[JayKay335i]

So I think I'm going to add XM to my 07 335i with the stock pro stereo. I want to conserve the lines so I dont want anything sticking out or mounted. I would love to do the sun glass holder and add a little xm tuner to there but I dont trust my self taking it apart. After snapping a few clips on my last car the interior panels were all crap. I'll probably start with just a 12v cigarette lighter plug in and mini jack to the aux in the center console. I'll eventually hard wire it for power but probably will leave it plugged into the aux jack as I dont see how it will give me any more sound degradation than hard wiring it straight to the receiver, if its even possible. I want to keep the tuner stored in the center arm rest when I'm not changing channels and have the leads long enough to reach about my shifter for being able to change channels while driving and seeing what I'm doing.

So I'm basically looking for an XM receiver that will fit in my center console. It has to have a single lead antenna as I want to use my shark fin as the antenna. I dont want it to have a dock as it will only be in my car. It needs to have a mini female mini plug for sound out. I would prefer if all these inputs/outputs were on the right side of the unit so when I pull it out, it will be right side up towards me.

Any suggestions on which receiver fits these criteria?

[diablo2112]

any reason you don't want to put in the OEM Sirius reciever? Works great, integrates perfectly with the professional head unit, and your car has the prewiring for it already.

[JayKay335i]

A few reasons. 1. 550$!!?!?! 2. Also have to pay more for the software upgrade after serious anal rapeage for the unit. 3. I prefer xm. Although I could apparently get most of the same music stations on sirius. I just dont want to pay for it.

I could in theory have xm in and done with for ~$100. For the price of the OEM unit I'd rather upgrade the stereo. That and I'm saving money for going to get my doctorate in the fall so I dont want to spend more than I have to.

I'll also never use the AUX jack for anything else.

[stamd1]

Have you checked out Bracketron mounts? They are very stable and clean looking. I hardwired my receiver with a fuse tap, used the xm antenna by installing it with velcro on my rear parcel shelf and connected the receiver to the aux jack in the console. All the wires were pretty easy to hide. I am able to use the hand held xm remote. In addition,the xm receiver has favorite song memory and playback, favorite artist alert and a color display.

[JayKay335i]

I actually like the look of that. It goes well with the interior and doesnt seem to block any controls. Do passengers hit it with their knees while sitting in the car? Which XM unit is that? Any attempt at hooking it up to the fin? You just ran the mini 1/8" plug from the unit to the center console and plugged it into the aux?

Also, hows that bracket mount? No screws?

[diablo2112]

Well, I did Sirius in my E90, purchased used off this board for $280, did the install myself, and my dealer did the programming for free while the car was in for other service. It can be done cheaper than the posted retail prices. Also, I have both XM and Sirius in various vehicles. They're the same company of course, and about 85% of the channels are identical (they refer to them as "Sirius XM").

[JayKay335i]

It would be ideal to find an OEM sirius tuner. I heard the only big difference are the talk stations and their "big stars". Otherwise, you can get the same music stations together for pretty cheap. Maybe I'll post a WTB thread for a sirius OEM tuner. Any additional wiring required for the OEM tuner? or all the leads already in the trunk (power, antenna) if the car is sat pre-wired.

[diablo2112]

There's a service bulletin out with instructions for the installation. The wires are all already there. The only complication is you have to re-jumper the MOST block behind the rear seat. It's all explained in the instructions. You'll have no problem, piece of cake compared to you doctoral defense

BMW supplies a fancy bracket and another piece of trunk lining, but you don't need them. Some double-sided tape, velcro,etc. is more than enough to mount the Sirius reciever in the trunk (driver-side in the trunk, all the wiring is behind the trunk lining. LMK if you can't find the service bulletin, I'll find the link and post it here. Note the the procedure/bulletin is different for the early 07 builds (like mine), they moved the location in later builds to under the trunk floor (actually even easier to get to).

[wcsdkqh]

For the same price you can also add XM . EAS now has an XM alternative that apparently uses the same fiber interface that the factory Sirius uses. They do think alot of it for the $550 price/

http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2317

[JayKay335i]

Thanks Diablo. I've got a 1/07 build and found the cables under the plastic CD piece in the trunk. It seems everybody and their mother is looking for an OEM or aftermarket tuner on the WTB threads. And still, $550 for an aftermarket xm? WTF? I'm kind of growing more attached to the dash mounted one. It looks pretty nice with the expensive receiver.

[diablo2112]

your choice, of course, but at least you now know where to find the sat antenna for the shark fin!

[JayKay335i]

That was the most important part for me. The shark fin. The assbag at a great local sound shop told me its not possible. I fully resent him for this. I've never seen him there before and I'm going to go back and talk to the owner who I've known for a long time. That, and the fact he tried to tell me it would take 3 hours to install when everything would be plug and play except for hard wiring the power.

You've all been a great help and I now know all my options. Thanks a lot!

[amlebede]

I do not see anything wrong with installing the XM tuner. The only thing you really lose is (a) the ability to see the song title on the head unit (not that big of an issue), and (b) the ability to control your channels on the steering wheel.

[stamd1]

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

I actually like the look of that. It goes well with the interior and doesnt seem to block any controls. Do passengers hit it with their knees while sitting in the car? Which XM unit is that? Any attempt at hooking it up to the fin? You just ran the mini 1/8" plug from the unit to the center console and plugged it into the aux?

Also, hows that bracket mount? No screws?

The bracket mounts securely to a screw next to the climate controls. Google Bracketron and you will find their website with installation instructions for the bracket. Installation of the bracket was fairly simple if you have done any interior modding before.

The XM radio is the Xpress RC which has a great color display. Favorite song memory, favorite artist alerts, song rewind and the remote control are awesome features. I made a small modification to the radio mount so that attaching it to the bracketron would be more stable and have a cleaner look.

I did not try attaching it to the shark fin. I simply mounted the antenna with velcro to the rear parcel shelf next to the slotted vents and ran the antenna wire concealing it between the shelf and vent then down along underneath the passenger carpet near the doorsills.

The most difficult part of the installation was simply finding an auxillary jack cord long enough to reach and that also had a right angle plug. If you don't have a right angle plug then you will not be able to close your armrest. The cord had to be long enough to run behind the front of the console then underneath the console and bringing it back up through the armrest compartment so that the wire was mostly concealed.

The only time a passenger's knee touches the radio is when the passenger seat is far forward.

I can take more pics of the radio/mount from the side and behind if you plan to go this route.

[jpsum]

Originally Posted by stamd1

The bracket mounts securely to a screw next to the climate controls. Google Bracketron and you will find their website with installation instructions for the bracket. Installation of the bracket was fairly simple if you have done any interior modding before.

The XM radio is the Xpress RC which has a great color display. Favorite song memory, favorite artist alerts, song rewind and the remote control are awesome features. I made a small modification to the radio mount so that attaching it to the bracketron would be more stable and have a cleaner look.

I did not try attaching it to the shark fin. I simply mounted the antenna with velcro to the rear parcel shelf next to the slotted vents and ran the antenna wire concealing it between the shelf and vent then down along underneath the passenger carpet near the doorsills.

The most difficult part of the installation was simply finding an auxillary jack cord long enough to reach and that also had a right angle plug. If you don't have a right angle plug then you will not be able to close your armrest. The cord had to be long enough to run behind the front of the console then underneath the console and bringing it back up through the armrest compartment so that the wire was mostly concealed.

The only time a passenger's knee touches the radio is when the passenger seat is far forward.

I can take more pics of the radio/mount from the side and behind if you plan to go this route.

I have the same XM head unit and it works great with the sharkfin.

Note: The only XM radio that will fit in the sunglasses holder is the Sportscaster, but too bad that the radio is flawed. I had two in the past and both of them overheated and fried. DO NOT GET THIS ONE:

[JayKay335i]

I'm ordering the bracket and the 20' SMB extender today!