BMW e46 Double Din Radio Face Plate installation

[valletta18]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to install a Sony XAV AX100 radio in my 2005 325xi BMW. Best buy told me to purchase this install kit:

https://www.amazon.com/Metra-95-9311...Metra+95-9311B

However, I want the radio to sit flush. Does anyone know if I could just use all of the parts from the above link (such as the mounting brackets and climate control relocation) but instead of using the faceplate that sticks out really far, swap it with the flush face plate in the link below?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks!

[DennisCooper]

Hi,

The unit is very nice for the price and it's feature set, however, it's still 'full/traditional' depth even though there's no disk mechanism inside. In order to have it fit flush in your dash and use the trim/bezel that also fits flush, you'll need to modify/cut the airbox/pipes in the dash location to make room for it to sit back further. This isn't as easy as you'd think as if you cut the airbox/pipes incorrectly, you'll mess up the airflow of the cabin fan. Experienced, knowledgeable car audio installers with experience of doing this job in BMW E46's and E39's will perhaps charge 2-4 hours worth of labour as it's quite a fiddly and time consuming job to do properly and correctly. In your other post, you mention Best Buy will fit it but go back and ask them if it includes this modification required to have the unit fit flush - I doubt it will, and if they say they it does include it, ask if they've done an E46 previously.

The Alpine iLX-007 and Parrot Asteroid Smart are two units that are shallow depth and thus, don't need the airbox/pipes modifying/cutting to fit as they only a few inches deep. Alpine has just announced a couple new units one with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at CES 2017 and I think they're available now at authorised Alpine dealers in the USA.

Save yourself a few hundred dollars and get a shallow depth head unit instead !

Cheers, Dennis!

[valletta18]

Thank you for all the info Dennis! I am not familiar with the location of the airbox/pipes in the dash. That being said, the Sony unit that I purchased above only has the depth of a single din, even though the actual screen is the size of a double din. Given that it's depth is a single din, will this still interfere with the airbox/pipes if I want the radio to sit flush?

Also, I talked to a separate installer who installed this radio on an e46 sitting flush using this kit: https://www.amazon.com/Metra-95-9313.../dp/B01N3YXV59. He claimed that he did not need to modify the airbox in any way. What are your thoughts?

[DennisCooper]

Hi,

The 'depth' is different to the 'height'. A single or double DIN with a disk mechanism will be 'too deep' to install without modifying the airbox/pipes. The Sony you've purchased is 16cm deep, so it won't fit flush without the modification.

The install kit you refer to has in the description 'parts included to modify the factory airbox'.

I've not installed into an E46, but everywhere over the forums where those who have installed a double DIN unit with a disk mechanism/not a shallow depth unit, all mention they've had to modify. If the installer you spoke to thinks he can do it, better get him to install it and take pictures so you can post up here what was done.

Cheers, Dennis!

[EfiniMotorsport]

I've seen pics of the same install on an e36 which should be similar. It's one I've thought about for a while but even with many years of experience I still wouldn't want to go through all the hassle, It certainly wouldn't be a 2-4 hour job unless they've done a bunch of them. Dennis is right, go with a head unit without a disc drive that's half the depth (front to back). I have seen a very few number of head units that are double din and have disc drives but are shallower at he bottom. Those would also work but the brands I've seen are usually garbage. There are other less expensive companies that offer the shallow mount units. ***** is one and they have an e46 specific unit. It has bluetooth, nav, backup camera etc. How often do you really use the disc drive anyway? For me it's a whole lot easier to throw a few thousand songs on a thumb drive or sd card and pop it right in.