» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | 10-11-2010, 08:32 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | BMW Factory CD Business Radio I purchased this used BMW Business Radio for my 96 318ti however it wouldn't power up. It's supposed to work on all e36 models does anyone know if ir's really not compatible? | | | 10-11-2010, 08:55 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Quote: Originally Posted by mrkrl I purchased this used BMW Business Radio for my 96 318ti however it wouldn't power up. It's supposed to work on all e36 models does anyone know if ir's really not compatible? | Radios are different. I thought the only difference was the CD hookup, but there may be more. A change was made 09/1996. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 10-11-2010, 11:08 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 3,244 | I know my old CD 43 unit worked in my 1996, but I do not remember the production date of the car. Seems weird it will not power up at all assuming the connectors mated fine. Do you have proof it worked before? __________________ My Former Rides 1999 318ti Alpine White, Cali Roof, Dinan goodies 1996 318ti Hellrot California Edition | | | 10-12-2010, 01:43 AM | #4 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | No, but I did get my money back. The connections & size look the same as the BMW factory cassette radio. The mechanic that tried to install it said it was bad but before I try to buy another I thought I'd check here. The ones on Ebay seem prices $250-$350, I just hate after marker radios, fit & finish is always so cheesy. | | | 10-13-2010, 07:58 AM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | I forgot to mention the radio came out of a 99 ZR3. So it should work? | | | 10-13-2010, 03:36 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Leesburg. VA Posts: 122 | I can only guess that "ZR3" means Z3 roadster. Don't know if the electrical connections were changed by 1999. E36 head unit should look something like this one from a '96 E36 325i: Wiring connector: | | | 10-14-2010, 08:08 AM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | Yes, Z3. Here is a pic of the radio, the connections & size are the same but not the face. | | | 10-14-2010, 04:08 PM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Leesburg. VA Posts: 122 | My pic is of a cassette head unit - yours has CD instead. | | | 10-14-2010, 04:25 PM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | Quote: Originally Posted by mrkrl Yes, Z3. Here is a pic of the radio, the connections & size are the same but not the face. | I have that exact unit in my 95 ti. No issues, works perfectly. It should have been a plug and play install. __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 10-14-2010, 05:45 PM | #10 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | Thanks that's what I needed to know the unit I got then must have been DOA. | | | 10-14-2010, 05:51 PM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | Agreed, it was DOA. Glad you got your money back. Do you have the factory 6 disc changer in your car? If so, it should work too if the car has the later square plug design for the changer cable. __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 10-16-2010, 06:33 AM | #12 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | Nope, the previous owner put a Alpine Cassette radio with CD changer in the back but left the original BMW cassette radio in the trunk. I wanted to just put the old BMW radio back in it but the Alpine Cd changer cable won't fit the radio. The speakers are shot as well, what a pain this is I might just go with a Best Buy after market radio. Yuck | | | 10-17-2010, 01:21 AM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Leesburg. VA Posts: 122 | I have the factory cassette head shown in my previous post, as well as the factory CD changer, fuzzy cover and data cable to connect head unit & changer (if your car isn't pre-wired) - $150. They were removed from an early '96 sedan in early '97. You would need to get the ti-specific CD changer bracket - 65-12-8-369-926, $27.51 at Tischer BMW. | | | 11-05-2010, 03:19 AM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southwest England Posts: 379 | I'd stick with the Alpine, I've just replaced my standard BMW Business Radio/Cassette with an Alpine CD112i head unit and the difference in sound quality is huge. The stock unit was horrible! | | | 12-20-2010, 08:02 PM | #15 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 12 | So why are people paying $300-$400 for used factory radios? | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |