OEM Aux / USB charging kit I put together for < $100 doityourself

[sna77]

My car already has an AUX input adapter, and an Intravee with permanent mounted iPod in the trunk, but my wife expressed interest in using her iPhone 4s or the iPad when on trips. I wanted something more stealth than a USB to cigarette lighter adapter. While they have small USB adapters that will allow you to close the cover over the ashtray when nothing is plugged into them, as soon as you plug in a cable, the cable gets in the way of shifting.

Anyhow, here’s the parts list of this quick DIY:

OEM Aux adapter, circa $35 from dealer:
OEM Aux for e46 CD53 radios (cars without Nav), 2003 and newer: 82110149389
OEM Aux for BM53 radio modules (cars with Nav), 2003 and newer: 82110149391

Make sure to order the right one for your car of course... Notice the different connectors on the corresponding part #s / cables:




PAC USBCBL, $12 from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o02_s00_i00

Visions USB Hardwire Charger Power Port 2 Amps, $23 from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o03_s00_i00





neXplug iPod charge and audio cable with USB and 3.5mm, $22 (BMW also makes an OEM cable too)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o02_s00_i01




The PAC USBCBL has a female USB connector… The hardwire kit has a male USB connector… They just plug right into each other. Wrapped the connector with a bit of electrical tape to secure it. Hardwired the other end to the fuse box…

I like to install the AUX port in the coin box. It's out of the way, plus if you mess up, you can buy a new plastic coin box for about $25.... Of course, I just bought a new coin box for the project...

This was my old install of the AUX input adapter... Just the AUX adapter in the coin tray, with the ugly BMW plate over it:




Threaded the AUX input cable into the new coin box and used a bit of glue to help secure the USB port as you tend to put pressure on them when inserting devices:




Finished product... Notice you don't need to use the BMW plate to secure the AUX input adapter:






You can stream Pandora and charge the iPhone at the same time...

[cakM3]

Nice Steve!

[JupiterBMW]

Very nice.

[Nivo]

that's sweet right there!

[johnrando]

Awesome, thanks for posting. Looks great, very functional.

[webster]

awesome job! that is pretty much exactly what i want to have. except i don't have an iphone...is there a similar product like the nexplug for samsung galaxy?

[sna77]

So the problem you'll run into is that audio is not sent out over the micro USB connector on the Galaxy, like it is on the iPhone. You'll need 2 cables.

I'd buy both of these and tape them together to make it look like a single cable.

1.5' micro USB cable, $3:
http://www.amazon.com/Male-Micro-5pi...=1.5+micro+usb

1.5' right-angle 3.5 mm audio cable, $5
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-M...ywords=1.5+3.5

It's 2 connectors on the phone instead of one, but it would be clean, charge the phone and play clean audio...

[webster]

werd, thanks for the response. i'll get to this at some point...i was using the cig lighter before to charge, but you're right it's cumbersome for a 6mt, plus i ended up frying the fuse anyways since the lighter really isn't meant to be a charge source...

[Nomar06]

Nice clean install. I added the AUX input in the car last weekend, placed it in the spot below the AC controls. Def will be looking at adding the hardwire power thing.

[derbo]

great setup steve! Only downfall is not being able to skip from the radio buttons! Besides that a great setup ! :D