CD on the unit and its no deeper than the face plate. i guess otherwise it would hit something?

the premium audio comes with 8inch subs in the parcel shelf as standard AFAIK. so there must be away of getting this sorted.

TomO · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:24

another option i have seen is that the head unit is placed in the top air con vents - therefore blocking them off completly. but gives a much better view of the screen.
on mine its difficult to read when sunny because of the angle.

Firestar_3x · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:24

Tom, whats your audio source then since you can't access the cd players Single slot, ipod interface?

TomO · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:25

Firestar_3x said:
Tom, whats your audio source then since you can't access the cd players Single slot, ipod interface?

and 6 cd changer in boot.

Scania · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:25

TomO said:
they had to take the back of the head unit off and fit that behind the dash, there is no single slot CD on the unit and its no deeper than the face plate. i guess otherwise it would hit something?

I think, it would hit the gearbox which is under that panel (somewhere!)

TomO · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:26

R124/LA420 said:
I think, it would hit the gearbox which is under that panel (somewhere!)

probably, and if not that, something else!

Firestar_3x · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:26

TomO said:
and 6 cd changer in boot.

Ah yea thats right, remember seeing it now.... Or was that the DVD drive, anyways i was very impressed with the install, very nice indeed!

TomO · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:28

Firestar_3x said:
Ah yea thats right, remember seeing it now.... Or was that the DVD drive, anyways i was very impressed with the install, very nice indeed!

might have been sat nav drive. Cd changer is hidden behing the pull out cubby hole.

Scania · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:34

TomO said:
might have been sat nav drive. Cd changer is hidden behing the pull out cubby hole.

On the e38 the Sat nav is above & slightly behind the CD changer in the boot, I assume the same goes for the e39?

Apologies for truly terrible image!

Firestar_3x · 27 Sep 2006 at 19:36

Talking about the Sat Nav can you upgrade the software, think Toms only had the major roads of europe on the disk?

TomO · 27 Sep 2006 at 20:20

Firestar_3x said:
Talking about the Sat Nav can you upgrade the software, think Toms only had the major roads of europe on the disk?

you just get different discs to cover different countries.