Aftermarket radio choices

[dgroebl]

I'm looking to purchase an aftermarket radio for my Ti and I just wonder what people recommend for good fit and finish. The BMW dash lights are amber and its hard to find a radio that will look good with them.

My radio requirements:
-Good fit & finish
-Bluetooth audio streaming
-Good style (works well with car interior, ie red dash lights)
-iPod control
-Good button/menu layout
-Good sound

Let me know what you guys have and recommend.

[spidertri]

The nakamichi cd400 can be set to an amber that matches pretty well if not perfectly. It looks stock but I doubt it has the bluetooth.

Check out blaupunkt's selection as well, some of their upper end models have bluetooth streaming and look oem. They all feature adjustable backlighting which can be made to match the dash.

[BMW_Hatchback]

Any Kenwood with a USB port. Then get a cheap MP3 player with USB output, plug it right out. Cheaper than iPod and easier to use.

[dgroebl]

Yeah the Nakamichi is a good choice I think but no bluetooth. That's a pretty cool feature that I really would like.

[TI-driftin]

I've had Kenwood decks that were able to switch from green to amber. But if sound quality and functionality is top priority i would go with pioneer. My fav. But they dont have amber lights as far as i know.

[tiFreak]

a lot of JVC units light up red, that's the reason I bought mine

[wolferj-RIP]

I have a nice Blaupunkt that works well, and has all the features (bluetooth, usb, ipod), but the color won't change. Otherwise it's clean looking, if not stock looking, but definitely not OTT tacky... Check out crutchfields

[dgroebl]

Wolferj, what model of Blaupunkt do you have? Does it do the Bluetooth music streaming or just bluetooth phone calls? That's been hard for me to clarify when shopping cause the technology is so new.

[spidertri]

If you click on the model you are interested in, the description for most of these new models has bluetooth streaming and handsfree.

http://www.blaupunkt.com/us/car_radios_41.asp

[wolferj-RIP]

Originally Posted by dgroebl

Wolferj, what model of Blaupunkt do you have? Does it do the Bluetooth music streaming or just bluetooth phone calls? That's been hard for me to clarify when shopping cause the technology is so new.

This is the model I have, the Hamburg MP57

http://www.blaupunkt.com/us/7647643310_main.asp

It only has phone bluetooth, not music streaming...

[shonky]

Tomorrow im hopefully buying this Pioneer for mine.

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products...0BT/index.html

it has built in Bluetooth and also iPod control and has 10 different illumination options so im presuming that it should match the dash colour

[TI-driftin]

Looks like you got a winner there. Its got all your requirements. Like i said before my fav is pioneer. They've been the best sounding and functional cd players i've owned. Even the walmart ones are pretty good. lol.

[spidertri]

Originally Posted by shonky

Tomorrow im hopefully buying this Pioneer for mine.

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products...0BT/index.html

it has built in Bluetooth and also iPod control and has 10 different illumination options so im presuming that it should match the dash colour

That is a really nice HU. I have been looking at the US spec ones and for some reason they don't have the option to change the illumination color. Unfortunately, that is a deal breaker for me.

[shonky]

Yeah? thats a shame!

I fitted mine today and the orange illumination is a perfect match!.....not found my way around the rest of the unit yet but the bluetooth phone part seems pretty cool indeed!

[spidertri]

Yeah, maybe I'll order a Euro one. I had a Euro radio in my Jetta and it worked fine with the radio stations. The station broadcast signals here are a bit different from those in Europe.