Does anyone know what years the CD43 were available in BMWs and is there any difference in years and capabilities?

Thanks

Zon

2001+ z3

Is it true that the CD43 cannot be hooked up to a CD changer..?

Is it true that the CD43 cannot be hooked up to a CD changer..?

Early E31's with M-Bus (big fat round cord @ CD changer) cannot connect to the changer. Later E31's with i-Bus can connect. Take a look at your cord at the cd changer. If it's round, you cannot connect.

Late '95 onwards are i-Bus, but there are exceptions , so check your cord.

You can forgo the cd changer altogether if you're M-Bus with the DICE iPod unit with the R-17 Harness that connects to the back of the CD43. No CD changer, but you'll get full iPod support plus you'll have a CD player in the dash.

honestly, I have never seen an ibus E31. Is yours ibus? My 97 is not.

Hi Aura, I owe you a phone call! I'll get around to it when I get a spare moment!

There are some iBus E31's. Again, there's always strange exceptions with the weirdo E31.

Cheers

What DICE kit do I need to buy to work with my CD43? Do not care about trunk CD changer would prefer to go direct to back of radio with Dice..

Zon

Give Tom at EAS a shout. EAS is the manufacturer of the DICE unit and Tom is a member here.

http://www.europeanautosource.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=25

Contact him for more info. You'll need the additional R-17 harness to connect to the back of the CD43. There 2 different kinds of DICE units: the old one and the new Silverline model. I have the old one that does not lock out the iPod clickwheel, but my iPod is a 4G pre-video model. Ask EAS to assist you in picking the right model for you iPod.

Cheers

Hi Aura, I owe you a phone call! I'll get around to it when I get a spare moment!

There are some iBus E31's. Again, there's always strange exceptions with the weirdo E31.

Cheers

Cool!! I wish my car was.

No rush on the call, it was just to discuss differential info with you. :)

Late '95 onwards are i-Bus, but there are exceptions , so check your cord.

You can forgo the cd changer altogether if you're M-Bus with the DICE iPod unit with the R-17 Harness that connects to the back of the CD43. No CD changer, but you'll get full iPod support plus you'll have a CD player in the dash.

My '96 was not i-Bus so the changer is dead. Doesn't matter though with the DICE iPod unit. Love it.

Did you run the dice directly to back of CD43 vice cd changer in the trunk?

Zon

Did you run the dice directly to back of CD43 vice cd changer in the trunk?

You run it out of the back of the head unit and tuck the wire under the carpet to the center console. Everything stays inside of the cabin. The DICE unit sits nicely behind the carpet piece on the side of the passenger footwell.

You need to make sure to specify needing the R17 harness to make it work right.

I think this is it, but contact eas to be sure.
http://www.europeanautosource.com/product_info.php?products_id=664

There's a slot to the right of where the headunit slides in. The DICE fits perfectly into this slot inside the dash. I ran the cord thru to where the phone used to be with a coathanger. Very easy install. My car came with a mini removable armrest that fits over the phone cavity--in effect hiding the iPod. I can access the iPod quickly/easily by taking off the armrest.

Where did you get the armrest? I have been looking for something like that as well.

Zon

The armrest I have came with my car. I have no idea where the PO got it. Thus far, I've not been able to figure out who made it.

There are 2 armrest makers that the E31 community knows about:

Bird Automotive

And

Auto Chic

Check 'em out online.

Cheers

There is also an alternative -and the one I find most attractive and natural- is to retrofit an OEM armrest from either an E36 or E46. Both have the offset in the pad to allow for the E-brake and the E46 is a bit wider and flips up for storage underneath. To me it looks like the car was made with it. This has already been done by one of our friends in the UK and I'll dig up the worklog and edit this post later. I'm expecting an E46 console to arrive here any day now to get started on this little winter project. It should serve the same purpose that Koiz describes, as I plan to do the CD43/DICE/E36amp setup for my car.

I've got an extra E36 amp if you want it. I have no use for a 2nd one plus the boss wants less clutter in our garage :D

What is the advantage of this amp vice the stock one in the 850?

I've got an extra E36 amp if you want it. I have no use for a 2nd one plus the boss wants less clutter in our garage :D

How did you like the E36 amp swap? It was one of my best/$ modifications (I picked up the amp for under $20), second only to the HIR bulb from a certain member. :D

To tell you the truth, I've noticed no real difference aside from the fact that the E36 amp might sound 'brighter'. Audio is subjective and I tend to seek neutral (versus bright) sounding setups. At least this is how goes for my extensive vintage home audio gear (one man's fine wine is another man's Nighttrain fortified wine :D)

To tell you the truth, I've noticed no real difference aside from the fact that the E36 amp might sound 'brighter'. Audio is subjective and I tend to seek neutral (versus bright) sounding setups. At least this is how goes for my extensive vintage home audio gear (one man's fine wine is another man's Nighttrain fortified wine :D)

Interesting. The big change I noticed was more that it did not distort nearly as much when I turned up the volume.

You might be right about it being a little louder but the stock speakers can't handle much power. Perhaps the distortion I get when cranked up is due to the extra Watts RMS. I replaced both rear mids due to foam surround rot as well as both rear tweeters. I thought that this would solve the distortion issues, but it didn't.

One day I will revamp the speakers yet again with A/D/S units along with another JL Audio or Mac amp like in my ol' E32. That setup was tha sh*t!