I've tried two or three FM modulators, but they are essentially useless in the NYC tri-state area. There are almost no free channels so you end up retuning as you driver around. I had purchased an AUX cable from my dealer a few months ago and finally got around to installing it. It is easier than the instructions lead you to believe. You can do it without removing the radio. You may have to remove the glovebox, but it depends on where you want to install the connection jack.
- Purchase the "MINI Auxillary Audio Input" . The one I got from the dealer was about $50 and was labeled with the part # 82 11 0 153 367. It appears you can get the same factory part from www.outmotoring.com for about $40.
- Pull down the "Knee Panel". This is a big panel of plastic below the steering wheel, stretching from the door to the center console. Tilt the steering column to the highest position. Grasp the panel at the gap between it and the steering column and pull down pretty firmly. It is held in by two pressure fit pins at the top, and has sort of a hinge arrangement at the bottom. It will probably come completely off the hinges. Don't worry, it pops right back on when you are done.
- A little bit of the back side of the radio should now be visible. You can reach your hand up there and feel around to insert the cable into the proper slot. The instructions with the cable have a diagram.
- Fish the free end of the cable over the radio and out the back towards the glove compartment.
- Replace the Knee Panel
Now you have the choice of where to mount the connecter. The
instructions suggest the glove gbox, but then you'll end up with
the cable dangling from the glove box . That's ugly.
Since I have a console organizer (mini mania), I'm going to mount the jack there.