Radio recommendations

[MickyG]

When I bought my Z3 it was fitted with a hideous “Disco light flashing” poor quality radio.

My preference for a new one is based on:
Good quality sound - but not esoteric
Bluetooth
USB
I do NOT want thumping loud
Predominantly black, a little chrome/silver is ok to match black facelift interior.

What have you fitted and would strongly recommend and why?

Are better speakers part of achieving my goal?

 

[JonnyBravo]

This -
Looks great and contemporary
Reasonable

Blaupunkt

 

[bombur]

I have one of those and it works well and looks the part

 

[AntStark]

If you want to spend a bit more this new one from pioneer looks the part and the sound quality will be much better as it uses MOSFET amps. You can match the dash light colours too. Sound quality really becomes less of a concern over 30mpg.. it’s a convertible after all

 

[MickyG]

This -
Looks great and contemporary
Reasonable

Blaupunkt

View attachment 359703

I like this - meets the visual brief perfectly.

Is it plug and play?

 

[MickyG]

If you want to spend a bit more this new one from pioneer looks the part and the sound quality will be much better as it uses MOSFET amps. You can match the dash light colours too. Sound quality really becomes less of a concern over 30mpg.. it’s a convertible after all
View attachment 359705
[/
I like this - probably meets the visual brief, depends on the lights: but like the idea of better sound quality.

Is it plug and play in as pre facelift Z3?

 

[mmm-five]

If you want something retro-looking with all the mod cons, then the Blaupunkt Bremen SQR46 seemed to be popular with the classic Porsche guys...

Bremen SQR 46 DAB - Blaupunkt

Retro car radio Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB with latest technology and original look.

blaupunkt.com

Not cheap though at almost £350.

 

[JonnyBravo]

I like this - meets the visual brief perfectly.

Is it plug and play?

Plug straight in and mine worked, no problem.
Thought it was a bargain for 85 quid and now I think it looks the part

 

[AntStark]

Unless someone has butchered the wires on the stereo you have in at the moment, then it’s a simple adapter from the bmw square connector to the 2 standard iso connectors. So yes plug and play in theory. If you want DAB then you’ll need to wire in a DAB aerial too.

 

[JonnyBravo]

On the subject of DAB - I use my phone for radio or Spotify and just route it through the head unit on Bluetooth.
Works spot on without any fecking about.
The phone connection is also better on the Blaupunkt unit that the previously fitted Pioneer starship enterprise Saturday night fever glitterball unit that someone had put in.

 

[Pond]

It's a shame you didn't want this earlier Mike. I took a decent Alpine stereo with bluetooth, CD and a USB lead out of my Z3. It had been sitting in a cupboard for two years, so I skipped it about a month ago! I have always been a huge fan of Alpine car hi-fi from forty years ago.
I know you are only up the road from me and you could have had it for nothing.

I had to buy a 'short chassis' head unit (without cd) for my car, as it is fitted in the glovebox and a full size just wouldn't fit cos the crashbar is in the way.

 

[David62]

I put a Pioneer DEH-S320BT in mine and am very pleased with it.

 

[Smudgemanuk]

This is what I have in mine.

Pioneer MVH-S420BT

The red doesn't match the orange BMW lightning but it's near enough for me.
Sounds decent enough but I could probably be convinced by the Blaupunkt shown at the top of this thread if there was one going cheap

 

[Smudgemanuk]

This is how it looks in the dark, close enough imo

 

[MuttyMax]

This -
Looks great and contemporary
Reasonable

Blaupunkt

View attachment 359703

Yep same here i have this in my daughters car ... she loves it

 

[Kenhayes247]

I am not going to comment on the radio replacement as I went a slightly different route. However I would recommend a change of speakers and if you have the basic sound system I would also recommend deleting the amp behind the front LH speaker. It’s basic and the radio’s own built in amp is likely to be better if you go for a premium brand. There is a really useful YouTube video to show you how.

I also added a small pioneer footwell subwoofer. That made a world of difference to the sound quality.

 

[Guinn]

I have a Pioneer cd/ radio in my Z. Whoever installed it was a moron. The fellow I bought the car from said it was like that when he bought it. It doesn't fit flush in the dashboard, the wiring looks like it was done by a carload of senile chimps, and the faceplate has broken tabs, which means it falls off after every bump. I attempted to put it right, but the fear of skewering up something important in the wiring mess made me just decide to deal with it. At least it works...sort of...