[D's Bimmer]

I am curious to here from anyone who has used someone other than the dealership to program and activate satellite radio in their car. I have a 2011 with the appropriate hardware and understand that I just need to have the programming and activation done. The local dealership wants $350 for the activation key and first year subscription and then $280 in time to program the car.

Has anyone used BPM? They advertise a remote programming option. Or any other companies that I should look into?

Thanks,

[NEFARIOUS]

As in, your car didn't have the receiver preinstalled? That I can't help with, but activating the trial was just as easy as getting the ESN and calling the number on the screen if your car is able to tune to SAT mode.

[N55/6MT]

In some of the later cars (CIC) the receiver is built in, but it is locked with a FSC code.

I think bimmertech had a special on sat radio activation a little while ago, maybe contact them and see what they can do for you. I think their normal price is still less than what yourndealwe quoted.

[ajaye]

When I bought my car a few months ago, I noticed it had a "sat radio ready" option when I ran the VIN. Its a 2007 328xi non idrive and I didn't see a tuner under the trunk floor, but my radio had SAT as a source option choice. When I would select it, it just said "call Sirius 1-800 blah blah" and the radio's ESN number. I was curious if I was missing hardware that had come with the car originally or what, so I called Sirius and asked for a free trial, gave them my ESN, and got 3 free months. Went out to the car and it works. It sounds even worse than I expected which was pretty bad, but it works.

[Patrys@BimmerTech]

Sirius software activation is for 2010 and newer BMW vehicles.
If your BMW was built earlier you need external Sirius tuner, bracket and software coding.


http://www.bimmer-tech.net/shop/bmw-...radio-retrofit

[ajaye]

Originally Posted by Patrys@BimmerTech

Sirius software activation is for 2010 and newer BMW vehicles.
If your BMW was built earlier you need external Sirius tuner, bracket and software coding.


http://www.bimmer-tech.net/shop/bmw-...radio-retrofit

Yeah it turns out mine is mounted above the factory amp in the left corner of my trunk. So I def do have an external tuner.

[Markham]

I got a letter from Sirius telling me about a three month trial but I don't show a SAT option on my car. The vin decoder does show satilite tuner. I have a 2011 335i m sport.

[Nitrousbird]

I have been a Sirius subscriber for a decade.

My advice - skip the car tuner and use their streaming service from your phone. The subscriptions are expensive and tied directly to your vehicle is limiting on what you can do. You also can't pause, use on-demand, download, etc. from the in-car unit.

I have a portable I use in our boat, but I have the SCV-DOC1 so my Alpine head unit controls it. Even then, I only activate it during boating season using one of the $20 for 5 month offers Sirius will send me after cancelling my service in the fall.

[cdgatti]

how much does the streaming service run per month?

[Nacnudv8]

Originally Posted by D's Bimmer

I am curious to here from anyone who has used someone other than the dealership to program and activate satellite radio in their car. I have a 2011 with the appropriate hardware and understand that I just need to have the programming and activation done. The local dealership wants $350 for the activation key and first year subscription and then $280 in time to program the car.

Has anyone used BPM? They advertise a remote programming option. Or any other companies that I should look into?

Thanks,

Hi - I have a 2011 E92 (so mine is SAT radio ready)> I thought I needed the SAT receiver since I couldn't see it in the trunk but my year has it as part of the stock radio... so all i needed was the software code

I used BimmerTech and just paid for the remote code. It was very simple and worked immediately after the code was installed. I even got a year free subscription since Sirius sees the new (retro) install as a new vehicle install....

Highly recommend them

[AA RunFlats]

I recently had a great experience at Bimmertech. The dealership wanted 596 for Sirius software update and I paid less than half that with awesome results. Highly recommend them if you have basic computer skills and can follow directions via Internet chat.

[ddonnikE92]

Originally Posted by D's Bimmer

I am curious to here from anyone who has used someone other than the dealership to program and activate satellite radio in their car. I have a 2011 with the appropriate hardware and understand that I just need to have the programming and activation done. The local dealership wants $350 for the activation key and first year subscription and then $280 in time to program the car.

Has anyone used BPM? They advertise a remote programming option. Or any other companies that I should look into?

Thanks,

Hey, I am not sure whether or not you are still trying to figure out your situation but I wanted to let you know that I got my activation code from BimmerTech and couldn't be happier! This right here is what I bought from them and it's everything I needed.

At first I was VERY skeptical about how reliable or legit BimmerTech will be, especially since I have a relative work at a BMW dealership who advised me that I should ONLY buy the activation code from BMW as they are the ones that issue the activation code and that there is really no way of getting that code otherwise. Well, the dealer wanted to charge me $650 for the whole thing and BimmerTech's price was $275 (so less than half and I figured why not ).

Let me assure you that BimmerTech delivered! Within a few hours after I made the purchase, my relative checked the BMW online database to see if there really has been in fact an activation code issued - and voila, there it was! My relative was very impressed.

Now keep in mind that the activation has to be coded onto your car. BimmerTech actually sent me a cable to do it over a Skype chat talking you through every step.

Overall, it worked like a charm, I am beyond impressed with BimmerTech and can say with all certainty that they have gained my trust. I now have a working satellite radio with a free 1 year subscription

[CarFan]

I bought a lifetime Sirius/XM for my boat years ago and now I use the streaming app. I almost never go anywhere without my phone and no matter who's car I'm in I can stream. And even when I go through tunnels etc I don't get drops any more.