Connecting phone to my 2003 Z4
- Thread starter Stew1099
- Start date
Attleborough, Norfolk
Your car is old enough that it should have the connectors behind the boot bulkhead carpet for the multi-CD unit. If you simply wish to play music etc through the car speakers then you can get a Bluemusic dongle that connects to these cables and then you simply select CDC on the head unit. If you want to use the phone as a phone then you may need the unit that fits behind the radio and has a microphone that can be routed to nearer your head.
There's multiple ways:
- Get a bluetooth dongle that you can install to the stock radio
- Install an aux port in the car and connect your phone to it via
- Install a BlueBus unit in the car that will give you bluetooth
I'd encourage you to take a look at the Audio sub-forum here to see what others have done.
Replacing the stock radio is not difficult (provided you don't have the Carver system) although you may want to presesrve an OEM look in your car.
- Get a bluetooth dongle that you can install to the stock radio
- Install an aux port in the car and connect your phone to it via
- Install a BlueBus unit in the car that will give you bluetooth
I'd encourage you to take a look at the Audio sub-forum here to see what others have done.
Replacing the stock radio is not difficult (provided you don't have the Carver system) although you may want to presesrve an OEM look in your car.
Im going through this very exercise myself at the moment. 2003 E85 with BMW Business Radio.
My first option was to get the head unit out and fit a Bluetooth dongle to the back of it. This means getting the vents out above the radio first so you can access two bolts to release the radio itself, which entails using slim screwdrivers or similar through the vent fins to hold down two clips on the inside top of the vent. Could I release the vents? No I couldn't, after multiple tries. It got to the point I was concerned about breaking the plastic fins.
So, option 2 for me was to go hunting around in the boot under the floor covering immediately behind the centre console for the CD Changer wiring - and yep I found it in about 10 minutes, yay!
Even if you don't have a CD Changer fitted, early cars had the changer wiring in place anyway.
I've ordered a BlueMusic dongle with the wiring for the CD changer connectors, should be here this week. Fingers crossed....
There's quite a few resources on here and elsewhere online that can point you in the right direction.
I believe you need to have the Business Radio head unit as a minimum - there is a 'basic' head unit too, but I dont believe this is compatible. Other wise owls on here may know better.
Good luck!
Geoff
This is the one I've ordered, not arrived yet:
BlueMusic adaptor
Will report back on functionality when I've fitted it.
I've been using one of those FM transmitters in the ciggy lighter, but have to keep remembering to remove it as it stays powered up even with the car sitched off.
Other bands are available... lol
Cheers
Geoff
There is a version of the bluemusic dongle with phone function which connects to the CD cable in the boot bulkhead. I have one in my E86. works fine. It comes with a microphone I put next to the original oem one on the top of the steering column. Just need to have the radio on the CD option.
TBH Im just passing on what I've learnt on here from much wiser folks, but glad I could be of help.
Look at this thread from April 4th 2021. It describes the one I and others have. For the avoidance of doubt, the one gcsa links to doesn't have the phone function.
Well Mr Amazon delivered it about 30 minutes ago. I plugged it in, hid it behind the boot carpet and was connected and playing music through the car stereo soon after. Volume needs to be turned up a bit, both on the phone and on the car stereo - but no different to other cars Ive driven, including my other one which has full bluetooth built in as standard.
As noted above, must again remind that this version does not have the mic nor any phone call capabilities - but I didnt want that anyway.
All in all, its worked out fine for me so far.
Cheers
Geoff
As noted above, must again remind that this version does not have the mic nor any phone call capabilities - but I didnt want that anyway.
All in all, its worked out fine for me so far.
Cheers
Geoff