Need advice: where to send new-ish BMW for Car audio.

Dear friends,

I am wanting to send my wife's car (bmw E-90) in for ICE teatment... new speakers, upgrade the amp and in dash cd player, possibly new cables as well.

However, i have heard horror stories with regards to damage to sensitive wiring in the newer BMWs. One person told me his 3 series wiring got so messed up after ICE treatment, that he had to spend 50K to get it fixed!!

I personally drive and old beat up E36, and even my car hifi got seriously messed up by a car audio dealer and needed much work to rectify. So you can imagine my anxiety about sending a new BMW in.

So, if any BMW owners out there have had GOOD or EXCELLENT experience with any car hifi dealer, would you mind sharing with me?

Please pm me or e-mail me at balinkl@gmai.com or sms at 012-3058090.

I really do appreciate any feedback. Many many thanks.

Bal.

Good Luck.

You need it or just strap yr maggies in the rear seat. This way yr mother in law cannot follow you around.

Try this place in D'sara uptown (Damansara Utama) called CV Car Audio. And only this particular branch.

They do integrations aftermarket ICe integration with Beemers E90, E60, very well. They got all the proper harnesses and "go-between" electronic modules that will retain all the stock car features like steering wheel button control and all.

Can do the same for Audi/VW, Mercs, and most other cars with today's complicated electronics integration.

The shop guy is not your typical ah-beng uncle guy, but an ex-Motorola veteran who decided to make playing with gizmos and geeky electronic car stuff his business instead.

mugenfoo wrote:Try this place in D'sara uptown (Damansara Utama) called CV Car Audio. And only this particular branch.

They do integrations aftermarket ICe integration with Beemers E90, E60, very well. They got all the proper harnesses and "go-between" electronic modules that will retain all the stock car features like steering wheel button control and all.

Can do the same for Audi/VW, Mercs, and most other cars with today's complicated electronics integration.

The shop guy is not your typical ah-beng uncle guy, but an ex-Motorola veteran who decided to make playing with gizmos and geeky electronic car stuff his business instead.

Mugenfoo,
you are god sent. Many many thanks. I really do appreciate the feed back so quickly. I will indeed check this place out.


VS 126, you're a scream of fresh air!! If my own car, probably i WOULD strap on the maggies and never come back home!! But my wife's car lah... and i learn that women and maggies, or pets and maggies make a baaad combo.

Much appreciate your humor,
Bal.

I would also recommend checking with Tehnichi Audio .. off Federal Highway, along the Ford row, some block of shops called Highway Centre or something. They're been doing high-end mods for a range of cars for 25 years, and the workmanship is excellent. Plus, Simon, the boss (his wife Pat takes care of the business end of things) has a very good ear ... anyway, my experiences with them have always been excellent.

bassraptor wrote:I would also recommend checking with Tehnichi Audio .. off Federal Highway, along the Ford row, some block of shops called Highway Centre or something. They're been doing high-end mods for a range of cars for 25 years, and the workmanship is excellent. Plus, Simon, the boss (his wife Pat takes care of the business end of things) has a very good ear ... anyway, my experiences with them have always been excellent.

Many thanks Bassraptor. I appreciate the feedback & will check Technici Audio out. i have visited their website and have their address.

Bal

Hi bal,
Timely topic this. I was going to write something on my experience with car audio.

Having been into home hi fi long before I purchased my first car- a Civic Mayat in the mid 80s that car then never came with any radio whatsoever, well don't they all those days. The quest for hi fi in car sound began. So I checked out local dealers and brands, and settled at a Proton head unit and power amps and Acoustic Research speakers from hi fi dealers themselves at Asia Jaya attended by a very nice bloke called John. Amazing sound playing mostly tapes recorded from analogue through my Nakamichi deck.

My experience to date tells me built in car audios not as good as mix and match stuff. I had 4 imported cars in the past, Mercs and BMWs which came with built in audio and they all suck. 3 months ago I bought a new Range Rover which came with factory fitted Harman Kardon and Alpine harwares- 12 speakes and subwoofer and this is the first time I experience anything hi fi from car manufacturers. Well even then it is no match to my Land Rover Discovery mix and match system even if the discovery wasn't installed with a sub woofer.
Here's what I got in the Discovery- sat there when the components were installed in the shop to ensure the guys did a perfect job:
Head unit: Eclipse Single cd player ( came with the car)
Cd Changer: Nil
Power amps: 2 nos Fosgate amps ( I'm a believer in american power amps-
they're utterly balanced and powerfull and most of all bullet-
proof) carried over from my previous car
Speakers: 8 x Dynaudio speakers and their own crossovers

Tips: Ensure polarity, solder joints, put lots of waterproof soundproof
in doors, play loud in shop to ensure no vibration.

Recommend shops? many out there, but GS in Jalan 222 is a good one.

Cheers.

Mebbe someone will one day figure out how to install a mobile turntable as part of a car stereo system, and it also must be able to play while the car is in motion as well....

Hi Mugen,

Haven't been here for a while. Noted that logo of yours, whattssit mean son?

Turntable in car? Try a jukebox on bilsteins in the boot>shud do the work.

The closest thing honestly is an old good condition Nakamichi in car player playing home analogue recordings. Nothing ever came close for me, but to much work nowadays to re-venture again.

Say I've another lp for you. Do call.

Regards,

Uncle Jimmy.

Hi bal'

BTW you are right with after market installations buggering up modern day car ecu computers.
The safest thing is probably just to upgrade your speakers only. Most car manufacturers install pretty good electronics nowadays it seems but economize on speakers anyway.

Good luck.

mugenfoo wrote:Mebbe someone will one day figure out how to install a mobile turntable as part of a car stereo system, and it also must be able to play while the car is in motion as well....

actually, it's been done. by chrysler ... it seemed like a good idea then

http://www.uaw-chrysler.com/images/news/phono.htm

it still is .... but i'd reckon they would finally fix the skipping problem which is quite likely to happen once they find ways to manipulate some basic fundamental physics contraints.

My guess is that a working practical mobile record player would be totally viable, after the brightest scientists in the human race figure out a way to do artificial gravity, inertial dampers and hyperspace jumps.

mr. wan azami, are u an architect or something? AMC??

azri wrote:mr. wan azami, are u an architect or something? AMC??

AMC ... sounds familiar ...

oh yes, that AMC CVT3030 Integrated valve amp !

mugenfoo wrote:it still is .... but i'd reckon they would finally fix the skipping problem which is quite likely to happen once they find ways to manipulate some basic fundamental physics contraints.

My guess is that a working practical mobile record player would be totally viable, after the brightest scientists in the human race figure out a way to do artificial gravity, inertial dampers and hyperspace jumps.

also, the unifying theory ...

Wan Azami Hamzah wrote:Hi bal,
Timely topic this. I was going to write something on my experience with car audio.

Having been into home hi fi long before I purchased my first car- a Civic Mayat in the mid 80s that car then never came with any radio whatsoever, well don't they all those days. The quest for hi fi in car sound began. So I checked out local dealers and brands, and settled at a Proton head unit and power amps and Acoustic Research speakers from hi fi dealers themselves at Asia Jaya attended by a very nice bloke called John. Amazing sound playing mostly tapes recorded from analogue through my Nakamichi deck.

My experience to date tells me built in car audios not as good as mix and match stuff. I had 4 imported cars in the past, Mercs and BMWs which came with built in audio and they all sucks. 3 months ago I bought a new Range Rover which came with factory fitted Harman Kardon and Alpine harwares- 12 speakes and subwoofer and this is the first time I experience anything hi fi from car manufacturers. Well even then it is no match to my Land Rover Discovery mix and match system even if the discovery wasn't installed with a sub woofer.
Here's what I got in the Discovery- sat there when the components were installed in the shop to ensure the guys did a perfect job:
Head unit: Eclipse Single cd player ( came with the car)
Cd Changer: Nil
Power amps: 2 nos Fosgate amps ( I'm a believer in american power amps-
they're utterly balanced and powerfull and most of all bullet-
proof) carried over from my previous car
Speakers: 8 x Dynaudio speakers and their own crossovers

Tips: Ensure polarity, solder joints, put lots of waterproof soundproof
in doors, play loud in shop to ensure no vibration.

Recommend shops? many out there, but GS in Jalan 222 is a good one.

Cheers.

Thank you so much Wan Azami, Mugenfoo, Bassraptor and all others who responded. I came home from dinner, turned on the computer and thought wow!! So many caring sharing, so many people wanting to share and help out.

My sincerest thanks to all.

My own ride, an aging E36, has an Alpine single cd (24 bit dac) feeding into a 4 channel Genesis amp and another italian amp (forget the name...not something well known..). The Genesis feeds 5.25 mid bass and 1 inch tweeter by Dynaudio, thro their crossovers (with upgraded caps and resistors) all up front. The italian jobbie feeds a simple MTX sub woofer. Not too bad lah, the sound. The new caps in the crossover still breaking in.
When my wife sat and heard the sound, she say she also want.

what to do, what to do, good husband always help the good wife, especially on rare occasions like this where the woman actually supports the hobby!!!

Normally i have to buy hi fi like ''complot sorok''... hide and buy!!

Got to go guys, take care and be well. And thanks again.

Bal.

my car dun even have a stereo system or speakers of any sort inside .... coz it's just more dead weight that i dun need at all... really.

mugenfoo wrote:my car dun even have a stereo system or speakers of any sort inside .... coz it's just more dead weight that i dun need at all... really.

... but if you could get a turntable in, maybe ...???

Hahaha....he got u there Mugen. Not to mention a box of heavy 180g vinyls on the front passenger seat.

bassraptor wrote:

mugenfoo wrote:my car dun even have a stereo system or speakers of any sort inside .... coz it's just more dead weight that i dun need at all... really.

... but if you could get a turntable in, maybe ...???

Wan Azami Hamzah wrote:Hahaha....he got u there Mugen. Not to mention a box of heavy 180g vinyls on the front passenger seat.

hahaha.. yup ol' boomboomraptie sure did...

Hello everyone,
it's been a while since my last post. This is because it took time to
get my wife's car done up. i would like to share my excellent, excellent
experience, but wanted to wait for it all to be over first.

we went to CV audio, and spoke to Peter there. Please understand, that
peter and i have nothing to do with each other. My wife and i are just
happy customers sharing our experience. Take it or leave it, we do not
intend to do anything but share some good experience. That is all.

We spoke with peter, suggesting we wanted to upgrade the front speakers,
add an amp, and upgrade the subs under the seat as well. peter was
gracious and shared his experience, suggesting we just add a 5 channel
amp, change the front speakers and use my old MB Quarts for the rear
parcel. It was a bummer for me to learn that the front speakers for the
E90 only fit 4 inch woofers, and there is no place in the kick panels to
mount larger speakers!! Plus my wife did not want a sub box in the
booth, plus she wanted everything to look 'stock' without alterations.

Peter worked with the car over the next 6 weeks, giving us the space and
time to listen, re-evluate, swap components, re-listen. When we could
not find suitable subwoofers for the underseat stock subwoofers, he
suggested we bring them in from Earthquake, pointing me towards internet
forums that spoke about the good AND THE BAD of these speakers. All
invoices were shown to me, so i knew how much his cost and mark up was.
Incredible.
Plus he never asked for a single cent upfront during this time. We paid
the bill in full only at the end, when we were happy with the sound.

I did not know people like peter still existed. I have become so
impressed. He was ever willing to listen to my suggestions, and use
cheaper components and let me be the one who decides if i like the
sound, or to go for the more expensive ones. He is a far cry from any
other ice dealers i have been to, by a mile.

Oh, and he is not expensive.
I have already recommended him to very close personal friends.

Bal.

Bal .....

These are like rear GEMS, you don't get that many and if you do get them they are far and wide.

Good to know that you are happy with your setup.

cheers

I'm looking back at the threads, and just saw that it was Mugenfoo who recomended CV audio to me. A big thank you to you, Mugenfoo. you were spot on. Peter is a gem.

Bal.

[quote="mugenfoo"

My guess is that a working practical mobile record player would be totally viable, after the brightest scientists in the human race figure out a way to do artificial gravity, inertial dampers and hyperspace jumps.[/quote]

Hiya mugen,

That's akin to trying to mod a Spitfire plane and try sending it to to Mars hehee.

Me changed phone number recently, will call you sometime soon.

Cheers,

Uncle Jimmy