CD Changer

[Paul Nel]

I want to fit my '97 328i's CD Changer to my wife's '94 320i. The 328i has a cable with ±13 pins, the 320i' plug (behind the carpeting in the boot) has ±7 pins. Please help!

[kyleabaker]

Welcome Paul,

I think you can swap the disc changers, but.....I think you will have to swap the cord that runs from the radio-to-the-disc changer for the two cars. They should have the same radio unit (which I think would mean that the plug on the back of the radio is the same). So if the plug on the back of the radio is the same then you can take the cord out of the 328i and install it in with the disc changer in the 320i.

I guess give that a shot and if it doesn't work we can start over, haha. Best of luck.

kyleabaker

[Paul Nel]

Thanx. I was hoping that wouldn't be necessary. I've always done all my own car maintenance and mod's. But since buying the 328i two years ago I've been a bit careful. The car is so well put together, most jobs tend to have 3 or 4 extra steps just to get to what you want to do. I'll hunt around junkyards for the CD Changer cable and just move the unit to the 320i with a cable from a donor vehicle. I wouldn't like to strip the 328i to get the cable.
(was hoping there's a quick fix like "fit an adapter", but christmas has come and gone.....)

[Paul Nel]

Just had an idea. Pulling the 320i apart to fit the correct cable seems like a lot of unnecessay work to fit old technology! (CD's tend to skip on uneven road surfaces) I've seen adapters on various sites that allow IPOD's or MP3 players to be fitted to the CD Changer plug in the boot. Is this correct? Are these adapters available for the older model BM's (7 pin plug) (I think it's 7pins. Might be 8....)
I use a MP3 player with a radio transmitter in the 328i. Maybe that's the solution, but the head unit cannot be used to control the MP3 player and taking your eyes of the road.......

[kyleabaker]

As far as I know there are not any adapters available for e36 radio's. I think those are only for like year 2002+...unfortunate tho, cause I'd have one for my 325is in a heartbeat, haha.