Help removing center console storeage box

[Flycaster]

I'm having trouble installing my Dice, via the CD hook up, into my 2005 Z4. I can not get the connector wires out from under center console storeage box. There just isn't any room between the bottom of the box and the firewall, thus the wires are securely jammed between the box and the wall. I've removed the two torqx srews within the box as I was told that it would loosen the box enough to get to the wires, but that never happened. So I'm contemplating removing the box, or at least remove enough parts so that the wires can be gotten to. Here's what I need to know before starting out:

If I follow the center console storeage removal as noted onpages 6 and 7 in this link (http://www.moslanders.com/stuff/alarm.pdf), will this be enough to loosen up the box enough to get to the wires? From the diagrams on page 7, I can't tell if the box will come out or if it will move. My concern is that I may have to also remove the panels behind the seats to get the box tomove. Would appreciate a reply from someone who has do this. Thanks.

 

[pvr]

If you follow the pictures I took during the first satnav installation I did:

Remove the plastic circle.

There are your wires:

 

[Flycaster]

Hey, pvr, you are the greatest. Obviously, when you took these pics, you were doing more than just removing the center console. So, just for me to be sure, I only have to remove the console and not the stuff that covers the rear speakers to get tot he wires right? What bugs me, and my apparent poor luck, is how come everyone else who was doing my mod only had to play with the wires to get them to come out to the trunk? What did BMW do to jam the wires in so that they couldn't be easily removed??? A real bummer for an apparently easy mod.

 

[Shipkiller]

I have never seen the storage boxes behind the seats.....

I have woofers....

 

[pvr]

My wires were so short that I would not have been able to fish them out. The pictures were taken when I was inserting the SatNav DVD in the console, so needed to remove the whole console for that. The car in the pictures (not mine) did not have the carver system.

 

[Shipkiller]

That system is a standard six speaker system.

Both HiFi and TopHiFi (Carver) have the woofers behind the seats. 10 speakers..

 

[Flycaster]

BTW, pvr, with the wires showing easy access to the storage compartment of the console box, would you recommend that I try to instlall the Dice and ipod inside the box? I'm not sure how I would do it, but perhaps drilling a couple of hole in the box will allow me to make the connections??? If there would be another way to bring the install inside the box, I'm all ears. If not, then I guess my install would entail placing the wires around the backside of the box and doing the dice/ipod install on the trunk side of the back of the console box??? Overall, I'm thinking which install would make for the easiest access to do repairs if necessary.

 

[pvr]

That is what I did for the Intravee kit. Especially as the Intravee is programmable using a laptop, easy access is useful then.

 

[pvr]

For that installation, you only have to hinge the centre console so that you can remove the bottom storage box. I drilled a couple of holes in that box at the rear to feed the cables through it.

 

[Flycaster]

For that installation, you only have to hinge the centre console so that you can remove the bottom storage box. I drilled a couple of holes in that box at the rear to feed the cables through it.

Could you describe a little better what you mean by "hinge the centre console?" I'm an old fart and need all the help I can get, thanks.

 

[pvr]

This picture shows it: Lift it up enough so you can get the box out and reach the cables.

 

[Flycaster]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[Flycaster]

I don't have it! This is the first mod that has gotten me down. Got down to removing the box, but it won't come out. As far as I can tell the reason is that the box flares on both sides and is thus prevented from coming out because the panels behind the seat have to come out first. I don't know if I want to try to do this??? How tough is it to do? Popping all that plastic is bound to ruin some of the clips (as I have done when removing the console). Maybe I'm better off returning the Dice (trunk install) to Tom and asking him to give me the radio install one??? Or, since the job is about 75% done, maybe a pro wouldn't charge me the full amount to finish. What a bummer!

 

[AlanL]

Holy crap - this has to be the most difficult DICE install I have ever heard about.

A pro is likely to charge you the full amount no matter how far you went into things just because you did but at this point it might be well worth it just to avoid the aggravation of continuing at this rate.

 

[srhutch]

I don't have it! This is the first mod that has gotten me down. Got down to removing the box, but it won't come out. As far as I can tell the reason is that the box flares on both sides and is thus prevented from coming out because the panels behind the seat have to come out first. I don't know if I want to try to do this??? How tough is it to do? Popping all that plastic is bound to ruin some of the clips (as I have done when removing the console). Maybe I'm better off returning the Dice (trunk install) to Tom and asking him to give me the radio install one??? Or, since the job is about 75% done, maybe a pro wouldn't charge me the full amount to finish. What a bummer!

I used PVR's instruction when I did my SatNav, and I couldnt get this little bugger out either so left it in place, it doesnt need to come out to remove the centre panel.

 

[Flycaster]

But the apparent problem is that the box, itself, is wider than the width of the space left when center piece is removed, The panel behind the seat is in the way of removing the box.

Also, how do I get the cord that attached to the console removed from the console. It seem that when I try to pull it through, the metal crimp that holds the loop won't fit through the hole in the console. Can't remove everything if I can't get the cord fully removed from the console.

 

[pvr]

No need to remove the cord. I did remove it on the first installation, but not on the second.

What panel behind the seat are you talking about? The ones I show in the picture? Those just pull out when you put your hand in, no attachment to those.

 

[srhutch]

But the apparent problem is that the box, itself, is wider than the width of the space left when center piece is removed, The panel behind the seat is in the way of removing the box.

Also, how do I get the cord that attached to the console removed from the console. It seem that when I try to pull it through, the metal crimp that holds the loop won't fit through the hole in the console. Can't remove everything if I can't get the cord fully removed from the console.

Sorry think I got the wrong box though you meant the little one just behind the handbrake.

I havent got the box you mean (I think) as I have a CD changer, but had no troubles removing one the above that no holds my SatNav DVD unit.

Regarding to cable, I dont have one on my 06 car so cant help on that.

 

[pvr]

Shown here, the utilities box can just be pulled out, there is nothing stopping it when you have hinged the console up a bit (about 30 degrees is enough to get the box out from the side through the hole, the wire can still be attached at the top.

 

[pvr]

This one shows the cable, which in this instance I had not removed.