GROM Audio BMWTB3 Adapter Bluetooth car Interface Compatible with Select* BMW; Auxiliary 3.5mm Audio Capable (Cable Sold Separately) - Trunk Installation

After trying various inexpensive BT to FM transmitters that almost worked (music good, texting sucked, voice spotty) I bought the expensive Grom. It's a CD changer emulator. Forget the models that need to remove radio to install. If you do that, might as well put in a whole new radio head unit for same money. If the interface doesn't work the way you want, once you took apart your dash, you're screwed. The trunk is the easy way to go and sound quality is same. For my 2005 Mini S, uncertainties were 1. Is the factory HK radio's sound "Patterns" settings considered DSP, requiring pricey adapter? Unclear in info. 2. Is the Sirius radio unit in trunk a problem? 3. Will track titles show? 4. Does voice texting and Siri still work? 5. Wires from amp were not free as shown in directions. (Wires turned out to be plugged into Sirius unit and I took chance, just unplugging them and using despite Grom support saying I couldn't use Sirius connection.) 6. After install, Grom did not work until I rebooted phone, and turned car and radio off and on a few times (showed up as CDC for CD Changer, then AUX, then back to CDC). Now, all works great, sounds great! Steering wheel controls work, track titles display, even on Spotify! Sirius no longer works (had to disconnect) but I disliked and satellite is going the way of CDs anyway. BONUS the cell phone numbers and info shows up on the radio screen !

Just nope..The install was a fiasco to begin with. It was listed as a Trunk mount (it was) but the cable for the mic wasn't even close to long enough to actually use, it would be if your back seat passengers wanted to use it. So, had to order the extension cable for the Mic so it could be placed properly. Was told I needed a DSP adaptor (by GROM, turned out I didn't), when using the adaptor you need to have the data cable to plug into the digital amp which I wasn't told when placing the original order so here we wait again and turns out I didn't need that either. They sent me a RMA then charged me 20% return on it. Nice.While using the system every time it switches songs like when you are using Pandora and there is a pause in between songs the bluetooth on the phone goes to max. The sound then is REALLY distorted so each song change you are turning down the phone so you can actually hear the song. Kinda takes away from the Streaming experience.I tested this on several APPs, Pandora, Spotify, Audible and Librivox. Did it every time.I have 2 other vehicles with aftermarket systems in them and all the above mentioned APPs work fine without messing with the phone volume at all.Another thing to mention, when using this you cannot use your navigation, you cannot change the sound profiles so no treble or Bass adjustments. Try to change the screen to make said adjustments and it immediately bounces back to the GROM screen.Same with the NAVI. Nope, can't use it if you are streaming.They said there is a firmware update for this, you need to save the file to a SD card then remove the box from the vehicle (fun right?) take it apart and install the card then power it up for the update. Mind you if the vehicle ever looses power, battery replacment, dead battery etc you will need to reload the new firmware as it will revert back to the original.I would also like to mention that GROM was blaming this on Android 6.0.01 software which as I mentioned works fine on the other to vehicles so I call BS, Sounded like they were tired of trying to help me get it fixed and just walked away.I would hazard a guess I'll not get all my money back on this unit as well.Too bad really, had great potential but the execution was poor, really poor.This little thing worked WAY better then the $200+ GROM unit FYI.http://www.amazon.com/GOgroove-FlexSMART-Transmitter-Multipoint-Hands-Free/dp/B003PPGOC0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

1st unitarrived DOASecond one works fine in my e46 after some timeAt first it was having minor issues like an audio hiccup and song info not displaying on the radio display ,it was doing it intermittently at first but seems to have cleared up , probably more to do with Android but it does work now.I love that this unit sends the song information to the radio display , their marketing sucks and they do not really make this clear so I was uncertain if it would do that but indeed it does.As far as I know this is the only one that does itThere are others cheaper ones but you do not get the song info sent to your radio display so if that is important to you then this is the one to get.It connects right away and most of the time even with Pandora the song automatically pauses when I exit the vehicle and resumes when I start it back upIf you want to keep your car looking stock as possible I would recommend this.I was able to find a perfect spot to mount the mic as well in my e46 .Right on top of the steering wheel columb there is a little indentation with a screw in it ,after cutting down the plastic foot plate of the microphone mount a bit with a Dremel I was able to remove the screw and attach the microphone mount foot plate in the steering column indentation this is the ideal mounting place both asthetically and functionally as well.I did want to mount it in the factory position next to the moon roof switch but I did not want to remove my A pillar.But this is probably a better spot since it would have probably got a lot of wind noise in the factory position.